Food was excellent, great service and generous portions. Definitely a winner. Took a lot of my kebab entree home because I wasn't very hungry, but let me tell you those leftovers had me visiting my fridge to steal bites of kebab and bread with garlic sauce constantly. read more

Aladdin Hillcrest - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

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They have not closed. Just changed the name and updated the decor. I have been eating here for 25 years and everything I had today was just as good as it always has been. This is a great, local, family owned business with great food and friendly service. read more

Aladdin Hillcrest - Meza Platter - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

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take out / delivery order review -- Aladdins is a staple here in our house .. we are loyal customers and our go-to items are the chicken wraps and the chicken skewer entree item. We always order fries with the wraps and love the pita bread and tangy yogurt sauce .. The chicken marinade is always consistent and is the main reason we keep coming back. Take out/delivery orders are always spot on and cant wait to actually eat inside sometime. read more

Aladdin Hillcrest - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Food: Fresh & zingy marinades, sauces to marry with everything. Loved the chicken breast, garlic sauce, Babaganoush (eggplant dip)& cheese/spinach pastries. Service: My server was gently helpful, efficient. Ambiance: Patio seating refreshing, energizing. Inside is authentic, cozy & comfort inducing. Yelpers, this spot is waiting to serve you & delight with unique flavors! read more

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Very dependable restaurant. I have been here many times. The staff is very nice and personable. The atmosphere is a little worn at the edges but it's fine. The chicken Mediterranean salad was very good. I loved the fresh romaine, mint, Persian cucumbers and radishes. I wish it didn't have the fried pita chips on top. I left feeling like I ate a very healthy lunch and I had improved energy. read more

Aladdin Hillcrest - Aladdin Mediterranean Chicken Salad - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

I always enjoy coming for lunch to Aladdin because of the great service and beautiful decor. Today I tried a new menu item and it was delicious. Friend and I both ordered the $14 lunch special of chicken shawarma wrap and drink with choice of lentil soup, salad, rice or fries. We both got the lentil soup and it was soo good. The yellow lentil soup was creamy and full of flavor and spices. The chicken shawarma was very flavorful with creamy tzatziki and sliced tomatoes in a warm pita wrap. read more

Aladdin Hillcrest - Chicken Shawarma Wrap with Lentil Soup- lunch special - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Great service and awesome variety of Mediterranean dishes. Nice outdoor patio seating and nice decor inside. Definitely recommend. Plenary of parking on the shopping center in front. Very limited hours: most days they close by 8pm. read more

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Walked in at about 3pm, and it was great. I got the lunch special and it was fire, really good shawarma. Staff was kind and I had just enough time to grab some foodstuff from TJs while they prepped it. 10/10 would recommend read more

Beautiful redo we stopped in today for a great lunch! All the staff was excellent as were our chicken wraps my salad perfect love Persian cucumbers was just what I wanted on these warm days. The remodel is fresh clean and attractive. I've gone here many times today was perfect food and service. Retired Executive Chef here I wish renewed success @ read more

The food and service were fantastic. They've also done some interior updating and it feels really clean and bright. I don't think they're done just yet, but it's a welcome change. The food we ordered tonight was delicious and came out very quickly. The servers were very attentive and pleasant. Thanks for a wonderful dinner out! See you soon :) read more

Aladdin Mediterranean has become a San Diego institution. Always satisfying and the staff is always wonderful to be with. Sadly, a restaurant by the same name in Clairemont had some health issues and the San Diego Hillcrest, which has nothing to do with that one is losing business. if you know and like Aladdin Hillcrest, please support them right now. They need it. Had yet another great dinner there last night. read more

