This is one of the best spots to get middle eastern food. I like getting their entrees which comes…read morewith rice and salad. All the meat options are good but my favorite is the beef kabob or the chicken kabob. The lamb tikka can sometimes be dry but the smoky flavor is very nice. I also really like their falafel, it's not as dense as falafels you find in Americanized spots. You can really taste the herbs and paired with their tahina dipping sauce, it's amazing. Of course I have to mention their portion sizes. For the price you're paying and the amount of food/quality of food you're getting, it's such a good deal and hard to beat. It has been one of my favorite and reliable spots to eat in San Diego. The servers are all very friendly. Sometimes they expect you to know what you want right away but I think that's because they get a lot of regular customers who do know what they already want. The ambiance is very casual and it's definitely a spot for families to gather for a comforting meal. Just a note, they won't serve you tap water so if you're not willing to pay for bottled water, I suggest bringing your own water bottle. Not really a downside for me but just a heads up for others. Don't let deter you from trying this amazing place out though!!!

Genuinely one of the best meals i have had in such a long time!! My bf and i split the mixed meat…read moreplate and hummus, and every single item was outstanding. Also, portions are generous and we had plenty for leftovers the next day To top it off service was impeccable! Everyone was so friendly and asking if we needed anything etc. we will be back soon especially to try the shawarma!!

Came from San Francisco to the San Diego zoo and this restaurant came up in my search. And I really…read moredo not regret it. Amazing staff- amazing food and service. The restaurant is clean- bathroom is clean. Staff is very friendly and smiling all the time. We were group of 15 and they got the food out in time. The owner was very very friendly and made me the best beef shawerma ever. I would recommend this place. And I am definitely coming back. Thank you everyone for everything. God bless you all.

حبيت أوجّه كلمة طيبة لمطعم الأوال، وبالأخص للشيف فنار أبو ليو. والله يسوي من أطيب القوزي العراقي،…read moreوآني اليوم جيت آكل يمكم خصيصاً لأن عرفت هو اللي يسوي القوزي. ونصيحة محبّة من زبون يعرف طعم حلگه ويقدّر الأكل الطيب: يا ريت تخلّون أبو ليو يقدّم القوزي بنفس الطريقة اللي كان يسويها بمحله "الفنار". طعمه بعده بالبال، ومتأكد إذا تقدّموه بهالطريقة راح تصيرون الوجهة الأولى لكل محب للقوزي العراقي الأصيل. ربي يبارك برزقكم، وكل التوفيق إلكم وللشيف أبو ليو

Excellent experience from start to finish! The food was delicious, fresh, and full of flavor. The…read moreservice was outstanding--everyone was friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome. The atmosphere was great and made the whole experience even better. You can tell they really care about the quality of their food and their customers. We had a great time and will definitely be coming back. Highly this place to anyone looking for great food and excellent service!

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.

Husband, myself and 18m daughter came to this restaurant after church. I've been craving…read moreMediterranean food for a while and my cravings were satisfied!! My daughter LOVED the bread and hummus. I got the beef kebab plate and my husband got the chicken and beef kebab plate. We also provided with a plate of fresh and pickled vegetables and a soup that was delicious!! I saw a handful of people come in and pick up catering orders so you know that's how good it is! There is another Mediterranean restaurant down the street but if you want a mom and pop feel show this restaurant some love. Their food and customer service was exceptional. We will most definitely return :)

If you want to chow on rice and colored water then this is the place for you. Who serves Iraqi…read morestews without any protein? This place.

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.

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

I was recommended this restaurant by a friend and it is very unassuming. When I went inside on a…read moreSunday evening, it was warm due to the busy cooks in the back. A couple families were enjoying dinner and I was greeted at the counter by a friendly woman. I ordered to go and it took about 10-15 mins to get my food, so that was about standard. The biriyani rice is the highlight of the show, but the chicken shawarma itself was very dry, so that was disappointing. I also ordered the beef kebab skewers with fries, which weren't bad. Honestly, I would come back, but I wouldn't get their chicken shawarma again.

