Literally just left this place and felt like there was no way not to leave a review. I don't even remember the last time I left a review for a place I enjoyed, which definitely isn't something to boast about, but I wanted to drop in and say the food was absolutely amazing, fresh, packed with flavor, and felt genuinely home-cooked and authentic. Even if the food had been mid (which it wasn't even close to being), I'd still come back for the awesome customer service. Everyone had genuine smiles and was incredibly kind and helpful. Can't wait to be back in the area so I can eat here again. Thank you everyone at Baladi! read more

Baladi - Chicken Kebab Plate - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

See all

Excellent food. Good portion size. Very friendly owners and workers. I always feel a warm, welcoming feeling every week I come here. read more

was in the area and was hungry so i found this gem on google and had to try it the food was good and flavorful i will definitely be back read more

Baladi - Mixed Grill Plate - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

Baladi, located in the Mission Grove region of Riverside is OUTSTANDING. I was literally heading to another restaurant when I noticed this NEW establishment. The location is perfect, glass windows with lots of parking. The atmosphere inside is very clean, organized and comfortable. As for the food...it's Fresh and very healthy. Plenty of items to choose from. I went with the chicken wrap combo. I also swapped the fries with hummus (yum yum). The chicken had a wonderful smokey taste. Of course I had to order a side of falafel. These were so tasty. The service is very personal and friendly. I love when new businesses start up in Riverside and I encourage everyone to give Baladi a try, you will not be disappointed. read more

See all

Got a recommendation from Yelp on hot places to try and I love middle eastern food so me and the mister decided to give it a try. The restaurant is in a shopping center at the far end near the Galaxy theatre. They have a small indoor seating area and some outdoor tables as well. We were greeted by the owners young son Elam. He was so gracious and polite. He took our orders and had us have seat. Her next son Ferris brought out our cups of ice. We decided to eat outside so John who is Ferris'' best friend brought our food to us. We were able to chit chat with them before eating our meal. Very nice you g men. Now let's talk about the food. Delicious. I see why they have 4.8 stars on Yelp. We had the chicken kabobs, rice, salad, and hummus with the best homemade nan bread ever... ( I had to get two pieces to go) Before we finished our meal Mila came out to see if we enjoyed everything. (She's the owner) I noticed she did this with another table of guess. All I can say is that I will be back on August 1st for their ribbon cutting ceremony. Definitely a place to check out. read more

See all

wow wow wow amazing food!!! Just their rice itself is so flavorful and mix it with the beef that is so tender and juicy. I have been back 3x already. Love their service and the place its bright. Must try for sure. read more

This family owned Mediterranean restaurant in the Mission Grove plaza must recently opened. There's plenty of parking. Seating is limited but there's outdoor seating. They weren't very busy on a Saturday afternoon. I do hope that more will come when they expand their menu. We got cheese and spinach fatayer, cheese fatayer and falafel bowl to share. The fatayer is like a bread with filling. It was good. The falafel bowl was very good. Service was good. Owner came out to check on us. I hope this place does well! read more

See all

I had noticed this place when I drove by movie theater located close by. Looked it up and figured I would return another day to try it and I'm glad I did. It is a small spot located in a corner with both indoor and outdoor seating. As for the food, I ordered the chicken kebab plate that came with a side of hummus, salad, and the chicken sat on a bed of rice. Also, they provided two of their garlic sauce/spread, which was delicious. The chicken was moist and well seasoned, same for the rice. The hummus was topped with a great flavored oil. The side salad was dressed with an oil dressing and lightly seasoned. The pita bread was different than what I have been previously served other places but I enjoyed dipping it in the hummus. John provided us with great customer service as well. I look forward to returning and trying more of their food. read more

Baladi - Chicken Kebab Plate - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

Baladi is excellent! The proprietors are welcoming and proud of their food. One son explained the process to make afghan coffee in depth. I ordered the chicken kebab plate. The chicken is grilled fresh and perfectly cooked. The homemade pita and hummus is excellent-well worth the price! The side salad is delicious with a lovely vinaigrette. The fries are served as a bed for the kebab and are excellent. Highly recommended ! read more

Baladi - Chivken Chicken Kebab Plate - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