Aladdin Hillcrest - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Aladdin's Meza Platter Hummus, tabouleh, baba ghanouj, Chicken and meat Shawarma, dolma, falafels, baked kebeh, tzaziki, tahini, garlic sauce, pickles + olives Loved this!!! This was so fun to eat, trying a little bit of just about everything on the menu. I ordered this to go, and the staff packaged everything up super nicely and securely. The meat schwarma was pretty good, the chicken a little dry. The falafels were amazing--so, so light and fluffy and crispy on the outside, and I'm not usually a falafel fan!! The kebeh was delicious, loved all the different sauces on the side of this platter. The baba ghanouj was one of my favorite things. This came with a few pitas as well, which were great! Only downside was that this was a little pricey, even as much food as it was. read more

Aladdin Hillcrest - a variety of food in plastic containers - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Good was amazing Service was efficient and professional Inside the ambiance is clean and somewhat interesting but has room for for improvement. Their patio needs some decorating as it is just too plain! read more

Aladdin is the restaurant with which I judge all Mediterranean food. And today all those memories came crashing back with every bite. I can honestly say NO OTHER restaurant has captured the texture, taste and truly exquisite culinary experience as a meal here and I don't think they ever will. read more

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Love it. Been going here for past 10 years. Lamb chops and lamb shank my favorite dishes. Waiters are all lovely. read more

Somehow this restaurant has the same name as the other Alladin located on Clairemont Mesa but are no longer related and I guess many years ago they were shared common owners. The Lebanese food was pretty good but didn't justify the high price. Service was attentive and on the ball, but not sure I would come back as the other Aladdin location really spoiled me with their different pita bread, and falafel's. Not sure I would return unless came with a large group to do their family offerings. read more

Aladdin Hillcrest - Aladdin's Meza Platter - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

delicious food, service superb, good ambience Shout out to Samir and to all the staff. read more

I extremely recommend salads the dressing are delicious,and chicken kabobs are very good plus service is excellent.

One of the most delicious Mediterranean meals I've had. I'm not a fan of falafel but theirs is definitely something else - I would highly recommend you try it here. Everything we ordered was so rich in flavor and very filling. I did have a massive stomachache right after the meal though, which was a nightmare because I had a flight to catch. But despite all the pain and struggle I went through I would come back again because it was THAT good. read more

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We went to Aladdin with the family and I can say the food was amazing! I recommend you try their grilled platter with lamb chops it was delicious also they made us some raw kibbeh and my husband loved it. We met the owner he was very friendly and took the kids inside to show them how their fresh pita bread is made. read more

I'm angry that I paid $9.50 for two small fingers of baklava. That wasn't worth it at all. Whatever, I just won't get it again. Everything else was excellent. Love their drinks - we tried the apricot one and the tamarind one. They also have a date one I want to try next time. We shared the mesa platter during our most recent experience. It was the perfect amount for two people + a little left over for lunch the next day. Everything was flavorful and I love the variety. I'll be back! read more

Fabulous!! We eat here at least once a week. The food is so tasty and fresh. My personal favorite is the chicken kebab wrap that comes with either soup or salad. I always get the salad; hubby always gets the soup. The dressing is light, flavored with lemon, salt and perhaps some sumac. The chicken is moist and tender and comes with the best garlic sauce I have tasted in all of San Diego. Believe me I have tried a ton of different garlic sauces including the ones at Alforon (very good) and Luna grill (just okay). The sandwich is wrapped in warm pita bread and comes with the aforementioned sauce and tomato. Very yummy indeed. Best of all the service is excellent, prices are fair and there are plenty of outdoor tables where our corgi can hang with us. Try it. If you like Mediterranean food, Aladdin will not disappoint. Plenty of parking available in the garage by Trader Joe's. read more

We love coming to Aladdin. The food and customer service is always fantastic. We typically always get the same thing when we come which includes lebanese coffee, meza, and knafeh. read more

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Delicious food but its pricey but so worth it when you're eating it. I highly recommend ordering the food and eating it here but taking it to go also works. The servers are really nice and the food is being made behind glass and this restaurant is constantly busy. read more

