They're not the friendliest here. Had to give it a four because of a lacking customer service. Other than that, the food gets 5 stars. It's an outstanding place to eat overall!! Worth the drive from burien read more

Mawadda Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Don't come here if you're a vampire (or twilight fan under the impression that you have been bit by a vampire) because the garlic is just insaaaaaaaaane. I got a lamb shawarma with greek fries. What's the difference between greek and regular fries? Some feta cheese aaaaaaaand, more garlic! Unfortunately the shawarma was drenched in garlic sauce, thereby overpowering all of the other ingredients. The ambiance is what it is, sort of a hole in the wall. The service is incredibly friendly. I'd like to go back here to try it again just to see if I can get a better dish. But for now, it is just two stars because of the overpowering garlic sauce that takes over everything on your plate! read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in town! I've been going at least once a week for awhile now-i've tried about 6 or 7 different entrees and they're all excellant. This food is made with love and made to order, so sometimes it takes a little bit of time (especially if there are other customers). The owner is friendly and has good suggestions and, if your new to the joint, is always offering taste tests. I'm in love with the meso-kabob which is a mixture of beef and lamb (i think), and the chicken sambosa is out of this world-crisp and just the right amount of spiciness. I'd go everyday if i could! Oh~and dont forget the desserts made by the owners wife! read more

Sometimes a girl just needs a gyro in her life and with the cc Chicago style gyro place still closed I needed to research available options. Enter Mawadda Cafe! Gyro with tzatziki only - pretty tasty Greek fries with garlic sauce - expectations exceeded Chai - they were out, minus one star for my sadness. In the future when the craving strikes I know where I'll be heading. read more

This is a nice deli place in the Rainier Valley. First, the problems: the menu is small, the bread is the thicker Greek style, the hummus is bland and tastes a little bitter, and the rice heavy in the cardamom. However, the food was pleasingly not greasy, good falafel, very friendly staff, raw veggies were very fresh and crisp, and servings were generous. I was hoping for a more exciting menu, maybe with more vegetables, salads, etc. but it was good as far as Seattle goes. They have spaghetti, which is a nice deli option for the East African community. It's not easy to review this type of food living in Seattle, being accustomed to the ravings of my man over the Iraqi foods of greater Detroit. There just isn't anything like that here, but being in the Pacific Northwest, this is a decent spot. Good news is that Mawadda Cafe is opening a second location very soon in Burien, near Fred Meyer. Again, not wonderful but a nice healthy option at a reasonable price. read more

Had the gyro plate and a side of fries. Large portions of meat rice and side salad. Everything is made fresh at the time of order so it's more of a sit down restaurant than a to go fast food place. People that work the kitchen are super nice since I live close by and come here a lot. There was one time I asked if they had lentil soup and the chef said that normally it's not on the menu but he had made some from scratch for himself and was willing to give me a bowl for free! Not too many places offer that anymore so this place is really my neighborhood gem. The fries come with lots of Parmesan and fresh dill sprinkled on top which isn't to my personal preference so if you're like me ask them to serve the potatoes naked. Overall this is a good local spot for gyro with a kind and generous staff. Keep it up guys! Lucky to have you in my hood. read more

I like it...everything we've had has been very good! Love the Gyros and kabobs. The garlic sauce is strong and wonderful, so is that yogurt sauce stuff. Oh, I don't think we liked the rice...but that's because we're not used to that kinda rice. The garlic fries and hummus are good. Try the Italian dishes!!! There's only three: Spag, Chicken Parm and a creamy fettucine alfredo . All were good and worth a try. There aren't a lot of places to get Italian food nearby so it was nice to have a close option. It's in a semi-ghetto spot, so don't be surprised if you're a little frightened if you're not familiar. You'll be fine. I live close by and see a lot of cops and firemen in there. Safe and good!!!! It can take awhile so don't expect to be in and out. Call in advance if you're doing take out. read more

This is a great little neighborhood place. The chai tea is to die for. Cloves are the most prominent of it's 12 spices. Everything is made to order, so be patient; it's worth the wait. My only complaint was that the hummus was too heavy on the tahini, but otherwise, the food was very good & authentically Middle Eastern - hope you love garlic! read more

