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

Wally's, a Lebanese spot hidden in Emeryville, truly is a gem! We decided to stop by after about 15 years 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! read more

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If you want, are you feeling and delicious meal, This is the spot. This place is very unassuming, but it serves one of the best Mediterranean dishes ever. The the workers are very nice too and would serve you dessert and complimentary lentil soup in the beginning that are extremely delicious. Their plates are so big, You can probably feed two people... If I were in the area I would go here all the time! read more

Wally's Cafe - Chicken plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - Emeryville, California

Yummy food and super kind staff, they even gave us free app and dessert ! A little outdoor seating and some indoor seating, pretty cool watching them cook everything read more

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4.5 stars $25.38 for Moroccan mint lemonade, lamb beef gyro, and a side of fried onion rings. Free lentil soup starter and home made baklava was just so welcome and unexpected, it made me instantly like this place. The gyro was fine but I would have wanted it more intensely seasoned. The lentil soup was delicious as was the lemonade and baklava. The service was 5 stars. read more

Wally's Cafe - Lamb beef gyro with onion rings, homemade baklava, Moroccan mint lemonade - Middle Eastern Near Me - Emeryville, California

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We planned to try Oasis Kitchen, but when we arrived it was closed for painting and there was no notice on their website. To avoid a wasted drive from the South Bay, we went to Wally's Cafe instead. Wally's food was delicious, in my opinion, and the meal was prepared by non Middle Eastern; some family members who lived in Saudi had expected spit-roasted meat and a more traditional Middle Eastern presentation. If you want authentic rotisserie-style shawarma and a Middle Eastern cooking style, this might not meet that expectation, but if you're after tasty food and a solid fallback after a surprise closure, Wally's is a good choice IMO. read more

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A little confusing to get to because it's in an alley but it's next to a bar. There's some outside seating in the alley leading to the entrance of the restaurant. Inside it's cozy and there's a U-shaped counter around the kitchen. We ordered on an iPad and sat at the counter. We immediately were given a small bowl of lentil soup. It was okay. The mint lemonade was definitely my favorite. Very refreshing. Our entrees came out and the portions were huge! The veggie sampler had a good variety and everything was super fresh. The rice on the combo plate was fluffy but the winner of the night was the pomegranate chicken. It had like a sweet taste to it but it wasn't overpowering. I loved that I had leftovers and they reheated nicely the next day. The baklava was stale in our opinion. It definitely needed improvement. There was a private party at the bar next door and they were doing karaoke so it was loud and a bit chaotic because the door is shared and was opened between the two establishments. I did notice there was a lot of to go orders. read more

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Food is excellent. I've been in person and order it to my house, it always tastes good. I like the pickles side, falafel wrap, pomegranate chicken, and the lentils. Everything always tastes fresh, portions are also good. read more

Good food. Not good value. And poor attention to service/order checking. Ambiance is ok. Unless you sit at the counter, this is a place with no real service other than food prep as everything is on the iPad order/pay model. As we ordered to go, there was no human interaction until the food was handed to us. The person handing us our bag was pleasant enough. First the Good: The food was delicious. We ordered a vegetarian platter/sampler which gave a small portion of all their veggie hits (2 dolma, 2 falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, tabbouleh salad, 2 small Kalamata olives, and salad) + 2 extra sauces; the lamb kebab plate (2 lamb skewers, subbed salad instead of rice, and tzatziki sauce). Both came with a side of warm pita, and a small container of lentil soup. Finally, I also ordered a side of fries. We were handed our food in a bag and took our bag to go so we could eat at home. I loved the variety on the veggie platter. Everything tasted fresh and had distinct flavors. Seasoning was on point from the dolma to the falafel to the dips. Tabouleh salad was more parsley than bulgur, and a little wetter than I like, but still good. Pita definitely came in handy with the dips. Portions weren't huge, but I was full from my dinner. Didn't even touch the lentil soup. Husband similarly liked his skewered lamb. It was well flavored, albeit a little chewier/drier than he prefers. But it wasn't tough. His mixed salad instead of rice was same as mine, and he enjoyed it. Now the Bad: Bad Thing #1 The place was NOT busy when we arrived at about 730pm. Only one other customer was there waiting. When our order was ready, it was already bagged so we picked it up and headed back home. When we sat to eat, there were no fries in the bag. Something like that is super frustrating. Normally I would shrug it off, but my frustration was compounded by Bad Thing #2. Bad Thing #2 Two dinner plates + fries + tip rang in at $80.25 ($63.95 subtotal + tax + a $10 tip). I feel like I ate well. But I don't feel like either of our plates was in the $30 per plate range. Mine was all veggies. Husband's subbed salad for what I would presume to be the more expensive rice pilaf didn't come with a price adjustment. And then there's the missing $6.00 fries. I hate the feeling of enjoying the food but then feeling angry about the value (especially in this economy) and the crappy customer service in not double checking the order. Yeah, I saw the prices while ordering and could have just not ordered and gone somewhere else. Hindsight is 20:20. I just can't make the math math on the value proposition with this take out model. And before someone barks about the labor and service bundled into the prices, I'll point out again that there's no customer service beyond handing you a bag of food at the end. No greeting, no customer interaction. Just an iPad instead of a server and a bag handover thats not even cross-checked. I really wanted to like this place but the combos of bad #1 & #2 on my first visit overshadow the good. There are other options. read more

