Food is delicious and freshly made! The manager and staffs are all very nice. We are glad we tried. They have complementary valet behind the building. read more

Wow! What a treat! We had such a terrible experience at another shawarma wrap place on Ventura and are so happy we found this place. It was night and day! From the moment we entered, the staff was so welcoming and was asking if we had any questions. They offered suggestions and we landed on their Crispy Shawarma Wrap that went viral on socials. Oh. My. Gosh. Does this place make a delicious Crispy Shawarma Wrap! It was amazing! The juicy, tender chicken and flavors of the garlic sauce with sweet pomegranate was something to talk about. Add the crunchy Mediterranean pickles and it's great! I don't even like pickles, but it just works in this wrap. Adding this into our rotation and will definitely be coming back soon. I'm so glad we tried this place! Can't wait to try their other menu items! read more

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So where do I even start with this place... I first saw Ara's Shawarma on TikTok. The owner was posting videos claiming it's the best viral crispy shawarma. I'm not gonna lie--I was skeptical. It didn't look that crazy compared to other spots, and the videos felt a little awkward. It just didn't fully sell me at first. I actually DM'd him kind of joking around, half messing with him but also lowkey trying to offer some marketing help or pointers. I honestly thought he might get defensive, especially since he's young--but instead, he asked to hop on a call. That call completely changed my perception. The guy is calm, humble, and genuinely kind. No ego, no attitude--he was just open to feedback and wanted to improve. That alone made me respect him and the business way more. You can tell he really cares about what he's building. Now the food... I tried it for the first time today. Got 3 beef shawarmas since that's what everyone says to get. Only downside--they didn't have tahini, which in my opinion is a must for beef shawarma. They offer pomegranate molasses instead, which I personally don't think goes with it. But let me tell you... I devoured two and gave one to my girl. No exaggeration--this is probably the best beef shawarma I've had in a long time. And I LOVE shawarma. I even have my own recipe at home, and this beat mine by a mile. The meat was soft and tender (but not mushy), super juicy--to the point you honestly don't even need sauce. That's rare. Most places mess it up by being dry. Flavor was on point, super aromatic, just overall done right. I'd give it a 9.7/10--only because no tahini, which I had to make myself. But for $13, you're getting legit quality. Also worth mentioning--the service was great. The guy at the register (didn't catch his name) was super kind and helpful. When your food's ready, they bring it out and actually remember what sauces and stuff you needed. Little things like that matter. Overall--don't sleep on this place. A lot of people talking trash on TikTok are just hating or don't really know shawarma. I almost let that sway me, but I'm glad I tried it myself. Spot is spacious, right on Ventura, tons of street parking and I think there's parking in the back too. Next time I'm trying the chicken--I'll update when I do. read more

We're big foodies and have been wanting to try more Middle Eastern spots, so we stopped by while passing through the valley and wow, so glad we did. First off, the customer service was amazing. The manager, Tigram, was seriously the sweetest--exactly how you hope to be welcomed when you walk into a place. He even followed up to make sure everything was okay, which made the experience that much better. The ambiance is super chill, really spacious, and I especially loved the red theme and decor it gives such a cool vibe. And the food... omg. We got the crispy wraps with chicken and beef (plus fries), and it was a total hit. Hot, fresh, flavorful, and perfectly crispy. The chicken seasoning and juiciness were incredible, and the blend of everything together was honestly to die for. And the meat ratio to veggies was on point!! Good portion of meat. Definitely coming back read more

Ara's Shawarma - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

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We were in the area and decided to try Aras Shawarma for lunch--it's in the spot that used to be Veggie Grill--and we're glad we did. We both ordered the chicken shawarma wraps, and the portions were big and very filling. Ordering was super easy with the self-serve kiosks, and the restaurant itself is spacious, clean, and bright with a large indoor seating area. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and I really liked the artwork inside--it adds a nice touch to the space. The chicken was fresh, juicy, and well-seasoned, and the fries were crispy, hot, and generously portioned. We shared one order of fries and it was more than enough for both of us. Parking options are convenient with metered street parking available, plus a paid lot in the back. Overall, everything was smooth from ordering to seating to food quality. We'll definitely be back--next time we're planning to try the kabobs. Solid spot for a satisfying, casual lunch in Encino. read more