Mawadda Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Mawadda offers up the standard dishes, Shawarmas, Kebobs, Gyros along with some extras like Biryani or Fettucini Alfredo. The food is delicious and made with care. My go to is usually the Kofka Kebab. There is artwork on the walls, which made me think the proprietors are from Iraq. For lunch on the weekend, definitely do not be in a rush and you'll be well rewarded. I'll go as far as saying that the booths on the side of the restaurant are even child friendly! One last thing, the strip mall might scare off some folks, but their loss, I regularly see ~everyone~ from groups of Jewish Auntie match-makers, hipsters, dog-cleaning-ladies (also located in the same strip-mall) to folks like myself! 4 Stars! read more

Delicious gyros - love the sauce. Regular is great as is, but ordering extra sauce unlocks the next level.

Delicious food--i wish they had Arabic coffee and red lentil soup though. But this Detroit native is SOOOO HAPPY to have Middle Eastern food again in her hood that it's ridiculous! The biggest downside is the service. It's incompetent. Expect to have to get up and ask the people at the counter for water, silverware, ect. They won't bring any of those things with your plate of food. Modifications on your order...that's kinda one if those things you should expect to do without as well. read more

So I haven't written a review in a while but I just had to write something about this place. There are many cultural cuisines that I have yet to discover one of these cuisines that I was introduced to was middle eastern food in LA. Albeit I was probably spoiled and taken to the best place in LA, this place doesn't even come close to ok. Lets start of the location not so great in the middle of the rainier valley and in an awkward strip mall not that big of a deal if the food is to die for. The inside of this store is nice and neat small but clean enough. Ordering was easy enough placed an order for the chicken skewer togo #16 I believe, I told them would be back since I had to pump air into my tires, the old man said it was fine. I come back 15 mins later...the people who ordered before me still haven't received their food and it doesnt look like the two behind the counter were moving so fast...so another 15 mins go by and my order was ready. Kinda long for just chicken skewers but i shrugged it off and went on my way to work. I sit down I open the box of salad nothing crazy just normal with a little thing of ranch middle eastern style (hella garlic) not bad. then I get to the pita and hummus... 1/2 a piece of pita? are u kidding me not even a full piece anyways i get over this and try the hummus...nothing spectacular but good. Then I get to the main course....while I'm drooling over this box I open it up and to my surprise theres one small skewer of about 4 small nuggets of chicken and a shit ton of rice. the chicken over cooked and dry and the rice not too bad but they left the spices in the rice so you have to sift through to avoid them. That left a bad taste in my mouth.... Overall this place did the job but for me I'm sure there is better out there...this place does not deserve the high rating that it has. read more

Best chai in seattle. Their food is bomb. Hidden seattle gem to transplants, but locals know wassup. Thanks for your continuous service to the community all these years. read more

I just returned this week from a trip to Greece, where I had some amazing Greek food. Perhaps that's coloring my opinion as I find Mawadda Cafe's food to be good, but not great. My girlfriend & I ordered a small hummus plate to start, which wasn't extraordinary. She then ordered the Meso Kabab plate (#8) while I had the Gyros & Spanakopita platter (#12). My dish included 2 mini stuffed grape leaves, which were very tasty. The spanakopita was crispy and very good. As for the gyro meat, it tasted generic, like any other run-of-the-mill gyro place. My girlfriend's kabab's were good, but the rice was cooked in an Indian style with a flavor & aroma that didn't really match well with the meat. Overall, I found the food here to be worth trying, but not worth going out of the way for. read more

I'm always torn rating a place like this. So I guess I'll break it down. For the food I want to give them 4.5 stars. I had a lamb gyro and a side of rice and they both were delicious and filling. For the friendliness of the service, I give them a 4.5. For the speed, well... if you've read the reviews you know. Not a fast business lunch type place. No complaints but I'm only in the area for business lunch and I can't recommend it if you are in a time crunch. For the price though, I would have to give them a 2 or maybe 1.5. My lunch was almost $10. For one gyro and a side of rice! Ouch. They could make their portions smaller and maybe make it a bit cheaper or something. Perhaps a lunch menu would help things. read more

