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    Babalou's Mediterranean

    3.8 (985 reviews)
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    BABALOU'S MEDITERRANEAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Combo Salad, Veggie Plate
    David K.

    Amidst the trendy restaurants of Walnut Creek, Babalou's is an unexpected find--an old-school, casual Mediterranean restaurant with affordable prices and colorful murals. The Veggie Plate was a combination of two crispy falafels and a range of cold mezzes including creamy hummus, chunky babaghanoush, two dolmas, tabbouleh (parsley, bulgur, cucumbers, tomatoes), and mujaddara (rice, lentils, cucumbers, tomatoes), along with pita on the side. The Combo Salad came with grilled chunks of marinated chicken and shaved lamb gyro, served over a salad of lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Overall, the food here was tasty though not outstanding. The portion sizes were modest, and the service was aloof--nothing to go out of the way for.

    View from my seat
    Aman S.

    I wanted to love this place . I chose to eat here in the middle of a heat wave around 2:30 pm. Absolutely no one here -red flag # 1 except one cook and the cashier at same time might have been the owner who knows . I ordered the combo lamb/chicken wrap. It was not too big not too small. I don't now why I ordered the fries because I only ate half of them. The wrap was fresh but I was expecting something more spicy and moist. It was totally the opposite . I was thinking about asking for any type of garlicky or tzatziki sauce, hot sauce or anything to enhance the flavor of the combo wrap because he just offered ketchup packets. The tables were clean but had nothing on them. Maybe the salads and plates are their specialty because I just wasn't feeling their wrap. Positives are the inside decor, the cleanliness, affordable prices . Negative is having to find a parking spot which I did at the Wells Fargo and walked by then I have to worry I will get a parking ticket because the signs say it's only for WF bank patrons . And as you know , Walnut Creek is infamous for paid parking everywhere and meter machines everywhere you look. FYI, the parking structure at Broadway Plaza is fist 3 hrs free. 3/5 Babalou's says it's Mediterranean but I think it's a Turkish flavored prepared place.

    Veggie Platter
    George F.

    I've walked by Babalou's Mediterranean many times but never stopped in. Located on Bonanza St. in downtown Walnut Creek. We went late in the afternoon around 4 pm after some shopping in the area. The interior is more of a fast food restaurant with tables lining the walls. The painted walls have murals with interesting with interesting pop culture characters. We had the following dishes Kafta kabob plate 5 stars best item Combo kabob plate 4 stars Veggie meza plate 4 stars dolmas, falafels, tabbouleh, hummus and baba ghanoush. Street metered parking right in front of the restaurant. Limited service restaurant, order at the counter.

    Small Tabbouleh Salad Small Baba Ghannouj
    Mikiesha W.

    The food, bomb. I got the tabouleh which was so fresh, the baba ganoush was delicious, and the wrap was cooked to perfection. Love the vibes in here and the service was great!

    The ambiance
    Lilley L.

    Good and fast lunch spot that we usually stop at when we are in the area. This is one of our go-to Mediterranean spots in the San Francisco metro area, as mentioned in my post on www.travelwithlilley.com. Today, my husband had a lamb salad while I had a lamb wrap. We decided to split a baklava. The place is not fancy but has a playful bibe--see mural. The TV usually have a sports program--today, it was German football. If you live or work in the area, or just visiting and want a quick bite, stop on by and check them out!

    Combo plate with Lamb and Chicken
    Daniel V.

    Delicious. Absolutely delicious. Friendly staff and awesome painted mural. I had the Combo plate which consists of Lamb, Chicken, Mediterranean rice, salad and hummus. The meat was crispy at the tips with a soft and tender center, in other words... cooked perfectly. I can decide if I like Mexican rice or Mediterranean rice. Right now, because of Babalou's, it's Mediterranean. The salad was so tasty, I even ate the tomatoes! I don't like tomatoes. The pita and smooth, flavorful hummus put this meal over the top. Thank you, Babalou's. You have found a new regular.

    Lamb Platter
    Rose L.

    SO GOOD AND AFFORDABLE! I was blown away by the crispness of the lamb, freshness of the cucumber and tomatoes and the hummus! It was so delicious and fresh tasting. The only thing I'd change is adding more spice to the rice.

    Veggie Plate
    Berenice S.

    Walked in on a Saturday evening, it wasn't busy. Not sure if the employees were having an off day but their customer service could have been friendlier. I overheard one of the workers get frustrated at a customer who was requesting extra sauce... The restaurant itself is a little outdated. I was craving something "healthy" so I opted to order the "Veggie Plate." Food was good but not great.

