Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Royal Egyptian Cuisine

    4.8 (304 reviews)
    InexpensiveFood Trucks, Egyptian
    Closed 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

    Royal Egyptian Cuisine Photos

    ROYAL EGYPTIAN CUISINE ATMOSPHERE

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

    You might also consider

    More like Royal Egyptian Cuisine

    Recommended Reviews - Royal Egyptian Cuisine

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Shawarma wrap, Gyro
    Joanna F.

    Wow what else is there to say. The man who runs the truck treats you like family, Chef Emily seems to be a major creative force with boss ass fusion ideas. He gave us free soup suggested by his "girlfriend" Mother Nature which was delish, the gyro was incredibleeeee the shawarma was great, and there was this like polenta w middle eastern chili on top that was so delicious. Great vibes, great value-worthy food, please stop by and meet them!

    I ate here 2 weeks ago, bought 2 plates, ate them for 5 days, and pined for-- and dreamed of-- Chef Elmry's labor of love for 9 days. (My work schedule didn't allow me to come last week.) Today I finally was able to go, and saw that on the menu was Chef's Famous Philly. Two weeks ago I watched as a young white guy asked Chef to please, please offer Philly's again. And lucky me, second visit, and there it is on the menu. Hey, not to stereotype anyone, but I figured a white guy would know more about Phillys than me! So of course I had to order it. Wish I could personally thank that gentleman. I wanted two plates, to last me a few days, and Chef Elmy offered to make me a pastrami sandwich, which I gladly accepted. Again, all parts of both the dishes, as well as the complementary vegetable soup, are superb. I've been trying to figure out how an Egyptian cuisine chef can make these non Egyptian dishes so delicious. As I savored each item slowly -- the purple cabbage and other veggies, the couscous, the sandwiches and their fillings, the soup, the dressing -- I realize it all comes down to Flavor. Flavor as in the harmony of salt, sour, sweet, bitter, spiciness, etc, and the hard to describe something-more (like a squeeze of lime in many dishes). Chef Elmry is surely a master at achieving harmony in this flavor-symphony. In addition, the plates were colorful and a feast to the eyes. Photos do not do them justice. If only my schedule allowed me to come every week to get my fix.

    Gyro and Chicken
    Avey S.

    Chef elmy changed our lives. I walked up to the truck and was immediately greeted with a hot bowl of vegetable soup. Hardly any words were exchanged but an offering was given so quickly. I immediately could read his desire to feed and care for the people who eat his food. We didn't really order, he just asked if chicken and gyro were good so we said of course. Moments later he comes back with generously portioned and beautifully plated meals. He told us to eat then pay after. He also gave us a couple of waters. Mind you, water, entree, soup all was $16 ea. Elmy is humorous, sweet, and generous. I would recommend this place to anyone. Such delicious and flavorful food too! There were some folding tables and chairs outside of the food truck shaded by the trees.

    Complimentary soup
    David K.

    As soon as we approached the Royal Egyptian Cuisine food truck, the owner Chef Elmy handed us little bowls of a dark brown soup, which he called our "medicine." The hot, sour soup was chock full of vegetables including baby carrots, baby corn, celery, and bamboo. The menu featured Egyptian-inspired fare, and my favorite item was the Egyptian Falafel, four fritters made with ground fava beans mixed with spices. The plate also came with a creamy yogurt dip, a side salad (arugula, red onions, red cabbage), bulgur topped with a fava bean puree, and a griddled flatbread filled with onions, cabbage, and a creamy white sauce. I also tried the Chicken Shawarma Wrap, which featured tender spiced chicken thigh pieces along with vegetables and white sauce in a lavash flatbread. There were plenty of tables and chairs by the food truck for enjoying the food outdoors, and everything we had was flavorful and delicious. The real highlight was meeting the owner, whose genuine passion really showed through in his cooking and hospitality.

    Gyro salad and some absolutely incredible side.
    Shane J.

