The legend is real. After years of living in Glendale and hearing about this place, we finally went. Believe me, we were prepped with high expectations. A friend of mine said "the chicken thigh will change your life", so no pressure. But damn it, she was right. Honestly, everything was incredible, fresh, and in perfect balance. The guy running it was friendly, warm, and made you feel at home. My wife says it's her new favorite place in Glendale, and the guy made us honorary Armenians. I'll take it! I just finished my plate and I already want to go again. read more

No need to say anything. A staple of Glendale and seriously one of the best bbq spots you will find in the area. Armen and his family and very friendly a d the ambiance is great. The service is great. Just a heads up call in advance since they are always busy and it's cash only!! read more

today I was at a client who had their office lunch catered from Mini Kabob So Flavorful, So Tender everything I tried was really really amazing. The chicken was unbelievably tender, as was the beef, the lamb and even the falafel was moist and delicious. I wish I could take a class here to learn how to make kabob meat so tender sadly, I had just eaten before arriving at the client - but happily, I had enough room to sample Mini Kabob - and even though it was against my typical good eating habits judgement - I am so glad I did. I can't wait to order this myself for the family. read more

Wow. I am so glad Mini Kabob popped up on my search for a place to pick up a quick dinner "near me". I do not live in Glendale so I had no idea where to go. It was so delicious, so fresh. I can only guess it's the love that makes it so good. I ordered the chicken thigh dinner. The hummus was perfection, the pita was super thin which I rolled up and added the roasted veggies. And not to brag but even the rice was special. And the chicken! I must get the recipe. Can't wait to try another meal. read more

I probably am repeating myself since I've already raved about the food but wanted to add it is indeed the best Armenian food ever. I am addicted and have to eat the chicken thigh shish kabob often. The flavor from the meat permeates the rice, which is the lightest ever. It is worth the drive from north Glendale. It is worth the stoplights and the traffic. Not long ago, I tried a place near me and found it did not compare to Mini Kabob. I would like to try the other menu items but since I'm so happy with the chicken, I stick to that. read more

WOW! I've been meaning to eat at this place per the recommendation of my friend and I can't believe it too me this long! This place has been here for 40 years and the food is amazing. They were so friendly and other folks were also coming by for their very first time. Def won't be the last. Can't wait to come back! read more

Mini Kabob - Tabbouleh and Hummus - Armenian Near Me - Glendale, California

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I think this has become my favorite kabob place. Their Chicken Thigh was so juicy and flavorful, I couldn't stop eating it. The rice is also buttery and flavorful. This place is cash only , there's only a picnic table outside, and take out only. read more

Mini Kabob - Chicken Thigh Shish - Armenian Near Me - Glendale, California

Certainly lives up to the hype. Had a little expensive taste test. Best lamb chops I've ever had, and I make good ones myself. I don't know how they make it so tender and with no gaminess at all. Sauce also does not cover up the meaty taste. Second for me were the chicken thighs. So tender n juicy. The lulehs were super tender too but I've had more flavorful ones before. Still these would be a high contender. Worth the crash defying parking situation read more

The flavors of the meats are incredible. Friendly and honest staff. Only issue might be that they're so busy it can be a wait, but you can place an order for pickup or you can wait. It's worth it. read more

First of all the owner of this place is so nice. Very pleasant and friendly with customers. It's not a dine in type of restaurant. Don't expect seating tables inside. It's more for To Go. They get so busy and easily sold out. Order ahead and pick it up. Let's talk food. The meat here is so moist and pack of Flavor. The lamb and chicken are my favorites. Mast o kiahr (persian yogurt and cucumber dip) is a must!! Make sure to order that and dip your meat on it. It's amazing! The grilled veggies compliments the meat and the basmati rice is fluffy and flavorful. It's a bit on the pricey side but it's worth it. Better than some fancy kabob restaurant out there. Trust me!!! read more

Mini Kabob - Hummus Cucumber & Yogurt Lamb Chops Fire-roasted Jalapeo and Tomato Combo - Armenian Near Me - Glendale, California

