Last night was my first time to try this little shop. I braved the atmospheric river to arrive at a place with very little atmosphere but it was warm and dry., and I enjoyed the mom and pop, plus kids, ambience. One of the young boys has apparently assigned himself the role of announcing to the kitchen when a guest arrives. As soon as one steps in he belts out "There's a man in the door!", or even "there's a guy in the parking lot!" His older brother is learning how to take orders. Anyway, it's nothing like walking into a KFC --"There's real people in there!" I bought chicken kabobs plate with some extra gyro meat, and it was tasty and the portions were generous and it didn't break my modest budget. And I'd avise, If the order doesn't get finished at the exact time you ordered it and you have to wait a few extra minutes, stay positive and just chill for a while, your food and the interactions will make it worth the wait. One guy came in when I was there and when he was told, with apologies, that his order would be ready in, maybe 4 minutes, he looked totally put out, stared at his phone, showed it to the cook, and said with a groan, "but I came five miles!" I wanted to ask him, dude, did you walk through the puring rain for five miles?" In that case, you might have something to grumble about. But If you just drove that far in your car, then that attitude is just a bad look. to sum up, I really like to go into a family's shop that has no pretentions but a wam vibe, and see the folks taking pride in their product. So, do yourself a favor and swing on by Saffron. read more

Found this place a couple of years ago and it has remained one of my top places to get Middle Eastern/Mediterranean food. From the outside it's very unassuming, but in my opinion, those are the places that have some of the best food, and Saffron Grill is no exception. The meat in the wraps and the plates are so much more flavorful then other places I've been to. They're pretty generous with their servings too so the prices are great for the amount of food you're getting. My go-to order used to be the gyro sandwich (which I still really love), but I've been getting the plates, usually gyro or some combination with it, and have been putting together my own little wrap with the extra sauces I ask for. I really like how the plate has a lot of variety with the rice, cucumber salad mix, flatbread, and meat. The only critique I have with the plate is the 1-2 quarters of flatbread that never seems to be enough. Overall, despite the flatbread, I am a big fan! I have been coming back since the first time I tried it, and I definitely will keep coming back. read more

We drove 40 minutes to pick up our dinner from here. Place is located in a nice food/strip mall. Potion: could be better Price: $$$ Taste: Good. Liked their curries. Daal Makhani was bland for our taste. Peshawari Naan was too dry, but had a nice feeling. Service: they charged me over $2 in credit card fees. Had they mentioned this to me, I could have paid cash. This charge is highly unusual. Overall, not worth the drive for us. read more

Farhad, always very polite and greets with smile. Food highly recommend, highly healthy and yummy taste. read more

Fair prices for such a delicious meal. I had the gyro with fries. Fresh and delicious. Quick service. I'll be back for more.

Got my gyro fix today at Saffron Grill. Absolutely LOVE this place and stop in when I'm in the area. Never disappoints and the owners are incredibly friendly. Free baklava with Yelp check in when it's available. Already looking forward to my next visit!!! read more

This place is fantastic. Have been coming here for years. Delicious and generous portions

While the food is still tasty, the price of $14.50 for half the amount of meat as before is ridiculous . Rice is also bland now. Been coming here for close to 10 years but today was my last visit. A kebab platter would have a nice beef skewer that went from corner to corner in my Togo box or plate, and sadly today, the kebab can't even reach the other side horizontally. The gyro meat was so skimpy it looked like meat crumbles that had been scraped off of a griddle . After the many changes in ownership/workers, I would say this last change has left a bitter taste in my mouth, and a hungry feeling in my stomach. read more

Saffron Grill - Too late !! Took a pic half way ! - Mediterranean Near Me - Newark, California

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The food is great and flavorful. Even if I'm not feeling hungry, once that bag is in my car, the delicious mouth watering smell of food takes over and I try and rush home as soon as possible to just dig in! The owner is extremely chill and friendly. It's all just adds to the experience. My point is extremely chill dudes are made to make yummy food lol! read more

A very small place, but the food was good and reasonably priced. Ideal for take out. -1 star because the man who prepared the food has a long hair and wasn't wearing any hair restraint. read more

