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    Mandi Xpress

    4.8 (206 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Mandi Xpress Takeout or Delivery

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    MANDI XPRESS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

    Recommended Reviews - Mandi Xpress

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    Kim H.

    WOW! First time trying YEMENI food and it was WORTH IT!! We weren't sure what to order and the cashier was very helpful in guiding us through the menu! We had the chicken kabob, and beef koobideh, as well as hummus and fresh bread. Everything was so tasty and made to order. Portions are HUGE. Located right in front of the main library in Riverside. This place is quiet with ample seating. I will say please review the menu ahead of time and see what looks good. I can't wait to go back and try out some new items on the menu. Each dish ranges from $18-$30 depending on the plate. Family meals are $50-$70 Rating 10/10

    lamb
    Edbert S.

    Pretty good place for yemen food. This place was basically in downtown Riverside. There's a parking lot so you don't have to worry about parking in a structure or street parking. We came in on a hot day but it didn't seem like there was AC inside, just a huge fan, just fyi. I decided to order the single order of lamb mandi, which was pretty good. The lamb was really tender and I loved the sauces accompanying the dish. The flavor was great. One thing to note was that the portions were huge... so definitely share with others when coming here. Service was pretty good. You would just order at the counter and they'll bring the food to you. We were basically the only ones here when we came, so nothing to complain about that.

    Hummus and bread
    Chad K.

    Amazing rice (fresh almonds, golden raisins and spices). My wife got the Mova Fish plate. It was 2 large fish halves, rubbed with a citrus and spice marinade and then looked grilled on an open flame based on the lovely charred edges. We thought we would take leftovers home but we devoured the whole thing. I had the beef kabobs with 1/2 salad and 1/2 rice. Depending on how much rice you like, the 1/2 salad is the way to go. Gives some vegetables and brightness to a rich plate. Kabobs can easily get dry but these were nice and juicy. Served with a large green chilli for kick, and hummus. We also ordered a side of hummus which came with a huge, fresh baked flat bread. That was a meal in itself and we definitely took most of that home. The creaminess of the hummus and the wonderful olive oil on top was so nice. I highly recommend this restaurant especially if you have a large group. There were only two of us, but we saw many people coming in in groups of four or six that ordered these huge shareable platters that looked really, really good.

    Family special lamb mandi and ground beef with rice plus separately ordered salad.
    Jeff L.

    Took the kids here for a weekend lunch. It's a casual spot in downtown Riverside near the Main Library. Very chill vibes and never seems to be crowded. I picked this spot due to the stellar, near perfect aggregate Yelp rating and reviews. We ordered a family special with the lamb mandi and four ground beef kabobs (beef koubideh?). The flavor did not disappoint. We were looking for extra authenticity and my teenager just loved it. The lamb was as tender off the bone as could be. We had to order a side salad. The food tasted pretty authentic and fresh. There was an added layer of yumminess that we were looking for.

    Chicken Mandi
    Maria M.

    Absolutely delicious! Our first time trying Yemen food! Absolutely coming back!! We ordered Beef koobideh and chicken Mandi with Yemen bread! If I could give it 10 stars I would! The gentleman who took our order was patient and nice. The restaurant was very clean and the music was beautiful, very peaceful!!

    Fresh Yemeni Bread
    Gillian S.

    We walked across the street after studying at the Main Library. It was our first time trying Yemeni food so we ordered two of the plates-beef koobideh and chicken kabobs. We also tried the fresh Yemeni bread which came out made to order. Everything we had was delicious. The service was very helpful and offered great recommendations. There was a lot of seating space both inside and outside. They also currently have Ramadan buffets for those who are Muslim which was being set up as we entered. Overall a great first experience!

    Sheldon R.

