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Shaks Mediterranean Bistro

4.4 (603 reviews)
Closed • Closed
Updated over 3 months ago

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SHAKS MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

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Moderate noise
Casual
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Classy

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Recommended Reviews - Shaks Mediterranean Bistro

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Greek salad no feta
Abigail P.

Sooo delicious!!! Falafel is perfect. I'd skip the French fries, not mind blowing Tahini is really good, I loved the lemon chicken soup sooo good, first time having it. I'll definitely be coming back Rice pilaf is really good. Pita is really good but not homemade Salad and veggies are good quality, and you can tell all the ingredients are fresh and it's very good flavor all around Definitely will be back to try other foods Thanks

Karen L.

First time and I like it. Thursday night at 6:30 and it was full inside. We sat outside and the heaters were very helpful in keeping us warm. In fact at one point we had to turn them down. Across the street at the winery they have music every night and you can hear it from the patio. There were six of us in the group. Four of us had pitas, one had a bowl and the other a plate. Everyone enjoyed their dish. Chicken, lamb and beef. The only complaint was that one person had chicken pita with the garlic and it was over powering and she could not finish it all. I had changed my chicken pita to tzatziki and so glad I did. Two of us had a glass of wine (Pinot Grigio Lagria and William Hill Chardonnay). Crisp and clean. Our server was upbeat. welcoming and gave recommendations. The host was friendly and willing to move us back inside if we found the outside to cold. Really fun night.

Appetizers
Jennifer M.

I came here for dinner with my book club. This was my first time. The ambiance was very nice. The decor was very fitting for the style. It does feel a little high end but most people were dressed casual including myself. Our waitress's name was Alex. She was very friendly and nice. I dont have much experience with Greek food but I did my research on yelp beforehand and knew what I was gonna get right away. I ordered the flaming cheese for an appetizer and the gyro plate. Instead of the chicken lemon soup I substituted with fries. Little did I know, until I got the bill, that I was upcharged 2$ for the substitution. If I was informed beforehand, I would of just gotten the soup. My friend got a different plate and it came with the garlic dip and she did not like it at all and asked Alex if she could get a side of tzatziki sauce. Alex said sure and brought it right out but insisted on taking back the garlic dip that she had already dipped in. I'm not sure why Alex wanted to take it back. Wouldn't they just throw it away? Anyway, she found out, when we got the bill that she was charged 2$ for her side of tzatziki sauce. Again she was not told about this upcharge. She didn't like the garlic dip so shouldn't it be the restaurant to try to make the customer happy with their meal?? I wouldn't think there would of been an up charge for that. My other friend that dined with us ordered a side of sauce to go. Alex did mention the upcharge this time. She brought out the side of garlic dip and sai it was 2$. 2$ for a little ramiken? All in all the food was pretty good, but I wish that the up charges were mentioned beforehand. I will keep that in mind for future visits.

The best fucking food over ever had.
Jessica F.

STELLAR dining experience at the bar on Mother's Day. I've had decades of Mediterranean food and this was the BEST! The only downside was it took so long to get here as north county residents. The food was EXQUISITE and the craft cocktails were MAGNIFICENT. Especially impressed by the knowledge and care from our bartender and how kind and helpful the host was to everyone that walked in. Cannot wait to go back. Thank you for bringing your culture and giftings for us to experience.

Falafel Plate
Darci L.

Wow, is all I can say. This place has some of the best Mediterranean food I've ever eaten. I had the falafel plate with salad and rice pilaf. My husband had the gyro plate. Portions were generous; we both had leftovers to enjoy at home! Service was excellent. We were just passing through on our way home from Julian, otherwise I think we'd be regulars.

Snake Bite cocktail
Christina S.

