Sahags Basturma Sandwich Shop

This place is an institution — all others are compared against the Sahag’s Basturma standard. I recommend their Basterma, Soujouk, and especially the Ma’anek sausages. Have them prepare a sandwich to eat there — YUMMY!

The store has a lot more to offer than just basturma, but I went for the basturma sandwich. It was great! The bread was warm and tasted fresh, and the basturma was on the money. I liked the toppings and the side of olives and pickled turnips that it came with. I’ll be thinking of this place when I’m in the mood for basturma.

My buddy had a hankering for some basturma, and with limited options in town we were happy to find this place. The armenian market has a lot to offer in terms of groceries but they also do some awesome basturma sandwiches! Dont come here expecting prompt and friendly service because that may not be what this place is all about, but dont let that deter you from having an awesome middle eastern sandwich. The meat was delicious and the toppings were fresh. This was a great change of scenery from the normal sandwich shop and great prices too!

Don’t know where my original review disappeared to but here goes another shot… Carousel restaurant buys their mini little maanek (makanek) sausages from this local tiny meat shop! They’re super tasty, full of spice and pack a punch of flavor. Chikufteh meat a.k.a raw beef Kibbeh nayyeh is fresh and great here as well, no mad cow fear. — Two reasons that keep drawing me back to this shop alone. They also make sandwiches so for those who work locally try them out, but be forewarned you’ll most likely be reeking of garlic for days after consuming soujouk or basturma.
The ultimate funktastic reeky treat of all time would be to purchase Chemen spread alone, the stuff that’s found lining the basturma mainly seasoned w/​fenugreek /​cumin /​garlic and spread that shit on fresh Armenian bread w/​a side of tea. Oh yeah… the stinky garlicky aromas will be coming out of your pores in no time. If you thought Kimchi was bad, think again. You’ll smell hot shit but man does it taste good as it’s going down.
Side Note: they sell a decent variety of evil eye charms for those who are superstitious and want to ward off them jealous vibes & eyes. lol…

I really wanted to like Sahag’s. The little market’s charming and a surprise to see in the mostly Thai-​dominated area. (Funny how the city signs are all wrong and they say ‘Little Armenia’ when they still should be saying ‘Thai Town’.) They have a big sign up that screams ‘WE HAVE RED CAVIAR!’ and I love red caviar! I’ve also had the place bookmarked for years, but feared it was closed since no one had reviewed it since 2012.
A previous reviewer’s description of basturma as «prosciutto’s foul-​mouthed, harlot cousin» has done more to make me want to try that meat than any other description of meat ever.
I wish the basturma’s mouth had been foul, but instead it was as though its mouth had swallowed chemicals. It had a metallic taste and was sliced so thin it became gummy. The bread it was on did it no favors, being kind of tough and stale itself, and the tomatoes were mealy.
Their soujouk, on the other hand, was actually great. I had to peel it from the offending bread and just eat it with the accompanying pickled cucumbers and beets to find this out, but still, it’s good. So is that other sausage whose name starts with an ‘M’ that I can’t remember. It’s nutty and tasty. Just… the bread. The bread! It ruins everything! Order the meat by the pound instead.

I am Lebanese American (US born), and about 10 years ago I was fortunate enough to make a trip to Lebanon. And let me tell you, you will never, EVER find Lebanese food as delicious anywhere else. On my last night there I had a soujouk sandwich that I remember to this day. Absolutely one of the best meals I’ve had in my life. It was with those impossible standards that I must write this review.
I came here on a recommendation from my parents when I had a massive craving for soujouk and makanek. Ended up going with my boyfriend (who is Caucasian American and never tried either before) to try them out.
Makanek — Meh. Have had much better, even within the LA-​OC area. My bf liked it a lot though. I might give the makanek another chance since my parents tried them there and liked it a lot too. 2 stars.
Soujouk — Yum! The bf LOVED this one. I liked it too though not as much as he did. 4 stars.
Also had a chance to sample the basturma. I’ve never had basturma before so I have no basis for comparison, but I found it nice. Good, but not great. 3 stars.
The prices are fair. $ 5.99/sandwich if I remember correctly. Both were served on french bread and came with a side of pickled radish, pepperoncinis, and olives. Pickles were ok. Olives were bad. The place is really grab-​and-​go, with only one table in the center.
In summary, come for the soujouk and take it to-​go.

The best soujouk and basturma in LA try their hum miss (raw meat) with his special mix spicey and its the chikufta meat with some greens onions mixed in it. Its so tasty with the garlic sauce on top. Love this place.

