Aladdin Cafe

Dropped by here by accident as my boyfriend and I wanted to try out a South African place but he entered the wrong place into Google. No biggie, this was one of the many places that I had wanted to try out in the options that I given him. Very good mistake.
Fast service. We walked in, might have waited 1 minute as there was a sign that asked to wait to be seated. Then we were led in to a table. The table we were originally going to be seat at was a bit awkward but another waitress swooped in before we could sit and led us to a nicer seating area for two. We got to sit by the window and did not have to worry about blocking anyone/​scrunching in when someone walked past. We ordered — hummus for appetizer and each of us a sandwich. Got served water like a blink of a eye after we ordered the food.
Hummus was fast — pretty neat presentation. 5 pieces of pita bread (ordered the half order). Hummus was just the right amount of yogurt taste not too salty/​peppery. Though my guy did attempt to try it with pepper but could not taste anything as the hummus taste was too overpowering. The waitress also dropped us some more pita bread when she saw we did not finish the hummus. Very nice of her. He was pretty surprised at the taste and liked it though he normally does not eat hummus a lot.
He got the Chicken Shawerma and I got the Falafel sandwich. We both got salad with ours as we both felt we been eating unhealthy this week. It was so good. For once he actually could not finish all his food, probably because of the second round of pita bread that we got (3 additional pieces) and had some remaining salad left over. And I finished half of whatever I had and took it to go. It was very tasty and I look forward to finishing the rest of it.
Would totally come again.

Great food! It was packed for lunch and took a while, but it was worth the wait. From the salads to the falafels, we were extremely satisfied.
The food was a 5, but the wait for the food was a bit long do to the lunch rush.

Nice place with a nice ambiance, good service and great food… strong for me but, absolutelly, delicious! All of we tried has a good price, great taste and good look.

Got meza veggie dish– me and mom. Best lentil soup ever (add’l). Outstanding hummus with just the right amount of tahini. Falafel with sauce was great too.
Babaganoush was ok. Very smokey taste. Very good baklava. Teas served beautifully in open tea bags.

The Chicken Shawerma Sandwich is a thing of which dreams are made…

This place is by far the best Mediterranean restaurant I’ve dined at in terms of food and service. The prices are very fair and you will realize that by the quality of the food and the portion size. I have been here various times and I do my very best to try different things every time I come. There are so many good dishes in this menu so I will mention the usual dishes my wife and I get every time we come here starting with the appetizers.
The hummus is by far the best hummus I had, and they don’t try to over complicate the flavors compared to other hummus I tried in different establishments. When you do order the hummus they give you free refills on the pita bread which is also superb. On occasion I will order the baba ganoush, which is similar to hummus but is made out of eggplant instead of chickpeas. If you’re a fan of eggplant I strongly suggest giving this a try especially at this establishment.
For an entrée, my wife usually orders a Greek salad and request to add chicken. The combination of flavors are not overpowering and balance well, especially the feta cheese. I’ve ordered the halibut for myself and it is perfectly cooked and it does include a salad as well as hummus for those of you that can’t have enough of it. By the time we are done eating, we find it difficult to skip desert because of the baklava. It is the best baklava my wife and I had and would strongly recommend giving it a try.
Overall, this was a fantastic experience at a restaurant that I had in a while. The service was also great because if it wasn’t for them (specifically Mike), I wouldn’t have had half of the stuff on the menu. It is a great experience every time I go and has yet to disappoint.

Awesome service. The waiter or owner was very cheerful and attentive. The food was great even the salad that came with our meal was amazing. I will be coming back.

The best Mediterranean restaurant! My wife and I are always here. At least once a week! Great people! Ask for Mike as your server. Great personality and super quick server. Very friendly too.

I live for their pita bread! It’s so good and there homemade hummus is soo good! I tried these apps. That were covered in leafs and they were sooo good! I LOVE lebenesse food now!

Service is bad. I walked in and was greeted right away. I ordered a code and never saw the waiter again. I sat for 10 minutes then walked out. It might have been good but I’ll never know…

Both the food and the service here are excellent. This is one of my go to places for Mediterranean food. My favorites are the chicken Shawerma sandwich and the Mediterranean chicken salad. Great value in a casual but comfortable atmosphere. The people that work here are wonderful and the food has been the same consistently great quality for years.