-Well-seasoned, tender delicious kebabs, esp the lamb! -Warm & friendly atmosphere -Great, reasonable prices Will definitely be coming back here a lot! read more

Here I had a kabob of perfectly sized and heated cuts of chicken. What more does one want? The interior of each piece was firm but not a bit dry or tough; the exterior a tapestry of various delicious charred states, including right up to the edge of burnt. The spices and oils that rested between the chicken and pita played their part; accompanying the chicken's flavors without stealing the show from them; adding a warm flair to the bread. Strongest kudos to the young hand at the grill, who delivered a flawless product. Still, a few things could use improvement. The yogurt didn't add much; neither extra fat nor coolness were needed with this dish. The sweet, tangy, unpleasantly-colored orange sauce was decidedly low-brow in flavor compared to the chicken; but wow, did it do low-brow very well. When I wanted, I could totally slather the next bite of chicken and be lost in awesome, crave-inducing American-fast-food-tangy-sauce flavor. This seemed like a misapplication of such refined chicken. I was torn on whether I was having the best meal of my week or depriving myself of future authentic food flavor memories. The ambiance was borderline negative. A sounds of the ocean video played over the natural sounds of the space, and kept freezing, then resuming. Digital video malfunction is not a source of calm, content thoughts for me; and there was nothing wrong with the ambient sound environment of the shopping center to justify blaring an artificial audio backdrop, anyhow. As my food was almost done being perfectly cooked, a patron who was only waiting on a to-go order stepped out, stood two meters from the open door, and flooded the dining area with cigarette smoke odor. There is no sign on the storefront proscribing this action, so I could not ask him to move; instead I stood outside further upwind and waited until he was done, which was one minute after my food. read more

Best Afghan food in Newark/Fremont side. Its a small restaurant more like a take out spot and the food is pretty simple with grilled meat, saffron rice a side of salad and a FREE Baklava which was such a kind gesture from the Business. I have been getting take out from this place whenever i am on the Eastbay. Dont judge the place by its location or the tables and chairs. Try the food and you will know. read more

Hole in a wall place. Found this while charging my car. Been meaning to write a review. Wasn't sure about the place at first, but I was craving Mediterranean & kids wanted chicken wings. Yummy: -gyro beef/lamb 5/5 -chicken wings with fries. 5/5 yummy dipping sauce. Will be back!!! Kids loved it too. Keeps asking me to bring them back. Tried to order chicken wings lately and they are always out. read more

Good place to grab and go kabobs. Food is ok but meat is a bit dry. Price is high for the value .

This is a hidden gem in Newark. Quality and portions of food does not disappoint. I will be going there more often!!

Great good, honest and humble business owner! I eat here all the time, tasty Mediterranean food!

I ate here a back in September of 2018. My friend recommended this place because I had to meet up with him near Fremont. Place wasn't too busy, definitely hole-in-the-wall/mom and pop kind of feel. The place was well-lit and clean. I ordered the gyro plate to go. The food came out hot and the portion was large. The gyro was well seasoned and flavorful. It comes with a good portion of rice. The yogurt sauce is really tasty and good for dipping the meat and pita into. It was just really comforting and filling. Prices is about what'd you expect from a Mediterranean restaurant, so no surprises. I'm glad my friend suggested this place. Rarely do I eat this type of food and not have doubts. I would definitely come back and recommend this place to anyone who enjoys a good gyro. read more

First time trying the grill and it was so good! The owner was super nice too. I said no bread and he asked if I wanted extra rice or salad instead. The food is authentic and worth the price. The portion are also huge! I know somewhere that charges the same for half the size and its Americanized. Definitely coming back here. read more

Honestly the best Mediterranean I've had in while! I look forward to going back today. Don't forget to check in. You get a free baklava. It's the best baklava I've tried. read more

Saffron Grill - Shawarma and kabobs - Mediterranean Near Me - Newark, California

Food was decent, although I paid same price for a combo plate and for regular chicken kabob plate. I think chicken plate shouldn't have same price as combo plate, but that's ok. Although after trying this place, I'll stick with my usual place falafel corner. read more

