Feeling very happy to have a Palestinian restaurant in the area~~ usually I'd have to make the drive out near Tyler mall. One of these days I'll sneak a sandwich into the theater right next door #lol. The ambiance is lovely and the decor is so beautiful! The person at the register was young but knew how to run everything! His communication skills will take him far. The food was gas. I will be back! read more

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

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This restaurant has just opened, and unfortunately, my first experience was one of the worst restaurant experiences I've ever had. I had several reasonable questions about the menu, particularly because Mediterranean restaurants commonly offer à la carte options. Instead of answering those questions professionally, the gentleman working at the front counter appeared visibly annoyed and became increasingly rude and dismissive. Rather than making a new customer feel welcome, he treated my questions as an inconvenience. What happened next was completely unacceptable. He made the offensive remark, "You can try Taco Bell," in a tone and context that came across as insulting and condescending. Even worse, his comments seemed to insinuate that I couldn't afford to eat there. A restaurant employee has absolutely no business making assumptions about a customer's financial situation or character. The intention was to insult or embarrass me, and it also told me everything I needed to know about the attitude behind the counter. To make matters worse, they were already out of beef, the menu offered limited meat choices, and there was no meaningful à la carte flexibility. For the price, the food was nothing particularly special or memorable. In my opinion, the portions (morsels), selection, and service simply do not justify the prices. The service was slow, the food was overpriced, and the overall experience was nowhere near what I would expect from a restaurant charging these prices. The arrogance, prejudice and disrespect were the biggest problems. Customers should not be made to feel unwelcome, belittled, or judged for asking legitimate questions about what they're ordering. Comments such as "you can try Taco Bell" are not customer service--they are insulting. I question the character of any culture of any establishment, that exhibits prejudice, racism, and thinks they are better. I left feeling disrespected rather than valued as a customer. Based on this experience, I cannot recommend this restaurant. There are plenty of more established restaurants where customers can expect better service, better hospitality, and a better overall value. A new restaurant has an opportunity to build a loyal customer base. Unfortunately, this experience made it very clear that I will not be part of that customer base. I would strongly encourage people to consider other options before spending their money here. read more

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

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Food was great, staff was very friendly and informative, the store had a nice ambiance. The food was made fresh!! It's also nice they're open late on Friday-Saturday. Their homemade pita bread was super soft!! Rice and hummus was great. The proteins were juicy and flavorful. Would recommend!!! read more

Baladi - Outside - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

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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

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After reading all reviews we decided to give it a shot and try the food. Last night went to the restaurant on my wife birthday we were totally disappointed with customer service, food quality, portion and cleanliness. The food has no taste compared to other Mediterranean restaurants. The prices were very high and less portions. Customer service was zero with two kids working one at the front and the second one in the kitchen. The place was filthy behind the counter there was mess everywhere and very unorganized. The outside patio tables were all dirty with food and no one bother to clean them. First and last time will never go back. read more

I got the chicken kabob bowl, and it was delicious! The pita was warm and soft, and the hummus was full of flavor. Everything tasted fresh. The service was great too. It's a family-owned restaurant, and you can tell they care about the food they serve. I'll definitely be back! read more

Baladi - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

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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

Food was so good!! Huge portions and everyone was so friendly!! We got the chicken plate and I can't wait to go back! My favorite was also the home made pita bread. read more

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

This is the 3rd time I have posted this review because the owner keeps taking it down this explains alot go there at your own risk ‼‼ So I'm rewriting my review since they wanted to delete mine without addressing it. This place is Absolutely Disgusting the customer service is extremely rude and the place might seem clean and all which I thought but when I went to dine in there was ANTS CRAWLING on the walls. The portion of the food is very small, the shawarma is DISGUSTING and not even authentic. The food is VERY dry and cold. The filling of the shawarma is like frozen dog food you get for your dog at petco. Super dry, flavorless and no filling what so ever. After I ate there I throw up and got very sick and absolutely disgusted. Please save your health, money and time and don't eat there. Let's hope they leave this review there so people can actually see the truth lol 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

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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

Very disappointing. The chicken I was served was visibly pink and appeared undercooked in the center. I couldn't even finish eating it. read more

Baladi - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

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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

Customer service: 0/10 Food: 5/10 They're not helpful or welcoming at all. You can definitely get better Mediterranean food somewhere else for the same price, with better-portioned plates and much better customer service. Never going back. I'd rather go to WTFafel they are really nice , Naz's Halal, or even CAVA. read more

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

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

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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

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Fantastic food and even better service had the pleasure of meeting Jovani and Kaden great young men, will definitely be coming back. Free Palestine!! 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

Food is definitely worth the price, the owner was also very welcoming the hummus is by far my favorite, definitely more traditional

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

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Best homemade pita I've had so far. Unfortunately it's an extra charge for it and the mix plate overall is a bit on the pricy side in comparison to other spots I've been to. Didn't care for the chicken and hummus was on the spicy side which I did not expect at all but it was also okay. Would've preferred with no spice but their meats are absolutely delicious and tender! Food was made quick. Wouldn't come again based on price. read more

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

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1st time here and still in Baladi! We will come back for more. We live close by and so happy to not drive too far to find good quality Mediterranean food! Staff was great and informative. I had the chicken kabobs bowl and it was super delightful! If I had room I would event eat my husband's shawarma! But I'll come back for that lol. read more

​You already know you're in for a good meal. The hummus here is on another level. it's so good paired with their homemade pita, which comes out insanely warm, pillowy, and fluffy, it's pretty much perfection. On top of that, the chicken is always super juicy and packed with flavor. The staff are always polite and super helpful. Amazing place. read more

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

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

Saw this place promoted on tiktok & had to give it a try I got the kufta kabab plate & my partner got the chicken kabab plate they both came with 2 skewers, rice, hummus, salad & we paid a $1.75 extra for homemade pita bread & it did not disappoint!!!! we will be regulars here every single bite was so delicious for two plates it came out to $45 but was so worth it food came super quick about 10-15 minutes very clean inside & comfortable to sit read more

Baladi - Kufta Kabab Plate & Chicken Kebab Plate - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

Very nice place. Outdoor seating is nice and relaxing. Has an area for kids to hangout play (artifical grass and giant connect 4). Koi pond outside of the covered patio. The food was fresh and really good, freshly made and good ingredients. I had the modern Greek salad and baklava. The service is slow but they seem to cook to order which is okay. The servers were very polite. Loved it! read more

Baladi - outdoors - Arabic Near Me - Riverside, California

I love this Palestinian restaurant. I ordered a family platter of mixed beef and chicken and it was so good and the portion was great thank you so much. 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

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

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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

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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

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

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

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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

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