Delicious, hand-prepared, generous portions (though I'm a hummus hog N could always use more!). Best falafel in Seattle to date. Just be sure to say "no cheese" if you're vegan or allergic to cheese. They put lots of fresh feta. The rice is my favorite; I order extras and take it home for the week. Best rice I've tasted to date with fresh cinnamon chunks and cloves. If I'm craving meat I eat the lamb; otherwise, falafel. First time we visited there was a cheese fiasco, with the owner and waiter, but they know me now and all is good! Only drawback: limited parking and it's in the Rainer Valley, a bit of a drive for us. Let me tell you, though, it's worth it! read more

This is the King of all Mawadda Cafes in the Seattle area. Regardless of what you see...the taste is what makes this place amazing and worth 5 stars. Every Mawadda cafe is a little different in their food preparations, but the quality at this one is better in general. Everything tastes livelier and fresher. Aesthetics aside the food is excellent. I go with the Chicken shawarma sandwich often. It's season perfectly, but has a bit of a spicy kick which is excellent if you enjoy some heat. My second choice is usually the Gyro sandwiches. The Gyro meat here is some of the best tasting gyro meat I've ever had. Once that sandwich is all put together it's an amazing combination of savory meatiness and bright freshness perfectly wrapped up together. I haven't been disappointed once. I've probably gone here like 20 times now and I'm always satisfied with the sandwiches. read more

So I have been here multiple times and this food is just so delicious and a bit fattening too. So if you get some meat that is lamb and beef I recommend you bake it again on 300F to get all the extra fat off. However, their selection is really good and all the things I have tried on their menu are just amazing. However, their prices are terrible and a bit expensive and sometimes they forget your order, this happened to me a few times. But they make up for it with really good food. I have tried everything from their gyro to their gryo salads and humus. All good stuff. They could use organic ingredients too. read more

All in all, pretty good food! We LOVED the Greek Fries and would definitely order them again. I ordered the Lamb Gyro, and thought it was just mediocre. The meat was cold, which I didn't love, I prefer it warm. My husband ordered the Chicken Pita and thought it was good except he felt the chicken was seasoned a bit too strong. read more

Mawadda Cafe - Greek Fries - Middle Eastern Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Little dive spot that should be on a tv show. By far the best Gyros I've ever eaten. They gave me a falafel to try never had one before so I have nothing to compare to but it was very good. The place is run from a gentleman from Iraq who is clearly not going to be undone. He works with his sons who are in my opinion some of the most polite people anywhere. They also gave me a taste of their brand of chia tea. It's a must have be be forwarded it's hot so blow on it first. Give this place a try it's worth it read more

This place is WAYYY OVER HYPED!! Tried it for the first time today, I ordered the chicken gyro and it took nearly 20 minutes to make. A lady who came after received her orders before me!! Parking is tight, the owner is cocky, and the food was bland, greasy and pricey. You can go to Falafel King in downtown Seattle and get better pricing then this! Also, service could have been better and customer wait time definitely needs improvement. I would not come back here. read more

I really want to like this place, but after two visits, I don't plan to go back. The food is okay, nothing to set it apart from other places with similar offerings in the city. The shawarma sandwich I had the first time good. The falafel salad on my recent visit was disappointing; the falafel crumbled too easily and the salad fixings were really lacking. What really killed the experience for me was the painfully long wait for the food. Both times there were no orders queued before me, but it took close to 30 minutes both times for my single takeout order. Also, the prices are high, a couple dollars more than other places across the board. A la carte doesn't save you much versus the plates. In fact, I think they raised all their prices between my two visits (prices stickered over on menu board). Bad move. This place had the potential for 4 stars, but those the wait and the price each cost them a full star each. read more

The best Greek food I've ever had! They have the most amazing gyros in town and that's saying a lot. I recommend this place to all of my friends and love coming here. The Baklava is also so so good! Great place! read more

