I rarely leave reviews, but I had to recognize Mohammad. We stopped by around 11 PM, and despite it…read morebeing late at night, his energy, attitude, and hospitality were absolutely outstanding. He treated us like valued guests, not like customers walking in near closing time. What impressed me most was that he genuinely seemed to care about our experience. He was friendly, attentive, made great recommendations, and even surprised us with a small piece of chocolate on the house. It's the little things like that that people remember. Restaurants are only as good as the people who represent them, and Mohammad is the kind of employee every business wishes they had. If management sees this, please recognize and support him--employees with this level of professionalism and kindness are rare. We'll definitely be back because of him. Thank you, Mohammad!

The worst shawarma ever! And on the top of that I asked for…read morechicken and they put beef instead So bad and so expensive!!

Ali Baba is a staple in El Cajon that never disappoints. Always the best quality, fresh and…read moreflavorful food. Portions are huge and everything on the menu is amazing. Definitely my go to for middle eastern food when visiting the area. The service is always welcoming and friendly. Family ambiance with plenty of sitting. Their tandoor bread is addicting and the absolute best! Always freshly made and warm. Highly recommend!

Haven't been here in years, decided to take a trip to El Cajon to have lunch at this mom and pop…read moremiddle eastern restaurant with my mom and pop. They definitely invest their time on the taste of their food and serving large portion sizes instead of fancy tables and decor. It's not upscale fine dining... the interioir looks the exact same for past decade. Although a little dated the place is very clean and fits large or small groups. Not a date night spot -- more a friends and family stuff your face kind of place. They have a dedicated parking lot with plenty of spots. We ordered a ton of food to share. Half roasted chicken with side of fatoush salad, beef kabob plate with side of rice, lamb tikka with side of fries, a large plate of hummus, and an order of falafel (Best Falafel in SoCal). EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS! I personally didn't like the lamb tikka but everyone else destroyed that plate. We ordered a pot of black tea (mint flavored) and they brought our large pieces of steaming hot fresh bread. Service was very friendly and fast. They modified any order to your liking. They also thanked us for coming and meant it when they said it -- Mom and Pop shops are The Best! Highly Recommend if you're looking for good quality middle eastern food with large portions.

Great service and huge portions. Worth the drive from Chula Vista. I would def recommend.read more

I eat lunch in my car most work days so my options are limited. I saw the sign for hot food in the…read morewindow and decided to stop in. This is one of the best car lunches I have had in 3 years. I got the beef shawarma and a side of dolma and it is some of the best I have ever had. It was a lot of food for a good price! I will definitely be back when I am on this side of town again. Absolutely recommend.

Husband, myself and 18m daughter came to this restaurant after church. I've been craving…read moreMediterranean food for a while and my cravings were satisfied!! My daughter LOVED the bread and hummus. I got the beef kebab plate and my husband got the chicken and beef kebab plate. We also provided with a plate of fresh and pickled vegetables and a soup that was delicious!! I saw a handful of people come in and pick up catering orders so you know that's how good it is! There is another Mediterranean restaurant down the street but if you want a mom and pop feel show this restaurant some love. Their food and customer service was exceptional. We will most definitely return :)

I think this is a Iraqi and Chaldean restaurant...but I'm absolutely certain you'll get delicious…read moremiddle eastern food for reasonable prices! There is not much atmosphere, no fake smiling service employees but they'll be efficient and attentive if you get their attention. All meals come with a warm creamy yellow lentil soup...delightful! $16 Chicken Schwarma plate...HUGE! A humongous generous portion of juicy, succulent, tender, seasoned chicken on top of seasoned rice. Some lovely, garlickly, fluffy bread is served along as a carb buddy, alongside some tomatoes and pickled cabbage(Iraqi Kim Chee Saurkraut?). $16 Roasted Chicken Plate...half chicken, crispy skin, moist and succulent meat, yum! Came with a tomato bean soup. Food came out extremely fast, yet seemed very fresh and prepared expertly! Great place to eat before a show at the Magnolia, so long as you don't need ambience and Applebees/Chili's/TGI Fridays style service.

Don't let this small establishment fool you , it has great pizza and for a great price ! This is…read morenow my go to Friday night pizza spot . Even when the pizza gets cold it is still soft and delicious , not a hard piece of cardboard like dominos . They make them fast too !

Amazing pizza! The crust was perfect, toppings fresh, and flavors incredible. Friendly staff, quick…read moreservice, and great prices. A must-visit for pizza lovers.

This is certainly a no frills type of establishment but WOW they are serving up some delicious…read moremeats. Dont expect fine dining by any means. You order at the counter, pick up your food and pay afterwards. The tray in the photo I uploaded was $55. Pretty good deal for the amount of meat we got. Everything was delicious too. The kebab, steak and chicken pieces were juicy and seasoned well. Paired with the grilled veggies, pickles and bread...makes a bite from heaven. Comes with a side of tahini and toum sauce. However the toum was very mayo forward and recipe could honestly use some work. The staff is honest, generous and friendly. Will be back again.

Ate here at Kaka Rawand and tried all their kabobs. The chicken kabobs were very juicy and…read moredefinitely a highlight along with the ground beef kabobs, which felt like an excellent Iraqi-style koobideh. The beef steak kabobs were also very good and while I wasn't a fan of the liver/organ kabobs, they were cooked very well (I'm just generally not a fan). We got the kabobs with these huge, fresh warm circular naans that were amazing but you had to eat quickly or they would crisp up. The service was excellent and quick and the ambiance very chill and family-friendly.

It is one of the best restaurants in El Cajon. The staff consists of a lovely, cheerful family, and…read morethe food is top-notch; I always tell people about this place. Whenever I call to order, I say my signature line--"I want it very well-grilled"--and they recognize me immediately.

Stopped by because our friend got takeout from this place and I absolutely loved the chicken. This…read morewas our first time here and it did not disappoint. The chicken was delicious - I also got the Sinbad burger. Chicken Tikka Plate: chicken was moist and fresh. The flavors were delightful. The rice had good flavor as well. It actually came with 3 small sides of hummus, garlic sauce, and beets. I've never really liked beets but I actually ate the beets this time because they were pickled. The hummus was alright. I didn't touch the garlic sauce but will do so tomorrow since I only had half the plate - the rest will be for lunch tomorrow. Sinbad Burger: the meat was super moist and juicy. It was actually a thin patty topped with beed shawarma. It was definitely delicious but what I really liked about it was the burger bun they used - it was soft and buttery. The fries were good as well but if I'm not mistaken, I think I got the fries from the prior customer who didn't want them (they then the fries back in the container where they kept them warm). Nevertheless they were good. I asked for a side of tzatziki sauce and it made the fries taste ever better. The staff was friendly. When we arrived the menu TVs weren't on so we had to wait for the English menu to become available (the menu is in Arabic but they have a man English one). Will I come back? Most definitely will because I need to try their other dishes. It's just a tad far but I'm willing to drive for good food.

I've had a few really good cheesesteak sandwiches here. The cashier is a little grumpy sometimes…read morebut not rude. I definitely recommend grabbing a sandwich if you're planning on eating in this Food court.

I got a chicken sandwich, my wife got a Philly cheese steak, and our son got the chicken version of…read morethe Philly cheese steak. All three sandwiches were made just as we ordered, and my wife and son enjoyed their Philly sandwiches. I enjoyed mine as well. The next time we are at the food court in Parkway Plaza, we are going back to Ab's Philly Steaks.