The only spot in the area with delicious craft cocktails. We enjoyed Friday HH on our most recent visit. Bar area can fill up quickly. We took the last seats at the bar (5pm) but a few cafe tables and seating along the windows were still available. All seats were taken by 5:30p (with HH ending at 6p). I ordered the Snake Bite and the Sahara Sunset. Mezcal is not my jam but I was ok with it in the Snake Bite. I'd order it again. The mezcal was present but not overpowering. Sahara Sunset is good too though I prefer it as a summer cocktail. My husband had a couple of beers and a tasting of Shak's Private Barrel Bourbon. We were there just for the HH menu but it never fails that we end up ordering from the regular menu. After snacking on hummus, we shared the Chicken Shish Kabob Plate. It's plenty of food. Velvety chicken lemon soup followed by juicy seasoned chicken, flavorful rice, light and crisp salad, and that uber garlicky sauce. YUM! We still had enough for a little plate to graze on back at home. In addition to the delicious fare and craft cocktails, the staff is genuinely friendly. They're not just checking off the list of standard customer service to-dos. We look forward to our next dining experience here.

Falafel Plate
Rebecca C.

Shaks was excellent in every way! I would heartily recommend. I went with my boyfriend on a Saturday night at 7:30pm. We didn't have a reservation but we added our name to the waitlist and were seated at 7:45pm. I'm really glad they were able to seat us so quickly, and their estimate for how long it would take was spot on. The environment felt super welcoming and while I saw a couple of people a little dressed up, I also saw plenty of casually dressed people. Food-wise, I got the falafel plate and it had a generous amount of everything. The plate is supposed to come with chicken lemon soup, but since I'm a pescatarian they offered me a choice of additional salad or additional rice. I'm super glad I chose the salad because I loved the dressing on it and that it included sumac. I did ask for olives to be excluded. The falafel and rice were delicious, too, but the salad was a surprise superstar for me. My boyfriend got the beef shawarma plate and was impressed with the serving size, too. We definitely both had leftovers, and we saw lots of other people leave with boxes as well. They also had their own (free) parking lot only for customers, which was convenient.

Madi D.

Loved this random find for date night, we sat upon arrival and were sat a great table. I wish I remembered our waiters name, he was lovely and really helped us navigate the menu- gave us tips on how to order and made sure we had plenty of pita bread for our dips, which were absolutely delicious. I think about the garlic hummus alotttt hahaha But overall the drinks were great, prices are fair and the portions are huge!! My love and I have placed this on our favorites list and we will be back soon!!

Grace T.

WOW. Heard about this place from friends who said it was their favorite restaurant in the area... and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT! As new parents we legitimately can't remember the last time we've been able to enjoy such a nice meal haha. And we're so glad we did it at a place that has their design/VIBES on point (such attention to detail!), AMAZING food (sooo delicious and beautifully plated), great portions, STELLAR service (shoutout to Alfonso!!!) - the staff is SO friendly, personable, and down-to-earth. Really makes you feel welcomed and comfortable. We will most definitely be back again... and again, and again! I think it's fair to say this is now also our new favorite "nicer" restaurants in the area, too! P.S. Don't sleep on their FRIES, omg. HOW do they make them SO GOOD?! They're perfection!!!

Shak's Mezza
Pete R.

We have been fans of Shak's for years now and decided to drop in for dinner again last night. We were not disappointed!! We started with a couple of selections from their cocktail list - Baghdaddy (mezcal, bitters, rosemary) and Day of Rest (a light and fruity mocktail). Both were delicious, a great way to start the meal. We decided to share the Shak's Mezza so we could enjoy a lot of different flavors. Hummus, baba ganoush, tzatziki, Kalamata olives, feta, some fresh warm pita and a few dolma. Everything was great, hard to pick a favorite but their falafel are the best I've had outside Tel Aviv. Service was friendly and attentive. They have a nice, bright dining room overlooking Main Street and plenty of outdoor seating.

The Spinach Pie with Tzatziki Dip -- so good!
Anna D.