    Went here with friends on a Saturday around 2:40pm. Not too busy. Service was friendly, but took about 35 mins for my fries, Spicy Potato Xpress Appetizer. I was expecting something more filling with that name. Didn't know it was simply fries. They were good and spicy. Just didn't think it was worth that wait. Also it was about $10. The Mango Juice was good. Tasted like mango lassi. They were out of some of their vegetarian options unfortunately. Maybe they were short staffed, but I'd try this place again. The ambiance is relaxing, not too busy, not too noisy. * Spicy Potato Appetizer: 4/5, you'll need more food than this. Basically just French fries with seasoning, spices. * Mango Juice: 4/5, thicker like mango lassi, pretty sweet.

    Paul S.

    With many Yemeni cafés appearing, why not a restaurant, too? Such is the case with Mandi Xpress, located on University Avenue across the street from the downtown branch of the public library, and next to Riverside City College Arts buildings. I'm already eager to explore more on the menu, but the unique take on familiar things, such as the chicken shish kabob plate with the special rice and grilled veggies was especially delicious. I opted for half-salad and half-rice, which proved to be an excellent balance. Friendly service and employees make coming here a joy, especially since I sometimes do food deliveries. Look for them on Über Eats.

    The skewers with salad and rice
    Vell H.

    My first time visit and also my last. I met my husband here for lunch and the best part of my meal was the mural on the wall. Having dined at places from here to Greece and many places in between I can honestly say the dish that I had here left much to be desired. The beef skewers with 1/2 salad 1/2 rice were lacking in flavor and the two sauces did nothing to improve upon that flavor. I was going to have a canned soda with my lunch, because the soda fountain was broken but, they were charging $3.99 FOR A CANNED SODA!! I politely declined, on principle alone. I'm giving them 2 stars because I liked the salad, which consisted of cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce and red onion and because the mural is beautiful. The other dishes may be good, but you'll have to try them for yourself.

    Maryam Q.

    This place was decent. Price was okay. Empty when I arrived. The line was busy when I called and I had to order in, then wait.

    Indoor
    Sung J.

    Always passed by this place on the way to Mt Rubidoux, and after the long hike one day my husband and I got hungry and decided to try their food. Surprisingly, the two entrees we ordered were really good. I got the beef koobideh plate which comes with two strips of meat with a side of salad, seasoned rice, hummus, and two different sauces. Hummus was creamy yet not too strong. Beef was tender and flavorful, and not dry! Husband ordered the fahsah. It's a new dish for us; it's a mixture of lamb and beef cooked in their specialty sauce to compliment with the baked naan. Not gamey at all. Plenty of food for the two of us and the quality of the food was epic! Food is made upon order so go here when you have plenty of time or plan to order ahead for pick-up. Super clean inside, plenty for seatings, and they have a hookah lounge outdoors if interested!

    Lamb Mandi, Beef Kabodeih

    I came here with my parents after a school event and we had a great experience! The food was delicious and the three of us were able to share a family plate with lots of leftovers for later. The lamb was so tender and flavorful, definitely our favorite. Lots of free seating inside and the service was friendly. I'll definitely be coming back soon!

    Wow
    Merio M.

    Delicious food and so good I love visit every time Delicious and enjoyable spicy,

    Chicken Mandi, Shish Kebab

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    16 days ago

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    16 days ago

    The hookah was fire asf, also the food was delicious, thanks to Moatez. Will come back for the hookah.

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    25 days ago

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    1 month ago

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    2 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    25 days ago

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    11 days ago

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    3 hours ago

    The rice is aromatic and the full meal was a very pleasant dinner. The bread, hummus, and lamb is great.

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    2 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    1 month ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 month ago

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    5 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    15 days ago

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    5 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    2 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    29 days ago

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    8 days ago

    Great food quality. A longer wait time, but definitely worth it. The lamb nandi is a tried a true for sure.

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    1 month ago

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    9 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    4 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    Page 1 of 6

    Mandi Xpress Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Mandi Xpress

    Are we allowed to park here, eat at the restaurant, and watch a show at the theater or should we only be parked here while dining?

    Hi, Please make sure you keep the receipt with you and to notify our front Team after you finish… Read more

    Is it open? If not, when?