Family was feeling pretty hungry and we saw that they opened up where the old cafe stood. We ordered the family meal, and falafels. The family meal came with sodas, 3 types of meats (of your choosing), rice, hummus, pita, and toum. The meats we grabbed were the chicken, kufta, and beef. They were all tender, seasoned, fresh, and the rice was spiced and that helped cut through all the meat. The hummus, toum, and pita were great, but there was not as much as we'd like. The falafels were good. The service was good, they almost forgot the falafels but were super quick in fixing the problem. Id stop by again read more

Baladi - Family Meal + Falafels - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

We found this place on Yelp and decided to give it a try, and I'm so glad we did! My husband and I both ordered the chicken and beef plate with the upgraded homemade bread, which is made fresh by the owners. I can honestly say this is one of the best Mediterranean restaurants I've ever tried. The meat was incredibly tender, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. The salad was fresh and topped with a delicious pomegranate dressing that was absolutely amazing and unlike anything I've had before. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, making you feel right at home from the moment you walk in. The owner deserves special recognition for being so friendly, attentive, and genuinely hospitable. You can tell they truly care about their customers and the quality of their food. If you're ever in the area and craving Mediterranean food, do yourself a favor and stop by. You won't be disappointed! Highly recommended, and we'll definitely be back. read more

See all

Oh, it's a really great Squad family owned very nice food for lunch more and everything and especially I wanna say the kid who was at the counter. His name is Imran He's a future entrepreneur because he knew exactly what they hear selling. What his requirements is what I wanted and I seriously had a great experience and good luck to the Family. I wish them more and more luck and I'll see you soon. read more

Soooo good! I've been here twice in one week it's just that good. The chicken kabob plate is SO good, the chicken is tender & so flavorful. The pita, the rice, the hummus, the side salad, all of it is divineeeee. Can't wait to try more things off the menu. Service is always great both times that I've been I've been greeted with a smile & the restaurant is very clean which is always a plus. read more

I am OBSESSED with their falafel and homemade pita. Sooo good! Got the kufta plate. Portion was good enough for 2 meals. Unfortunately the rice I got was beyond salty. We were some of the last guests of the day, so maybe that's why? Will be back to try other dishes for sure though. Owners were so nice and polite too. read more

Baladi - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

I've been waiting for a new local Mediterranean place to open, so when I saw that Saturday would be opening day, I made sure to get there and try them out. I am so glad I did. What an amazing new restaurant. I ordered the falafel plate with hummus, salad and fries to go and shared it at home with my friend Jessica. I instantly regretted sharing. We had to fight over the last falafel. We devoured all the fries on the way home. It was pandemonium, lol. While we were waiting on our order, I noticed they had fried kibbeh. I've only had raw kibbeh before which I like, so I thought having it fried would be interesting. It was amazing. The blend of spices was so complex and having it fried definitely intensified the flavor you normally get in raw kibbeh. It was so incredible I'm rushing to write this review so I can rush back up there and and get some more. I already ate so I'm not even hungry, but I think I might be starting to develop an addiction to those things, but I'm just going to let it happen. I never eat in restaurants because I like to watch TV when I eat, but the woman that brought them out for me was just so lovely and kind, she reminded me of my mom bringing food for me, I really wanted to stay. So please, if you're thinking of trying this place, absolutely do it. We're always asking for nice, non-chain places to eat in our community, and this is definitely that place. I couldn't recommend it more. read more

Baladi - Falafel plate. Sorry for the bad picture, it's much less blurry in person. Several fries were already eaten. - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

See all

The service is very kind and accommodating. Even though they only have beef and chicken for meat options, the quality of their meat is high quality. Im very glad that there is a place near by for high quality mediterranean food. My boyfriend and i were obsessed with the pita bread and hummus. read more

Baladi - Beef Kebab Plate - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

See all

Delicious. The homemade pita, the hummus, the different garlic sauces, the (quickly eaten) salad, the whole meal. Yum! Staff is friendly, kind and attentive. Highly recommend. read more

Baladi - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

I eat food like this a lot as a non arab myself, but I have NEVER had ANYTHING this delicious and fresh !!! I am ecstatic this is now in our neighborhood can't wait to come back every week! Plus they cater my friend's family gatherings often , great idea read more

We are so excited for this place!! Food was so good, we got the beef kabob and chicken kabob plates. The meat was tender and juicy, and their homemade pita bread was OFF THE CHAIN!! Owners were very attentive, you can tell they put a lot of love into their food. The Mint Lemonade was also tasty and refreshing. They offer a family meal for a very good price, we will be taking advantage of that good deal. Thank you Baladi!! Welcome to Woodcrest/Orangecrest read more