Mawadda Cafe - Chicken gyro! So good. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Amazing! Eat here. Get the shawarma with plenty of garlic sauce. The owners are also great. The service can be a bit slow but it's worth it. read more

Best falafel I've had in Seattle! I've been going here awhile (love that they are open later than most) & the food has always been delicious! My go-to's are the gyro or falafel sandwich (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, sauce, pita, with either falafel or gyro meat) with Greek fries. The Greek fries come with a delicious garlic sauce. Baklava & chai tea are also yummy. I love that you can get a solid sized meal - sandwich, normal fries, drink, for $10 (sandwich/gyro are good sized & fries are seasoned well). Nothing bad to say! read more

Came here again and had the Spicy Chicken Shawarma and a side order of Falafel. Yum X10! haha...I wish I could have this everyday...so fantastic. And their Chai is amazing as well..=) read more

If it weren't for Yelp, we never would have tried this place. It is out of the way, hidden next to a little halal food market, in an admittedly dingy building. It is also the best Greek food we've had in Seattle. The prices were cheaper than a place you'd find downtown, but the portions were exceedingly generous. Gyros: packed full of meat and vegetables, with an amazing pita. Not too heavy on the garlic, with excellent sauce. Greek fries: the "small" was easily enough for two people, and the feta was shredded instead of crumbled, which was actually awesome. Really, really good. The owner was very hospitable and brought out samples of chai tea when he figured out it was our first time. My wife said we were coming back specifically to get tea. I am not a tea drinker, but found it delicious. It's no-frills, cheap, and superlatively good. read more

PROS: This is my go to place when I want food that I know will be good. I can't believe it, but I always order the same thing here: chicken shwarma. It is reliably SO delicious, and often just as tasty if not more so than things I've eaten at many higher priced restaurants. Service is friendly, and the food is fresh. CAUTION: It usually takes about 15-20 minutes to get your main dish (they bring salad before hand). You can order to-go or sit down. If you're in a rush, you can call ahead and place your order, but you still might end up waiting once you arrive. If you're up for a relaxed meal this is your place. If you have to be somewhere in 30 minutes, or you are starving hit up the taco truck across the street at the gas station. read more

Mawadda has been one of my favorite halal restaurants for a while now but lately it hasn't been performing to my standards. I would probably come back if I have a craving, but only because I'm too lazy to cook it myself. During my recent visit, I ordered the kufta kabob plate for my dad and the gyros and rice plate and Greek fries for me. It was a takeout order so I could understand if some of the food wasn't great by the time we ate it. I always eat everything with the garlic sauce. It's probably my favorite thing at Mawadda. It helps me forget how bland the rice is. I was disappointed in the Greek fries. It could've been the fact that it was cold by the time we ate it but the fries tasted overcooked and the feta was not sticking right to the fries. I don't remember being impressed by the fries during my last visit either. In the past, I always ordered the Sultani platter but it is a little pricey and takes a while to cook because of the lamb kabob. I've also had better hummus. I just wasn't feeling it. Their dolmathes are also decent. As for service, it's a little awkward. The owner is somewhat nice but it always feels like he's mad or something. No one is really outwardly friendly. It might just be me because I have seen the owner be nice and social to other customers before. There are only 3 booths and about 3 tables so it's a bit small. And the bathroom is located next to the kitchen. Parking is very limited since there are halal grocery stores right next door. I would normally give this a 3-star but because it's halal and good/decent halal restaurants are very hard to come by, I'm adding another star. read more

We popped in for a late lunch and the owner/operator was such a sweetheart! He gave us samples of the delicious chai and baklava. We had falafel sandwiches and they were crunchy on the outside, moist and light on the inside slathered in yummy yogurt sauce and topped with very fresh veggies. Only word of caution is that this is not a fast food joint- it is a casual cafe. Everything is made fresh to order, which is no doubt why it's so good. Call ahead as April N on 4/8 suggests if you want to save time. read more

Service is a little long but man their Shawarma and Baklava are to die for! I have gone here many times always bringing one more new friend. I just wish it was a tad bigger with more chairs and a better parking lot. Other than that... This place is great!! read more

