So my love for this place is well documented... I just want to make it clear, six years later the food somehow tastes exactly the same. As delicious as I remember it being. Anyway, I had a funny story that I thought I would share about just how good the food is here. I drove over here with my family 45 minutes from Century City because Arman Tsarukyan (an elite UFC fighter who is Armenian) recently put up a video of him eating a giant platter of khorovats and I just got kebab envy... Anyway, on our way here we saw the big Griffith Park picnic tables and thought, "hey, we should take it to go and eat at Griffith Park!" Now, yes. It was a good idea in theory. We transported the food 15 minutes to the Park and lo and behold, the food is still piping hot and the lavash is nice and warm from being in the box. I'm ripping off pieces of grilled pork rib with lavash, some onions, some eggplant caviar, AUMF, you know what it is. Across from me, Eunice and my 3-year-old son are just housing the combination lule plate. Eunice is cutting up little chunks of lule for the little guy and he is putting it away. I finish my food and then my eyes start to do the fatty daddy wander, parents you know what I'm talking about. The period of internal bargaining where you start justifying taking food away from your son because he ain't really appreciate this anyway. This kid probably couldn't tell Hamlet's Kitchen from Zankou Chicken. He's not gonna finish the lule, right? Like there's no way. Anyway, Eunice is now done and the little guy, he's still working on his half of lule. It's cut up into little 3-year-old boy pieces but he's doing the same thing -- lule, lavash, eggplant caviar, AUMF! I'm thinking -- God, this little guy eats so slow. Clearly he's going to tap out soon. But he just keeps going, it's maddening. Then out of the corner of my eye, we spot a coyote. Now, I live in sunny, coyote-less Century City. I don't know how to deal with coyotes, man! Also, I'm sitting in front of a pile of pork bones. I probably smell like this coyote's dinner. So I tell the fam (who also see the coyote now) "aiite, time to head out, guys." We start packing up the to go boxes and trash to quietly (and quickly) get the f-- outta there. And then I stare at the closed box that had my son's leftover food. The coyote's staring a hole through me. I'm staring back at it, then I look at the box. There must be a quarter of uneaten lule kabob in there. With lavash. And eggplant caviar. If this coyote attacks me or my family, it would be a shame if I was in such a hypocaloric state that I was unable to put forth my best effort in fighting the coyote off. Right? Like you wouldn't want me to endanger my family by not being 100% in my match with this coyote. I open my son's takeout box, scoop up all the leftover lule with a lavash, dip in eggplant caviar, AUMF! Come at me, stupid coyote. So yeah that's how much I love this place. Even when facing a coyote, I still can't stand to watch any Hamlet's Kitchen lule go to waste. I learned later coyotes around here are mostly pretty chill, which, I mean, of course I knew that why else would I have done such a thing?! EDIT/UPDATE: So Eunice read this and is now telling me that she SAW THIS HAPPEN IN REAL TIME and was SO PISSED at me until she looked up how to deal with coyotes on Google. Still worth, guys. Get it hot and yeah, just eat it at home or in your car. read more

Delicious pork! Very healthy excellent spices! Highly recommend! Superb service! Great ambience! Excellent Hummus! Great prices! A must try! read more

Hamlet's Kitchen - Pork - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

The best Armenian barbecue in Glendale. I recommend this place to anyone who loves Armenian barbecue their ribs and the chicken lule Kebab my favorite. read more

According to my Yelp buddies, this is one of Celebrity Chef David Chang's favorite spot to eat in Los Angeles? Let's go! This CASH ONLY hole-in-the-wall serves real deal Armenian BBQ that uses charcoal to grill their meats and where food is made to order by the pit master owner. He is very nice and so are the staff. Expect a small wait time for delicious food. We walked up to the outdoor setup, and after ordering we waited maybe 25 to 30 minutes. The PRO local tip is to call in your order ahead of time. Their menu is very simple. BBQ meats (pork, beef, lamb, chicken), freshly made sides, can drinks. The menu has Armenian-Russian influence: (pelmeni, blinchik, Georgian dumplings, olivier potato and beet salad, Russian carrot salad, etc); with some middle-eastern flare (hummus, mutabal, lebni). Everything we ordered was so tasty and delicious! The meats are very flavorful and no sauces are needed; but the BBQ it's grilled WELL-DONE, so order it accordingly if you like your meat on the "medium-rare to medium" side. My favorite place in Glendale for Armenian BBQ are : Mini Kabob, Raffi's, Elena's. Hamlet's is pretty stellar too, except they their BBQ well -done. read more

See all

This spot is the real deal. Bring cash. The lamb chops are incredible, and portions are generous. Note that while they have a couple tables out front, it is primarily a takeout spot. read more