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Today I ordered to go from Doordash one lamb plate and one Shawarma plate, both with Greek salad! A true delight: the meat is super moist, and their food is really fresh They have three locations and I highly recommend that place for you guys to order! ‼So delicious and tasty read more

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My first time here, the food is good and tasty. I had the chicken Shawarma over basmati rice. The place is clean, nice atmosphere and I will definitely be back. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

First time here. I tried beef shawarma - the meat was well marinated, veggies were fresh, pita was tasty. However the beef was over salted and veggies juice made pita wet and was dripping out. On the picture the wrap had a foil to hold everything together but in reality there was none so everything was falling off and it was really hard to eat. The place was almost empty in the fridays evening. The service was good and the restaurant was pretty clean too. One and done read more

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Ara's served up some pretty solid flavorful Mediterranean food. We stopped by here a few times for lunch already and both time food was delicious. Order is simple, they have a kiosk that you can order from or the counter. So far the plates that we have tried: Lamb Lula Kebab Plate: The lamb Lula was delicious. Very moist and flavorful. Chicken Shawarma Plate: This was pretty good but it was a little bit to dry for me in my opinion. Chicken Thigh Plate: This was fantastic. The chicken was perfectly done. So moist and tender. The chicken thigh plate took about 10 minutes to be served but it was worth it if you're not in a rush. Each plate comes with 3 different sauce. Overall, we have enjoyed our last couple visits here and would definitely return. Service was friendly. As for parking they have a back parking lot in the back and street meter parking. read more

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Ara's Shawarma (Encino) is a solid go-to when you're craving something quick but flavorful. The shawarma is juicy, well-seasoned, and made fresh, with generous portions that actually fill you up. Service was friendly and fast, even during a rush. Simple, satisfying, and definitely a spot I'd come back to. read more

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Located just next to the Katsuya in Encino, Ara's Shawarma serves up meaty bowls and wraps with a Mediterranean twist. I've had the chicken bowl and the beef bowl - I'd order both again. Lots of flavor! Perfect for two to share, or to make another meal for later. They sell chocolate covered strawberries here, which is pretty fun. I haven't tried them, but I'm sure I'll cave in one of these days. The interior of the shop is quite artsy and inviting. This place is relatively new, so it's so clean and fresh. Service is efficient and the staff are helpful. I usually wait about ~10 minutes max for my order. Your best bet for parking is metered street parking out front. Don't forget to pay the meter and read those street signs carefully before leaving your car. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Beef Shawarma Bowl and Chicken Shawarma Bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

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For any restaurant I think food is the main thing. I had the beef and lamb. All the ingredients were excellent except the pita which was either stale or just poor quality. I'm inclined to believe stale because everything else was wonderful. I'm certain if I had asked for another pita they would have accommodated. The staff was excellent too. Usually I mention little about staff unless fine dining but in this case they deserve mentioning. Very nice. It is a little difficult to find and parking, while validated, isn't easy to find on your first visit. Nonetheless I'm certain to return read more

Ara's Shawarma - Schwarma - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

Ara's shawarma always 5/5 for me. Tried the LA location and the North Hollywood all have the same great taste. Got my dogs groomed here in Encino and wanted to try this Encino location. This location is much bigger and a great outdoor patio for your doggies. Not to mention, their staff here is very friendly and fast service! (NoHo location has a little longer wait time) Thank you Encino Ara's Shawarma! read more

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I got the family all chicken meal. Came with kabob and other skewers. Lots of chicken! All flavorful and perfectly seasoned and cooked. One was ground chicken, breast and thigh. In the meal came also rice, hummus, cabbage salad. Generous portions. Tasty and fresh. Will definitely order again! read more

Ara's Shawarma - The chicken from The family (3 person meal) - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

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Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Got the deal on Instacart so I have decided to give this place a try. Arrived at night around 8 pm just for pick up but found parking on Ventura and they have pretty nice outdoor seating so just ate it there. Ordered chicken kabobs, rice, hummus, salad, pita bread, grilled onion, tomatoes and jalapeño. Chicken was cooked right, meat was juicy and delicious. I like the fact that they included grilled vegetables. It was a good portion and tasted great so I would repeat to try their beef items. read more