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My God, my first time here and tried the Chicken Gyro, it was sooooo delicious! Super filling and no greedy portion! I will be back soon! Thank you to the Chef, I am so glad I found a truly yummy Shawarma spot! I loooooved the complimentary lentil soup in the beginning and as dessert their baklava! There's no other place that does this today! I plan to be back with my fam soon! (Its always my Latinos cooking in the kitchen-- gracias, por ustedes) Much love! read more

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We ordered delivery from Wally's and it was pretty quick especially given the distance! Husband and I each got a gyro wrap. The wraps were a little soggy but probably just due to transport. Each also came with a small piece of baklava and lentil soup! I haven't tried the soup before but it was flavorful and very filling. The wrap was pretty generous in terms of portion and pretty yummy. Looking forward to trying Wally's in person soon! read more

Decent food, not amazing, but great service and huge portions. I'm all about flavor and I felt that the lamb was too try and so was the falafel. The salad was plain and so were the side veggies. They had an old school diner feel about this place. I just don't think the flavor profile is what I'm looking for. I like spices and flavorful meat that's easy to chew and creamy and good tasting hummus and side dishes and I didn't find that here. I couldn't drink their overly salted complimentary veggie soup either. I can see why people give this 4 stars because of the portions, but this place a place I'd come back to. 3 stars for average. read more

Wally's Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Emeryville, California

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It was a fantastic café! The shawarma was absolutely delicious. The portion was very large! They also treated us to lentil soup and baklava at no extra charge, which was such a nice touch. I'd definitely come back again! read more

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The food is amazing. I had the kofta kabobs and the flavors meshed so well together, there were spices that I've never tasted together, thinking I've already tried all the combinations (I'm Pakistani/Afghani). My wife ordered the beef shawarma plate, which also looked amazing. I had a bite of hers, and with the tomatos they cooked with the beef, it was also flavorful (though, I preferred my kofta more). The service was great. The restaurant is a cute one, with the seating being a bar-style and the cooks right behind the counter. The servers gave me and my wife complimentary lentil soup--which tasted great! I've gotta figure out how to recreate it at home, hahaha. They also surprised my wife and I with baklava at the end of our meal. The flavors here are no doubt some of the best middle-eastern food in the Bay. 5/5. Workers were also super sweet. I didn't catch their names, but we went on 4/14/26, the deserve praise for their kindness. :) read more

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First and foremost, don't get lost like I did, so make sure you go to the alleyway to the right of the bar! Walked in and was greeted by old, platform, bar-style seating which was kinda cool! Ordering was extremely easy using their tablet and service was speedy. For dinner, we ordered the combo beef and chicken shawarma plate with extra pita and a cup of lentil soup. WOAH the portions here are generous- our plate came with a heaaaaping portion of rice lol. Compliments to the cooks because our meal was fabulous. At the end, we were served two little pieces of baklava (previously believed I've already had the best baklava of my life), but this one was ACTUALLY perfect. It was my ideal, not too sweet slice! Will come back to visit Wally's SoCal locations. 10/10 read more