I tried the Basturma Sandwich and the Soujouk sandwich. The Basturma itself was fairly tasty, but the bread/​pickle overpowered the basturma. The soujouk sandwich on the other hand is divine and is entirely worth the trip.

have only ever gotten the chi kofte, which is the BOMB! i can’t order from here though, i think you actually have to be armenian to get any kind of service. fortunately i have an armenian friend, who gets his friend who is slightly more armenian to order for us. i dunno — it must be an armenian thing. get the chi kofte by whichever means necessary!

I can’t give zero stars but it would be negative 5 stars if possible. I walked in with my cousin, her boyfriend and my son. We IMMEDIATELY got stared at like we were going to rob the place. My cousin asked for an order of one of the chicken plates and the lady rudely said, «we don’t sell that»…ummm ok, then why have it on the wall like its part of a menu?!? Anyway, I ordered the Basturma sandwich which SUCKED! The bread was hard as hell and super dry and the basturma tasted old. I’ll never come here again. She treated me so rudely because I wasn’t armenian… Until I asked her what part of Armenia was she from. She responded and said why? I said just wondering, I am ½ PARSKAHYE (persian-​armenian). WOW she kind of cracked a smile and said thank you! No need for thanking, you are VERY rude!

I used to go to Sahags every time I was in Hollywood, the owner was enthusiastic about his basturma and I remember having my first bite of it there. The previous reviews were right, a strong cured meat, generous sandwiches, and friendly generous service. Sahags was easy to fall in love with!
Sadly I went today, and I believe that has completely changed, I entered Sahags, and the woman behind the counter would not serve me. I was the only one in her shop and she stared right at me, but would not get off the phone. She did not acknowledge me, or raise a hand to say «one minute» she just continued her conversation letting me walk around, staring at the take away menu and walking back and forth in front of her.
I understand, that I am not a regular at Sahags, but to watch a customer walk around in your empty store, walk up to your counter and then walk around your displays waiting for help and not even acknowledge them? That is just rude.
I have heard that the shop has been sold to new management, and that they are just keeping the name… That is a pity, because Sahags was my first basturma, and because of its new ruder service I will never go back their again.
Goodbye George… thank you for all the years of excellent basturma, I wish the people who bought your store treated it with the same style and grace that you did.

Love Sahag’s, MISS Sahag’s. Have the worst cravings for this place. When we lived in the area, we would get the basturma and soujouk to go and feast all weekend…
I miss LA.

This place has the best sujuk and Basturma in Los Angeles area. I used to work in Hollywood and this was our lunch spot every Friday. Our weekend didn’t officially start til we hit Sahak’s!!!

If you’re looking for the most delicious basturma (Armenian pastrami) or the best soujouk (Armenian sausage) or, my personal favorite, maaneh (Lebanese veal sausage) then Sahag’s is your one and only stop.
My family has been buying specialty meats from this little shop for just over 2 decades! There’s no substitute for the best, and you’ve definitely found it if you’re standing inside this inviting little deli in North Hollywood.
You can have your favorite sandwich made fresh, right here in the shop, or you can take the art-​turned-​meat & make your meal in the comfort of your own home.
Whatever you do, if you’re in the Hollywood area and happen to feel particularly spicy, visit Little Armenia and say hello to the folks at Sahag’s!

They truly have amazing basturma, especially during the new years time you must order from here. this place offers variety international spices.
I haven’t tried their sandwiches, but i’ve heard a lot of good things :)

ok, i was not impressed at all. based on jonathan gold’s over the top review of this sensational sandwich called the basturma, i didn’t taste anything remotely close to what he described. the sandwich was really bland, the bread was dry and stale and the basturma was just salty and had no other flavors. wow, what a disappointment.