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Extra small store front on an extra narrow street. There is a green parking zone limited to 30 minute street parking right in front of Mini Kabob. Parking is at a premium.  As of March 2023 no indoor dining, just takeout. There is a small picnic table in front comfortably seating 4 adults for communal dining.  The young chef is a grill meister who knows how long to cook the various meats. He is informative, friendly, generous, passionate about the quality of his finished product.     I wanted a combo that would have meats from 3 different animals which was not on their standard menu so I conferred w/ the chef.  Special Order Combo Plate:  1) Chicken Lule Kabob is rough minced chicken, onions, black pepper, salt probably left over night to self marinate. Moist, soft yet firm.   2) Pork tenderloin is a thick, mini steak not over cooked to the poInt the meat is dry and hard, but moist, meaty, bit fatty with light porkiness.  My guess is that it is brined to retain the moistness.  3) Beef Lule Kabob: Reminds me of Iranian Koobideh. Similar prep to the Chicken Lule. I like the beef better since red meat has a more pronounced blood minerality for more gaminess. Seems cooked over an open fire on skewers.  Includes fire-roasted, green jalapeño and tomato, scattering of parsley, raw onions which I chopped them all up to make an "Armenian" version of Pico de Gallo which worked well as a fresh, piquant vegetal counterpoint to all the meat. Small cup of highly emulsified as mentioned by the chef, creamy, pungent, funky, powerful Garlic sauce to place on needed meats or whatever Creamy Hummus made from thick, finely puréed chick peas including a good slug of nutty Tahini/sesame seed paste, maybe even touch of garlic, lemon juice. Sprinkled with finely ground red paprika powder. Came with very thin, stretchy Lavash/flat bread to scoop up the Hummus.  Basmati rice is al dente, pleasantly dry & friable. Might be boiled in a bit of broth for rounded flavour. The coup de grace was a huge amount of good quality melted butter that infused the rice with buttered pop corn scent like at a movie theatre. Wonder if the chef got that idea from eating the infamous mashed potatoes at Jöel Robuchon?  The communal dining under a pleasant blue sky afternoon made for good conversations with my fellow diners who all had the friendly attitude of "Hail fellow, well met."  Ice cold Tatni sparkling water from Armenia which was highly carbonated for good acidity was excellent at refreshing the palate as recommended by the savvy chef.             4+ stars read more

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The food was amazing. The service was on top notch. The owner is an amazing person that made sure the food and experience lived up to the hype which it does. I can't wait to come back or from what I heard. Try many of the new stores opening closer to me in the valley One day. read more

Finally got the chance to try this place out, and so glad that I did. Unless you knew this spot was here, you would not run into it by accident given that it's in a small street in Glendale, about a 7 minute walk to Americana. I got there at around 1:20PM on a Saturday and made my order at the front. I was given a heads up that it would take around 40 minutes for the food to be ready, and when I added an order of their fries, they warned me it would take longer as they are made at the moment. Given the proximity to the mall, you can wait for your food while doing some shopping, which is what I did. I would instead place an order ahead of time by calling so that the food is ready by the time I get there next time. I got their chicken Lule plate, combo plate, and their off-the-menu potatoes. All of their plates are made from scratch and come with a good amount of lavash bread, garlic sauce, rice, hummus, a tomato and a jalapeño. The combo plate comes with chicken lule, pork tenderloin, and chicken tigh, so I would recommend this if you like to mix it up a bit in terms of your protein. I have to say that all of their meats were super juice and cooked perfectly. My personal favorite was the chicken lule, and I'm curious to try their beef lule next time. The jalapeño does have a nice kick, so beware. The rice wasn't too flavorful, but as long as you're eating it with the tasty meats, you should be good. The potatoes were very nicely seasoned, and I loved the thinner slices which came out with a nice crisp. I'd love to try their eggplant caviar next time as well! Seating is limited as there is literally one table out front that can sit maybe 6 people comfortably. Most people do take outs, but if you order the potatoes, you should definitely eat those right away as the owner suggested we did when we sat down. You'll be lucky to find street parking, and make sure to bring cash as they don't accept credit cards. Try to call in ahead of time in order to avoid 30min+ wait. read more

I had heard so much about this place and really wanted to try it. I don't frequent the Glendale area, one time I tried to order they were closed for Eats Con. I tried again another weekend and they were open! I called in my order around 4pm, really wanting to try out the secret potatoes. Sadly they were sold out for the day. But still excited to try out their kabob plates. I was told our order would take an hour. Upon pick up I got to meet Armen, very friendly. He let me know there are a lot of exciting new dishes to come for Mini Kabob and to be on the lookout. We ordered the Beef & Chicken Combo and Ground Chicken Lule Kabob Plate. They were delicious and flavorful. My only complaint is that there wasn't more meat. I wish there was a way to order more kabobs ala carte, without the rice. read more

