This was my first time trying Greek Chicken! Drive thru…read moreservice was decent we did have to wait a little while about 5-7 mins after ordering our food but I just assumed it would be worth the wait. The garlic bread was so delicious, maybe my favorite part of this dinner. Chicken flavorful and tender. I was surprised this was considered a whole chicken because the portion definitely seems like 1/4 or 1/2 at most but I asked if it was actually a whole and the woman said yes. It wasn't enough to fill my family of 4 but it was definitely tasty minus the corn on the cob I'm wondering if it was just boiled too long because it lacked flavor and was a bit soggy. I'd definitely order again but maybe try a regular combo next time !

This is Round 3 of going to this branch of Greek Chicken…read more * Round 2 I had the Gyros Salad, excellent. No pics. Huge salad, generous portion of Gyros. Side of Fried Zucchini was perfectly fried and a generous portion. Recommend both. Got the Baklava too, big portion and yummy with the perfect crunch. * Round 1 I had the same meal as Round 3, the #5. My memory of the chicken was affirmed. Chicken is very tasty, but overcooked on both occasions. I was really hoping they'd gotten over the need to cook the chicken so much. Both times I got Dark Meat which (in my mind) should have been moister than White Meat. Ultimately cooking the chicken so hard resulted in Dark Meat that was dry and almost crumbling off the bone. My preference in chicken is not to be cooked so hard and if I have to gnaw the chicken off the bone a bit, excellent. Gyros and salad on the #5 combo rounds 1 & 3 were the same. Generous portions and yummy. You'll note that the #5 comes with a choice of Garlic Bread or Pita. I picked the Garlic Bread both times. if you look closely, it's 2 pieces of white bread grilled. What is not terribly obvious is that there's a piece of cheese that's sandwiched between the bread then grilled. I Love This! I did get the Baklava again on this round 3 and it was not as good as round 2. Big portion and soggy in the middle. Not unusual if you've had enough baklava to find the middle and bottom layers soaked in honey, it's expected. However, this baklava had layers that were similar to soggy Pie Crust. Not a good texture despite tasting awesome. Parking is excellent, appears that the drive thru moves quickly as I got to watch that progress while waiting for my takeaway. Cashiers are very nice and helpful. Won't be getting the chicken (or the baklava) again which is sad as the place is named Greek Chicken.

$72.91. Med salad. Combo #3 & 6. 3 side kabobs. The chicken here was outstanding. The portion…read moresizes, value, and overall quality all deliver. It's a standard fast-casual setup: order at the counter, grab a seat, and wait for them to call your number. Even with a constant stream of takeout orders moving through the restaurant, our food hit the table in about 12 minutes. As for the food, the chicken was spectacular. Whether you go for a whole or part of the chicken or the chicken skewers (kabobs), everything was unbelievably flavorful, tender, and juicy. Gyro meat isn't something I'd normally order, but theirs was flavorful and the meat was cut in different sizes, which to me suggest it may have been shaved off the rotisserie. As for the pita or bread, get the bread. It's basically a grilled garlic-cheese sandwich. For the sides, the rice was moist, flavorful, and tasted authentic. The medium Greek salad was generous and easily enough for four adults as a moderate side. I also went back for a small side of feta cheese. I expected it to be sliced, but it came crumbled, so it's not a standalone. The corn was boiled and bathed in butter (like do you want some corn with your butter). The kernels lacked that crisp snap when you bit into it, but it tasted fresh. Overall, excellent value, generous portions, and incredible chicken.

Disappointing Experience and horrible customer service... I also don't recommend anyone buying from…read morethis location! I had a very disappointing experience at this Greek-style chicken restaurant. I paid $25 for a plate and was shocked by how little food I received. There were only three slices of meat on my plate for that price! For $25, I expected a decent portion and a meal worth the money, not a plate that felt incomplete. The portion size was ridiculous for what I paid. Customers work hard for their money, and it's frustrating to spend $25 on a meal and feel like you barely got anything in return. Unfortunately, this experience left me feeling ripped off and very dissatisfied. The value simply wasn't there, and I would think twice before spending my money here again. Do better with your portion sizes. If you're charging $25 for a plate, customers deserve a reasonable amount of food for their money. I would not recommend this place based on my experience.

I can for the viral Wagyu Shawarma Cheesesteak. It was very tasty with a mix of peppers, onion…read morecheese and sauce. Whatever sauce they used gave it a bit of spiciness. I went at 3:30 pm on a Saturday and was surprised that it was pretty busy at that weird time The sandwich was huge ( probably 12 inch sub) so depending on how hungry you are, you could easily split it. I loved the fries. Whatever seasoning they used gave is perfect

Man I really wanted to like this place due to all the rave reviews. Our first experience was mixed…read morewith some meats being great and others dry beef bits that weren't very tasty or appealing. Our second experience we got the chicken shawarma Brian's way. Everything was cooked well, but I guess although I like pickles, I'm not as big a fan of Mediterranean pickles. The first bite or two were actually good, but subsequent bites the pickle tanginess was overwhelming and just not so pleasant as I finished it. I thought maybe I'll get it without the pickles next time. However, after eating I got an unexpected headache that usually comes from ingestion of MSG. The fries were tasty... maybe there was MSG in those? Not sure. I've honestly had much better phenomenal shawarma in San Joes CA. I have yet to find a great Shawarma here in San Diego. Feel free to recommend.

