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    Zait & Zaatar

    4.1 (136 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Zait & Zaatar Takeout or Delivery

    Zait & Zaatar Photos

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    ZAIT & ZAATAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Zait & Zaatar

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    Menu
    Thomas T.

    Omg!!! Some of the BEST Middle Eastern food I've had in a very long time. Dayum. Bomb food!!! Right away we were greeted with smiles and witnessed a very lively kitchen with tender meats being cooked on a vertical rotisserie and a hot oven with delicious pita breads being baked inside it. We decided we wanted to go all out and get literally every dish. We were super hungry, wanted to take home leftovers so we didn't hold back! We ordered a ton of dishes to share and try The appetizers were phenomenal. The Pita Bread was fresh and warm, hummus was perfect, tzatziki was phenomenal as was the flat breads, and fried cheese. To die for! TAKE NOTE: The Beef Arayes was by far my favorite appetizer. Super tasty! Next would be the Beef Shawarma Arabi. Definitely get this dish! The pickles and tahini sauce made this dish over the top! The main dishes were also amazing. We all got a mix of Beef and Chicken Shawarma's, salads, rice and more hummus. Got a chicken Shawarma wrap as well as some pita pockets with amazing fillings inside. Finished the night with a a delicious Nutella dessert we all shared. This place is on another level of food quality. It was all hot, not too salty, not too bland but just perfect. Fresh, filling and just the right portion sizes. Their pomegranate sauce is SUPER DELICIOUS! As was their garlic sauce, and tahini sauces that came with the entrees. Very casual atmosphere. Some of the customers started to sing and dance with the workers. Everyone just had a great time. Two very clean bathrooms as well. One for men and one for women. This is located in a very nice plaza with plenty of parking. Will definitely be back. Highly recommend eating here. 10 stars all the way.

    Alina S.

    Amazing food, service, and music. What more could you want? Plenty seating inside or outside right in the front. The staff is super friendly and attentive and there are so many options to choose from. We will go definitely go back.

    Chelsea V.

    I was excited to see another Lebanese place open in Orange County since there aren't many around, so I stopped in to try it. The restaurant itself felt authentic, and the man making the food was very nice. Would I say it's the best Lebanese food I've had? No. The falafel wasn't very flavorful and didn't seem fully cooked. The chicken was fine but could have been seasoned better. The labneh was very good and had the right amount of flavor and garlic. If I went back, I don't think I'd order the same dishes, but I'd be open to trying something else.

    1.19.26- Chicken Shawerma plate
    Kim I.

    We finally decided to check this place out and it didn't disappoint. The food, oh man, the quality and taste is really superb. Nothing was dry, or overly salted. I can see why the other location in Anaheim gets overly packed but not here.. at least when we came. I love the location, plenty of parking, so much space to dine inside and outside. Post meal the kids can run around in the park above. What more can you ask for? The gal who took our order was polite and patient with us as first timers here, so thank you for that. When you walk inside, it's decorated nicely, music is a plus and everything is made fresh as each plate arrived on our table so warm. Our kids enjoyed it and that's always a win for us as they can be picky at times. We are excited to have you here in our area and hope to come back soon. The hummus here.. incredibly smooth and creamy still having dreams about it..

    Karen G.

    This popped up on my feed and since it hasn't been open that long, I was curious to check it out. I met up with a girlfriend who lives just up the street and happy we did!Heads up: it's a little tucked away between Buffalo Wild Wings and the Edwards movie theater, my friend had a hard time locating it at first but once you find it, it's worth it! We ordered the halloumi cheese and the veggie combo platter, while my gf went with the chicken shawarma. Portions were generous, everything tasted super fresh, and we loved watching dishes come out piping hot from their gas-fired brick stone oven. I gotta say, you can really taste the difference! The space itself isn't very big, but they do offer outdoor seating, which is a nice option. The staff were friendly, helpful, fast, and efficient. Pro tip: you order and pay first, there's no traditional server taking orders, which actually makes this a perfect place for quick meals and takeout. Super casual vibe, reasonably priced, and solid food all around. We'll definitely be back!

    Linda F.