Mini Kabob - Beef & Chicken Combo - Armenian Near Me - Glendale, California

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ORDER AHEAD to avoid the long wait!!! You can order via phone or online (i recommend using their online website). I have been wanting to try mini kabob for years. I made a 30 min drive on a Saturday for lunch. I called at 12 pm, they open at 11 am, and asked if it was busy and if i should order ahead. I was told the wait for 1 hour, i was instantly shocked. I didnt think it would be THAT busy. I ordered through the phone and waited an hour to pick up my food. I ordered the chicken thigh kabob $22 and beef lule (ground beef kabob) combos $24. There is a table outside with some seating. The parking is street only and very limited. After a little over an hour, our food was ready. It was fresh and pipping hot. The guy who runs it is a nice guy, very friendly and likes to speak with his customers. He gave us some garlic spread for free, which was divine! The combos came with fresh hummus, tons of lavash bread, thinly sliced white onions and 1 roasted tomato and 1 roasted jalepeno with rice and our proteins. I was surprised the chicken thighs didnt come with more meat. The beef combo had more meat, which i liked. I did think the pricing was high. However, at first bite i knew this was superior. The thigh meat was so juicy and flavorful. Everything together just paired so well. I couldnt get enough of the taste. Absolutely give it a try if you havent! read more

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Had been craving raffi's but saw a video about this place yesterday. Decided to try it out for lunch today and it did not disappoint. Easy to go with parking right in front. Will definitely call in an order net time. Tender and flavorful beef kabobs and the lula was as well. Hummus was tasty, lavash too. read more

Mini Kabob - Beef kabob, lule - Armenian Near Me - Glendale, California

Best Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, not sure what to call it. Best chicken in Los Angeles, bar none. Chicken thigh is a must!!

Great food & service! It's the type of place we're always looking for; an underdog that packs a strong punch. Thanks again, Mini Kabob! read more

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Looking for fancy, there's plenty in Glendale. But if you're looking for good, homemade food made with love, you can't miss checking this place out. I listened to the yelpers and called in my order: falafel plate and a few extra falafel al la carte along with a side of their eggplant caviar. Wow! The falafel was fried fresh to order and it was so authentic and fresh that I couldn't help but eat a second one. These falafel are huge! The eggplant caviar and the hummus was so flavorful and also fresh. I need to come back and try some other proteins like the kabobs! Also, don't forget to bring cash, they don't take anything else. I heard they're opening a branch in Canoga Park soon...I have a feeling this place is gonna get a lot bigger! read more

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This restaurant is so cute and most importantly the food is amazing. The restaurant owner has the best personality and so passionate about his craft. You can tell with the quality and taste of his food. A must try when in Glendale. read more

this place has no parking, no bathroom, virtually no seating, is cash only and has significant wait times. yet i'll risk life and limb to eat here. this is one of those rare and special places that inspire tv shows and movies to be written about food. the dude running it has a neighborhood charm that makes you feel like a regular, even the very first time you meet him. when you ask him what to order, you dont get the sense that he's a vendor completing a transaction, you feel like he's a close friend you've known since high school, who is about to hook you up with some epic party drugs for the weekend. except its way more addicting. its hummus and garlic sauce. i dont know what the hell theyre doing in the kitchen, but you get the sense there's some secret sauce. the secret he says plainly, is "you just can't be lazy." he may have mentioned to me that he brines his chicken for multiple days and marinates it overnight. and that he processes, hand trims and brines the beef himself before grinding it fresh for the day. no frozen, pre-ground, ready to cook meats here. it's hard get across without being trite. this guy has got "it." he told me at one point he worked in japan. the word "shokunin" comes to mind. mini kabob is a rare breed, and the neighborhood knows it. and whatever they're doing, it seems like they're only ones doing it, because there's not a place that can match them for taste, and the love poured into food is evident in every bite. ask any armenian you know where they best food is and they'll unanimously say raffi's. i know every restaurant has its good and bad days but so far, i've had both and i'm ready to make a stand. there can only be one king of glendale. and i'm pledging my fealty to mini kabob. read more

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Hole in the wall place with limited seating outside. Cash only and come prepared with at least $30. This place tucked away in the small suburb streets of Glendale. For faster pick up orders, I recommend calling ahead. Takes about 20 minutes for pick up. Parking is street. read more