Excuse the cheesy décor-​if you judged it based on that reason alone, you’ll have missed a true gem in San Diego!
We ordered: babaganoush, dolma, and lentil soup as appetizers. The lentil soup had SOOO much flavor, and even had a lemon to squeeze on top-​in true tradition. The babaganoush: thank freakin GOD (or Allah, whatever you may call him) for this dish-it’s one of my FAVORITE foods. This place does it perfectly! I do wish they offered to serve the dolma warm, perhaps my only complaint.
Then we ordered the Shish mix, but nixed the lamb for an extra skewer of koufta. Out of this world!
I worked at a Mediterranean restaurant when I was much younger, and learned the ways of making, and serving Lebanese food. This place sticks to the tradition of cooking authentically without sparing any detail.
The service was perfect. And we even had a Lebanese beer to go with our meal to boot. Smooth and yummy!
My only advice is to come hungry. Even though my lover and I ordered one entrée, and a couple of appetizers, we still left with enough left over for lunch.
Perhaps Aladdin could possibly make some moussaka as a special? Please ring me and count me in!

Absolutely amazing restaurant from top to bottom. Everything from the food, service, atmosphere and everything in between was phenomenal. This place is a solid ¹⁰⁄₁₀ all across the board!
Our server, Mike, was awesome. He was amazing and made our experience eating here so fun and enjoyable. He recommended the Mixed Platter for me and the spicy chicken pizza for my boyfriend and his brother. I forgot the name of the spicy chicken pizza on the menu but you can see how delicious it looks in the pictures I’ll post.
The Mixed Platter contained lamb, chicken, pork, and beef kabobs and all of the meat was so tender and juicy. The lamb chops are the best I’ve ever had!
The hummus is so deliciously creamy and tastes so fresh. It was a perfect companion to the equally delicious warm pita bread.
The portions are also HUGE. The salad itself we ordered was more than enough to feed three people. We had to take our food to go; there was too much to finish in one sitting! You definitely get your money’s worth because the amount of food they give you is so hearty.
Also, they have tons of delicious herbal teas to choose from. The passion tea I got was perfectly sweet!
Seriously. You have GOT to try this place, you will not regret it! :) I’ve been here several times and every single time everything has been spectacular.
And one more shout out to our awesome server. You rock, Mike!!!

I went there for lunch with my finance and on a saturday at 2pm, the place was popping. We walked in and were greeted by multiple people and promptly seated. Within 1 minute our waitress, Angie, stopped by and said hi and she would be back shortly.
We went specifically for the Kibhe. Mike LOVES kibhe. The kibhe did not disappoint. The kibhe was the largest I have ever had. The lamb was extremely flavorful and the bulgar wheat was fired but not greasy. This was officially the best kibhe I have had. I had an aladain’s pizza and mike had a lamb wrap. The portiions are huge. Mike’s was full of meat and the pizza boasts 12 spices, and it was a taste experience. I loved the crust. You can tell it was homemade and delishous. It made the pizza for me. I should warn you, deal Unilocaler, that the portions are huge. You will more than likely take some food home. Mike only finished half of his sandwhich and me, half of my pizza. But I am a sucker for some quality baklava and it was presented in two huge slices. One of which I took home. The baklava was delish. Sweet but not overly sweet– sometimes there is too much honey.
Angie was an excellent server and provided excellent service. She did not rush us but was attentive. I will be back, this place is a hidden gem!!!

I really like Middle Eastern food, & haven’t really found a place that serves authentic style Middle Eastern.
I ordered a lamb kebab skewer, salad & hummus.
The lamb kebab was minuscule, maybe 4 ounces, for $ 12.00, which I thought was outrageously expensive. The salad was decent, as was the dressing. The hummus was very thick & creamy, almost hard — which led me to believe there was some type of thickener or additive… a complete no-​no for hummus.
All in all quite over priced. — -«meh». Nothing to get me back here again.