Excellent, tasty food from an extensive menu. Best service anywhere! Very efficient. The restaurant itself, while intimate indoors is sweet and the outdoor seating is colorful as well as ample. This is my new favorite lunch place read more

After hearing so much positive feedback about Wally's, I was excited to try! I went with a friend for dinner, and we had a good experience. At first, we had a walk around the block to find the restaurant, but when we did, it was a good hole in the wall area! The place itself is fairly small with not a lot of seating. Luckily, when we came, there was no line and we placed our order on the kiosk. I got the Grilled Chicken Shawarma and it was okay. I felt like the overall flavor was fine, but it was not a special wrap. I wonder if their plate dishes would be better. The lentil soup was hearty, however, and their baba ganoush was fine. In my opinion, the baba ganoush tasted a little burnt? or too charred for my liking. Regardless, I had a fine experience and would not mind coming back to try a different dish. read more

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Great restaurant for lunch or dinner. The ambiance is very pleasant. The chicken shawarma is off the hook. The fries, mint-black currant lemonade, and baklava are spectacular. If you like shawarma, fries, lemonade, and baklava, Wally's Cafe is the place to go. Highly recommended! read more

Wally's Café was incredible. I loved everything about this place. The lemonades were so refreshing, the soup was comforting, and the baklava was perfect. And the hummus... genuinely the best hummus I've ever had in my life. Bri, I'm not kidding, it was unreal. We ordered the pomegranate chicken, the regular chicken, and the beef shawarma, and every single dish was amazing. Everything was flavorful, fresh, and done so well. The space itself feels kind of random in the best way, like you're inside someone's kitchen, which honestly makes it feel even more special and homey. And the fact that this spot is ranked #6 on Yelp in the entire country is actually wild. Right in our backyard. A GEM! read more

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I had to give this a try after seeing all the positive recognitions here! It's a literal hole in the wall, so good thing I looked up the exact location beforehand. But once inside, there's plenty of counter seats, and you can now order on a tablet and pay with card. I ordered a chicken shawarma wrap ($13.99). The price seems about average for the area, but I was surprised to also receive a complimentary lentil soup and piece of baklava! The homemade baklava was nice in particular. As for the chicken shawarma wrap, I actually wish they went heavier on the garlic sauce - it's my favorite part haha. The flavors in the chicken itself were different from what I was expecting or used to, but very flavorful nonetheless. I personally prefer the style at Shawarmaji in Oakland, which is more similar to most other shawarmas I've had. Perhaps it's a different regional flavor? Either way, I still think this is a great value lunch spot to try! read more

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In my previous review, I had lamented how the quality seemed to have fallen a bit and I'm happy to say that this was not the case when I went recently. Perhaps my last few visits had been on off days but my latest few visits were a completely different experience. Just like last time, I ordered a gyro and fries online and the order came out just like I remembered it from years past. It was flavourful, tender, not dry. The fries were cooked well but had definitely lost a little bit of crisp which was expected given this was a takeaway order and it took me 15 minutes to get home after pick-up. Their meals always comes with an amazing lentil soup and baklava that is not too sweet. Prices might seem high, but the portion of food they give you could easily feed 2 people. If you live in the East Bay and are indecisive about dinner. Wally's a great option if you're feeling for some Mediterranean food. read more

This spot is a hole in the wall! Upon walking in you order on a tablet and then take a seat around the island. The server was so kind, and gave us complementary lentil soup & baklava! * Lentil Soup - 7/10 (my first time trying lentil soup, very hearty) * Beef & Lamb Gyros Wrap - 7.5/10 (i think the wrap came together really well. the beef and lamb gyro was tasty, but nothing too special in my opinion. i liked how fluffy the pita bread was & i appreciated the amount of lettuce given. the tzatziki sauce added a good amount of acidity & the ratio was good) * Baba Ghannouj - 8/10 (i liked how light the dip was & the roasted eggplant flavor really shined through. however, i am not a fan of the pita bread that was given to dip with. it was dry & not the fluffy pita i usually prefer) * Homemade Baklava - 7.3/10 (i liked how light & airy the layers were, but i do wish there was more filling since it was a bit dry) Overall, the service was nice & the portions are generous for the price! Glad we tried it, but I do think this place is average for good Mediterranean/Greek food. read more