Mini Kabob - Combo Plate - Armenian Near Me - Glendale, California

Had this as takeout and I seriously underestimated how good kabobs could be. The meat in the combo was so juicy and spiced so well that every bite was flavorful. The meat itself also tasted high quality. The hummus and eggplant dip were great. If you're ever craving some Mediterranean food, I'd highly recommend trying this place. read more

The food was so good and have good portions! Highly recommend the lamb and getting extra sauce

Food is ok , prices are a complete rip off. Spent $200 and didn't even feed 2 people. They are way over priced , tiny portions. Go to Raffis or any other spot read more

I'm kicking myself for not trying out this place sooner! It seems like they only do take-outs for now. I'd suggest ordering beforehand on their website to save time. FYI, the waiting time might take up to an hour or more during their busy hours, but it's worth the wait! In addition, parking might not be easy to find around the neighborhood, so you might have to park farther from the location. So far, I've tried their combo plate and the ground beef lule kabob plate. Both orders come with hummus, fire-roasted jalapeños and tomatoes, onions with parsley, and rice. I like the ground beef lule because it's moist and delicious when eaten with basmati rice and hummus. The onion with parsley gives a refreshing flavor to the mix. Just writing this down makes me crave it again... In addition, the portion is very filling. I love how the flavor is so balanced without overpowering each other. I also enjoy their garlic sauce- you can choose the full size or get an extra garlic sauce with your entrees (~$0.75 each). They're currently taking a 2-week break and will reopen on January 12th. 10/10! read more

Mini Kabob - Ground beef lule kabob plate - Armenian Near Me - Glendale, California

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We saw this gem on YouTube this morning from a Reddit post. Next thing you know, I'm laying in the passenger seat and parked outside of this restaurant and it's our first meal of the day. I was not feeling well so the drive felt unbearable to me but man did this place cure me. I waited in the car while my gracious girl went to pick up the food. She got the bag and we raced it back home to stuff ourselves. - Best rice *maybe* in my life. - Lavash was on point with the garlic sauce. - Meats were fresh and flavored almost perfectly. - The tomato's and jalapeños looked very high in carcinogens. Charred as night. - Falafels smacked. Didn't really care for the onion salad or hummus because I'm not a hummus gurl but it was decent. Cash only part is kind of annoying. We had to stop by an ATM on our way because we never carry cash but it was worth the experience. Cost : $50 for two people. Higher than what we normally pay for this type of food! Please don't ever franchise. We want to support the family because they are amazing! We loved their story. read more

Mini Kabob - Super fresh lunch! - Armenian Near Me - Glendale, California

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I was genuinely excited to try Mini Kabob's Caesar wraps... but apparently, you need a PhD in scheduling and a crystal ball to actually get your food. I went to the store in person and was told I could only order online at exactly 7PM on Monday for Thursday pickup. Weird, but fine. On July 21st, I placed an order for July 31st -- a date that was clearly available. The night before pickup, I found a buried email from Sunday the 28th saying they were closed and had canceled the order. No call, no text, just a quiet cancellation. Why even make that date available if you're going to be closed? And why not mention it when I was right there trying to plan ahead? They offered a refund, but that doesn't fix the wasted time or effort. The whole system is confusing and disorganized. What a letdown. read more

We stopped by Mini Kabob for Father's Day, and even though the team was overwhelmed with large catering orders and short-staffed, they still went above and beyond to fulfill our order with care and effort. You can truly taste the heart in every dish. The food is unbelievably flavorful and clearly made with pride and intention. This isn't fast food--it's thoughtful, quality cooking that takes time, and it's absolutely worth the wait. Mini Kabob is a small business working hard to serve some of the best food around. We left full, happy, and genuinely impressed. Can't wait to come back! read more

The best! The best! The best!!!!!! Everything is great! I came multiple times! I usually order lamb chop kabob plate, beef plate, beef skewer, chicken skewer, pork skewer. They taste amazing! The meat is so soft and cooked so well. I usually ordered the beef and lamp in medium rare. The owner is super nice and friendly! Try to call early when they first open! Sometimes the wait can be over one hour so plan accordingly! read more

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Amazing place! Love the food! Very quick and fresh! Ordering from this place almost every week! Delicious!