    Gyro salad and some absolutely incredible side. The flavors here are unbelievable and this is an incredible hidden gem. I've had a lot of food from food trucks and restaurants and this is unbelievable. Don't sleep on this one. Nicest people too working here.

    I forgot what Chef Elmys sweetheart said the ball was on the right- some sort of oats. SoOo delicious!
    Anahi G.

    Chef Elmy is awesome sauce! The Man has a touch to food!!! His sweetheart, she's super nice and you will see her cashiering- only been here twice and I simply love! The first time I tried a beef gyro- I've never had one prior to this and it did not disappoint. They start off with a bamboo shoot soup that is very comforting and light. The couple were kind enough to make me an awesome dish for a special holiday today. I'm sure they sell it often, it's so delicious! It consists of lightly fried Salmon, prawns, and the most delicious sausage I've ever tasted! I can't eat pork so I was very happy to hear it's Lamb. I'm so surprised how tasty it was! He makes the sausage from scratch- someone should help him package it for the stores! It's that good!!! I'm so satisfied and grateful today. It's not the best pictures because I started eating right after I gave my grace!!! Thank you Chef Elmy and his sweetheart!!! A must if you're in Berkeley!

    $20 for shrimp and fish enough to feed 2! Yum! Great for comfort food especially.
    Erika M.

    My first time tasting Egyptian cuisine. If I tell you the King did not lie about his food! I will definitely be back for more. I absolutely recommend an audience with this ambience. It will have wishing you lived closer for the next meal

    Mary S.

    An unexpected surprise! We were at Ashby Lumber and took a wrong turn, ending up behind Urban Ore. Suddenly, we saw a popular food truck next to a little park and decided to pull over. It was my first time having Egyptian food! The fish of the day was already sold out so I had lamb kebabs. I wished the chunks were a bit smaller, because it's hard to cut them (no knife). But they were very flavorful. Surprisingly, my favorite thing was the homemade pickles! They were uniquely flavored and I ate all of them! My husband had the gyro which was humongous! It came with a delicious sauce and fries. We need to go back!

    Yash S.

    Excellent food. We asked Chef Elmy what was good and he hooked three of us up with more food than we could possibly eat in a large catering style tray. It was full of chicken, kofte, and beef wraps with flavorful rice, some grain, a fresh salad and roasted peppers. Chef Elmy was extremely friendly, and we loved chatting with him. We ended up paying a little under $60 for three of us which was a steal considering how much food we received. We will definitely be back.

    Omg 10/10 experience!!! One of the best food trucks I've been too and truly a hidden gem. As soon as you arrive, the owner makes you feel right at home. He gave us a soup to start with which was perfect for a cold day. For food, all we had to tell him was what were in the mood for and me made us a dish with a combination of different items. The food was SO good! Everything felt and tasted homemade and so flavorful. The portion size was huge also I ate half for lunch and half later. I highly recommend checking this place out. There's some benches outside by the food truck which you can sit at

    Chicken shawarma. If you like this sort of food you are in for a treat, after a 1hr wait.
    John K.

    It took an hour to get food... no one was in line but a ton of people were waiting for their order, which I didn't realize. A heads up with how long it would take would be great. Also paying after you get your food (and eat) is a nice gesture, but it would be easier for the customer if you wrote down the order, had them pay, gave a receipt. It looked like a couple times it was needed to check what people were waiting for. Food itself looks really great, taste was good too. Just, if you like this style food prepare to wait for it. For me, it's just not worth going back. Even if I loved it, it wouldn't be worth the time spent waiting.

    Lamb+beef gyro
    Monika F.

    Love love love this truck. Hella delicious food and a friend of mine who grew up in Egypt says this place is legit - the owner is from Alexandria. Couple of tables among the trees for seating is quite lovely. Entertainingly sassy and caring folks.

