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Aladdin Hillcrest

4.2 (587 reviews)
Updated over 3 months ago

Aladdin Hillcrest Photos

Business Info

ALADDIN HILLCREST ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Quiet
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Aladdin Hillcrest

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Side of marinated chicken breast (1/2 left)-yum!
Sheltiemomm S.

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!

Aladdin Mediterranean Chicken Salad
Liz L.

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.

Chicken Shawarma Wrap with Lentil Soup- lunch special
Julia G.

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.

Luis R P.

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.

Randy T.

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.

a variety of food in plastic containers
Caroline Z.

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.

I used to eat here once a week when I lived in San Diego.
Michael S.

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.

Meza which includes chicken and beef shawarma, falafel, hummus, babaganoush, grape leaves, tabbouleh, and pita.
Manda S.

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.

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4 months ago

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

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Aladdin Hillcrest Reviews in Other Languages

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Tahini - The Esquire Pita Sandwich with chicken Sriracha Tahini, French fries and mango lemonade.

Tahini

4.6(1.4k reviews)
5.8 mi•Kearny Mesa
•$$

We've been to Tahini before but decided to make a special trip to Tahini to support them after…read morehearing they've been constantly harassed with hate messages/crimes -- which is so horrible and sad. The food is was great and one of my favorite spots when I'm craving middle eastern wraps- I did built your own pita so of course I like the ingredients. I loved my pita bread (it's much different from the Greek style if you haven't tried it before!) and the enjoyed the steak in particular. It had a lot of warming spices (nutmeg and cinnamon maybe?) and the flavor is pretty unique! I added bell peppers, pickled cucumbers, lettuce, tomato, red onion, tahini sauce, and garlic sauce. I also got a piece of falafel - I always gotta judge a place by their falafel and this one was crispy on the outside and soft in the inside which was perfect. Next time I need to try the halloumi cheese stix with fig jam! Place was very clean and the decor was nice. I also love the Finjan coffee spot next door.

The food here is genuinely outstanding - fresh, colorful, flavorful, and made with care. Every time…read moreI eat here I'm reminded why I keep coming back. The staff is also consistently warm and kind, which makes the whole experience feel good from the moment you walk in. My only real frustration is with the wait times on online orders, and it's significant enough that I have to mention it. I work 10 min away and only get a 35-40 minute break. The app consistently quotes around 20 minutes- but honestly, 20 minutes shouldn't even be necessary. I've stood there and watched them make a bowl. It takes about two minutes. Other similar restaurants have my order ready in five minutes, consistently. So when the app quotes 20 and then I still end up waiting at the 20 minute mark on top of that - in a nearly empty restaurant - something is off. Today this happened (I hit the 20 min mark with no food), and I had to go up and ask them to make my order. This isn't a one-time thing either. It's happened enough times over the years that it genuinely deters me from coming here on my break. To their credit, there was a stretch where it seemed like they had it figured out, so I know they can do it. I just wish that consistency would stick. If you're not on a time crunch, absolutely go. The food alone is worth it. But if you're relying on a quoted pickup time, build in a buffer- a bigger one than you'd think you'd need.

Photos
Tahini - Interior of the restaurant

Interior of the restaurant

Tahini - Close up of the OG Pita. Packed will delicious meat!

Close up of the OG Pita. Packed will delicious meat!

Tahini - Interior

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Interior

Shawarma Guys - Chicken California Shawarma Wrap

Shawarma Guys

4.7(1.1k reviews)
8.1 mi
•$$
Kid friendly
Casual dining

I decided to visit this location for a late lunch during the week. I was so busy at work that I had…read moreto not had an opportunity to get lunch. I was able to sign off at 330p and head over to this location. The place was empty and there were clean tables and floors when I walked in. I was greeted by the lady behind the counter, and she had a smile on her face. I ordered the beef & chicken shawarma plate, Wagyu Beef eggrolls, and a bottled drink. My food was freshly prepared. I received my order in 7-10 minutes. It smelled wonderful. I paid for extra yogurt sauce and left to take my food to-go. When I arrived home, I enjoyed a delicious meal. Everything was prepared with great flavor, portions, and care. I had the garlic sauce and the yogurt sauce with my meal. This place is one of my favorites. I have been eating their food since the Southpark Truck days, phenomenally delicious. Thanks!

Ordered their Beef Wagu Cheesesteak and was not a fan. There were some pretty gristly pieces of…read moresteak, and whatever they marinated the meat in was not my favorite. I did eat the entire thing but definitely wont order it again. I did not like the seasonings that are used. The bread was perfect. I have had their shawarma in the past, and enjoyed that, but the cheesesteak (IMO) was not something I enjoyed.

Photos
Shawarma Guys - Ordering counter

Ordering counter

Shawarma Guys - Wagyu beef and chicken shawarma plate, hummus and pita bread. All tasted so good!

Wagyu beef and chicken shawarma plate, hummus and pita bread. All tasted so good!

Shawarma Guys - The combo wagyu beef & chicken shawarma !

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The combo wagyu beef & chicken shawarma !

Alforon

Alforon

4.6(1.9k reviews)
5.0 mi•Rolando
•$$

I have eaten there so many times I can't even count. Their food and their restaurant is my favorite…read moreplace to eat in San Diego. George and Samia are the most wonderful people in the world. George will come out of the kitchen and explain, in detail, every item on the menu. I laugh when I read or even see a subpar review of Alforon. Those people are either high on drugs or never experienced excellent food before. Chicken Tawook, Tabouli salad, house pickles, everything is off the chart and that's just the for starters. You can close your eyes, point to a menu item and have the best meal of your life. Explore their whole menu, you can't go wrong with a single item. Hands down off the chart and excellent food by two of the nicest people you will ever meet in your life.

First of all let me say that the love dessert has me hooked. Best thing here! One of the most…read moreunique and tasty things I've tried in a while, and that's saying a lot w my sweet tooth. I love the floral and pistachio taste, and it doesn't leave you feeling heavy afterwards. The mint lemonade is also a must have- tastes like it came from the garden in the best way possible. For savories, I had the spinach and cheese bajeen, baba gannouj, and the lamb fatteh - all had a lot of flavor and tasted homemade. I love trying new foods so will have to come back with more friends and try other things on the menu. The downside of this place was being seated on the right side of the restaurant near the carry out section. This was the pit of despair. I noticed that most of the staff goes to the other end first, and as a result 4 tables got seated after us and all of them had food on their table before we managed to flag one of the staff. It was definitely busy in there but he replied that he was simply going in order, but apparently order or left side to right side instead of arrival. I recommend trying to get seated on the side w the stained glass windows for better service. Other than that, the experience overall was pleasant.

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Alforon - Inside seating

Inside seating

Alforon - Ouzi Lamb Special

Ouzi Lamb Special

Alforon - Lamb fatteh

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Lamb fatteh

Aladdin Hillcrest - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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