    What a fantastic restaurant! My husband and I have eaten here twice so far and both times the customer service and food have been 5 star! Everyone has been kind, patient, friendly and prompt and the food so fresh, delicious! The garlic sauce or toum is authentic and flavorful, the beef shawarma has always been tender and moist. Serving sizes are generous and all the sides are excellent as well. The ambiance and decor is cozy and clean. Glad to have this establishment close by when I'm craving beef shawarma with strong garlic sauce!

    Sheesh tawook $21
    Arshad H.

    My 1100th review is for Zait & Zaatar's 2nd location which opened up in Aliso Viejo. Their Anaheim location has been a popular Lebanese eatery for over 15 years and they specialize in manoucheh (baked flat breads). I have already paid them several visits and have been impressed each time. Kafta Arayes ($13) - This was a grilled pita pocket stuffed with seasoned ground beef, onions, and spices. It was so flavorful and quickly became one of my favorites. Combo Lebanese Manoucheh ($8) - This thinly baked flat bread was topped with zaatar and 4 kinds of cheeses. Loved the taste of this comforting and aromatic dish. Chicken Shawarma Arabi ($15) - Marinated chicken, fries, pickles and delicious garlic sauce highlighted this wrap. This chicken was so flavorful. Beef Shawarma Arabi ($15) - This thin wrap consisted of thinly sliced beef, tomato, onion, parsley, pickles and tahini sauce. The beef was so juicy and tender and definitely preferred this over the chicken one. Sheesh Tawook ($21) - This consisted of grilled chicken breast, garlic paste, pickles, hummus, salad, rice and 2 fresh baked small pita breads. Overall, I really enjoyed the flat breads here and would get them along with the arayes and beef shawarma. They have patio seating as well as indoor seating. It does get packed, and most customers get their food to go.

    Combo Kabob Plate
    Ann L.

    Lebanese food done right! From the staff being super welcoming and cheerful to the great music playing to the tasty dishes, this is the place to be. I had a wonderful experience here on a night out. Since it was our first time, I asked for suggestions and ended up getting way too much. Nonetheless everything was delicious! We tried some of their most popular dishes: Lebanese Pizza - supreme pizza on steroids Combo Kabob Plate - as everything you need Chicken Shawarma Arabi - perfect on the go meal Fresh creamy Hummus - the best hummus I've had But the one you cannot leave without... the Halva Wrap (Halawah) -- sweet, nutty, and the perfect ending. The nostalgia I got from all these dishes earned a spot in my heart for sure! Come hungry as the portions are definitely family style and won't break the bank! If you love bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and meals that hit every craving... this spot needs to be on your list.

    Nathalie C.

    Had the worst experience of my life here. Came in last Friday at around 7pm. Few other tables but nothing crazy. Ordered at 7:07, the food did not come out before 8 pm. We had them remake a sandwich 3 times because they keep putting the wrong stuff in it. I asked for my shwarma wrap with extra pickles and tomato but they gave it to me bland just meat, same did with other orders. We ordered 2 arabi sandwiches and they didn't give us fries they just gave us the side u see in the pic. We kept telling them to make the sandwiches and they kept making them Wrong that we gave up and asked for a plate of tomatoes and pickles and we fixed it ourselves. Very unprofessional very messy, not to mention the workers started fighting and cussing each other out. It was horrible, the service and the food are really bad, wasted 60$ I should have eaten at McDonald's. Do better

    Menu
    Winny K.

    A gem of a place for Lebanese food! So glad that OC has a nice option. Service is friendly and helpful, especially if you need recommendations on what to order. My favorite thing so far from Zait & Zaatar is hands down the Kafta Areyes. This is a must order for my every visit. Absolutely love the grilled, spiced meat-stuffed pita bread that is grilled until crispy. The kafta meat was seasoned well and the pita bread had the most delightful texture reminiscent of a crispy scallion pancake. Ambiance is casual but has some really cool decorations and music. We had a great dinner here so I'm sure we'll be back again soon.

    Maritza S.

    The food is delicious and the portions are decent. The service is not overly friendly but they are efficient. I highly recommend the Chicken Shawerma plate if you want to start with a sample of what this place offers. You'll get chicken, salad, hummus and freshly baked bread. FYI they do not have free tap water. They sell water bottles and other canned and bottled beverages.