Sahag’s Basturma is an LA-​Armenian institution. Its been around as long as Falafel Arax (longer than Zankou Chicken). The store is an unassuming little mom & pop «general store — deli». «General» if the neighborhood is East Beirut’s Armenian Quarter. Not to worry, they’re friendly enough folk in there and the sandwiches are fine. The small shop (seems like a customer area of 12′ x 12′) has everything one needs as far as Middle Eastern provisions (bread — cheeses — olives — pickled turnips — olive oil — bayleaf soap — those blue eye talismans that ward off the evil eye and adorn every Armenian’s rear-​view mirror). .. & FINALLY: SOUKOUKH AND BASTURMA (the namesake).
What are they?
Soujoukh: a dry Armenian sausage that packs a lot of heat. .. it is generally eaten in 1 of 3 ways (a) grilled and scrambled with eggs for a spicy/​tasty breakfast dish [think chorizo & eggs’ evil spicy twin] (b) grilled as an appetizer [great with arak-​ouzo-​Pernod-​or vodka] and © grilled in a sandwich on French bread and toasted on a sandwich grill. soujouk is almost alway eaten hot
Basturma: a very spicy Armenian prosciutto. .. as Unilocaler George N. (the first to review) called it «prosciutto’s foul-​mouthed, harlot cousin». .. it has a layer of Aleppo pepper caked around it [can be eaten or just scraped off). .. It is eaten in 1 of 3 ways. .. (a) hot or cold as an appetizer with Pita or French bread [also good with arak or vodka]. .. or alone. .. (b) sliced or chopped and scrambled with eggs, much like soujoukh © hot in a sandwich with French bread toasted on a sandwich grill.
Personally, I am an addict of basturma and eat it cold with no accompaniment. .. or I order a half-​pound to go and scramble it up with eggs and wrap up in warm Pita bread. When I get the basturma sandwich here, I ask them to make it plain on Pita bread and they always seem disappointed (’cause they make a specialty sandwich with hot basturma, tomatoes, pickles, on toasted French bread). Try it, its not bad, but honestly, if you grew up eating and enjoying it one way, its tough to change. .. that and I don’t want anything to detract from the flavor.
*both soujoukh and basturma are acquired tastes, but once you acquire, it stays with you (as does its effect on your body. .. umm, the spiciness and pungent nature of it stays with you for the rest of the day)
must try once. .. you might get hooked
— also, try the Armenian String Cheese (ask for the salty one from Fresno) goes well with pita bread and in all kinds of sandwiches [see my entry on Tarzana Armenian Deli for the smoked turkey option]
— ask if they have Bulgarian Kash Kaval cheese (its great with some sweet, dark hot tea and bread as a mid-​morning or late night snack)
— try the Cypriot Halloumi Cheese (goes well with Pita bread, cold with tomatoes or it does melt very nice, you can place slices of it on a pita or a flour tortilla w/​some and heat on a griddle, roll it up. .. good snack)
— if they have jars of the preserved pepper cheese in olive oil (Shanklish) get some, take it home, chop up a little bit with some onions and olive oil. .. eat with bread and preferably some Lebanese Arak (ouzo like drink) or ice cold vodka. Its very pungent.
yeah, I know, a lot of this stuff goes with booze. .. that’s because a lot of this stuff is cocktail appetizer food in Lebanon, Syria and Armenia (think tapas or izakaya)
*also, to paraphrase Unilocaler Modernist C., there is an entertainment factor to being at Sahag’s Basturma. .. «watching blinged-​out, pimp-​ass 50 year old Armenian gangsters in full on Sean John terry cloth jump suits get out of yellow Hummers to pick up a pound of basturma. .. «
Hey! Was that my cousin!!!

i miss those times. sitting there chatting with sahag and his wife, watching blinged out pimp ass 50 year old armenian gangsters in full on sean jean terry cloth jump suits get out of yellow hummers to pick up a pound of basturma. those were the days. you still get the gangsters and their girlfriends with highlights to match the gold trim of their chanel sunglasses shakin it in their leather skirts… but:
i am sad to update that the venerable sahag is no longer there. i believe he sold the business to a relative. i used to come in here every so often for a sandwich and a jar of pomegranate juice when i lived in silverlake. the basturma is really a force to reckon with. a deep blood red intensely salty cured beef prosciutto that is best to be eaten if you have a crooked nose and little neck. its powerful stuff, as most lebanese armenian cooking is. a couple small pieces of the soujuk is enough to flavor 5 scrambled eggs. the delicious lamb sausages tinged with cinnamon and pine nuts are fatty but delicious. im not sure if the quality has declined since sahag is no longer there as he made it all himself, since i havent been back much as of late.
if he were still there i’d give it a full 5 stars.

Basturma might be described as prosciutto’s foul-​mouthed, harlot cousin. It’s a cured cut of beef that’s been salted and rubbed and slathered in a spicy paste of Armenian goodness consisting of things like fenugreek, garlic, and some heat bearing chili powderish substance. It makes for a very dry, spicy, cured meat that is quite novel tasting and, after a while, delicious.
I’ve had a few basturma sandwiches at Sahag’s, and I think the recipe has varied slightly each time. Generally the thinly sliced meat comes with some tomatoes and sliced pickles, all pressed inside a toasted white roll. Once, however, I got some sort of Armenian cheese thrown in there too, and I think the sandwich benefited greatly from its presence. See if they’ll set you up with some.
They also serve other sandwiches including one crafted out of Soujouk, a dried Armenian sausage, but I have yet to move beyond the curiosity of basturma to personally try it. You can also get a turkey sandwich, but Sahag will do his best to convince you not to get it. He takes quite a bit of pride in his basturma making, and if he’s in a good mood he might even sit down with you and tell you about how beautiful Lebanon, his former homeland, was. They also have a small collection of sundries and preserved goods, and the cured black olives are a delicious steal at $ 2.40 a pound.
Oh, and this might not be the best place to go if you’re in a real hurry. Things here seem to go on their own schedule, so sit back and enjoy the ride.