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Hidden Gem! Wally's Café is absolutely fantastic! One of the best falafels I've ever had in my life, perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The place is small and cozy, but the service is warm, welcoming, and full of heart. You can really tell they care about their food and their customers. Don't miss the lentil soup -- it's delicious and full of flavor! Everything here feels homemade and made with love. Definitely one of those little spots you'll want to come back to again and again. read more

Wally's Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Emeryville, California

Oh my God, Wally! Who is this Wally?! Where did he learn to cook? They have fantastic hamburgers, which is kind of fun because they're Mediterranean restaurant The pomegranate chicken plate will blow your mind. Everything actually will blow your mind, they got it down over there. They give you lentil soup with your meal as a free add-on, which is a sweet touch. Your baklava is delicate, yet dense honey goodness Been here at least a dozen times at this point, and I've always just been stoked with my meal. Can be a little tricky to find as it is down a narrow pathway next to a bank. Just follow your GPS. read more

Came across this place on a whim and it was great! Small place but you can tell they care about their food. Had the gyro and the lentil soup. Very tasty! Thank you Wally's. read more

Hidden little hole in the wall off San Pablo Ave, right across from Pac n Save. I had Doordashed their food in the past and enjoyed it, I happen to be starving and in the area. Wasn't sure what to expect since it's down a little alley lined with dumpsters...Do not let that stop you! Awesome place! It's small, about 25-ish seats total, all around a large "U" shaped counter. They start you off with some tasty lentil soup (complimentary). My Dad and I shared a Chicken Shawarma plate, which was so giant the 2 of us couldn't even finish it - and I was starving! They gave us Baklava for dessert (also complimentary). All the food was fantastic, the chicken was juicy, the rice was soft, the sauces were on point. I highly recommend their mint lemonade...soooo good and refreshing! I will absolutely be back! read more

Wally's always hits. This Wally's location is super small compared to the roseville location, with only the counter/bar having 12 seats and 2-3 tables outside. Super obscure spot, connected to a bar. We ordered on a kiosk, and the food started coming out quickly. They let us turn on the lamp outside to stay warm as well which was very nice. I got the combo plate with beef shawarma and the pomegranate chicken for $22. It comes with lentil soup and baklava. Plate was great, the rice seemed a little greasier at this location. The chicken was super good, I usually prefer beef over chicken but this chicken was amazing. Beef shawarma was really good as well. read more

Wally's Cafe - Combo Plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - Emeryville, California

LOVE Wally's! Feels like a mom and pop shop with huge portions and affordable prices. There is limited seating at this location so would recommend takeout here. My friend and I shared a chicken shawarma plate and some babaganoush and could not finish! Everything was so flavorful and delicious. They even gave us some lentil soup and baklava on the house! read more

Wally's Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Emeryville, California

Ordered the gyro wrap with a side of onion rings and fries. My friend ordered the chicken plate and that portion was huge. They gave us soup and dessert with our meal. Service was pretty good, we got seated once we entered, and got to order on an iPad. Vibes are pretty casual, Would definitely come back again. read more

Wally's Cafe - Menu - Middle Eastern Near Me - Emeryville, California

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The portions here are insane. Every plate is easily 2 meals for me, comes with salad and lentils over rice as well. The quality of the food is top notch. Wallys is in my top ten favorite restaurants in the east bay easily. read more

This restaurant is somewhat hidden. There's a gate that goes through the back of the building and that's where the restaurant is. Quite a small space, but the food is perfect for a takeout meal. I ordered the combo plate with beef and chicken. For $25, the quantity lasted me for three meals. Both meats were well seasoned. The pita seemed like it's been out for a while, but that's pretty much only the small con for me. They prepared the food really fast. It only took about 10 minutes of a wait. This restaurant is highly rated for good reasons, and I definitely recommend! read more

Ordered the beef shawarma. First bite and I got it--this is the good stuff. The beef is perfectly juicy, shaved thin with those crispy, seasoned edges. It's packed with flavor, not dry at all. Comes wrapped in warm, soft flatbread with garlic sauce, pickles, and fresh tomatoes. The garlic sauce is killer--creamy and garlicky without being overpowering. Simple spot, quick service, under $10. This isn't a fancy platter, it's a perfect handheld meal. Best shawarma I've had in a while. Will be back too soon. Go for the beef. You won't be disappointed. read more