    Chicken Shawerma Bowl
    Gina H.

    Good and service was good their food portion is perfect. Food flavors like home made food I really enjoyed it! The kofta bowl could've used more sauce but the Philly and the chicken schwarma bowl were delish

    Chicken Shawerma Plate
    Rt C.

    Great taste, nice presentation, fresh and hot. There are so many choices. Next time we will come with friends so we can try everything. :)

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    Food was amazing, new favorite restaurant. I ordered the veggie plate and chicken shawarma both were fantastic

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Zait & Zaatar

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    Barbonzai Lebanese Eatery - Cheese flatbread. Because cheese.

    Barbonzai Lebanese Eatery

    4.6(579 reviews)
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    My friends thought their meals were dry and underseasoned. Most of our food, especially the falafel…read moreand rice, were served lukewarm and didn't taste super fresh. I was hoping the leftover falafel would taste better the next day, but sadly, it didn't. Chicken and beef kabob were decent. Kinda bummed how they didn't have some sort of combo bowl. You'd have to buy extra meat if you wanted to try different meats together. The extras and sides were quite pricey, too. We also tried a variety of flatbreads. The spinach and cheese was our favorite. We liked the zataar one, and the meat with jalapenos was just ok. The thick creamy garlic sauce went well with the thin, crispy flatbreads, while the runny white sauce tasted bland and slightly bitter (unpleasant with everything, to be honest). Overall, the food is fine, but I wouldn't go again. A few tables were available inside the small, simple-looking shop, but it felt a bit awkward eating there. Staff were not very attentive, but once we got their attention, they were helpful.

    A great local spot, everything made to order…read more I've been here twice and ordered the falafel bowl and tabbouleh both times. The tabbouleh is awesome - this is pretty much identical to mine so of course I would love it. The first time I came, I got the spicy falafel; The second time I got the regular. Just based on those two visits, I would recommend the regular. The spicy wasn't actually really spicy, and the patties were almost burnt. It tells you how good everything was that I still came back though. Second visit I got the regular patties and I really really enjoyed the bowl. Every ingredient is fresh and delicious, tahini is great, and there's a shaker of zataar for seasoning on the counter. Great prices, great owner, great food. Big thumbs up. Gotta try one of the fresh made flatbreads or wraps next time.

    Photos
    Barbonzai Lebanese Eatery - Yellow falafel bowl!

    Yellow falafel bowl!

    Barbonzai Lebanese Eatery - Falafel wrap on our freshly baked bread. It awaits it's union with our tahini sauce.

    Falafel wrap on our freshly baked bread. It awaits it's union with our tahini sauce.

    Barbonzai Lebanese Eatery - Green falafel bowl with it's complimentary cilantro tahini sauce!

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    The Olives Branch - Back of the Dining Room

    The Olives Branch

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    I was craving falafel, I am from Egypt, so I'm used to falafel made with fava beans, but it's OK I…read morecan still enjoy the falafel made with chickpeas. I went there for lunch and the falafel were light not greasy very fresh and the pickles underneath was so yummy. I just have one suggestion, anyway the chef can consider adding some cumin and coriander to the mix and maybe a little more herbs such as cilantro I would love to come back and bring my family and try some of your other dishes specially kebe Thank you

    Wow! My mom and I were pleasantly surprised. We sat inside and it was gorgeous! We were greeted by…read morethe waiter and he was so great during our entire lunch! We had water and iced tea to drink. The iced tea was refreshing. I had finished up a 3 hour research trip walking around Mission SJC, so refreshing is an understatement. To start off, we had spinach fatayer, grape leaves, fried eggplant, and cheese fatayer. I loved the cheese fatayer! It was crispy and the cheese inside was delicious. I also added on a soup to my filet mignon shish kabob entree. I asked the waiter if the kitchen could cut my kabob into small pieces because my wrist is broken and I am unable to use a knife. He was understanding and the meat arrived in perfect bite sized pieces. The meat was so tender and seasoned appropriately. The pita and hummus were great too. My mom had the salmon, which she enjoyed. The waiter gave us personal service that triumphs over impersonal interactions at other restaurants. For dessert, my mom and I both ordered the chocolate pistachio fudge cake with a side of ice cream. Oh my! It was DELICIOUS! I remember telling my mom "thank god I was just at a church because forgive me father for I have sinned". It was decadent and rich. I even took some home and it held up well the next day. Additionally, the whole ambiance was very welcoming and chic. I really liked the light fixtures and the bathroom was very clean and elegant. Overall, my mom and I had an amazing lunch! Anytime we're back in SJC, we will be returning.

