I came here for the first time. Not familiar with Riverside but right away I got great service! The food was good. Special thanks to Um Amar. read more

Mandi Xpress - Menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

Cafe & Lounge exceeded my expectations. The atmosphere is clean, modern, and welcoming, making it a great place to relax or meet up with friends. The food was fresh, flavorful, and well prepared, and the drinks were excellent. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our visit. Special thanks UM AMAR read more

We had a family Eid celebration here and the staff were very accommodating. We were able to reserve a table, and order food so that it was ready when people arrived. The Mandi Platter/Mixed Grill paired with appetizers (hummus and sambusa) had more than enough food for our group of 11. The fresh bread is huge and tastes fantastic with the hummus. The servers are friendly although it does get busy in the evening so there might be a slight wait. The food is prepared fresh and presented very nicely, and you can do family-style or individual plates. A few menu items weren't available, so call ahead to make sure the appetizer or dessert you really want is in stock when you visit. Adenai chai is great way to end the meal. read more

Mandi Xpress - Drink cooler - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

Khadija was great Chai is to die for she served us really well Great food and clean read more

Mandi Xpress - Beautiful restaurant Khadija was an exceptional waitress The chai is to die for - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

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. read more

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This is our first time trying Yemeni food. We found this place on Yelp and decided to give it a try. We ordered a whole chicken that has meat falling off the bones. The rice tray that comes with it is huge and so delish. The golden raisins and nuts add such an amazing texture. The sauces were yummy and the Yemen bread took our breath away. We had no idea how big it would be but it is so good that we gobbled it up fast. The service was fast and wonderful. This place has a lovely ambiance and music. We will be back! read more

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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 read more

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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. read more

Mandi Xpress - lamb - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

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. read more

Mandi Xpress - Hummus and bread - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

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. read more

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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! read more

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The experience here was very inviting and welcoming. I high key only needed an outlet cause my power was out and left with an order of their lamb soup and simply through kindness added some rice with chicken on top and blew my socks to Jannah (yes I had to Google heaven) . Specia thanksl to the wonderful Um Amar for her delightful hospitality despite the language barrier I felt cozy and well invited. Fyi, Im coming back for the coffee. read more

First time coming here. The food came quickly and the portions were generous and delicious! Definitely a great spot for date night

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. read more

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Food was delicious it was first time trying food from Yemen. Great advice on what to order the service was great. The ambiance was super chill we were the only people there at the time. More people need to discover this place then it would never be empty :) read more

Mandi Xpress - Delicious ! :) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

Really enjoyed my experience here! The Yemeni food was delicious and full of flavor. The meat was tender, the mandi rice was perfectly seasoned, and the portions were generous. Everything tasted fresh, and the staff were friendly and welcoming especially Um Amar read more

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. read more

Mandi Xpress - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

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!! read more

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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! read more

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We had a great experience at MandiExpress in Downtown Riverside. The service was friendly, welcoming, and attentive from start to finish. Everything we ordered was excellent. The Mova fish dish was full of flavor, chicken kebab was freshly cooked, tender and perfectly cooked, and the traditional bread was fresh out of the oven and delicious. You can tell the food is made with care and authenticity. Additionally, we enjoyed the decor, music, and historical information about Yemen at the tables. We ended the meal with Adeni tea and a latte, which were both amazing and the perfect way to finish dinner. Overall, everything was top notch and we'll definitely be coming back again soon. شكراً كتير read more

Mandi Xpress - Fish Mova, Chicken Shish Kabob, Xpress Rice, Fresh Yemeni Bread, Smoked Yogurt Sauce - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

Best restaurant in Riverside! Amazing food and amazing service. I come here every time I'm in the area.

It was our first time at Mandi Xpeess and we absolutely LOVED it. The food was great, customer service beyond fabulous and friendly staff. Definitely going back more often. read more

This place is amazing. The food was so tasty. It's family style and always enjoy that. our server was named Khadija and she very friendly and attentive. This will.now be a mainstay in places we eat. Lastly we frequent qamaria for their adeni Chai and this place is just as good if not better. I now don't have to drive 20 mins to have a late night tea with the wife. read more

This was my second time here and it's a cute very clean restaurant. I was on my lunch so I didn't want anything too heavy so I ordered the lentil soup and the egg plant. The egg plant with the bread was delicious But my lentil soup I would have preferred if they told me they didn't have enough. It was super water down and just tasteless. read more

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. read more

Mandi Xpress - The skewers with salad and rice - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

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

Mandi Xpress - Wow - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

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We visited Mandi Xpress hoping to try Yemeni food for the first time. The decor and ambiance were beautiful (very clean and thoughtfully designed, with interesting cultural notes on the tables). That part was a real highlight. We ordered chai, coffee, the "spicy potato" appetizer (I repeated this several times in different ways to be clear), and the beef koobibeh. For an "Xpress" restaurant, the order took more longer than anticipated (almost 30 mins), and when we got home, we discovered the appetizer was missing. We drove back, and the [male staff or owner] was very kind and professional, immediately offering a refund or to remake the dish. We appreciated that and chose to wait so we could try it. Unfortunately, when the food was finally ready, the [female employee/cashier] made sure to tell us (in a condescending, almost scolding tone) that we had not ordered the spicy potato in the first place. This was not true, and considering she hadn't repeated the order back to confirm in the first place, the attitude felt especially misplaced. The [male staff or owner] even motioned for her to stop, which says a lot. The whole ordeal took over an hour between driving back and forth and waiting again, and the dismissive service really overshadowed the experience. The food was OK, the chai was decent, and the coffee wasn't for us. In the end, while the ambiance is wonderful, the service left us disappointed enough that we wouldn't return. read more

Mandi Xpress - Unfortunately neither of these were worth the attitude we received from the cashier. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

We found this amazing restaurant in Riverside! It is open late to dine in. The restaurant was clean and the service was excellent. We had kind customers service and we asked for recommendations since it was our first time trying out Yemen food! The food was delicious! It was a good portion. The salad was fresh and I loved the chicken out of the two. The bread was perfect side for this meal. Go pay them a visit! read more

Mandi Xpress - Fresh Yemeni Bread - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

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The service and the food are amazing, especially the lady who works there, Khadija. She's fantastic.