First time that I have been let down by Yelp. After checking the awesome reviews, Mr and I were really excited to try this place. We reached there around 7:30pm. Though we were early for dinner time by Asian standards, the restaurant was empty! It is like a hole in the wall place. Nothing fancy- nor decor, service or food. The one star is for the staff- friendly, but again Indians cooking Persian food was a big turnoff. We were thinking of walking out, but not wanting to look rude we ordered a prince plate, gyro sandwich and hot wings with fries. The fries and hot wings came of a packet- Costco I bet. The prince plate consisted of 3 types of kebabs- chicken, kobideh, and lamb. The chicken was charred more than I liked. The kobideh was too salty. The lamb was the only decent kebab. It came with rice and a lame ass salad. We were so turned off by the food that we didn't even venture to try the gyro sandwich. It's now midnight. Starting to get hungry and building up the strength to try the gyro sandwich. Just don't want to start the day with another bad experience. Life is tough!!! read more

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Here's to adventurous taste buds and to Yelp! When the place I really wanted to dine was closed, I turned to my trusty iPhone to tell me about the interesting looking place across the street. And so instead of having barbecued American food, I had Middle Eastern. Wha-huh? It's a good thing my stomach just let my brain decide because it was the right choice! Don't come for the decor. It's very cozy but it's no Shahs Palace. Personally though, the decor is good enough for me, i'm not into opulent bling which typically adorns the walls of Persian restaurants. The chicken/joojeh kabob is equally as good, but since i rarely order it and have less places to compare it to, i'll focus on its lamb brethren! read more

Saffron Grill - Nommmmm! - Mediterranean Near Me - Newark, California

Found this on Yelp and it did not disappoint. Easy to locate, right next to Central Computers near the Newpark Mall. A real hole in the wall - but these are the best kinds of restaurants! Short menu makes selection and ordering easy. About 4 to 5 tables that can seat about 6 people each ( a bit tight). You order at the cashier and pay. They bring the food over or they will call you to come pick it up depending on how busy they are. They do a lot of takeout orders as well so the cash register can get busy! You can see the kababs cooking and I saw one of the cooks trimming a kabab with scissors before plating!! Careful attention to detail :) I ordered a gyro platter that came with delicious gyro meat cooked perfectly and just a tab burnt at the edges which is exactly how I love it. Also comes with scented basmati rice with saffron, a pita cut into quarters and a fresh green salad with a Greek kind of yoghurt dressing. All very tasty and filling, for a total of $9.95 plus tax. Hot tea is on the house. ~ 4 stars for good food, friendly, courteous cashier and cooks - they walked out a few times to check on everyone and to ask if the food was good :) # 314 read more

Saffron Grill - Gyros platter - $9.95 - Mediterranean Near Me - Newark, California

We came late, around 130-ish pm and it was noticeable that we had just missed the noon crowd - but its not a good impression when you walk in and see remnants of said lunch goers on 3 of the 6 tables, left unbussed and kinda icky. Dirty plates, chicken bones, rice - ew. We go up to the register and put in our order but not until after waiting a couple of minutes when someone appears from the back to take it. After that we go find a seat and I pick the least ickiest table, but its just too bad that it was the one closest to the door - not great on one of the coldest days of the year we've had so far...there is a cold breeze that punches you in the face and rattles your bones everytime someone comes in! I ordered the beef kebob plate which was just ok. The rice was a little on the soggy side and the kebob's flavors weren't as deep as Salang Pass'. The huzbeau ordered the Gyros plate, and it was pretty good. I think I ate more from his plate than I did from mine. The little guy liked his hummus and he and his sis are pretty discerning when it comes to what they call "chickpea goop". Between all our plates, the highlight was the pita bread, which was warm, toasty and fresh. Despite the dirty tables (which someone eventually cleaned up while we ate) I think what saved it at the end of the day was the Gyros, which I would definitely come back for. A-ok. read more

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I find myself craving their food all the time. The meats got good flavor and the service is excellent. It's the place you might pass up if you don't have the Yelp app on the homepage of your phone. The rice will have you daydreaming. The meat will get you lost in the flavor with every chew. The seating is limited, so you may want to order to go. The tea is tea. Haha The price is right! read more