The space is in a small tucked away corner. I actually missed the main entrance and thought it was a bank. I am glad I backpedaled to find it. Amazing food and authentic flavors. Got it to go and they gave me an extra baklava. read more

What a little hidden gem. We got veggie plates and they were outstanding. Their portions were substantial. The folks that got meat dishes next to us basically got two meals worth of food. It looked incredible. This place is unpretentious, small and we will definitely go back to try other dishes. I loved how Smokey the baba ganoush was. I think someone mentioned it tasting burnt, but I love that taste. The dolmas made me want a plate of them. Can't wait to go back. read more

Wally's Cafe - Hand for size on this veggie plates - Middle Eastern Near Me - Emeryville, California

Surprisingly crowded and not very easy to navigate if you use a walker or wheelchair. I managed to sit down before realizing the order tablet was 3 ft away from my seat and fixed to the counter. Luckily a customer helped me order. I ordered the falafel plate. Lots of fresh salad tossed with a fresh vinaigrette was delicious. A side of hummus, delicious falafels (slightly overdone but tasty) and pita bread. The meal was very filling and more than satisfying. I would go back and be prepared to navigate the counter seating! The ambiance was nice with friendly helpful customers. Sitting at the counter gives you a bird's eye view of the preparations in the kitchen. The staff is efficient and quick about the food getting to customers quickly. I will go back to try the highly recommended Pomegranate Chicken Plate. read more

Wally's Cafe - Falafel Plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - Emeryville, California

The falafel, hummus, pita and many other items are just fantastic! The best Middle Eastern food in the East Bay by far. Service is warm and welcoming the ambience is nice and comfortable and quiet. Highly recommend! read more

I've driven by this place a zillion times and wouldn't have known about it if it weren't for Yelp. The entrance is a short alley off of San Pablo Ave. I ordered the falafel plate, which included a lentil soup starter, 5 good size falafel, hummus, tahini dressing, a large salad and pita bread. Everything was excellent. The falafel were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and seasoned perfectly. The server gave me a complimentary dessert. I don't know if that's typical so don't expect it. The restaurant seating inside is at a U-shaped counter and there are a few tables outside. Parking on San Pablo Ave. is hit or miss and I parked on Adeline. Service was fast and friendly. Highly recommended. read more

Small restaurant with a mom and pop vibe. Only 2 tables outside for seating, and inside is one singular bar-type table in a U-shape. Not busy on a Saturday afternoon. Looked like most people who were dropping by were picking up online orders. My friend and I shared the chicken pomegranate plate. It came with lentil soup which was alright but it was free so can't complain! The plate came with rice, salad, tzatziki sauce, garlic sauce, and pita. The chicken was delicious. It was juicy, tender, and went so well with the flavorful rice. I loved the garlic sauce too!! The pita was a bit too dry/tough for my liking so I preferred the plate without it. At the end, the server (owner?) brought us 2 pieces of baklava. It was so flaky and delicious. Baklava is one of my favorite desserts so this was a very pleasant ending to the meal. Service was 100/10, the server was so kind and welcoming. All the employees here were so generous and friendly. read more

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Great service - ?owner always so friendly even when it's so incredibly busy. They now take credit card (woot) but that also means they're busier so be patient and wait! We got complementary lentil soup and baklava and they really just round out the meal. A year since my last review and we still loved everything about this place! read more

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Typically I'm a bit slow to review, but I had to make an exception here. I recently went to Wally's Cafe with some friends for lunch, and we were very impressed. I ordered the chicken pomegranate plate, which was recommended by fellow reviewers, and I'm glad I followed suit. The chicken was tangy and flavorful, complemented by the pilaf and rice. My friends like the beef and lamb gyro, too. The portions were reasonable for the price. As good as the food was, the service was even better. The staff is extremely friendly and generous, providing complimentary lentil soup while we were ordering the entrees and some lovely pieces of baklava (also free) once we were ready to pay. They kindly answered our questions and made requested adjustments. When walking in, I noticed the "3-time Yelp Top 100" proclamation, but I still wanted to be fair in my judgment. But now I can see how they earned it. read more

Wally's Cafe - Chicken pomegranate plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - Emeryville, California