    Gyro

    See all

    Photo of D L.
    0
    34
    4

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 2

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 2
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of R H.
    130
    28
    11

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mary S.
    150
    672
    655

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Yash S.
    322
    43
    11

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Love this food truck! It has Delicious food and the owner is the kindest man ever! Highly recommend!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Neil D.
    0
    41
    21

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Aria P.
    25
    47
    0

    8 months ago

    Delicious food made by Chef. Obviously made with care and love. Best falafel I've ever had! Everything so good and fresh!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John K.
    47
    80
    144

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Burt L.
    1
    15
    12

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Leme K.
    119
    612
    1643

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    A gem in Berkeley! So much food and a lot of character in this spot. Nice seating outside too

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kiran U.
    33
    76
    37

    4 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Aleida K.
    134
    82
    5

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elmy K.

    Elmy K.

    So happy you enjoyed your food, hope to see you again soon.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 8

    Ask the Community - Royal Egyptian Cuisine

    Do you serve koshary every day?

    We do not serve it every day. It's a time consuming dish, so only occasionally.

    Where are you today? Couldn't find you at Folger Ave Berkeley :-)

    We have beeb here all day. From 11 am til 4 pm.

    Do they serve halal meat?

    We do serve halal meat. Chicken, beef and lamb. Also we serve gluten-free, diary-free,, vegetarian, and vegan.… Read more

    Where is the exact location of this food truck (if you are not from Berkeley or Oakland)? Thx!

    We are on Folger Ave Berkeley. Cross street is San Pablo. We are near Urban Ore. If you take Ashby Ave exit, then take left on 7th st. Make sure you come hungry, with time, and your sense of humor. See you. We are here Thursday, Friday Saturday from… Read more

    Are u going to be there today?

    Sorry for the late response. We will also be there tomorrow.

    Where are you located now? You used to be near Jack London during lunch, no more?

    Chef Elmy is on Folger ave Berkeley near the Amazon distribution center. He will be there today from 11-3. Hope to see you. This is his only location now. Follow his tweets to know when he is open. Thanks Sharon Cropper

    Does anyone know what happened to Royal Egyptian Cuisine truck? He's been gone for at least six months, we miss him!

    Hi Lee, Chef Elmy misses you more, and you will Royal Egyptian Cuisine will be back bigger and… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    You might also consider

    Wally's Cafe

    Wally's Cafe

    4.6
    (2.1k reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    18 years in business

    The lentil soup, and the double sirloin steak burger were both great. Quick service, and although…read morethe ambiance could be better, it was still pretty welcoming. I'll be going here again and again.

    Wally's, a Lebanese spot hidden in Emeryville, truly is a gem! We decided to stop by after about 15…read moreyears since our last visit, and as someone who is Lebanese and grew up around Lebanese family, it felt like a wonderful taste of home. We started with the complimentary lentil soup, which was flavorful and comforting. I ordered the hummus and falafel. The hummus was light and delicious, and the falafel was the best I've ever had! It was fried to order and so crispy and hot that I've been thinking about it ever since. My family ordered the Greek salad, chicken pomegranate plate, and the berry mint lemonade, and we enjoyed all of it. We even found ourselves talking about my Lebanese grandmother, who passed away three years ago, and it was nice to feel brought together by the food. As a Disney nerd, I also love that WALL-E is named after Wally's! There's even a poster paying tribute to the film. My one drawback with this spot is the ambiance. While the staff was extremely friendly, there is very minimal seating, and it's attached to a bar. It's definitely loud and not the most family-friendly, so I would recommend ordering delivery or takeout. We actually ended up DoorDashing it for dinner the next day because it was that good! We will definitely be back!

    Photos
    #6 on Yelp's Top 100 List for 2025
    #6 on Yelp's Top 100 List for 2025
    Beef Shawarma Plate
    Beef Shawarma Plate
    Chicken Pomegranate Plate

    See all

    Chicken Pomegranate Plate
    El Mansour

    El Mansour

    4.2
    (873 reviews)
    12.1 mi
    $$

    The server was fabulous! I unfortunately forgot his name…read more He was so classy and super friendly, Food kept coming... Yummy food... And then, at around 8 PM, a great belly dancer appeared. She was very skilled. Beautiful young woman, balancing a sword, doing all kinds of dances in different costumes, she put a great effort in it. Balancing a whole chandelier of burning real candles on her head. And interacting in a very nice way with the Guests. They happen to be a group of young women celebrating graduation. So we all danced. This is not my first time there. Really love that place. If you haven't been, you should check it out!