Hamlet's Kitchen - Lamb Chops - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

Hidden gem tucked away inside a strip mall. Had a hard time finding the place since GPS said we had arrived but we did not see the restaurant and later found out its tucked away behind the right side of the mall. Not sure if it was becuase we got there closer to closing time but there was no space to eat inside. We ordered pork ribs and combination lula kabob. FYI this place is CASH only! I heard that they make their onw charcoal there. We were in Glendale to pick up my phone from Samsung and friend of us suggested to try this spot and I am glad we did. Its a must eat spot if you are in the area. Full of flavor and surprisingly lot of food comes in your order. At first I thought it was slighly overpriced but we had leftovers afterwards. Just wish they were closer to where I am but this would be my spot to go to whenever I am near Glendale. read more

See all

The saltiest food I have ever tasted. $80 literally in the trash. I took 2 bites and couldn't continue eating. I had high expectations but was extremely disappointed! read more

This was a hole in the wall that my husband said was one of the top places to eat. This is cash only. It was very juicy, but I would say all the vegetables were a little too charred. read more

I got this to-go with a friend who really loves this place and convinced me to give it a try. We called in our order and picked it up shortly after--it was ready fast and super convenient. The setup is a bit hidden--tucked in the back of a strip mall with no indoor access. There's a table blocking the entrance, and it seems like they run things more express-style, so it's definitely a grab-and-go kind of spot. I didn't interact much with the staff, but I did try the chicken kabob wrap, and it was solid. The chicken was juicy, flavorful, and the wrap overall was good. That said, it's not the best I've had in Glendale--there's a lot of tough competition out here when it comes to wraps. Still, it's definitely worth trying at least once. A good, quick option if you're in the area and craving Mediterranean. read more

Nice and quick Kabob sandwich met my expectations Will try pork next time‍and will let you know! read more

It was a hidden gem and we knew about it through word of mouth. The food is super fresh and delicious. The ambiance is great so quiet as it is off the street. I am very impressed with how efficient the workers are and the owner is very kind. I would go back in a heartbeat. read more

Our first time eating here. We got the lamb chops and they were the best I've had. Charred to perfection and so flavorful. We also had the chicken Lula and they were. juicy and tender. The white basmati rice was a little bland and the tomato and peppers lacked char and flavor. Overall a sold spot and we would return for the lamb chops. read more

The lamb chops are super yummy deliciousness. They were perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked. My son also loved it and said it was the best meal he's had in a long time. We are already planning our next visit there. read more

I saw YouTuber talking about how great the food was that went immediately down there today just now literally ordered the lamb chops with barbecue tomato and pepper the Tomato was cold to the touch like it came out of the refrigerator ask the woman to heat it for me she screamed and you yelled and Armenian that is the way it's supposed to be the land was extremely salty and fat I absolutely do not recommend this place it's horrible the city should shut this down and arrest a loud mouth of ignorant woman that's the nicest thing I can think of to say read more

I saw David Chang of Momofuku and the local Majordomo restaurant on Instagram, and noted his thoughts of the three best restautants in Los Angeles. The first one he mentioned was Hamlet's Kitchen, located in a culturally enriched strip mall of Armenian and Russian citizens which is a cultural expeience in itself. Located at the southeast corner of the strip mall is this very small restaurant with relatively long lines of patrons at around three o'clock. The BBQ style cooking can be observed from a small window in the kitchen and was smok'in hot on a spit over the coals. It took about 15 minutes to cook up the shish kabobs, which had a nice medium brown meat and juices flowing onto the rice and toppings, which can be used to fill a huge thin tortilla or Naan-like flour crepe to fill with the goodness. I can see why Chef Chang is charmed with the tasty and culturally enriching kitchen! read more

See all

I got a chicken kebab and a Duchess soda. Very tasty. So far, the most delicious lulia in LA that I've had. The only thing is they don't take bank cards or Zelle at least. Would like. read more

Hamlet's Kitchen - Lu lay - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

Highly recommended place if you're looking for delicious Armenian BBQ. My most favorite is beef bbq soooo goood