    Yes it is open. They opened yesterday March 29th

    Is this open?I go to the one in Westwood and Buena park. This is closer

    Yes it is Open

    Is Mandi Xpress Zabiha Halal Certified?

    Yes, it is Halal certified.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Panini Kabob Grill

    Panini Kabob Grill

    (811 reviews)

    $$

    Always the best best BEST! Got a family-style meal with salad instead of rice, subbed two of the…read morechicken skewers for koobideh (total of four skewers of koobideh and 1 skewer chicken). Added a tofu skewer and a vegetable skewer. The vegetables were packed separately with care for the vegetarians at my house...THANK YOU! The order was NOT ready at the time it was supposed to be, but they hooked us up with hummus as service recovery. The only things off-putting to me was that there's a code for the restroom even though there's more than one stall. A couple of us were standing around waiting for no reason until the lady came out and said "there's more than one stall in there!" The other thing that was off-putting is an employee walked in (uniform on) with her kids and walked into the kitchen with her kids with her. The kids were walking in and out of the kitchen area multiple times with no supervision (where did mom go?!) They eventually walked out with open cups of drinks. Not too sanitary and no one said anything to her or the kids that I could hear.

    After a disappointing experience years ago, I ended up giving this place another shot after coming…read morewith friends. I started coming back every now and again because I love the koobideh. I am so disappointed, as much I have loved their food I will not go back. Today I picked up an $800 catering order that I placed. Huge pans of skewers, rice, salads, etc. I had to pick this order up by myself and had already made two trips to my car. The pans were really hot and the protein pans were heavy, so I politely asked the gentleman working there if he could please help me carry the rest of food to my car. It was obvious I was struggling and I still had more trips to make. He did not seem thrilled, but gave a reluctant sure, next thing I know the woman who was also there working interrupts and hands me two paper bags to use as make shift oven mitts to carry my own items since the pans were hot, I pretty much got an unspoken you can carry it out by yourself because they said nothing to me at all proceeded with what they were doing and ignored me. As I was struggling to get through their door through their patio another guest saw me struggling and opened for the door for me. I carried the rest out and on my last trip in I told the woman working that I was upset with placing such a large order and struggling to carry it, it was disappointing to be completely disregarded after asking for help. She informed me they are not allowed to leave the premises which is fine, however they didn't even explain that to me after I asked just handed me paper bags as make shift oven mitts and basically a "good luck - you're on your own," turned around and went back to what they were doing. They could have at least held the door for me, the restaurant was empty. I unfortunately will never come back here or cater my business lunches here again.

    Fufu's Mid East Grill - Hummus you get, when they mess up your order, not even the full size.( it is so good) so at least I got it still.

    Fufu's Mid East Grill

    (817 reviews)

    $$

    I give FuFu's a solid 3.5. It's a nice, quick Mediterranean eat in a food court…read more I came to visit my friend and visit nearby businesses in Riverside in a food court. The food court had a variety of options and there was ample seating inside and out. All the indoor tables were taken but ambiance was nice and seemed busy with plenty of patrons. We decided to try Fufu's and it was pretty good. It reminded me of a Mediterranean chipotle and I thought the food was pretty fresh. The cashier was nice and gave me the option to choose half lettuce and half rice. I liked the chicken with the buffalo sauce and the rice + lettuce combo tasted nice with the protein. I liked the additional toppings of the pickles and tomatoes because it tasted refreshing with the other foods. My friend unfortunately did not really like his meal. He got a beef kabob and other toppings but the meall overall didn't taste good to him. He also only had the option of just rice and wish he was presented with the option of half rice, half lettuce. Overall, it was a fresh eat and I'd eat it again for a quick lunch.

    I tried the falafel at the mediterranean place which was ok. The sandwich was a little soggy and…read morebland, but the side of hot sauce helped add some flavor. My falafel wasn't fully cooked the first time I came. My friends got the beef gyro bowls and enjoyed that. They thought it was a great option! The staff is really friendly but the service is pretty slow. I'll probably skip out on this place next time for the falafel, but if you eat meat, worth trying.