    El Mansour gave us something that's been hard to find since we left the East Coast. Why aren't…read morethere more Moroccan restaurants? This has all the atmosphere we wanted. Carpets and cushions everywhere, dim lights and curtained ceilings with beautiful light fixtures. Too bad we can't have hookah smoke anymore. You get to choose among different options for different courses, but mostly everybody gets the same thing except for the main protein. Because I'm pescatarian, The Wife graciously agreed to a veggie bastilla, instead of chicken. We expected the same thing, just without chicken; so egg and nuts. Nope - neither were present. But there was a lot of carrots. There was also a carrot salad, and carrots on the side of my main dish. The salad course was superb. The aforementioned carrot salad, plus a cucumber salad, and an amazing eggplant salad that I kept scooping up in my pita. I had the Moroccan seafood platter, with shrimp and scallops, both very well cooked. The Wife had the chicken kabob, and was very happy. At the end, we had baklava with stylishly poured mint tea. The show is almost as important as the meal. Speaking of which, we were there for the belly dancer Jennifer, and she was excellent. She started with a lit skirt, then came back twice, once with a curved sword on her head and another just alone. Beautiful and friendly, dancing briefly with a gentleman from one party, and for a while with a younger girl from another large family. So sweet.

    Photos
    Entertainment- talented!
    Entertainment- talented!
    Steamed couscou with half braised chicken
    Steamed couscou with half braised chicken
    Moroccan seafood with prawns and scallops

    See all

    Moroccan seafood with prawns and scallops
    Daryoush Persian Cuisine

    Daryoush Persian Cuisine

    4.5
    (645 reviews)
    12.8 mi
    $$

    We stopped into Daryoush for lunch with my dad and my son, and it was a wonderful experience from…read morestart to finish. We all ordered the koobideh, mine with half rice and salad, while the men went for the full two-skewer plate with rice. I'm mostly vegetarian...until you offer me a really good burger or koobideh! The meat was perfectly seasoned and incredibly flavorful, especially with the grilled tomato, fresh onion, and a sprinkle of sumac. Every bite was delicious. The tahdig (crispy rice) and torshi (pickle) on the side was a fantastic touch if you enjoy that extra bit of texture and tang. The restaurant itself is beautiful, warm, and thoughtfully designed, making it a great place to relax over lunch. What really stood out, though, was the service. It was impeccable; our drinks were never empty, and the staff was attentive without ever being intrusive. We finished our meal with Persian tea, which was the perfect ending to a satisfying lunch. We'll definitely be back.

    What a wonderful surprise! Needed to find a place in Walnut…read moreCreek. Was delighted to discover Daryoush with its extensive vegan menu alongside non-vegan treats. Simply delicious!!! Friendly wait staff. Quick service (admittedly we were there on the early/unbusy side). Lovely environment. I'll give it a 10!

    Photos
    The main kitchen
    The main kitchen
    Khoresht Bodemjan
    Khoresht Bodemjan
    Beef Koobideh ($16.95) - two skewers of charbroiled seasoned ground beef. With side salad instead of rice.