This is chef David Chang's top three restaurants in Los Angeles he shouted out when asked about three favorite restaurants in a podcast. I woke up this morning to a text from my sister from NYC telling me about this spot. I've seen food bloggers mention this place, but it hasn't been top of mind when searching for food while in Glendale. Before venturing off to Glendale for Armenian barbecue, I Yelped "Armenian barbecue" near home in the San Fernando Valley, I came across Hovik's Deli and Market in Granada Hills to compare and compare the food and service at Hamlet's Kitchen. Hamlet's Kitchen is a bit hidden in a shopping center hidden in the back of an Armenian grocery store. It's either take out or dine in on their patio with tables spread out and no seats. There were seats stacked as if to discourage lingering too long. I approached the entrance blocked by a folding picnic table. I said hello to a man who looked like the pitmaster as he kept walking away ignoring my presence. Then a lady from the kitchen came out and made it obvious her English was very limited. I said I wanted a sandwich and she responded "chicken or beef lule?" She seemed to recommend both the same. Pork seems to be the star of the show here, but it was not offered to me. Pork was placed as the top item of the plates and sandwiches menu so I figured that this is their specialty. I asked, "do you have pork?" and she said "yes." Most people seemed to be ordering the lule kabobs when I was watching the man at the grill through the window outside. She told me to wait 15 minutes after placing my order and paying her in cash. I think the pro move is to call in your order. I watched many Armenians walk up to the makeshift ordering counter (foldable table) and quickly picked up their order. Compared to Hovik's, the service is less warm which might be typical of Armenian establishments if you're not Armenian. She probably isn't fluent enough in English to have a conversation in English about the food. Just like some authentic Chinese restaurants catering to Chinese, setting the bar low for service that Americans are accustomed to might be a good idea at this establishment. I try not to take it personal. When my food was ready, she called me over and smiled as she thanked me and handed me my order. I took my sandwich to eat at my car. The pork pieces inside the lavash were marinated and imparted a smokey flavor unlike the meat I ordered at Hovik's in the Valley. If you like the smokiness of meat on the grill reminiscent of a backyard barbecue, I would recommend Hamlet's Kitchen if you're in or passing Glendale. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here for lule as we have some Armenian lule spots in the Valley like Hovik's or Palm Marketplace. For that smokey flavor, we have some barbecue places in the Valley, I just haven't tried the spot in North Hollywood that I've read about. I am still working way through more Armenian kabob spots as we have a large population of Armenians as well. I would definitely return next time I am Glendale to try their lule sandwich. If you're curious like me to try one of chef David Chang's favorite three restaurants, definitely try maybe the beef or chicken lule kabob or their Armenian barbecue pork or sides if you're feeling a bit more adventurous or spendy. By the time I got there, I couldn't make room to try their sides. $15 for their sandwich, $20+ for their plates -- doesn't seem that pricey compared to other establishments these days who have increased their prices due to "inflation (cost of food)." At least you aren't presented with a tablet here asking you for a tip. Bring cash and maybe tip the kitchen if you're feeling generous. I feel strange whenever a restaurant doesn't ask for a tip. I definitely had a lightness and sense of relief that both Armenian establishments I visited today didn't expect a tip for a takeout order. read more

Tried Hamlet's today and they didn't disappoint! Great meat quality and freshly made. Thumbs up!

Overpriced. For $25, you get 2 lule skewers, rice, lavash, a cold roasted tomato and a sprinkling of sliced onion. No sides. David Chang's recommendation was a big miss. read more

Best Pork Sandwich in the Whole World.. I Love this Very Well kept Secret in Glendale!!!

I am very impressed with the quality and the taste of the meals prepared. You can tell that they take their time. My grandmother said it was so delicious and we told the owner we would come back again. read more

Food quality and taste is unbeatable ! I do recommend trying it , prices are higher than other similar restaurants, but worth spending little extra for good quality food. 5 star read more

Came here bc David Chang recommended it It's pretty delicious Love the indulgence It's basically giant cuts of bbq meat done well read more

Came here for lunch on a weekday. Very nice staff and plenty of outdoor seating. Generous plates and lavash sandwiches. I recommend the beef shish (cooked rare or medium rare) and the pork ribs. Don't forget to bring cash as this spot is CASH ONLY. Closest ATM is 5-10 min walk away (7-Eleven). read more

Extremely expensive but delicious Customer service sucks Don't want to accommodate any of client's requests read more

This place is lying about their credit card machine not working. I went up to them and was told "our machine for cards doesn't work" (mean face on lady who brought the food forward) Really? Since when? A lot of people have been leaving reviews about the card machine not working so it's obvious they want only cash and don't want to accept cards. Secondly the quality of the meat is not very good at all. The Lule Beef had a lot of hard cartilage that you can't chew and gets stuck in your teeth. Clearly they mixed a lot of garbage meat in there and ground it all up. The chicken breast and beef were extremely salty. Threw away the rest. Everything else aside, the price is ridiculously high for this quality and service. read more

Straight and to the point--delicious chunks of roasted meat. Sometimes on a plate, sometimes wrapped in lavash. The whole meat wrapped in lavash thing is genius--it's kind of like an Armenian burrito...but with nothing but meat inside. A great way to eat what effectively is a kabob without getting your hands dirty. A hidden gem in Glendale! read more