Delicious falafel! Great chicken shawarma. Friendly staff! Would definitely recommend. read more

Mawadda Cafe - Found this place on Yelp. The falafel (salad or sandwich) was excellent. Chicken shawarma was good too. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Everything that they make is delicious. I usually get the Chicken Shwarma Sandwich but you really can't go wrong with any choice. Also, best Baklava in the city. read more

This is one of the best mediterranean places to eat in Seattle that I've ever tried. I got Chicken Shish-Kabab. They brought me a salad on a side before the main entree. Customer service is on top! The music here makes you feel like you are actually in Iraq, I liked it. Allahu Akbar. read more

*This review is based solely on a take out order/phone call experience. I never stepped foot into the restaurant.* I googled Mawadda Cafe (looking for the Burien location) to place a take-out order. I didn't know there were two locations, which I will admit was my fault for not knowing (although all restaurants should confirm with the guest that they know which location they're calling, which the woman did not do.) Once I realized my mistake, I quickly called this location and apologized to the owner who answered the phone, telling him what happened. He was very upset. He started arguing with me and told me he already made the order (mind you, this was not a large or expensive order, not that that should matter much.) I apologized profusely because I've worked in the food industry and I understand that it is an inconvenience and annoyance for everyone. But then CLICK, he just hung up on me. I was very surprised that he just hung up in the middle of my apology. People like that should not be running a restaurant, period. This alone shows the character of a place, and no one should be treated this way. Mistakes happen, and as a restaurant owner you should never treat a customer (or another human being for that matter) in such a way. read more

Got a gyro to go - good portion, great taste, healthy veggie and sauce mix. Only about $7

I live half a block away, and so it's very convenient to me. Which is good, because the food is great. Our first try was the basha platter: chicken shawarma, lamb shawarma, and strips of gyro meat, with rice and pita, salad, and a garlic sauce. My wife and I love garlic, so we were in heaven. Since then, we've tried the gyros, the chicken and lams shawarma sandwiches, the sultani platter (lamb kabob, chicken kabob, meso-kabob, with rice and pita), and the sambosas (which are like samosas from an Indian restaurant). We have not been disappointed. At some point I do want to try their spanakopita. The prices are not cheap, but neither is what you get - the meat tastes good, and there's a lot of it. $9 for a lamb shawarma sandwich seems pricy, but there's a lot of meat. I have also never been disappointed by the service! I've been helped multiple times by a gentleman who I believe is the owner, and he is invariably courteous and generous, acting as if every person is his personal friend. When I picked up dinner for my wife and myself for Valentine's Day, he seemed touched and honored we'd chosen his place for that dinner. I highly recommend them. The one negative - if you see it that way - is that they start cooking when you order, so it may take fifteen to twenty minutes for your order to be ready! For me, though, that's great, as I can call in, stop at the nearby 7-11 for drinks and maybe some snacks for dinner, then get the food and head home. read more

Best falafel and baba ganoush I've ever had!! And I love the ultra garlic salad dressing!! I always get the same thing because I'm obsessed with it, but finally tried the chicken shawarma and I'll never be the same. Ordered enough for my whole extended family and was so happy I could share my favorite food with them. Even sent my sister home with a jar of the excellent tzatziki sauce that I ordered separate from our food. Don't know how they manage at that price, such a good deal. I don't always have the opportunity to get to Mawadda, but I've been coming here sporadically for years. Definitely worth seeking out. read more

Always the best gyros and garlic sauce on this side of Seattle. The owner is always good to me.

After driving past this place for several months, it took the recommendation of a friend for me to funally try it out, and I'm ever so glad that I did!!! The place is clean, the food is delicious, and the owner is soooo incredibly gracious it makes me want to come back again and again. And with the incredibly reasonable prices and generous portions, I can make it a regular stop without breaking my budget. No, this is not a fast-food place that will have you in and out in minutes. But if you know that going in, there is no problem. And although I am not a falafel connoseuir, I thought that it was great! read more