    See all

    Beef Koobideh ($16.95) - two skewers of charbroiled seasoned ground beef. With side salad instead of rice.
    Jubba

    Jubba

    4.5
    (1.6k reviews)
    47.2 mi
    $$

    I got the chicken wrap and honestly it was really good ! It had great flavor and was very filling!…read moreA+ ! But unfortunately it took really long for just one wrap and the customer service wasn't the best. The younger lady there was very friendly and had a great attitude and spirit. On the other hand when we would ask questions to the older lady we were met with what seemed to be an attitude. This was our first time here and maybe it wasn't her best day so I understand but it was unfortunate that this was our first impression. Other than the place was very lively and in good spirits!

    wow words do not do…read morejustice to this meal. some of the tastiest food in the south bay is in an incredibly unassuming restaurant next to the VTA station. Jubba is serving up some of the best food i've ever had. As a newbie to somali food, I am now hooked. we came in on a friday around 6:15 and there was a steady group of people enjoying their food. we ordered at the counter and took a seat outside to enjoy the weather 1 Sambusa 1 chicken wrap 1 beef plate the sambusa arrived first and initially I thought Samosa in my head. But the sambusa has a better structure, holding its shape after multiple bites. the Dough is softer but still crispy. it came with beef , chilies and other vegetables. so so good. the perfect appetizer for us. it came with a spicy green sauce that seemed to be the common sauce for every dish then the stars of the show. The sizzling hot beef plate served with veggies, rice and a salad was unbelievable. add on a lemon and some more greens sauce and you're in for a treat. the rice alone was so flavorful and it tasted like there was meat drippings on top. the beef was so tender and fell apart in 1 bite. I was blown away with the dish the chicken wrap... man. I'm not sure what kind of bread, pita was used but it was fantastic. a huge wrap with lettuce, onion chicken, sauce and other veggies. It was so messy and hard to eat with your hands so we resorted to eating with a fork and knife. Unreal. Unreal. massive portions again which are a theme here. But holy smokes this was so good. The chicken has a nice char, but is also juicy and saucy. the spongy pita neutralizes the bombardment of flavor from the meat, and the veggies compliment everything with some crunch and texture. Service was great and very helpful. They were extremely friendly and a delight to talk with. We will be back 5/5

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Sports Plate with goat and beef
    Sports Plate with goat and beef
    Jubba chicken wrap  IG @AmyNsEats

    See all

    Jubba chicken wrap IG @AmyNsEats
    Aziza

    Aziza

    4.2
    (2.4k reviews)
    11.6 mi
    $$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Locally sourced ingredients

    If there is a part of paradise which serves food, what we had at Aziza definitely is being served…read morethere. First of all. Aziza is kind. They accommodated a last minute reschedule - which, let's be honest, in today's day and age is like finding a gold mine. Second. Did I mention food that is served in heaven? A group of five of us went to dinner and we ordered almost every vegetarian dish on the menu. The olives (which came out juicy and warm), the trio of dips and the flatbread (that melted us all), that charred lettuce with a rich nutty dressing, the burrata with kiwis, oh and oh, that cauliflower. Be still, my beating heart. That food, which clearly was meant for gods and accidentally made it to our table. The shakshouka and the couscous entrees following closely behind in rich glory with that delectable cornbread that showed up straight from the oven. I am not exaggerating, dear reader, each bite of food was a gastronomic delight. We wrapped the evening with a date cake that came topped with a rich vanilla ice cream and toasted pecans and the subtle competition of the warm cake and the cold ice cream on our palates made for a perfect culmination to our dinner. And third. The person mixing the drinks back at the bar knows his business well. The mocktails and the cocktails were brilliantly refreshing. The tamarinds and the citrus looking out from the glasses wide eyed, ready to amaze. Good food is one of the few untainted pleasures of humanity. And Aziza served us heaps of it. Do yourself a favor and go savor the flavors Aziza has to offer. You shall not be disappointed.