I love Middle Eastern food, something about kebabs and shawarma with rice and hummus that I love…read more So I make it a point to try virtually every middle eastern restaurant I come across, especially in downtown San Diego and El cajon. If you want to save yourself a lot of time and trouble, Skip all the others and just head to sahara! I've been coming to Sahara in El cajon for the past 10 years or so and have always loved the food here. They're shawarma is so tender and flavorful, so are the kebabs and the chicken cream chop. Love their garlic aioli and hummus. The employees who work here are very friendly and helpful and the restaurant is clean and inviting. Check out Sahara taste of the Middle East and find out what you've been missing.

Had a great experience at Sahara Taste of the Middle East. Everything we ordered was fresh,…read moreflavorful, and cooked perfectly. The chicken was tender and well seasoned, the kebab had great flavor, and the rice was excellent. We also really enjoyed the cucumber and chickpea salad -- fresh, light, and a perfect complement to the meal. The portions were very generous and everything came out looking and tasting great. You can tell they put care into the food. Definitely a place I'll be coming back to when I'm craving good Middle Eastern food. Highly recommend!

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!

Food was amazing! Everything was fresh and recently made! Pita was especially good! The chicken was…read moreso tasty and the rice was perfection! Good macros if you are a gym guy like me. Recommended

Best Gyros in El Cajon. Friendly, helpful staff, always clean, big menu with lots of options…read more Generous portions and a favorable price point. Great parking too.

I was told this is the best place for Mediterranean in town by a very nice man on a plane ride home…read moreto San Diego. I think they are specifically an Iraqi style restaurant. Not quite casual, a little fancy but not really elevated dining or anything. Nice ambiance and polite, attentive service. We ordered the spreads combo platter that came with spicy Turkish baba ganoush, regular baba ganoush, hummus, and tzatziki. It was served with piping hot pita. This was delicious, worth coming for on its own. It was my first time having Turkish baba ganoush, it was delicious! The hummus and tzatziki were excellent. I especially love the addition of a unique crunchy garnish for each dip; chickpeas on the hummus, olives on the Turkish baba ganoush, pomegranate seeds on the baba ganoush, and coarser chopped cucumber in the tzatziki. Presentation is also beautiful, with all the color and each dip smoothed in a nice pattern. My only wish is that the baba ganoush is a little smokier. We also had the Ney classic grill which came with beef shawarma, beef skewer, chicken skewer, 2 lamb kofta, and breaded chicken. The menu claims this serves 2-3, but we probably only ate half between 4 relatively light eaters after our spread combo. I really enjoyed the shawarma; the chicken and filet mignon is a little light on the seasoning but the flavor is otherwise good; the kofta could be more tender in my opinion. I rarely see chicken cream chop in grill platters, but it was well executed. The platter also comes with pickles and rice and biryani, all of who I enjoyed. The biryani comes with almonds and raisins and everything has a nice sumac flavor. They also include garlic sauce and tahini; the garlic is really punchy. The jalapeno was crazy spicy. Everything is served on a bed of lavash, but it gets a little soggy under all the meat. If I were to give feedback, I would prefer the shawarma a little less salty and the grilled filet mignon and chicken a little more salty. Not sure why it's so disparate. For the amount of food, the price is very reasonable for a seated dining experience. One note is that they really blast the AC, so dress a little on the warmer side if you run cold. Come with 4-6+ people, order the spreads platter and the grill platter, and enjoy!

I loved this place! The night before coming here for takeout, I had Mediterranean food down at…read moreSeaport Village. It was tasty and satisfying... but this place BLEW MY MIND. The moment I walked in, I was warmly greeted and asked if I wanted a table for one. I said no, I was hoping to order takeout, and she kindly invited me to sit at the bar while I looked over the menu. Right away, the atmosphere felt welcoming, beautiful, and relaxed. I ordered my food, sipped my water, and honestly didn't think I had ordered that much. Then she came out with multiple filled brown bags of food! First of all, the prices were amazing. Second... the food was TOP NOTCH and completely different from what I had the night before. Everything was packed with flavor without being overloaded with salt. Fresh, vibrant, rich, and incredibly satisfying. The waitress/hostess was knowledgeable, friendly, and gave great recommendations on what to try. You can tell the staff truly cares about the experience. I will absolutely be back the next time I visit San Diego again. And not that I recommend eating while driving ... but the next day on my drive back to Ventura County, I spread out my leftovers and happily snacked on hummus, baba ghanoush, and dolma all the way home. That alone says everything about how good this place was.

Pistachio Latte and Baklava is the best. Very fresh high quality desserts. The atmosphere is also…read morereally nice.

I've been here twice now and both were really great experiences. Staff were friendly and super…read morehelpful, and the food was so delicious. Lots of seating and it was cool to see there's outdoor seating as well. Ended up with the boiled eggs breakfast plate (everything so good) and finally tried the sucuklu yumurta which was quite filling. It is a bit pricey, but the food was well worth it. Thanks so much!

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.

there's not enough great things, that i can say about greek chicken. give them a try and attempt to…read moreprove that wrong. (:

I have always loved the Greek chicken here, which makes writing this review incredibly…read moredisappointing. I went through the drive-thru and specifically ordered dark meat from the guy who took my order. Because it was a drive-thru order, I didn't think to open up the containers and check the chicken before pulling away. Unfortunately, when I got all the way home, I discovered they gave me white meat instead. The customer service at the window didn't make the situation any better. A different girl handed me my food, and she gave off a vibe that she really didn't care to be working there at all. When I called the store to report the mistake, the assistant manager just told me to drive all the way back so they could change it. While I understand that's standard procedure, it's incredibly inconvenient to have to make a second trip and let the rest of your lunch get cold just because the staff couldn't get a simple request right the first time. The food is usually worth it, but the lack of basic attention to detail and indifferent customer service ruined my lunch. Check your boxes before you drive away!