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    7 months ago

    Delicious as always! Love the lamb gyros. We order from home and it is ready by the time drive downtown.

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    9 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Walked in and walked out lol. Cashier was extremely rude. Never coming in here again.

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    2 years ago

    Yum! Amazing staff and great energy! It's a fun take out spot with a great fun mood. The painting is a cool mural.

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    1 year ago

    Worst food no flavor guy was extremely rude no customer service i dont understand how these guys are in Hospitality business.

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    Daryoush Persian Cuisine

    Daryoush Persian Cuisine

    4.5(640 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    recently started a vegetarian diet and randomly remembered that this place offers vegan koobideh,…read morewhich is honestly unheard of at most Persian restaurants. We came in on a weekday for the lunch special and I was excited to see it was still on the menu. I ordered the vegan beef koobideh and added a vegan chicken koobideh for $5. The lunch special comes with half rice, half salad, plus a drink. I chose the iced tea and it was really refreshing. For an appetizer, I had my must-have mast-o-musir (shallot yogurt). They also bring out butter and half a raw onion, which I always thought was random until I asked my Persian coworker how you're actually supposed to eat it. Turns out the butter is meant to be mixed into the warm rice so it melts, and the onion is used as a palate cleanser. You peel off a small piece and take a bite between eating your rice and protein. Once you know, it totally makes sense. Between the two koobidehs, the vegan beef was the clear winner. It was flavorful and honestly didn't taste like fake meat at all. The vegan chicken was good, but you can slightly taste that Impossible-style meat flavor. Next time, I'll definitely just get two beef koobidehs. Overall, I'm really glad I came back. After trying a bunch of other Persian spots, this is still my favorite, especially now that I can enjoy it while eating vegetarian. Highly recommend.

    Daryoush was such a great find after a show. It's a dimly lit Persian spot with a nice, streamlined…read moremenu and a cozy feel. Our dinner did take a little while to come out, but it was definitely worth the wait. We ordered the lamb chops with rice and salad, the jujeh kebob, and the salmon kebob. The rice came with a piece of tahdig on top, which was a nice touch. I especially liked the salmon - it was moist and cooked really well. The chicken was juicy and flavorful, and the lamb chops were soft, succulent, and didn't taste gamey at all. You can really taste the charcoal flame on the meats, which added so much depth without overpowering the dishes. The flavors were subtle and balanced, with hints of saffron throughout, especially in the rice. They also have a good selection of vegan options, which is nice to see. Next time I'm in the area, I'd love to come back and try their stews. Overall, a really good spot with great food. We all enjoyed our dinner here.

    Photos
    Daryoush Persian Cuisine - The main kitchen

    The main kitchen

    Daryoush Persian Cuisine - Khoresht Bodemjan

    Khoresht Bodemjan

    Daryoush Persian Cuisine - Beef Koobideh ($16.95) - two skewers of charbroiled seasoned ground beef. With side salad instead of rice.

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    Beef Koobideh ($16.95) - two skewers of charbroiled seasoned ground beef. With side salad instead of rice.

    De Afghanan Kabob House - Beef kabob

    De Afghanan Kabob House

    4.5(293 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I went back to introduce five different friends to the Afghan cuisine…read more The gracious Yasmeen had a table organized and reserved for us. We ordered one potato bolanis for appetizer with beers and five orders of kabob. There were no kabob leftovers! Everything was freshly cooked and delicious. The kitchen was kind enough to serve the food family style and there was plenty of spare naan and rice, but the delicious kabobs were all gone. Folks really liked the lamb, but my favorite is still the mildly spicy chapli kabobs! I took a bolani home. It is perfectly crispy after a few minutes in the toaster oven. It is a smallish restaurant but Yasmeen manages the front end well with a helper. Highly recommended!

    We've been fans of this restaurant for a while now -- the food never disappoints -- but what really…read morecemented our loyalty was when they catered a family dinner for 30 people, including about a dozen kids, a mix of vegetarians and meat-eaters, and guests with nut allergies. Not a simple order by any stretch. Getting the owner (?) on the phone to place the order took some persistence, but once we connected, she was fantastic. She helped us figure out quantities, steered us toward the right dishes for the vegetarians and the kids, and was upfront about what contained nuts. She even threw in extras (salad and dessert) to complete the meal. I felt like she treated us like family. Pricing was very reasonable, everything arrived on time -- delivered by her uncle, no less -- and there was so much food that every guest went home with a takeout container -- the true mark of a successful spread. My husband was considerably less thrilled that I didn't save any of the meat dishes for home (he still laments it every time we talk about this awesome catering experience to others). For dine-in, our favorites are the lamb kebob, the Qabili, and the chicken kebob. We'll keep coming back.