    The tldr - Food: mostly tasty…read more Ambiance: fine, nice decor. Service: poor. My husband and I arrived for our 10:30am reservation for Sunday brunch and were immediately seated as the first patrons in the restaurant. A server immediately introduced themselves, explained the menu, then disappeared. A new server came over some time later and re-explained the menu in the same fashion, by which point we had already decided on our order. We ordered drinks (the Ode to St Anne and the Spa Water), then our food: to share, the burrata, little gems, and French toast. For our entrees, my husband ordered the eggs Benedict and I ordered the shakshuka. I had a brief conversation with our server regarding the shakshuka, ensuring it was vegetarian (I've been burned many times). He told us we had ordered all the best items and proceeded to enter our order at the registers in the corner. The little gems and burrata appetizers arrived fairly quickly, and were tasty. We loved the grilled bread served with the burrata. Not long after those, our cocktails arrived--also tasty. The Spa Water was refreshing and not too strong. After finishing our appetizers, we had a relatively lengthy wait before any additional food arrived. In the meantime, the restaurant was getting busy. The eggs Benedict arrived for my husband, but was placed in the middle of the table, which worried me briefly (regarding timing of the entrees). He dug in--the potatoes served with the eggs were delicious: crispy and heavily seasoned. A while later, our French toast arrived. The toast was a little crispy on the edges and the flavors worked really well together. However, I only had a couple of bites as I wanted to eat my savory entree first. As my husband continued to eat, I waited for my shakshuka dish to arrive. I noticed numerous plates of food exiting the kitchen and being delivered to tables that had been seated well after we had been. Eventually, my husband had finished his entree, and I still hadn't received my food. I caught the eye of our server, who walked over to ask how everything was tasting. We said it was all good, but wanted to check in on my shakshuka dish as it had been a while. He responded that perhaps it was due to the chef's preferred sequencing, but that it'd be coming out soon. I told him that I understood, but that the shakshuka was my entree and my husband had already finished his, and we had not intended to share due to dietary restrictions. The server acknowledged this and walked away, presumably to check on the dish. Another 15 minutes or so went by and I still didn't have my food. We had been there for about an hour and had plans later. The server must have noticed my irritation because he walked over--but then he asked me, "Did you order the shakshuka? Because I thought you ordered the burrata." ...what? I reminded him that we had ordered the burrata to share, but we had ordered separate entrees and mine had been the shakshuka, regarding which we had even had a conversation confirming it's vegetarian. He nodded and walked away... Only to reemerge with his notebook, showing me what he had written: burrata, little gems, eggs Benedict, French toast. No sign of the shakshuka. It felt like he was trying to argue with me. I told him to forget it, I didn't want it anymore as we had somewhere to be. He asked if I was sure and I confirmed to please cancel it (if the order had even been placed at all, I thought). Just then, another employee came up behind him with the plate, and our server said, "well, it's ready now. Is it bad timing?" They plopped the plate in front of me and walked away when I was unsure of how to answer. I ate most of it, and my irritation aside, the dish wasn't anything special. It was a soupy concoction of chickpeas and onions with two raw egg yolks on top, served with a single piece of cold bread (not the delicious grilled bread from the burrata dish). I went to the restroom and returned to find the dishes cleared and my husband with the bill, which of course listed the mysterious shakshuka. I would've thought that after all that, we would've received a discount of some sort (or maybe not have been charged for the shakshuka), but I was mistaken. We left a 15% tip (low for us) and left. There are plenty of excellent dining options in SF--we won't be back.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Burrata on multi-grain bread (bread from Jane the Baker)
    Burrata on multi-grain bread (bread from Jane the Baker)
    Photo #14,500. Grilled prawns $26.

    See all

    Photo #14,500. Grilled prawns $26.
    Shawarmaji

    Shawarmaji

    4.3
    (401 reviews)
    40.0 mi
    $$
    Halal
    Vegan friendly

    Entertainingly large shawarma wraps with delish sauces -- the chipotle toum is my favorite!! I got…read morea salad with chicken and pita crisps and it was a good cava stopgap. The portions are generous, with fresh ingredients and crispy pita chips being the perfect toppings to the salad. The shop itself is decently sized with room for groups of up to about 6! The service is super friendly and quick. You order at the counter and seat yourself. They also sell their sauces by the jar as well as a few other pieces of merchandise. Next time I will absolutely try a shawarma wrap!