This is a great family owned restaurant in Hillcrest. Had the hummus as a starter. Creamy and smooth hummus finished with a bit of olive oil, absolutely perfect texture with just the right amount of garlic. It's served with a thin lavash bread. There were three of us and we ordered a large. It was too much so we took some home, they even gave us more lavash to take home with it. They had a lunch special that included a chicken shawarma wrap and salad. Perfect portion, tasty chicken and interesting (in a good way) vinaigrette with a flavor I couldn't place. Great deal for the lunch special at $11.99. Don't let parking get you down, there's a garage under Ralph's and Trader Joe's. read more

So delicious!!! My go to when I'm really craving Lebanese food. I love the chicken shawarma and chicken Kabobs. My friend had the Jafar Pizza and she loved it too. Omg the baklava Ice cream is to die for read more

I've been loving this place for years. Best salads and perfectly cooked chicken every single time. The garlic spread is incredible. Even the tea is amazing. Hummus is so smooth and creamy. Portions are huge. Service is always great. Will always come back, plus it's so pretty inside but their takeout is great too. read more

Love it here. One of my absolute favorites. Bob, who is one of the servers here is awesome! He always knows my regular order. The food is always fresh and delicious. This place is real treasure in the neighborhood. Favorites include the hummus, the chicken Shawarma, the Mediterranean salad. read more

I come when a rather large group of us meet next door. Despite the sudden crowd- the staff is excellent serving everyone in a timely manner with grace and some food we all can agree on! Salads are amazing and plenty to share with another or take home for next day. I suggest trying the garlic sauce too! Yum!!! read more

3.5 stars because the service was terrible. The food was 9 out of 10. We had the mixed meat plate and the chicken kebab pita, the french fries were cold, not even lukewarm, but it didn't matter because the rest of the food was absolutely amazing.I added pickled turnips and onions to the pita sandwich and it was delicious. The mixed kebab plate was delicious, rice was good and hummus too. It's too bad we never got any water refills or extra napkins we desperately needed. No one checked on us again after the food was set down at the table, we waited about 15 minutes after we were done eating and had to go inside and pay in the kitchen area. They didn't seem overly busy. I will definitely be back because the food was so delicious but I will probably take it to go. read more

Aladdin Hillcrest - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Finally, REAL TAHINI! They have good food and good service. The serving is big and worth what you pay for. However, the place needs a little tidying up. Not too conducive to in dining! I love what we ordered but we think Sahara's is better - taste-wise. Great food and get your money's worth here at Aladdin's. read more

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Ok Customer Service, from the tall guy. I did Appreciate one waiter who welcomed me. (the shorter waiter.) Lots of fries. Makes you Full. Long chicken shawarma does the trick...even if it is thin... it will make you Full consuming All the Fries. It's Interesting there's a lot of Fries... rather than meat. Price $15 ish for that. But, Total was around $30 ish. Cute cozy restaurant. Size of fries look different from website photo. *Host told me the prices from online menu need to be updated. So, that probably means the pictures, too. They have a thick Hummus sauce.. And, the Lentil soup is Good but it was Salty. A bit Pricey. This place deserves a 4 Star as the Food is Quality... and, the Shwarma wrap was so Good. But, the Customer Service was just Ok.. Edit: I added 1 more Star for Grace. It's Actually a Good place. Yummy. Just Pricey. read more

This was the best Mediterranean place i have been to in a long time! The cheese and spinach boats were soooo good! Also we loved the meza platter and the stuffed grape leaves! Everything tasted home made, good quality and fresh! The service was so fast especially for our party of 10. The ambiance is very "hole in the wall" type of place, small, quaint, and ethic. Love this place! read more

Came by for dinner after drinking all day. I wanted the lamb pizza but ordered the chicken instead. It was still delicious! Get a side of garlic dip and fries. Next time I will try the lamb haha. read more