2.5* It's been over two years since I've eaten here and I realized how i just don't care much for it. First off, I can see the "kitchen" where two young men man the grill and cash register. Turn offs: -saw Tupperware container filled with rice -did not see any gyro on the rotating spit.. -there's a sink (I assume the only one on the whole place) randomly placed next to the cash register where people order.. making me wonder how seldom workers wash their hands if it's on the customers side.. -nearly everything is priced $10.50 or 14.50 for all 3 meats. Yet, I still order gyro. But I didn't notice lack of a spit til after. I observe them get some meat from containers. And I saw a man try to return his burnt falafel(?) It looked literally like a black hockey puck. The gyro itself was alright. It tastes of just ground beef. I really enjoy lamb and missed that flavor. Also parts were a bit hard. Rice though, was good and not too oily like in the past. It's served with a small aide salad undressed and white sauce in another compartment that tastes like it has ranch in it. The hot sauce is more pink than red and I wonder if it's mixed with that white sauce. The pita is nice and soft but hey it's store bought so.. I'm in no hurry to go back. For $11.50 or so, plus my too, I thought it could be better. By no means bad, but alright. Also im not sure if they even prepare/cook rice or gyro meat there. I only saw skewers on a hot grill over fire.. read more

I've been meaning to review this place for a while-but they are AWESOME. I always get the chicken gyro. The bread is delicious (and doesn't break down by the time I get to my last few bites) the sauce doesn't have that funky cucumber-burp aftertaste, and the chicken is just...WOW. I've ordered gyros from other places and I wind up disappointed because they don't taste as good as Saffron. Thank you for the delicious chicken gyros and friendly service! read more

Had the Lamb Wrap. Took under 5 minutes to make. No line at all. Good Service. Everything is fresh and Halal. They can make it spicy if desired. Can't wait too try other items in the menu. TIP: BE CAREFUL NAVIGATING THRU THIS SMALL PARKING LOT VIA AUTO... THERE ARE MASSIVE POTHOLES THE SIZE OF MOON CRATERS! LOL read more

Their slogan reads "Eating is an adventure". I believe that is correct. Where does this adventure start!. Oh yeah! I was doing some research because I wanted to do lunch with a friend. She can only eat at Halal meat places for meat dishes. So I found this place. I let her know about it. I wanted to try it first to see if the reviews on here is correct. I came here after work. It was very easy to find this place. It is located in the Newpark Mall area behind El Burro in a very tiny strip mall. This place is tiny when I walked in. I ordered a Number 2 combo plate to go. The guy at the front counter said it would take 10 mins to get my order done. It is cooked to order. I believe the owner of the place came by to see if everything was going good. He greeted me. A couple mins later asked me if I wanted a cup of tea. I said no, I have my drink already. I said Thank you to him. When my order came out the guy hooked me up with 2 more sauces yogurt and hot sauce. Driving home oh man the food was stinking up my car. I was getting more hungry because of it. Opened the door of my house. I went to town on that sucker. I took my first bite of the meat . It was orgasmic at the first bite. The ground beef kabob is seasoned to perfection, juicy, and wasn't to salty. I then headed for the rice it was lightly seasoned so perfect. I had grilled tomato's and onions I mixed it up with the beef. It was so AMAZING. It also came with a side salad with the yogurt sauce. I had hearty pita bread. I did my own spin with the food. I mixed the yogurt and hot sauce on top of the beef OMG. I had a rave in my mouth. The portions is huge. For the price I paid for my combo meal is $10.99. By far it was one of the best things I have ever ate in my life. I'm hooked now. Awesome food awesome customer service. There is a Yelp sticker on the front window of the place. Parking is free in the lot. At the end of the story it was an adventure. Adventure for some more. read more

Saffron Grill - The best meal I have ever ate said Miss foodie ever. - Mediterranean Near Me - Newark, California

YUMMY! This is a hole in the wall inexpensive Persian/Greek restaurant with delicious food. The owners moved from England and started this place around 4 months ago and I am glad they did. The lamb shank and beef with lentils were very good. The gyros was loaded with meat and delish as well! Go and enjoy! read more

Yup and I say it again, this is one of the best mom and pop as authentic halal Middle eastern food you can get on this area. I've been coming here because.of their good food. read more