Shaks has great food and a really cute ambiance. The falafel plate is delicious - they make them in little donut shapes vs balls so they're on the crispier side. I also love the spinach pies. The restaurant has a very cute date night feel at night. Dim, lanterns and fire pits and a really cute bar. The outdoor area is really cute and it's located in historic Vista on Main Street, which is really cute on the weekends.

Victoria M.

Superb Mediterranean cuisine in the heart of Vista, serving up delicious food, and friendly service. Their outside patio looked so cute and inviting, but it was a bit chilly outside so we opted to sit inside. The baba ganoush and hummus were both out of this world! I had the filet mignon kabob plate and thoroughly enjoyed putting the garlic dip on everything. My friend had the falafel plate and said it was one of the best she's ever had. A family owned business, we got to meet and talk to Mr Shak himself as we were leaving! Such a wonderful guy who obviously puts his heart and soul into his business!

They truly know how to make a great cocktail. And the food? Easily some of the best in San Diego. The Filet Mignon Kabab is incredibly juicy, perfectly cooked, and the portions are generous. This has become our go-to spot whenever we're craving really good food. Highly recommend!

Shawarma beef plate

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4 months ago

Great Mediterranean food. Twas all good by me. I think that I had a falafel sandwich and that little beast was magical!

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We love this place..such grat food. We love to hit this place up on our way to moonlight theatre.

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Ask the Community - Shaks Mediterranean Bistro

Do they offer bottomless mimosas during breakfast?

No. There is nothing about bottomless. This would be really cool if they did!

They have a seriously amazing house made hot sauce. Do they sell this by the bottle? If not, they should!

Yes they do sell their house-made hot sauce!

Does it offer halal menu?

https://www.shaksbistro.com/ is their website.

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Maan's Mediterranean Grill - Shawarma Steak Jumbo Wrap

Maan's Mediterranean Grill

3.8(563 reviews)
2.3 mi
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Tried this place for the first time yesterday and really enjoyed it. I live really close and have…read morepassed by many times and would always say I'll check it out and glad I finally did. The owner greeted me and was really kind. I ordered the spicy hummus, gyro wrap, and chicken kebab salad. It was all very flavorful. The tzatziki sauce was like no other and had a familiar taste I couldn't really hone in on what it was. I wish I grabbed more for my gyro because it was a pretty good size and was packed with meat. I've had many gyros in my day and I can say this one was well sized and also well priced for what you get. My wife's chicken kebab salad was also a hit. Not only was her chicken kebab very flavorful with Lebanese spices but the salad dressing it came with was also a very flavorful herby vinaigrette. I noticed there wasn't anybody inside the restaurant but it was also late. I also happened to notice that they had a lot of takeout orders ready to go. That tells me that this place is a real hit and many people come here for the cuisine. All in all, my wife loved the food and we will be returning again. I can see us getting food here more often.

This place has literally been down the street from me forever and I finally walked through the door…read moreand honestly, why did I wait so long? They have real shish kebabs with several protein options, and we went all in on the family platter. Yes, it's a little on the pricier side, but the flavors are absolutely there and it felt worth it. My one suggestion would be to ease up a little on the sauce portions. I'd love to have both hummus and sauce with the platter instead of just one giant bowl of one or the other. The rice and salad were tasty, the pita was fresh, and we'll definitely be back.

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Maan's Mediterranean Grill - Inside restaurant

Inside restaurant

Maan's Mediterranean Grill - Gyro sandwich

Gyro sandwich

Maan's Mediterranean Grill - Next to Cejas Mexican Diner

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Next to Cejas Mexican Diner

The Pita Guys - Chicken kebab salad - 2/5 expensive, barely any sauce and the cardinal sin was the dry chicken kebab

The Pita Guys

4.3(1.2k reviews)
6.3 mi
•$$

I love this place! Food is delicious. Would recommend to…read moreanyone, it's a little loud inside but if you're not eating there it doesn't matter. Staff is friendly. I did however have a bit a negative experience, picked up lunch couple days ago and got a chicken kabob bowl and as I bit into it noticed the chicken was undercooked. Didn't have time to go back and share with staff.