    We gotta be honest here.. Visited Santa Clara from out of…read moretown and decided to try this place. Service: 2/5 - zero eye contact/smile/hello.. or do you have any questions about the menu. Nothing. Very short and uninterested. Ambiance: 2/5 - feels like a grocery store.. it's also not well lit.. Food: 3/5 - let's start with the fact that I didn't get my entire order. Well I didn't get the side that came with my order. So the chicken shawarma Arabic style wrap. Well.. chicken flavor wasn't too bad to be fair, but the pickles seemed old, and the wrap in general looked a bit sad and lacked some more flavors. Lastly, I think this place is about 20% over priced. Let's put it this way, if you are hungry, it will do the trick.. it's not the worst, but definitely far from the best.

    Photos
    Chef Mohammad "The Shawarmaji" Abutaha
    Chef Mohammad "The Shawarmaji" Abutaha
    Our Santa Clara restaurant storefront on a crisp fall day
    Our Santa Clara restaurant storefront on a crisp fall day
    Rose Tamarind - one of our house made drinks

    See all

    Rose Tamarind - one of our house made drinks
    Old Jerusalem Restaurant

    Old Jerusalem Restaurant

    4.2
    (1.3k reviews)
    9.9 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    Old Jerusalem is so yummy! Our eyes were differently bigger than our stomachs. We ordered the…read moreStuffed Falafel, Mosabaha, Meat Combo, Mousakhan, and Kunafa. There was complimentary bread which was insanely good and fluffy and warm plus tahini and an onion tomato sauce I think along with radishes and olives. We are not olive ppl sadly but I tried one and it was pretty okay. The service was great and all the servers were super attentive and accommodating. The Stuffed falafel was so good and huge 1 is enough for 2 people. The mosabaha was very refreshing and so good. The meat combo was good overall and everything was very herbally spiced, I wasn't impressed by the lamb tho but the kebab, hummus, and chicken were great! I haven't had Mousakhan before so not sure how it should taste but to me it was sweet and savory with really well cooked chicken. I honestly felt pretty healthy overall cause I was eating hella veggies and everything tasted so fresh. The kunafa was good we got it crispy and was yummy imo but was a lil oily (I think this is normal tho). Arab food isn't really spicy but it is spiced and very herbal which I felt in the food here, I appreciate that chili sauce is provided for the spice lovers. Overall, would highly recommend. It was about $100ish for everything and they recently increased their prices but tbh the portion sizes are huge and I feel like it is so worth it we had hella leftovers. If we had 4 ppl instead of 2 it would've been perfect portions for everyone.

    We've come across and heard about Old Jerusalem before and felt like having middle eastern food…read moretonight, so we took a chance and tried them out. When we arrived at around 7:30 pm, there were tables available. It's a comfortable cafe-like restaurant with mural paintings on the wall. Service was friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, the food wasn't as good as the ambiance and waitstaff. ***OUR PICKS*** BEEF SHAWERMA ENTREE ~ the beef was overly salted, saffron rice was ok, hummus was really thick, like peanut butter. My guy ordered this and thought it was average. 3/5 LAMB SHISH KEBAB WRAP ~ this was my dish. I ate one half of the wrap and it only held two cubes of lamb meat. The lettuce and tomatoes made the wrap bland. The meat was seasoned, but everything was plain, so it needed more seasoning. Honestly, this was missing flavor! I'll have to add something to it when I eat the rest of this wrap at home. 2.5/5 HALF ROASTED CHICKEN AND RICE ~ Our friend ordered this dish. It needed more sumac. This tasted like plain roasted chicken. Maybe it needs more seasoning while marinating. It wasn't dry, so that's a relief. Rice was ok and it wasn't dry or soggy. 3.5 We've been spoiled and have had better food in San Francisco and the Bay Area. Nothing stood out for any of us. Prices are a bit high for what you get. Sadly, probably won't be back.

    Photos
    Mansaf
    Mansaf
    Lamb Chops
    Lamb Chops
    Shish Taouk Plate

    See all

    Shish Taouk Plate

    Royal Egyptian Cuisine - foodtrucks - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...