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Quick service. Mike behind the counter was friendly and very polite. Falafel and Baklava taste good. Will definitely recommend this place. Open till late. Good for a li'l pick me up at night time. read more

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I was craving some Mediterranean food and found this on Uber Eats. The place has a buy one, get one promo, so I ordered the beef/lamb gyro plate with rice. It's packed well--tons of meat! For two gyro plates, it's a bargain. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

The falafels are so good! Best we've ever had! Shawarma is so flavorful and it's crunchy on the outside! The pork chop is juicy just everything so good! read more

Amazing service, excellent quality food! The manager was very friendly and a big reason for why I'll be back! Top tier customer service. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Beef Shawarma Bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

The food and service was amazing. Must try the Chicken Shawarma and fries!! 10/10 difficulty coming back to Ara Shawarma!

This place is soooooo GOOD! Drive an hour to come try out the shawarmas! It was not a disappointment at all. The only thing I'm upset about is that I got full because I wanted to keep eating. Very good quality meats. I will be coming back every week! The customer services was over the top amazing! read more

Ara's Shawarma - Chocolate Strawberries(Dubai Style) - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

Hands down best shwarma place in LA! They load up the sandwich and it's so flavorful!! Highly recommend and will definitely come back for more! I've been searching for a good shawarma place that actually had nice fillings and toppings. The meat is good quality too! I got the chicken wrap in lavash and it was 10/10! Staff is amazing too super clean restaurant read more

Ara's Shawarma - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

Ambiance very neat, inside and outside seating, very clean and not very loud music just perfect The service and the people here are super nice and pleasant. As far as the food, is unheard of and beyond perfection. I tried the beef Shawarma and was best I've had, will definitely come back to try more selections The only issue I had was the parking, but then found out I can park in the back and they valet Will be back read more

The food is so fresh and delicious. Everyone was nice and helpful. Definitely worth the try!!!

Fresh and delicious food and very friendly staff. Location is very nicely set up as well.

The crispy shawarma was spot on so crispy and tender meat NOT A DAMN CHANCE, customer service was also amazing. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Crispy Chicken Shawarma - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

I don't automatically give out 5 star reviews and still wish we could do 4.5 because this place deserves more than 4 based on the food and service. Everything, the lamb chops, chicken, felafel, sauces and sides, was delicious. We picked up for a friend who just got a hip replaced and it was ready on time and packed great for travel. One issue is that there is no stopping in front of the restaurant between 4 and 7 pm on Ventura, so that's kind of tricky, but I'm sure there are other places you can park. My wife just stayed in the car just in case and we didn't have any issues as the food was ready when we arrived. We will be back! read more

I visited Ara's Shawarma for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the beef shawarma plate with rice and cabbage salad, and everything was delicious. The restaurant was also very clean, which is extremely important to me. The only negative things that I have to mention is that chocolate dispenser that is located right on the counter, I find it to be very unsanitary as it is exposed in the open air, I would believe that it should be enclosed. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Beef shawarma plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

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No fountain drink service, no ice. So very disappointed, drove 30+ min for THIS. Don't trust social media. Ordered falafel and they are out of it. So so so disappointing, was offered fries or salad but I didn't want that. I was craving falafel. Oh well. After asking for a cup for ice, the cashier tried to offer me the ice that's keeping the bottled beverages cold. Like, WHAT?? Place only has one other person in here. It's not as great as it's hyped up to be. The cashier was a bit annoyed I had a couple questions, really looked like he was being forced to answer. Skip this location. Maybe I'll try the Hollywood one. That's a HUGE MAYBE THOUGH. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Viral Chicken Shawarma Wrap - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

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Tried their viral crispy Shawarma wrap and it was great. A little over done but overall fantastic! Very tasty. Or course being a big back there's never enough protein, but it'll do. Looking forward to trying other dishes. Service was very friendly and fast. No wait. Restaurant is cool with spray can murals throughout. Very clean. Encino location offers free 1hr parking validation. Caile esta bueno! read more

Ara's Shawarma - Crispy Chicken Shawarma - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

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Came across this spot and decided to try the family meal. The skewers were all very juicy and tender, which was a pleasant surprise. At many other places, the kebabs tend to be a bit dry. It also came with pita and hummus and rice. While the wait time was longer than expected, the food was fresh and flavorful. I would highly recommend this spot if you're looking to have kebabs! The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the music at the time- it was trance music and was slightly headache-inducing, especially since it was loud. read more