Amazing food, really delicious and testing great, the decoration so beautiful and relaxing. Good job keep going read more

**3/5 Stars** The high ratings for Mandi Xpress definitely attracted us, so we decided to give it a try. When we got there, our server wasn't really friendly and didn't seem particularly happy to be there, though he did thank us on our way out. As for the food, it wasn't quite as excellent as all the online reviews stated, but the pita bread was absolutely excellent. On the plus side, the portions are huge, you can definitely feed two people with a single entree. It's decent value, but the overall experience didn't quite live up to the hype. read more

I was looking late night food and found this wonderful place. Food was great and the service was excellent. Recommended

Food and service are great from Um Amer And always middleastern hospitality is unmatched! read more

We went for lunch on a whim. Happen to come across it on our way to lunch to another place and turned back to get there. And we did not regret one bit. The place is very welcoming, the decor minimalist yet bright. We ordered the Chicken & sheek mandi family platter along with Foula express and Spicy potato. The server - Vaish was very helpful in choosing the right dishes. The Foul dish is a traditional Yemeni dish which is made of Fava beans cooked in tomato sauce and spices. It is served with the traditional Bread. The taste was amazing & we loved every bite of that. It had the right tangy & spiced flavor which hits your palate in a really a pleasant way. The star of the show was the chicken & Sheesh kabab. The chicken was grilled to perfection & the meat was fall off the bone juicy. The pilaf rice tasted really well with raisins, nuts sprinkled generously and lended a subtle nutty flavor. The sheesh kabab was amazing and delicious. The accompanying sauces complemented the whole dish & we just couldn't resist digging in. The Spicy potato also needs to mentioned. French fried cooked coated with the traditional Yemeni sauce served as a perfect accompaniment to the Foul dish. Overall a must visit place & can't wait to go there again. read more

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First time here, we came after the rush hour. Food were delicious we ordered fish mova served aromati rice, lamb fahsah with huge Yemeni bread, xpress kibbeh which is fried meat pockets, midye baklava. I asked if I can get each flavor, and the lady was nice enough to give me. Turkish coffee, ice matcha latte with almond milk and Yemeni coffee (didn't take pic of the ice matcha latte and Yemeni coffee). The place was clean, the only this is they need more help. Feel bad for the little young lady running around taking orders and serving food. We have no complaints and we'll be back. read more

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a quick xmas day lunch to fuel for the day. first time having yemeni food so i don't feel i can truly appreciate this dish for its intentions but will comment on flavors alone. ordered: half chicken mandi and mango lassi. always a fan of mango lassi, how can it go wrong? chicken is crazyyyy marinated/seasoned? what is this flavor it was like a spiced up flavorful chicken my tastebuds never encountered such a flavorful chicken before. and i mean the meat is flavorful not just the outside bc that is easy. flavor all the way through to the bone. half rice/half veg is the way to go, the veg balances out the saltiness frm the chicken, and just eat your veggies. the cucumber yogurt sauce thing i think tasted better w the veg alone, but could go without. the red salsa sauce thing was so yum w the chicken. perfect spoon has a little rice, some pieces of veg, chicken piece, soaked in the red sauce. followed by more veggies/rice. service is friendly. a table was here celebrating for bday which made the vibes fun and friendly overall: still don't know what mandi is, i think rice dish. delicious, would come back to try more of the menu, but would park in the plaza bc walking through dtr is so sketch read more

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I took my BF out for dinner, and I wanted to order everything on the menu. We ordered chicken mandi with rice (beautiful saffron color), yemni bread (made fresh to order), green salad and cheesecake. My only complaint, is the waiter kept bringing us dishes that we didn't order, (salad and 2 cucumber yogurts) and they gave us plastic plates and utensils (which was weird since we did not order it to go). Don't get me wrong, this is a great restaurant, with delicious food and I'm definitely going back, they just need to make a few tweaks to be perfect! read more

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Everything is amazing, wonderful food, and wonderful service, and really nice ambiance that makes everything special and joyful. read more

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We came here when the place just opened for few weeks. The place is quite new. I believe we supposed to order and pay first before get seated. There were 2 staffs and one manager at the time we ordered. And one of the staffs was assisting the order. Both staffs were not familiar with the menu because they need to keep asking the manager whenever we ask on the ingredients of the food and what it was consisting of. Which to me clearly staffs didn't have any product knowledge before start working on the floor. As for the food, Chicken Mandi was super tasty the bones of the chicken was removed easily when we pull it out and rice has some nuts and raisin. Yogurt & Cucumber Salad was tasted fine. Lastly their signature dish was soo delish. It was served on tender lamb served in hot stone and accompanied with bread (which in our experience, bread took sometimes to come when the lamb had been delivered on our table). Additionally, this place also served Yemeni coffee (coffee w/ cardamon & milk). Foods were fantastic, only downside was the service which could be so much better. read more

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Food is good but the wait was long. To be fair, they had a party of 20 people who were seated and the food was coming out to them little by little. Only one person taking orders and servicing those that were eating there, I ordered to go. I waited for about 45 min to get my order. Perhaps if they didn't have that large party I may have received my order quicker. It was mothers day! read more