Hamlet's Kitchen - A kabob wrapped in lavash? Genius! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

The taste of that bbq, smoky, savory with just the right amount of sweetness. I think a great place to get Armenian bbq. Sit outside and enjoy it or get it to go. read more

These are my favorite kebab and grilled meats. The sides are also delicious. I go far out of my way to eat here. Very delicious food. The baby pork cartilage is my favorite. Thank you!! read more

If you want good Armenian food this is one of good spots to go. ........... read more

Service was awful, the lady was speaking half armenian, half russian, we were thinking what to get and at that time she was yelling at us cuz she didn't wanna wait read more

Meh. I thought it was incredibly overrated and extremely overpriced for what it is. I don't mind paying $$$ for good food, but the taste must reflect it. For a $25 plate, a dip on the side would've been nice. I ordered a small side of the eggplant caviar so I could have a dip, but it was lackluster and $8 for a tiny portion. The beef lule was very juicy, but the flavor wasn't mind blowing for me. I've had better elsewhere. The pork bbq sandwich flavor got really tiring. It was really good the first few bites, but then I got sick of the taste really fast. It was also very dry without any kind of spread inside of it. Bummer that they didn't have garlic sauce. I saw a review of someone talking about it, so I was really bummed they didnt have any. This is so key for me in Mediterranean food, it ties everything together. This alone was a dealbreaker for me. read more

Honestly the quality has gone down the rice is half cooked and we ordered my wife got there to pick up our order they gave her a complete different order and the onions don't even taste like onions now I have to think twice before I go here to eat or order read more

True Armenian bbq is served at this place, authentic tastes that take you back to Yerevan. Luleh kabob is out of this world and the ikibir wrap is a must. It never disappoints to order from here my favorites are Beef luleh wrap with spicy peppers and potatoes and also ikibir wrap with spicy peppers, amazement. read more

The meat was so dry and tough. I paid 85.00 and none of the meat was edible. DO NOT go here. I can't tell you how upset I am.

I'm lucky enough to live very close to this literal hole in a wall and wow. The food is absolutely incredible. Yes the prices can scare people but the portions are generous and literally everything in the menu is incredible and worth it. One of, if not the best lamb chops I've ever had. Absolutely the best lula kebob I've had. The hummus and eggplant caviar was homemade and so flavorful. The lavash is also so fresh and pillowy but still sturdy enough to dip and hold your meats. I can't say enough great thinks about this place. CASH ONLY!! read more

Lemme tell you about this place. Don't let the spartan decor, minimal accommodations, and, on occasion, slow service fool you, this place is absolute top tier Mediterranean food. The delicious aroma in the parking lot will make your mouth water and your stomach growl in utter need. The marinade/seasoning they use on the meat on top of that wood fire grilled smokiness is just on a completely different level, especially compared to the more mainstream places. Meat drippings soaked lavash, garlic sauce that stands shoulder to shoulder with the fierce competition (you know what I'm talking about), fresh tabbouleh, smoky hummus, roasted green peppers and tomatoes, and perfectly cooked rice all mixed together to create the most decadent tapestry of flavor. It's just so good, you'll miss that taste in your day to day. My family and I usually order huge catering trays containing kabobs, chicken, pork ribs, lamp chops, and both types of lula. The aforementioned side dishes are included plus potatoes. It's our and a few branches of our extended family's go-to catering for more than a decade. Yes, it's a bit expensive but this ain't McDonalds level Mediterranean you find at malls and at other places, this is top quality food made with love, very much worth every cent. Lamb chops is an absolute favorite but everything is so good. Stuff also last a long time and throwing stuff in the oven or air fryer will result in even crispier textures without losing flavor. read more

I've been hunting for Armenian food and I found this gem. It's home made Armenian food. The prices were on the steep side at 15-25 for most meals. The plates are 25 and the sandwiches 15. We shared a kabob sandwich which is lavash with the kabob meat. Amazing flavor that took me to Armenia. I've been craving it. I had a side of $8 hummus and it was also very good. It was a little chunkier than I'm used to but it tasted home made and was great. The little market that it is in feels like it comes straight from Armenia. It's outdoor seating among some palm trees, but fun to see the locals carrying on conversations in Armenian. The seating is a handful of chairs, mostly take out, but now I know where to get authentic Armenian food. read more

If you are looking for excellent Armenian food, then Hamlet's Kitchen is the place. The beef Lula is ridiculous, especially when combined with the potatoes and lavish. The beef kabob is also delicious. The service is decent, and there is not much ambiance since it's a little place located in a plaza. read more