A hidden gem in Elcajon Opened about 4 months ago…read moreHonestly I was a little skeptical as it was not busy but I decided to take my chance. I went to my family Once we walked it It was clean and well kept The owner welcomed us right a way and he was very nice Fast service We had dhyafa ( free of charge) up front lentil soap and hummus with beef shawrma and pickles. All of which fresh and tasty Now the most important part the food Kabob - like Erbil ( the best I had in here and believe me I tried them all) so 100/10 Beef tikka DELICIOuis Qoozi perfect Chicken kreemchup very good all fresh well seasoned and full of flavor large portions HIGHLY recommend to check this place out Ample of parking as well

Amazing food here! I love the family run business, which is very genuine on serving the best food…read moreand brining people together. We came here for a late lunch, so we were lucky that there was a parking spot opened up right in the plaza. I can not imagine how difficult parking would be during the busy time! I assume you will need to find street parking. Although the plaza is small, the restaurant is big! It has many tables inside, including larger areas for groups. We went in and saw a family having dinner together. That really gave the restaurant a warm family vibe. You can see in the decorations that they have earned many recognitions and had even been on Guy's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives show! What an amazing place! We started the lunch with a nice mint lemonade! OMG! I highly recommend this! I would go back just for this, so refreshing and perfect way to be primed for a great meal. We had three items, Soujouk Flat Bread, Baba Ghannouj, and Ouzi Lamb. The portion is large! We could not finish and had to take to-go for two of us. I love their baba ghannouj! Very authentic and come with the bread. The serve was smiling when I asked whether it came with the bread. He eventually also told us that we should open the bread like a pita and put baba ghannouj in there. I appreciate the guidance on how to enjoy the food. I also loved soujouk flat bread. So delicious! The highly recommended ouzi lamb lived up to the expectation and it's very delicious. Overall, I can't say enough good things about this restaurant. We will come back for sure because they have so many good delicious food on the menu that we need to try!

After watching the restaurant featured on triple D on the food network we wanted to experience this…read morefirsthand. This place is located in a small square so parking can be tight. Inside is decorated well and has plenty of room for groups. The menu has depth with starters consisting of salads, bread and entrees. For drinks it ranges from nonalcoholic, wine, beer, tea and a house made coffee. W For drinks we had the fresh lemonade with mint. This was sweet but not overpowering. I recommend this drink. I ordered the fisherman's rice and it is enough for two hungry adults. The love dessert is a showstopper! Save room for this delicious dessert! We see many returns visits to experience this delicious food! Enjoy!

This place is A MUST if you are a lover of all things shawarma…read more Tuesday specials are amazingly affordable w lots of delicious food (three meals more me)

Ive visited for years, my mom and I love this place for the family meal or the "small family…read moreplatter" which comes out to around $50 and change. It comes with 2 beef kabob skewer, 2 chicken tikka skewer, 1 chicken cream chop, and 1 chicken shawarma on a bed of rice, and grilled veggies. comes with hummus and salad. we love ordering this if we have a birthday, or crave middle eastern goodness. this place was one of the first middle eastern places ive tried and I love it. My mom always has seen the owner when we pick up there and he's always kind. I love when you can tell a business loves what they do, its in their energy and the food taste like it was made with love and for that I will always be back.

مطعم راقي اكل طيب خدمة راقية راح نرجع اكيد شكرا الكم…read moreI love them We have lunch and we loved it

Food was amazing! Got the platter for 3 and still took food to go! $50! Clean establishment and…read moregreat customer service.

Food was delicious! Fresh ! Served quickly! We will go back again. ! We have lived near this…read morerestaurant and never tried it before. Love the garlic sauce !!!!

I was craving something fresh and found this spot on the maps. I got the salad.... It was freaking…read morehuge and delicious. I was a little taken aback by the price.. but it makes sense once i saw the portion AND they give you a little cup of free lentil soup which was also super good. I would definitely recommend and come back i had the beef shwarma on the greek salad and