    Al Karam Pakistani Cuisine

    Al Karam Pakistani Cuisine

    (527 reviews)

    $$

    Absolutely wonderful!…read more Our first visit (and many more will come): warm welcome, amazing service, delicious food! We tried Al Karam out as we were told that the restaurant is the best Pakistani restaurant in the Inland Empire and this is 100% true! Veggie Pakora: just the right amount of spices - deliciously crispy and tender on the inside. Lamb Karahi: tender lamb in a wonderful tomato based sauce. we were asked for spice level: asked for level 7 out of 10 (will try higher next time). Paneer Tikka Masala: Paneer texture was just right (often and easy for overcook), flavors were great! Portion is large Mango Lassi: what a great treat! Garlic Naan and Large Rice: great side dishes - cooks take their time to prepare them, a sign of the general super high quality! Highly recommended! If you never tried Pakistani food, you needed try Al Karam out

    Came here to celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday and overall had a great experience…read more It's a family-owned restaurant and you can feel that right away. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, which made the visit more enjoyable. Prices are around $20 per plate, which is reasonable, especially since we ordered a few dishes and shared everything. Service-wise, the wait time was a bit longer than expected. Our food took about 30 minutes to come out, and it felt even longer considering it wasn't a busy weekend. Not a huge issue, but something to keep in mind if you're really hungry. Food was interesting in a good way. The curry dishes have a lighter color and a different flavor compared to typical Indian cuisine. You can tell it's a Pakistani style. I enjoyed trying something different, although I personally still prefer the richer, more familiar Indian flavors. The samosas were very good, and the green sauce, I believe it's called hari, was especially delicious and added a nice kick. The mango lassi drink was a surprise highlight. I'm usually not a big fan of mango lassi, but this one was super delicious. Honestly felt like a hidden gem on the menu. ***One thing to note, check your receipt before paying. They already include an 18% gratuity, and there's still a section to add an additional tip. Overall, the food was delicious, portions were satisfying, and we all left full and happy. Solid 4 stars. I'd come back again, just with a little patience for the wait.

    The Palm Tree - lamb shank

    The Palm Tree

    (110 reviews)

    $$

    My parents were from Iraq Sadly they passed years ago…read more In order to enjoy delicious Iraqi cuisine, I'd have make the long drive to San Diego Then I discovered The Palm Tree in Riverside CA Honestly when I saw dolma on the menu I was very skeptical Will it have that delicious lemony sour taste I grew up eating Will the sauce have that hint of pomegranate molasses Will the meat be ground beef or actually minced diced heaven Well this place delivered on everything The dolma is fire The kabob especially the chicken kabob was outstanding The hummus the baba ghonuge absolutely perfect I can't say enough about how much I enjoy this restaurant The lady who owns it is so nice to chat with I rarely speak Arabic these days My wife is a Filipina and I never taught my kids Aramaic or Arabic So speaking to her reminds me of my ethnicity So it's nice

    I recently discovered this spot, even though I've lived on this side of Riverside for over a…read moreyear--it's easy to miss since it's tucked into a small strip mall. I ordered takeout because I wanted to sample a variety of items. I tried the lamb, beef kebab, falafel, and a side of baba ganoush. My fiancé ordered the pinto stew and a fattoush salad. Their staff was very friendly and courteous upon arriving. The quality of the food was solid overall, but both my kebab and lamb were noticeably overcooked. Everything was also surprisingly bland--I actually added garlic salt to my leftovers the next day. The salads didn't have much flavor either, and my fiancé didn't finish hers. I was disappointed, but I'm keeping in mind that I ordered takeout and I only live five minutes away, so the experience might be better when dining in. I'm open to giving them another try, but after eating at many Middle Eastern restaurants across Southern California, I've never run into this level of under-seasoning. So while I'm not writing them off, I'm also not in a hurry to go back.

    Mandi Xpress - coffee - Updated May 2026

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