    Photos
    De Afghanan Kabob House - Interior

    Interior

    De Afghanan Kabob House - Dumbling

    Dumbling

    De Afghanan Kabob House - Chicken kabob

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    Chicken kabob

    The Kebab Shop

    The Kebab Shop

    4.2(309 reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$
    Healthy dining
    Halal

    One thing that I really appreciate at The Kebab Shop is the above and beyond service that employees…read moresuch as Rose and Tekari provide - having to juggle between one end of the store to the other shows that not only do they care about the reception of the customer, but they also care about the quality of the food they provide as well (as evident in the photo presented of one of their dishes, the Protein Bowl). I'm happy to come here on a regular basis given how nice the workers here are, as well as their healthy meals (which is a big plus these days).

    Ok. I am sooooo sad to even write this but I've noticed the past few times of coming here the food…read moreportions have DECREASED DRASTICALLY. This is NOT OK! The price we pay.....the plate of food I order should not be half the size of the plate. When I first came here I would order the wrap and literally pay extra for stuff but they charge 1.50 per extra ya want then when I got my wrap it was like 2 French fries for 1.50. Tablespoon of rice or hummus when you pay $1.50 per extra add on. This is not ok and they fixed it bc I would walk it and they noticed me. But sadly I can't keep coming here for the price they charge and the amount of food they give and I hear this is what they are told to do. They say they can only give a certain portion and it's Just not worth it anymore to me. Hopefully your company changes and actually give people the amount they deserve in which they paid. I do wish TKS would bottle there OG yogurt bc I would buy it but bc of the cost and the decrease amount in food I can't eat here anymore.

    Photos
    The Kebab Shop
    The Kebab Shop
    The Kebab Shop

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    ELIA - Complimentary Bread Rolls with Olive Herbed Garlic Dip

    ELIA

    4.2(627 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$$

    And April 12, I had a birthday party dinner at Elia, after making these reservations for pa party…read morepf 10 over a week before, I confirmed my reservations by email, and 6 phones calls from the restaurant. I was told I would be charged if I missied the reservation as well. Day of dinner, my party arrived at Elia 20 mins ealry and was still told they couldnt sit down. In that time the restaurant decided to let another party sit at my reserved table instead. Finally arriving myself ( still 5 mins to soare before reservation) I see my entire family standing in the middle of the restaurant. ( Only black family in the entire building of course) after questioning the fron door person she told me shes trying to get a table and wait at the bar?! 35 mins later my family was seated. Thinking I would have an apology for the miscommunication, I had to request my own birthday desert as they gave a lit candelr and song to guest around. And yes the restaurant knew it was my birthday they even had the menus changed. I go to this restaurant a lot so im still very upset how my family and I were treated and I bullied down to confirm my reservations multiple times. Overall. This is my last time at Elia. I hope this is reviewed and Elia updates their customer service. Thank you to the waiter who did her best with so many issuesz -Kiarra R.

    What an amazing treasure! Fabulous Greek food, attentive service, a great wine list, and a…read morebeautiful setting. The olive oil dip is absolutely the best I have tasted. On my last two visits we ordered just from the appetizer selections, and every dish was superb. After seeing a flaming dish at an adjacent table, I knew I had to try it. It was Greek cheese lit on fire, then extinguished with lemon juice. Fantastic. The lamb meatballs and the grilled octopus were outstanding. Definitely one of my favorte places to go.

    Photos
    ELIA - Main dining room

    Main dining room

    ELIA - Complimentary bread with olive oil

    Complimentary bread with olive oil

    ELIA - Seafood pasta

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    Seafood pasta

    Manakish Oven & Grill - Patio seating area with heat lamps

    Manakish Oven & Grill

    4.2(679 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$
    Outdoor seating
    Halal

    Was a wonderful experience Good food , good service , I…read moreliked also the atmosphere . Easy to park