Aladdin Hillcrest - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

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They changed their legendary Mediterranean Chicken Salad?!?! Why? It used to be fresh romaine lettuce, feta, pistachios, great moist chicken, tomatoes, homemade dressing, and that pita bread! But here we are today, no pistachios and that balsamic dressing has been replaced with a tangy lemon dressing. I still enjoyed my salad, but it just wasn't the same. What I liked: baba ganoush garlic spread What sucked: I do not recommend Aladdin Hillcrest for Food Delivery Services. There were a couple of issues with our office delivery. We had a group order and Aladdin doesn't write the person's name on their individual order. Many other places do that, but that's not a deal breaker. But what really sucks is that they also don't write down what's inside of their wraps. This is problematic when several people order shawarma wraps with different proteins. Everyone had to open up their wrap and potentially swap with another coworker. - Didn't include an order receipt (Basically the ordered items) with the delivery. This helps us quickly verify if the order is right or not. - Didn't include napkins or utensils. It's also strange that this location is pretty much exactly the same as the Aladdin Cafe on Clairemont Mesa Blvd including their menu but they're somehow different restaurants? What happened, a family feud? read more

Aladdin Hillcrest - Their "new formula" Mediterranean salad.. not as good as the old version. - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is tucked in a shopping center in Hillcrest, so I'd been here so many times and never tried. The chicken kebab plate was really good, and a good size too. This review is specifically for the cauliflower tagine appetizer. Truly some of the best cauliflower I've ever had. Also had the Lebanese red wine and it was great. read more

Great food probably one of the most authentic Lebanese restaurants in the area. The kebab , hummus , tabbouleh. Labne and Baba Kush. Was outrageously good! Also... Best French fries in town!!! read more

I visited Aladdin based on yelp recommendations. First impression of the place that it's really neat, nice decorations and atmosphere. They have a big enough place for big parties. I visited with my mom and friend. We ended up sitting in the next room not the one close to the kitchen. Place is great and quiet, and parking wasn't bad. They have two hour parking outside. I had seen pictures on yelp and had an idea of what I wanted to order. I wanted to try the cauliflower tahini appetizer, tabouleh and Baba ghanouj. I wasn't too sure about the meal yet. To rate the food some dishes were better than others and I think it was very highly priced!! Compared to other middle eastern restaurants I have visited. Cauliflower appetizer 5/5 very small plate and its worth the try but not worth $12! Baba Ghaouj 5/5 also small plate that was 8.50 Tabouleh 2/5 It lacked flavor, didnt have Bulgur which is the main ingredient of tabouleh. Definitely not worth $13 Lunch Special which included the shawarma sandwich and soup/or salad. it was $10 Lamp Chops $31, there were 5 of them, some rice and hummus. I would give them 3/5. It definitely lacked flavor! Dessert we had the cheese knafeh, i think it was good. Tea each was $3.25, not worth it for sure because it didnt taste good, and too pricy for a cup of tea Something that I noticed was the high prices for a really small dish! not worth it. I am giving them 4 stars for the great service, and rating some of the things I really enjoyed. I would give them another chance, but I still think their prices are ridiculously high! read more

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Everything I've had here is delicious including the spicy chicken pizza, chicken kebabs, chicken bryani , chicken shawarma, salads, and their hummus is to die for. read more

There aren't too many Lebanese restaurants in San Diego, so it's nice to have Aladdin in Hillcrest. This restaurant has been in business since I moved to San Diego 15 years ago. I've eaten here a few times throughout the year and they've been consistent every time. The service is friendly and wonderful, the food is good, and the little outdoor patio is a nice option for those sunny days. This visit, we ordered Tabouleh, Lamb and Beef Bryani, and a Shish Kebab Mix Entree for two people to share for lunch. This restaurant also has a wine list and they carry two wines from Lebanon, so be sure to check that out. We ordered a bottle of the Altitudes IXSIR Red from Batroun, Lebanon. It was a red blend and went well with the food. One of our entrees came with hummus, which is really good here so make sure to get an order of it if what you order does not come with hummus. The Baba Ghanouj is also really good here, so that is usually on top of my list but we had more than enough food for this lunch, so we didn't order it this time around. I'm glad Aladdin is still doing good and weathered the pandemic to stay open. read more

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