As advertised! My GF had the falafel bowl, I had the schwarma wrap for lunch. A nice treat on their outdoor seating area on a sunny day after a day of shopping. Fast ... polite ... clean! Will go again! read more

Love this place! Today we ordered on DoorDash but they made a mistake so decided to go there and get it fix and they went above and beyond to make it right! They were so friendly and made sure we were satisfied. Also they have thee BEST hummus!! Thank you so much! Our favorite spot for sure!! read more

See all

This place is amazing the food was authentic and the customer service is the best I've experienced in Riverside. Small place but quiet and clean. read more

Baladi - This is how good this place is it was the Mixed Grill Plate - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

Great tasting food! The shawarma wrap combo was very flavorful. The service was also very friendly

What a wonderful family-run restaurant! Everyone was so sweet, kind, and genuinely gracious from the moment we walked in. You can tell they truly care about their guests. The food was absolutely outstanding-fresh, flavorful, and some of the best around. When they ask if you want the homemade pita, say yes. Wishing this family much success. read more

We checked out this new spot the week they opened and I wasn't very impressed . I really want to support local businesses, but I think they should have waited to open when they were really ready and offered all the items on the menu. Meat was a little dry and naan bread wasn't as good as I have had. I want to give them another shot in a few weeks and hope things improve. read more

See all

This is one of those places that serves food that has been prepared with pride and love. You get what you pay for. Wonderful all around experience. Highly recommended! read more

Delicious Palestinian food for the area! I tried the kufta beef kabab plate (~$19) with fries which comes with 2 sides, fresh salad & hummus. Hummus tasted so good! The garnish was a little different to me. Fries were addictive -- the oils used are excellent. The kufta kababs were great as well, not too juicy or dry. I paired the hummus with the cheese fatayer ($3)! I only wish the shawarma were available for lunch on the weekday I went. No chicken or beef shawarma. Also, the spinach fatayer was sold out. I chose the regular pita bread, but there is homemade pita for $1.50 more I think. Pricey in general, but they are still a fairly new place. Would like to come back and try their shawarma, garlic sauce, spinach fatayer and rice! read more

Baladi - Kufta beef kabab plate with fries and cheese fatayer - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

This place is 100% delicious! We got here close to closing and they were out of kebabs, but they had a wings special that I ended up getting. The wings were some of the best I ever had. In addition to the wings, we got hummus with pita bread, fatayer, and the falafel bowl. The portions were a nice size and the food was heavenly. The staff were so friendly and accommodating to us. We felt special and will be making Baladi a weekly stop on our dining rotation. read more

Baladi - Falafel Bowl - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

The hummus and garlic dip here is the best I have ever had!!! The chicken kabob was soooo good!! The owner was so nice. read more

Baladi - Kabob plate - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

Came out from the Galaxy Theaters Mission Grove and noticed a new signage up on the wall where the French restaurant used to be on the corner of the plaza. Was getting hungry and swung by this place since my husband and I enjoy Mediterranean food. The restaurant is family owned. Greeted by a young boy. We ordered their mix grilled combo plate, falafel plate, and their housemade knafeh cheesecake. Food is cooked upon order. Three different types of skewers came in the mixed plate (kufta, steak, and chicken) along with three sides (hummus, salad, and a choice of rice or fries). We opted for the rice. The minced meat of the kufta was so juicy and tender. So far the best I have had in IE area. Perfectly mixed with spices/herbs, and grilled just the way we like it. The steak and chicken were cooked perfectly too. No dryness at all. As for the flavor chicken was lacking a tiny bit; it could use more seasoning. The falafel plate comes with 6 falafels with same sides and a pita bread. The falafels are slightly thick in texture but plenty of crunchiness on the outside and light and fluffy inside. As for the pita bread I don't think it's housemade. It tasted more like the generic ones, dry and flat. No softness or fluffiness. The knafeh cheesecake was to die for. Creamy yet not too thick. Light in texture, very smooth, and very satisifying to end the meal. We would definitely get the cheesecake again! The shawarma is not avaliable yet but will be soon! Plan on coming back to try the shawarmas and another housemade dessert. read more

See all

The Chicken Kabob was moist and flavorful. I will be back again for sure. I also had the Baklava which was different than any I have ever had before. I am used to baklava being very very sweet this one was not. read more

See all

The food taste is okay, but nothing makes me want to return, especially considering the small portion of beef. This cost of the plate was almost $30. Totally not worth it. read more