I'm just popping in 10 years later because I moved from Glendale but I still think about this place and how good the food was. My review was obnoxious I suppose but also valid at the time. Either way, I wish Mini Kabob could mail me a plate of food. Nice to see them become the legends they deserved to be. Armenians are not to be slept on; they know what they're doing. read more

I've had this spot on my foodie bucket list for a while and I finally was in town to give it a try. Literally skipping to the door and there was a lady picking up her order at the door. There was two tables covering the front door and the menus on top of them. Menus were also on the window but I already had an idea what I wanted to order. While I was waiting I read the sign of CASH ONLY and panicked! Lucky me found some cash and got right back in line. The lady ahead of me had gotten her order and it was my turn. I didn't even get a chance to breath my order before I hear picking up? I did not anticipate a need to order ahead and thought I'd be able to just order and pick up. I asked the man taking orders how to order ahead (phone/online) and I seem to confuse him with my question because he asked me what was my question again? He said wait time was 40 min. I did not have the luxury to wait that long so I walked off. The man taking the orders was not rude but he was not very interested in having my business and he busily kept doing what he was doing. If I had known to anticipate a wait I would of. At this time they have one table out front and it seems like it's a grab and go type of place. Cash only and wait time varies. You can place order online with higher prices. Street parking. read more

Met Armen yesterday. He was a really chill dude and was super friendly. Combo kabobs were tasty and made to order. I tried a bit of the hummus and it's really creamy and flavorful. I've also had their lamb chops delivered twice and it was so darn tender. As someone watching their blood sugar, i couldn't be more happier getting their crazy salad and proteins. I haven't tried their lavash but my partner said it was the softest and tastiest. You can tell they care about there food here. read more

As soon as you walk up the amazing smell hits you it was our first time here and we were greeted so warmly. We ordered the beef and chicken combo and it was sooo tasty, chicken and beef were so juicy! With a pear soda it was our first and definitely not our last time soo worth it! Armen you made us feel right at home, we left so happy this food definitely delivered serotonin, EVERYTHING was on point, can't wait to come back! read more

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Great quality food. Love ordering ahead of time for pick up to avoid wait time. The service is always great and the food is amazing read more

Mini Kabob - Love this place! - Armenian Near Me - Glendale, California

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Not much I can say that hasn't been said before about Mini Kebob, so much flavor from such a cozy kitchen. Great service and greater food but for me it was more like an "Experience" I love supporting small Mom and Pop restaurants that put love in what they cook. Armen you are truly the Ambassador of kebob. Thank You and Good Luck My Brotha read more

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Mini Kabob is a family business in Glendale, serving up some of the best Armenian food around. They are experts at the grill, so definitely go for one of their kabob plates with chicken, beef, and pork. If you can't decide, mix it up with a combo. Chicken Cutlet: This is a lule, which is a type of kabob composed of minced chicken meat, onions, and herbs shaped into an oblong. This version of lule is then seared in a pan until golden. The cutlets are juicy, delicate, and flavorful from the meat and spices. There is a light crust that begs to be slathered in garlic butter. The charred tomato, charred pepper, and raw onions add a fresh contrast. The kabobs are on top of a bed of fluffy butter-slicked rice. Use the crepe-thin lavash to scoop up all the morsels and hummus. Parking: There's some street parking as the spot is nestled among houses. There's a spot in front reserved for pick-ups. Ordering: Phone your order in before you pick up the food to save time. You'll get an accurate time of when the food will be ready. Dining Area: They are still only doing takeout. The dining area, when open, only has a table or two. read more

Mini Kabob - Chicken Cutlets - Armenian Near Me - Glendale, California

I was wrong when I said the other day that it was the best thigh chicken kabob ever because today's was even better. I have no idea why or how Armen pulls it off, I just know that it's delicious. Bonus: Armen might be the nicest guy in Glendale. read more

CASH only! Highly recommend the chicken cutlet and beef luleh. I haven't tried anything else yet because it's just too good! Juicy, tender and seasoned to a tee. The combos are a must because of the creamy hummus, buttery rice, roasted tomato and jalapeno and lavash. And good god the garlic sauce outdoes any Mom's-type stand at the farmers market. This time we got the eggplant caviar and falafel and while still good I think the combos still shine the best! It's definitely pricier than other Mediterranean places but completely worth it because of quality of the food you get and totally handmade with love from the family. My dude is super nice, be sure to call in advance to place your order or be prepared for a wait. read more

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