Hidden gem of Newark My friends and I LOVE Saffron. Especially after a morning of hiking. It's a hole-in-the wall, cheesy decorations, styrofoam to-go boxes... but it all adds to the charm of this place. Everything on the menu is pretty good. I usually get the beef plate. The yogurt sauce is AMAZING. The bread is so fresh and compliments the entire plate so well. $12.00 and you get a lot of food. The vegetables are fresh and it feels like you're eating an extravagant $50 meal, but it's not. The flavor and quality of the meal you get at Saffron is great. Saffron is definitely one of my favorite place to eat at in the Bay Area. Their staff is very minimal, so food might take a while if you order a lot. I hope their business does well :) and maintain the same quality! read more

First time trying this place, had it doordashed to our home. I liked the previous reviews and the looks of the portion size but I am SUPER disappointed in what came with the Gyro & Chicken Combo: First off, there was probably 3 small pieces of gyro meat along with what looks like a handful of crumbs of it as well. Oh yeah, and 5 small pieces of chicken (smaller than my own thumb). This is barely enough to feed my 2 year old.... but the salad and rice was plentiful... Now the falafel platter: I have never seen falafels cut in half (and we LOVE Mediterranean--so I know a good falafel when I see one) and placed in the dish as if they were whole.... that definitely proves the stinginess of this place. And not only that, but they were so over cooked--barely edible. NEVER ordering from here again. read more

Saw the sign "$4.99 lunch special" when I was on my way to the 24 hour fitness, so I decied to try it out. We went in and the place is a bit small. Not very nice for a date or anything, but a good to-go place. Although the decor was all bad, the FOOD AND SERVICE WAS AMAZING! I got the grilled kabob.. I think the lady said it was ground beef... but OMG super good! Very tasty. and the Bastami rice... super yum! Staff was friendly, prices were good, food.. you gotta try it!!! :) The only misleading thing was the sign... it said "$4.99 special" and if you notice there was no "s" in special b/c there is only ONE SPECIAL, the Gyro sandwhich....hahhaha.. all's well... glad we tried it! :) read more

Nah, I'll pass. I visited here for a super simple carry-out order of one lamb kabob and one chicken kabob on a recent Thursday evening. Walking in, I noticed a couple sitting at a table enjoying themselves, so I thought to myself, "good choice, Phil!" I placed my order with the very friendly young man behind the counter, and he let me know that it also comes with pita bread. Great, I'll get to make a sandwich! After about 7 minutes, my food was done and I was on my way back to my hotel to dig in. Smelled good, so I figured, it must taste good. WRONG! Both kabobs were overcooked to the point of being dry and tough. And both pita breads were obviously pre-heated and re-heated, because they were hard and chewy. I managed to choke down the kabobs with a gallon of water, the pita went straight in the trash, and my dreams for a fulfilling meal were shot. read more

I've been eating here for 11 years and it is always tasty and hot. I love the "sauce" and the beef kabobs are juicy and flavorful.

This is my goto spot for Mediterranean food. The gyro platter is very tasty and the chef is always friendly and accommodating of my requests. One thing that I like here is their Tzatziki sauce(white sauce) is much better than some of their competitor's. I appreciate that they are open during the plandemic even if it is limited hours. read more

SO GOOD. Tried this place on a whim (as in, before Yelping-never-heard-or-seen-this-place-we-were-going-to-Subway), and it was delicious. I got the lamb gyro combo (fries+drink), and it was amazing. The meat was well seasoned but not overwhelming, moist and there was a lot of it in the gyro. The sauce inside was flavorful and didn't have that bitter taste that the sandwiches at Falafel Etc. has. The fries were pretty standard but went will with the sandwich, and the man at the counter was very enthusiastic and friendly. I didn't have any problems with being overcharged or smelling like grilled food afterward (which was good because I had to go back to class). I work nearby so I'll definitely be a return customer. read more

Saffron Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Newark, California

My biggest regret after moving from Newark is not trying this place sooner. The food is absolutely delicious ! The sauce and chicken is flavorful with a small kick and the meat isn't dry at all. The portions are generous as well! So good ! I have to make a trip and come back for more ! read more