Baladi - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

The best middle eastern food in the IE. Whenever it's my first time anywhere I like to order a little bit of everything. It was all delicious. The shawarma sandwiches were juicy and full of meat. Kabob was flavorful. OMG the Falafel is hot and fresh so good I ordered more! We found out they even had fresh knafeh before we left and had to order it and it was perfect!!!! Leena was such an amazing host and ensured we were taken care of and food met our expectations. They truly care about their customers and food. read more

We got 3 beef shawarma wraps, and they were really good. It seems that they also make the garlic paste in house, it was different but in a good way! The owner came out to talk to us and made sure everything was taken care of before we left, they provided great customers service. I loved the declarations and the ambiance of the place, it was clean and very cultured. I can't wait to go back and try the variety of items on their menu. Will be back when I'm in the area! read more

The service 10/10, the food 10/10! The vibe 10/10. The food was super fresh, one of the sons mentioned his mom made everything from scratch and I could definitely taste the love she pours into each dish. The pita bread was phenomenal. The dessert chefs kiss. Will definitely be back soon. read more

Response to Owner comments: thank you for taking the time to respond. Just a few points. It really was a 10 year old child. No disparaging remarks regarding your staff. Just a fact. Thank you for the explanation for the Turkish coffee machine. I looked it up online. I've never seen one, so thank you for the information. My comments are to warn others wanting to grab dinner before a movie. We gave it a shot.... We will continue to eat at GraPow, Buffadora, Public House, or Romanos Pizza. Never had an issue making it on time eating at any of those restaurants. Respectfully, Original Comment: Service: a child took our order. Seriously, he was probably 10. I swear he did not say one word to us until he rang up the price. He just stared at each of us waiting for us to speak. Speed of service: Don't come here before a movie, it takes longer than you'd expect. It's been 20 minutes already. Starting to wonder if the child never told the adults there was an order. Cleanliness: Good. Kitchen staff all wearing hairnets. But, there appears to be a cinnamon/sugar pan sitting out right next to the cash register. And, there is a mess on the floor behind the register. The other party with me literally questioned their cleanliness as we walked out the door. Food: don't know yet.... Getting dangerously close on us asking for our cash back and leaving. Took 25 minutes, but we had no time to finish our lemonades. Had to eat fast to make our movie. Won't be back. The only time we are in the area is for a movie. read more

The food here is amazing. Their pita bread is soft, fluffy and delicious. Service is great. And the lemonade was tasty! I will definitely be back. read more

Everyone's taste, experience and expectations differ I suppose. Here's mine; This is a new business and I wish them well, but the food served was "just ok". The kabob plate with 3 skewers fell short in almost every way. There wasnt enough meat(for the price), the rice was not fresh or hot, and the salad was well just a salad. It didn't come with garlic sauce or tahini, I had to ask for that. The chicken wrap at first glance looked like just plain pita bread, once opened it had 3-4 pieces of chicken that were not seasoned well and felt dry and flavorless. I'll post the receipt so you can see what we paid. Nowadays everything is relatively expensive but for the amount of food, the taste, I felt there was no value related to the price. Our belief is charge whatever you want BUT make it worth our time. This particular location/building has seen a lot of businesses come and go. In my opinion, your main goal in a business should be "how do I get repeat customers" before anything else. The shawarma thing wasn't ready yet so I may be back to try that, but as i mentioned earlier the taste/value wasn't there so I most likely wont be a repeat customer. Lastly, there is a lot of competition in Riverside for this type of "kabob/rice/shawarma" type food like Georgie's, Elias Pita, & Yafa Grill to name a few. All those places in my opinion have better tasting food and value. I hope with enough honest feedback and more time, they can improve because I'd love this place to be around for a long time. read more

Baladi - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

One of the best kebab spots in Riverside. The food was flavorful and perfectly cooked, the service was excellent, and the ambiance was warm and inviting. Highly recommended for anyone looking for great Mediterranean cuisine. read more

See all

I had three kebab mixed meal. All three meats were really good. The meat was seasoned perfectly and it was also very juicy. I particularly like the hummus. It had really great flavor. They give you a free side of garlic sauce and tahini. I also tried their cheesecake which was really good and fresh and not too sweet. Service was quick. The ambience is simple, but it looks really nice. I'm surprised this place isn't more busy considering how good the food is. I would definitely go back here again. I would love to try their coffee. read more

Baladi - Sorry I eat all my food it was so good - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California