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Very good food, great service and comfortable environment! Thank you guys! read more

We ordered hours in advance. When we came to pick up, they told me they are out of one of the ordered items. I wanted to cancel, but they said I cannot do that. We are forced to order another item. We had to wait extra 20min for the order. The app was not working and they said there is nothing they can do about it. It was just unpleasant experience. Update: We ordered chicken shawarma, beef shawarma, beef chops and lamb chops. What we got was chicken breast, lamb shawarma, lamb koobideh, and burnt lamb chops and no beef. Sides were all wrong as well. read more

I hate to rate below the curve. But was actually kind of a one-star or two-star experience. Went in about 40 minutes after they opened. Two of us plus one or two others were the only customers. Wasn't feelin' it from the second we walked in. Not a fan of ordering through a kiosk... as a first time customer, I had additional questions but the kiosk is at the entrance and the staff about 30 feet deeper in and no one was saying "good morning' or "welcome" and kind of obnoxious music playing... so didn't feel like walking 30 feet to ask a question then walk 30 feet back to finish at the kiosk. $44 dollars for two wraps, small hummus, and a "fountain drink". Felt more like prices for a place where your order is taken at the table. After we pay at the kiosk at the kiosk, we are told the fountain is having problems and no ice. I say "can we get our money back for the drink... a warm fountain drink with no ice isn't what I wanted to pay $3 for" and she says, "OK, maybe we will get some ice", then comes out 10 minutes later with a cold can of Pepsi (not sure why she thought Pepsi was what i wanted from a machine that offers 4 or 5 diff things... but she just sort of shoved it at me with no explanation and I took it. The kiosk terminal didn't mention that the extra french fries I ordered would actually be bundled into the chicken wrap... interesting idea actually but, as it turns out, it just means soggy french fries in your chick wrap. The food was actually plentiful and nice except for two things... everything seemed too salty and my chicken shawarma included a one-inch pice of that kinda cartilage piece that is crucnhy when you bite it and looks like hard dried rubber cement. I mean, it IS legitimately part of the chicken... just not a part that I want to eat (then describe). It might not be normal there... but I'll make you a deal: Don't serve it to me and I won't have to tell other people about it. These workers did not particularly feel like they wanted to be there and, moving forward, neither do I. read more

The food is great here and the way you are welcomed--even better. What makes a restaurant stay in business when there are several on each block? This is the San Fernando Valley and in the last few years, diversity has made our food-scene explode. I can never leave Southern California now that there are spiced-to-perfection chicken wraps and silky hummus a few miles away. You can get these things at a number of places throughout the valley but at Ara's a family member will great you with a smile and spend time explaining the menu. Then they offer up a delicious meal with a warmth that is rare. With all that going for them, they make their restaurant memorable. read more

Great food but never gave the sauce like they promised with my order. I even offered to pay for sauce but the guy at the counter said it will be included but never got it when I order to go or it would it would've been a five stars. read more

Very enjoyable shawarma place opened right next to katsu-ya where the former veggie grill used to be. I shared the beef shawarma plate with my cousin which came on a bed of rice, hummus, and salad and side of pita. Very enjoyable and plenty of food. I also ordered the Dubai chocolate to-go which was plentiful. They definitely do not skimp on their portions. Glad to add this restaurant to my rotation for lunch breaks at work. Highly recommend ordering ahead of time as food takes time to prepare. read more

One of the best shawarmas I've had in a while. We can once a few weeks ago, my husband wanted a "snack" and got the regular chicken shawarma... I ended up eating half because it was so good. We came back today and got the viral crispy chicken shawarma and devoured it. The fries are also insanely tasty, and the manager gave us two baklava to try on the house - moist, sweet, and delicious! Do not sleep on this place! Absolutely delicious and great service! read more

best shawarma in Cali my new place every day on my lunchtime! Please try once so you know what i am talking about read more

Ara's Shawarma - Chicken Shawarma Bowl so yummy - Mediterranean Near Me - Encino, California

Very flavorful and reasonably priced. Had the crispy chicken shawarma and tge beef shawerma. Really enjoyed both. Very flavorful. Can't wait to go back. read more