Aladdin Jr. II

by Heihachi M.

Stopped in here before checking out a show at the Glasshouse.  Our waiter (possibly the owner/manager?) was very friendly and rife with suggestions.  Tried some Almaza beer based on his recommendation -- somewhat lacking in taste, but it was nice and cold.My buddy had some falafel, which looked pretty good.  I went with the lamb shawarma and a side of hummus/flat bread.  The lamb was very flavorful, although a bit dry.  Being pretty damn hungry, I devoured all of my food pretty quickly.  My friend dropped his last piece of falafel on the ground, but invoked the Five Second Rule.  Still tasty after a light dusting off.The outdoor seating was a definite plus on a nice, late afternoon.

by Robert M.

3.5 Stars, preferably.We came in on a Friday evening around 8:30 or so.  We were the only ones in the restaurant.  I had heard good things from the bartender at dba256.  The bay doors were wide open and that, unfortunately, is what made the experience a little, well, chilly.  And drafty.  They explained that they they had only been open one week, and wanted people to see what was up, spread awareness, what not.  That's cool and everything, but it is also . . . cool.We ordered hummus, which was very nice.  The falafel, on the other hand, were a bit like little bricks.  Overfried.  We enjoyed the chicken a lot.  It was marinated and seasoned delectably and cooked well--juicy and all.  The beef-beef also failed to disappoint.  Yum rice.Definitely worth checking out--especially on warmer nights!

by alex s.

Got the lunchtime buffet.  There was a good selection of meat and chicken, some salad, humus and other little delights.  It got me full, but somehow not completely satisfied (doesn't buffet always treat you like that?), so we got some yogurt at another local spot.This place sits on the corner and they open up the large doors to git this place an open-air feel.  The staff was very friendly: the manager(?) even recommended a middle eastern market to buy some hard to find spices because a coworker was looking for one.

by Gina Q.

Ate dinner here the other night and was pleasantly surprised. It was our first time eating at Aladdin Jr. II. The place wasn't busy and we were seated right away.We ordered falafel as an appetizer. It was lightly fried. The only thing missing was a sauce to dip it in, so I used the dressing that came on the lettuce/salad. My husband ordered the beef kabob, which came with rice and his side of choice were the fries (more like thick potato wedges). The beef was very tender and flavorful. I ordered the lamb kabob with rice and my side choice was the hummus. The lamb was a bit dry but had really great flavor. The rice was nice and fluffy. The hummus was awesome with this perfect pool of olive oil. The pita bread was nice and hot at first bite, but cooled quickly. It was a nice scooper for the hummus and my lamb. We'll definitely be coming back to this restaurant. Looking forward to trying their baklava and turkish coffee next time. FYI: they have hookah and a lunch buffet.

by Lara P.

I live nearby this place so I was very happy when it opened.  From what I have seen, they have had a few hiccups here and there whilst opening.  I have been to the other jr. up garey several times and love love love it!  I like this place too, food is good, and it is closer!  I would rate it 3 star right now- but I know that the service will get better as things settle in more and more.....  plus what's great is the $9 all you can eat buffet!

by Elizabeth T.

Lela's closed and Aladdin Jr. took over.For dinner on Saturday, we went to the Art walk and came across Aladdin Jr., which recently opened up.I didn't eat much here; just had a bit of Chicken Schwerma and hommos.  From what I tried, they did well with the chicken, which had a very charry flavor; and the rice, which was slightly buttery and well flavored.  The salad was dry (without dressing) and the hommos was dry (more EVOO, please!).  Service was mediocre.  There weren't that many people in the restaurant, but I guess they needed more staff that night because our server(s) took a long time to bring out our food (at different times) and to bring our check.  The prices were moderate (slightly pricey), but not worth the service. They have (traditional) belly dancers (don't expect the young stripper-looking category of belly dancers), but sadly, we didn't get to see them perform.  They also have an outdoor patio where I'd like to try the hookah, if and when I come around to it.  However, I wouldn't go back solely for Aladdin Jr. It'd have to be something else drawing me into the area.

by Jillian B.

I'm so glad my brother and I got our taxes done at the Cal Poly Downtown Center because I discovered Aladdin Jr. I'm a big Mediterranean food fan so when I saw their sign for "all you can eat" lunch I knew I had to go back. I had lunch there this week and the buffet was worth the $9.99. The highlights were the falafel, the grilled chicken, and the pastry with the Lebanese cheese. The little cheese pastries were THE best. I must have had 4 of them. =)  The dough was just right and the cheese had a nice salty taste to it. It tasted like a mix between mozzarella and brie. They also served Mr. Pibb, which is always a plus in my book. The grilled chicken was seasoned just right. They had a special with shrimp in tomato broth with vegetables. It was eh...Their hummus was not that special either. I wish they had all you can eat tabbouley as a part of their all you can eat.The service was not that great. We were seated right away, but it took forever for the waiter to come and get our drink orders. The ambiance was really cute. The restaurant is not too small, but not too big either. There's an outside patio as well to eat. The chairs are painted in pastel colors and it's really pleasing to the eye. I will definitely come back to try their shawarmas and for the cheese pastries.