She said:
A nice change of face if you’re in the mood to try something new. A nice large space with both inside and outside seating. The server was pleasant and the food came out quickly. Authentic flavor and quiet a variety of options. Reasonably priced. Can’t wait to go back and try out a few more dishes!
He said:
I spent a significant amount of time traveling in the Middle East. So I can really judge whether or not the food is good and authentic. Ordered the mixed grill entrée, meats were seasoned well and flavorful, and the chicken was not dry like you find in other places. Rice was decent but I’ve had better. Bread was OK. Ambiance was good, we sat outside. Good place to meet with a small group.

Very nice place, I love it.
I came here a few times already. Sometimes I bring my wife for a beautiful dinner and occasionally just for their delicious pastry and Turkish coffee. You must try the lamb chops if you’re a carnivore! Else do Tabouli and other amazing veg dishes.
The service is amazing and friendly!
I highly recommend the place.

Aladdin’s has the best hummus I’ve ever had. It’s ultra creamy, smooth, with fresh garlic that doesn’t overpower. Their pita bread is made fresh and is pillowy soft, perfect for dipping into the hummus. I was looking for tzatziki but didn’t see it on the menu so I went with their side of tahini. I’m not a huge fan of tahini alone because it can taste bitter, but the tahini at Aladdin is so good! I don’t know what they add to it, but it’s not bitter and is addicting. I’ve had the lamb gyro, lamb biryani, Greek salad, and lemon soup. Everything is delicious but the lamb can sometimes be on the fatty side and the lemon soup was a bit too sour for me.
Whenever I order for pick up, they’ve always had my order ready when I arrive, but they still ask me if I’d like something to drink. The service is great and the servers are friendly.

Great food and great services. All the waiters are very friendly.
The pita and hummus are must have. The food portion is huge!
Lamb chop is amazing!

Absolutely delicious salads! The chopped salad and Greek salad seem to be a fave!
One salad is big enough to share, and the parking can be a little tricky.
Ps don’t ask for Tziki, it’s «Mediterranean, not Greek! «Ha!?? Confused me too. But it’s all sooo delicious!
Probably the best hummus I’ve ever had too!

So I’m mostly writing this review on behalf of my brother, who said I must « Unilocal the Cr*p out of this place» (in a good way!) cause he loved it so much.
We came here desperate for food that was close by and we could agree on. Unilocal did not steer us wrong.
This place is amazing! The food is fresh and delicious with huge portions; the location is convenient; the service is great; the restaurant is comfortable; the prices very reasonable.
In fact, my whole family declared that this is a «must go to» everytime they visit me in San Diego!
–convenient location in Claremont Mesa in a strip mall with lots of free lot parking
–casual, table service restaurant; large, spacious, comfortable eating areas both indoors and out; nothing too «fancy» but very clean
–good for large groups, kids and couples; lots of options depending on which area you’re sitting in
–it wasn’t very busy at all when we went, but even on a full night I can see this place being conducive to a quite, relaxed meal
–the service was wonderful! we were seated quickly and the menu was explained extremely well, all of our questions were answered and quirks addressed without issue (especially regarding food intolerances (one of our guests has a corn allergy and they were very accommodating… that in and of itself deserves top praise), a kid’s menu, specific requests, etc)
–the waitress was super friendly and helpful, the food came out quickly and she checked on us several times
–the food was amazing; the star of the show!
–the menu is really varied, there’s no limit to the options; the food is clearly described and there are lots of pictures
–the portions were huge (the side salad was larger than you’d expect most entrée salads to be); we had enough for dinner and leftovers for lunch tomorrow
–everything was freshly cooked using great ingredients and seasonings; each item tasted delicious. nothing was overly oily and everything was cooked to perfection.
–each entrée was a feast of various components, so with three adults ordering there was a massive variety of food which is great when you want to try a bit of everything
Chicken Shawerma, $ 20; Marinated strips of chicken, grilled and served with Basmati rice, Hummus, Garlic Sauce, Lebanese salad and freshly baked pita bread. The hummus was really creamy and delicious.
Falafel Sandwich, $ 8.50 plus $ 1.99 for Sub Greek Salad; A Delicious Vegetarian Sandwich Rolled in Pita Bread & Topped with lettuce & tomatoes, pickles and Tahini Sauce. The Falafel was really good, but the Tahini sauce was extra yummy (they even gave us a container of it to take home… really, we would have taken a tub of it!).
Chicken Kabob Skewer ($ 6) with Cucumber and Tomato (ripe, freshly sliced) ($ 2.49) and Sauteed Veggies (mushrooms and squash) ($ 4) for the «Kids» meal as suggested by our waitress. The chicken was SO GOOD! It had a mildly spicy marinade and was grilled to perfection; well cooked in the middle with lots of charring on the outside!
Cheese Borak ($ 10.50 for a half dozen); A Blend of Feta Cheese, and Halumi Cheese with Fresh Mint baked in a Wood-​fired Oven. This got rave reviews from everyone and could easily be an entrée on its own.
Baklava ($ 5.50). The family took this to go and reported back that it «rocked!» It is massive and looks great. Very fresh and crispy looking.
–The prices were really reasonable, moreso considering the size and most importantly the quality of the ingredients and flavour of the dishes.
There are a TON of other items on this menu which we can’t wait to try.
This place scores on every level. An amazing find. Definitely soon to become a regular spot!

