I first stopped here in August after hearing so many great recommendations, and I wasn't…read moredisappointed! The ground beef kabobs were tender and well seasoned, served with a fresh, tangy salad and a generous portion of delicious rice. We also ordered the garlic sauce, which wasn't quite what I expected, but I really enjoyed how all the flavors complemented each other. I returned in October and ordered the same dish, and it was even better than my first visit! However, the second kabob was a little too pink for my liking, so I decided to take it home. I also ordered another ground beef kabob plate and a beef tikka kebab à la carte to go. The beef tikka was described as chunks of beef, and I was curious to try it. I requested the ground beef kabob well done, but it was still a little pink for my preference. Nevertheless, it was delicious! I also really enjoyed the beef tikka and will definitely order it again. The restaurant is spacious with plenty of seating. The parking lot is small, but there is street parking. They also serve black tea, with the first cup complimentary and additional cups costing $2. Overall, I've really enjoyed the food on both visits. The flavors are wonderful, the portions are generous, and I'm already looking forward to returning!

We came to Mal Al Sham on a Saturday night, and it was SO busy! I had high hopes going in, and the…read morerestaurant itself reminded me of a high-end venue. Honestly, I felt like I was at a family party, which made the whole experience feel lively and fun. The servers were quick to clean a table for us, so we didn't have to wait too long to sit down. We ordered the platter for three, and the value was honestly insane. For just $60, it came with two beef kabobs, three chicken kabobs, two portions of chicken tikka, half a pound of beef shawarma, and half a pound of chicken shawarma, all served over a bed of rice. It also came with a really good parsley salad and yogurt sauce. The salad was fresh and citrusy, which helped cut through the bitterness of the parsley, and I loved it! We had so much food left over, too. Everything was flavorful, and the meats were tender and juicy. My only criticism is that a lot of the meats tasted very similar, so nothing really stood out from the rest. It was still a good meal, especially for the price and portion size, but I wish each dish had a more distinct flavor. Overall, it's a great spot to come with family or friends when you want to share a ton of food without spending a fortune!

The burger taste is weird but enjoyed every single bait , the service was good overall, the place…read moreclean , the price was great on Wednesday

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!

Every time we like mediterranean food, Ali Baba is our first choice. food is great, service is good…read moreand the staff is friendly.

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.

Stopped by Al Azayem Restaurant and wow... the kabob was legit. Super tender, juicy, and packed…read morewith flavor. You can tell they actually know how to grill none of that dry, boring stuff you get at other places.

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.

Tasty Pizza is such a great little hole-in-the-wall spot! The pizza was fresh, hot, and really…read moregood. Fadi was super nice, welcoming, and helped us a lot. Great food and great service -- definitely 5 stars!

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 !

The best kabob in all of San Diego any one can sit here and argue but they would be wasting their…read moretime! Keep up the great work iv been a customer for 4 years twice a month never have I been disappointed! Btw try the chicken kabob and thank me later.

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.

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.

Just thought I'd stop by and show some love to this secret gem. I've been ordering a buffalo…read morechicken cheesesteak here for years and it never disappoints. Always super friendly and happy to make that off the menu Sammy for me.

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 enjoy eating here. The food is delicious as well as the service. To key things I love is the…read morecurry beans and the flatbread. I always take an order home with me and this is from a person who never liked curry.

Hello, I haven't…read moregone out for a few weeks, and I'm really disappointed. I ordered takeout from a lamp shop with Rice. Usually, we get about 5 to 6 pieces of lamp shop and enough Rice, but this time there were only 4 pieces of lamp shop and half a box of rice for $30. I didn't check my order at the restaurant, but when I got home, I was not happy with it. I am their client.