    To keep it short…read more.. Excellent food. Excellent service. Gluten free options. I will definitely make sure to visit again when I'm in town. -------------- If you want to read my story of how and why I tried this place, read more here: I walked by this place while my car was getting an oil change. They had a sign that said in big letters, "HUNGRY? We can fix that!" Like Winnie the Pooh, I checked in with my stomach and answered yes! I was famished. I had brought my lunch with me but left it in the car while it was getting the oil changed, so I had nothing to nibble on. It was kind of early, maybe 10 AM, and I didn't even think they would be open, but then I realized they did have the sign outside on the sidewalk. I walked by the front door and it opened automatically. My heart started to flutter. So I went to look at their menu online and saw that they had chicken shawarma bowls. I love chicken shawarma. I decided to look them up on Yelp and make sure they had good reviews. I realized that they were a sponsored ad, and that gave me pause. The last time I went to a Middle Eastern restaurant that was sponsored, it was not so great, so I quickly checked the reviews. They have pretty good reviews! One review said that the chicken was dry, but others were more positive. I had a really good feeling, so I ordered it. Another reviewer commented that the rice was so good -- and they're not normally a rice enthusiast -- so when I placed my order, I upgraded my rice from the white rice that comes with the order to the rice infused with turmeric and garbanzo beans. When I opened my order, the bowl was a pretty decent size. If my husband had been with me, we probably would've been able to split it. In my order, I saw: * Seasoned chicken drizzled with shawarma and a delicious white sauce. * Hummus * Tomato cucumber salad * And this yellow turmeric rice I couldn't resist -- the rice was the first thing I tasted, and it was delicious! I can't quite figure out what flavors are in there, but I could taste a hint of cinnamon, and there were definitely other flavors there. The chicken was moist and flavorful. The hummus could very easily be the best hummus I've ever had. I really enjoyed this meal. I really wanted to eat the entire bowl myself but decided to save half of it for my daughter, who I know will also love it. Customer service was excellent. Adam was at the counter and greeted me very warmly. And when I was leaving, they asked me if I wanted hot sauce and then they put that in the bag. Overall, I give this five stars. I love that the food comes in an eco-friendly container. If there's anything that I could change, it's probably that they put it in a plastic bag instead of a paper bag. I try to avoid plastic as much as possible, but the container was quite big and needed to be in a bag while I hiked back to the oil change place. Oh, and before I forget... one of the first things I asked before I ordered is if the shawarma plate was gluten-free, and he assured me that everything in it was unless I was getting pita. And one more fun note -- when I got back to the car place, someone walked in, saw my food, and immediately asked, "Oh, is that from Manakish?" I was pretty impressed they could recognize it just by the look, especially since the restaurant is about half a mile away. Oh...and when i gave it to my daughter...she loved it so it gets two thumbs up!!

    Photos
    Manakish Oven & Grill - Manakish Spread

    Manakish Spread

    Manakish Oven & Grill - Dessert: Kanafah - Layered with shredded sweet crispy filo, stringy cheese & topped with crushed pistachios

    Dessert: Kanafah - Layered with shredded sweet crispy filo, stringy cheese & topped with crushed pistachios

    Manakish Oven & Grill - Kanafeh dessert, photo credit to instagram content creator @eatswithfoodie

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    Kanafeh dessert, photo credit to instagram content creator @eatswithfoodie

    Alborz Restaurant - Mediterranean Pickles $9.50 (well, you see what you get).

    Alborz Restaurant

    2.8(646 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Thank you to the incredible staff at Alborz!…read more We hosted a company luncheon here for a group of 8 and EVERYONE couldn't stop talking about how delicious the food is. We started with the appetizer combo plate. Wow! Huge portions and every single bite was amazing. We ordered family style. 1. Salad Shirazi. 2. Fresh made pita bread with onions, butter, mint and cilantro. (Yummy) 3. Fesenjoon-vegetarian and non vegetarian. 4. Alborz plate for 2 X 3. Vegetable Kabobs, bath, joojeh, salmon and koobideh. Incredible!!!! Huge portions of Basmati rice saffron and grilled tomatoes. The restaurant is enchanting and is great for groups, family or an intimate meal. 4

    Absolutely over the top frustrated. we were so excited to order this excellent Persian food for…read moreMother's Day gathering. ordered a reasonable amount of food for six people received a notice that it could take a little little bit longer, which was 90 minutes to delivery that was fine. two hours and 15 minutes later I called the restaurant to find out what's going on. There was no answer on the phone. I called the Uber eats Driver who so kindly been waiting there for almost an hour and when he walked up to talk to them to see what was going on, they just told him that they were canceling the order. They're no longer gonna make our order for a Mother's Day dinner with kids we were trying to feed and then just a crass cancellation. I liked this restaurant in the past, but I will never go again.

    Photos
    Alborz Restaurant - Left-wing dining area.

    Left-wing dining area.

    Alborz Restaurant - Mast-o-Khiar $9.50 (yogurt with cucumber and mint).

    Mast-o-Khiar $9.50 (yogurt with cucumber and mint).

    Alborz Restaurant - Right-wing patio with the fireplace.

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    Right-wing patio with the fireplace.

    Babalou's Mediterranean - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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