I’m not a salad girl but the aladdin salad was great! So refreshing and the chicken is nicely seasoned. It’s also huge… could only eat half of it. My husband got the lamb shawarma sandwich which was juicy with a cinammony kick and tangy yogurt sauce. Really hit the spot!
Only reason I gave it 4 stars is because it’s a bit pricey. Would come here again to try an entrée/​platter for dinner!

Super Leckeres Essen!
Leider kammen die Gerichte immer versetzt so dass mein Bruder mit seinem Essen fertig war und ich mein essen erst Bekam sonst war alles supi!

I happy to learn that Aladdin continues to do well after all these years. I use to come here before I was a Unilocaler. I dropped in for a light lunch and ordered the lentil soup, a half order of hummus and pita, and a Chicken Kebab with sandwich on pita bread.
The Lentils soup was light but full of great flavor. It was of the extremely blended variety, in that there was no whole lentils in it. But, the soup tasty of lentils, garlic, turmeric, and a variety of other seasonings and herbs. The soup was a great way to start the meal and cost $ 4.95.
The hummus was fantastic as well. Made from fresh ingredients and garnished with excellent extra virgin olive oil, it was hard to go wrong with this. The hummus was served with a pile of sliced warm pita bread which were perfect for eating the hummus. The hummus was quite delicious, and provided a creamy consistency and great flavors of tahini, a bit of lemon juice, garlic, and seasoning for taste. It was quite a treat, and I even used it on my chicken kebab sandwich. The half order cost $ 5.25.
The chicken kebab was very well prepared. Although it did not come with lettuce, the sweet waitress brought me some when she figured out I was bummed it did not have some. The chicken breast marinated in the garlic lemon saffron sauce was great. The chicken properly soaked up the marinade which allowed me to taste it in every bite. The charbroiled chicken was cooked to a tender and juicy temp. The tomatoes were a nice touch with their acidity and the extra garlic was just fun. The chicken kebab cost $ 8.75.
I ate at their small bar and service was active and friendly. It seemed to be the place where the servers congregated, which allowed me to chit chat and be served rather quickly. Everyone was very nice.

My friend raved about this place and how he loves it and how he comes here everyday for lunch… So he took me here after our hike.
We started off with the pita and hummus. I must say that the hummus was nice and fresh and the pita came out warm as well. But then to my entrée, I got the lamb shawarma wrap. I thought it was extremely flavorless. I definitely like Mamas in North Park better. This absolutely had no flavor, even when I dipped it in hot sauce. Nothing. My friend got the Aladdin’s Mediterranean chicken salad and OMG that tasted so much better than the lamb shawarma! That chicken salad was delicious. Next time I will order the right thing and get the Mediterranean chicken salad.

This place is the best Greek/​Mediterranean food I’ve had in San Diego. Their lamb and chicken shawarma dishes are on point. Also, the hummus is awesome and it’s fresh. It doesn’t sit there for days and have that weird discolored look to it. I highly recommend this place for lunch. Oh and the salads are enormous, I eat those a lot. Price point is middle of the road. Salads are about $ 12 and shawarma sandwiches are about $ 10 – 11. They have a ton of other shit too. Go there and try it and thank me later.
Actually, try the falafel too. Bomb.