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    The Olives Branch - Front Patio

    Front Patio

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    The Olives Branch - Theiir outside patio for people wanting to do hookah.

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    Bei Restaurant

    Bei Restaurant

    4.6(326 reviews)
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    The food is amazing and the service is great. My wife asked about a drink that wasn't on the menu…read moreand they didn't have it but our server mixed it up for her. Lebanese style falafels are the best and this place nails it. I commented to my wife how beautiful the chicken had come out, the colors, little black charred corners and edges from the fire, golden reflection on the glaze. It is not cheap but worth every penny. Our server was great and we can't wait to go back. The place is so unassuming from the outside and beautiful on the inside.

    I recommend coming early to secure a parking spot in the lot or scout for parking in the…read moreneighborhood close by. I was lucky enough to get the last spot in the lot. We had reservations and our tables were ready early before our time so we were able to sit there and wait for the rest of the party. The menu is pretty extensive with a good variety of cold and hot appetizers and meats. The prices were also reasonable. We opted for the dinner package, which came with choices of 3 cold appetizers, 3 hot appetizers, salad, 3 choices of meat, and rice for $55 per person plus tax and gratuity. The belly dancing show started at 8:30pm and was entertaining. The dancer really engaged with the audience. I was sitting in a far corner and thought I was hidden from her view, but she came over, started dancing next to me, and got me to do a slight shimmy along with her. It was fun. My only complaint is the waitress was a bit much. We already ordered a lot of food, mind you, but every opportunity she had, she kept pushing to order more and then mentioned there would be an extra charge. She also wanted to charge us for 8 people even though we had 7 people at the table.

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    Bei Restaurant
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    House of Cedar - Lebanese Restaurant - Stickers for to-go orders

    House of Cedar - Lebanese Restaurant

    4.5(66 reviews)
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    Interesting their name has "Restaurant" but it's more of a to-go shop than a dine-in place…read more Picking up my food was an interesting experience. No one at the counter. Turns out multiple food shops occupy this location. You'll have to ring the Ring doorbell of the shop you ordered from. Likes: + Yummy food. I liked the variety of flavors and textures in my order. + Pleasant, modern ambience. . The shop will seem like it's in the middle of nowhere, but rest assured, your food is at Ste F. Non-likes: - Somewhat expensive. I don't think the cup of simple-looking lentil soup was worth $6. - Very limited seating. - Inconveniently located in the middle of nowhere. I had: $6 Crushed lentil cup + $19.55 Kafta plate + tax - 1-time ChowNow discount = 24.77

    I absolutely love Lebanese food even more so than my native Persian cuisine, so when I heard about…read morean authentic Lebanese spot in Irvine, I knew I had to give it a try. Before you visit, keep these things in mind: 1. This is a ghost kitchen, not a full-service restaurant. It's best for takeout and delivery. There are only a few chairs outside--just four in total. 2. Ordering is entirely self-service via a digital kiosk, with no staff on hand to assist you. 3. There are no bathrooms available anywhere on-site. Regarding the food, it was just okay-- a bit underwhelming, especially given that Lebanese cuisine is typically so flavorful. The chicken was dry, the hummus lacked depth, and the rice was bland. That said, the fattoush salad, one of my favorites, was very good, with a delicious dressing. Overall, I can't say I'd return. The prices were quite high for the portions, and the quality didn't meet my expectations. If you're looking for a quick Lebanese meal, this place is a decent option, but don't expect much more than that.

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    House of Cedar - Lebanese Restaurant - Logo

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    House of Cedar - Lebanese Restaurant - Our beautiful logo

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    Our beautiful logo

    Zait & Zaatar - lebanese - Updated May 2026

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