Why did I come here?…read more With a hunger for mediterranean and the worry that nearby Aria may be a bit too pricey for a quick meal, I brought my son out to The Pita Guys for some gyro or shawarma. What we found were limited options, higher than expected prices, less than helpful staff, and not the best of food. Being my first time, I had questions about the menu. The young pair behind the counter didn't seem to know what they were serving, as they kept looking at one another for guidance with little ability to give me much relevant info on anything other than what types or protein they had. Once I finally ordered, they started to taking and filling the orders of people behind me. It wasn't until a much older woman came in from the back before my own dinner started being prepared. Seriously, it was a pretty weird setup. The food was served Subway style, where they go down the line asking what you wanted added to your wrap. Shawarma meat is minced, staying warm in a tub, and scooped to order by a spoon resting in a bin of cloudy water. Not only did it feel a bit gross, but it also seemed that the bulk of the juice in the meat came from that watery spoon, as the shawarma I ate was very dry. When it came to my son's Shawarma Plate, the menu stated that it came with two sides. What they don't tell you is that the only choices on the 'sides' menu open to you are Hummus and a Salad. The much more desired sides of Falafel, Baba Ghanoush, or even kid friendly Fries, were not offered. Needless to say, my son ate his chicken and rice, but wouldn't touch his hummus. So, a Shawarma Plate and a Shawarma wrap ... dinner for two, not a ton of food, neither of us were all that impressed ... and it cost us over $40. Needless to say, with how everything tasted and what it took to get ... we won't be coming back. For the price it cost us, I think we'll stick with the far superior Aria up the street. Or, at the very least, try the Kebab Shop down the block.

Photos
The Pita Guys - Menu

Menu

The Pita Guys - This is a "large" bowl for $17. Pretty sad considering you can buy an entire rotisserie chicken at any grocery store for like $6-10.

This is a "large" bowl for $17. Pretty sad considering you can buy an entire rotisserie chicken at any grocery store for like $6-10.

The Pita Guys - Storefront exterior

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Storefront exterior

Pita's Mediterranean Grill - Chicken Kebab Plate

Pita's Mediterranean Grill

4.0(546 reviews)
8.4 mi
•$$

Pita's Mediterranean Grill is seriously one of my favorite spots in San Marcos. I've been coming…read morehere since I was a kid, and it's been consistently good for as long as I can remember. They've been open over 20 years and it definitely shows. Today I got the falafel plate, chicken kebab plate, and chicken shawarma plate, and everything was so good. Super flavorful, very authentic, and really affordable. I'm on a health journey right now and this place is perfect. Fresh food that actually fills you up and makes you feel good. Service is always on point. The owner is usually there working, and all the employees are incredibly sweet and welcoming. They're also really quick, so you're never waiting forever for your food. I've had their rice pudding and baklava before too and both are great dessert options if you still have room. If you're looking for solid Mediterranean food with great service and fair prices, this place is a must. Can't wait to come back!

I'd give it a 4.5 if I could…read more Super nice guy. Fast service. Explanied the ingredients to my vegan GF. Food was good but didn't blow me away. I had the low carb plate with mixed chicken and beef which was well constructed, but the beef was a little on the tough side - had to it to again I'd go with the chicken. My GF had the falafel bowl, and the owner gave her 2-3 different dipping sauces - nice touch. She was really pleased. Yes ... I'd go again!

Photos
Pita's Mediterranean Grill - Inside

Inside

Pita's Mediterranean Grill - Chicken Shawarma Plate

Chicken Shawarma Plate

Pita's Mediterranean Grill - Chicken Shawarma Plate

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Chicken Shawarma Plate

Shaks Mediterranean Bistro - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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