Almaza Fine Mediterranean Cuisine

by Brenda C.

Really tasty cheap. The garlic paste is super strong so beware.  The hummus was a bit bland but the meats were delicious!

by Les C.

This was a nice find.  Good food and service.  I had the Lemon Chicken and thought it was fantastic, especially the extra lemon sauce that came as a side.  Large portions that fill the over sized plates.  The waitress was all smiles and more than helpful.  She kept the water glasses full and answered all our questions.  The restaurant opened four months ago and we hope that they can make a go it in these economic hard times.The price was very affordable and the portions were large.  Bring your appetite.Two suggestions for this place, they need larger tables to accommodate the afore mentioned large dinner plates.  There was little room on the table for the drinks and plates, especially if you have to cut meat.  No elbow room.  I sat at an angle to give my wife more room at the table.The other suggestion, turn the music down a bit so you can hold a conversation at the table and not strain to hear what others are saying.We would say that Almaza is on par or maybe slightly above with Gaby's Mediterranean restaurant down the street.Would we go back, you bet.

by Jason L.

I came here for dinner one night and... the place was pretty much empty. There were a few people waiting for take out orders but no one else actually eating here. This means we had our pick of the tables: inside, outside, by the entrance, by the bathroom, we could have it all. We could have each sat at our own table if we were so inclined (we weren't). So the first thing I noticed (besides the emptiness) was the slower nature of the service, as we seated ourselves and then, with no waiter in sight, got up and grabbed menus from the counter. The waitress eventually strolled up a couple minutes later to take our drink orders. No big deal...I just found it funny considering there was 1 waitress and only 1 table to wait. First off, I had a lemonade. Now, I usually wouldn't take the time to describe what a lemonade tastes like but this was not a run-of-the-mill lemonade. It was thick and foggy, halfway to smoothie consistency. The flavor was slightly sweet, mellow in acidity and sourness, but with a bitterness at the end (and not in a good way). We also had the hummus, which had a good, smooth flavor but was not quite as tangy as I would have liked. For my entree, I order the mixed kebab plate which came with beef, chicken, and kofte kebabs. The beef was very good, wonderfully flavored and very tender. The chicken was cooked well and still juicy but the seasoning did not agree with me. The kofte kebab was just so-so. I thought it was a bit bland, lacking in spice compared to kofte from Gaby's and Sunnin. My friend ordered the chicken shwarma and enjoyed it very much.The prices were very reasonable, less expensive by a dollar or so than other, similarly-situated Mediterranean restaurants. And the location was...well, it was. It's in between a couple of other shops, one of which has a sizable parking lot but I'm not sure if that lot also accommodates Almaza patrons. I figured I'd leave such mysteries for future yelpers to unlock.

by Seem W.

Having grown up on Lebanese/Mediterranean cuisine, I am always looking for restaurants that serve food that tastes like my mom made it...Almaza does not disappoint.  Stopped in on a Sunday afternoon with the hubby for an early lunch and ordered the falafel sandwich, the chicken kabob sandwich and a side of hummus.  The food was very flavorful and tasted completely homemade.  The sandwiches come with a generous serving of yummy fries. The portions are big for the prices (4.95 for the sandwiches, which is an absolute steal).  Tried the homemade lemonade which was nice, not too sweet.  We topped off the meal with Namoura for dessert...it was delicious and super moist (it can sometimes be a bit dry).  The location is a bit unfortunate but hopefully that will not deter people from stopping in.  I am giving Almaza 5 stars because it is very well-priced, the food is fresh, tasty and homemade and the service is hardworking and friendly.  Try this "diamond," you won't be disappointed.  The nice gentleman working there told us they will be delivering soon but since I work so close-by, I'll be stopping by quite a bit.

by Larry L.

There are many great middle eastern restaurants in Los Angeles.  Almaza is a definite stand out in a crowded and impressive segment.  Come for the rice and the lentil soup - indulge in the shish and lemon chicken - stay for the people and the atmosphere.Sure - you can get shish and rice anywhere but Almaza infuses flavor and love like none other!  And the deserts are great too!

by Greg R.

I went here for lunch today and it was quite good! I had the chicken shwarma sandwich as I was trying to keep it healthy. For 4.95, I got the sandwich, which was decently sized, as well as a good serving of fries (which were pretty good) and some weird pink pickle things that I sort of liked, sort of disliked. I was concerned that the chicken might be big chunks of dry white meat, but it wasn't the case at all. The meat consisted of small pieces of moist, well marinated chicken.The restaurant was pretty empty, so the service was fast. It took them about 5 minutes to cook my sandwich. I will be returning for lunch in the future.

by Koom D.

I checked this place out as a diversion from my staple, Gaby's down the street.  This place has slightly lower prices, ($0.50), same concept (pita sandwich, fries, with complimentary pita bread and sesame dip at the start).  Merits: The meat portions are larger.  You'll definitely FILL up here for your $6.  Cons: The flavour!  It's solid but not as tantalizing as Gaby's.  I'd rather spend another $0.50 and eat the Gaby's tested recipe.  It's really a notch above this.  However, for your dollar and hunger pains, come here.  They have nice decor and you can sit on royal couches and smoke hookah.

by davo w.

It's been a while since my visit, but I remember that everything was good.I discovered that toasted pine nuts taste like having the best toasted slice of bread you've ever had. (They use toasted pine nuts in some of the dishes)The meat-filled flat bread (forgot what it was called) contained the most reasonable amount of meat I've seen in years.They're open late, which is always nice.Now interesting facts for those with food sensitivities.I discovered a long time ago that the scrumptious zataar herb mix which they use in their dips makes me lethargic the following day.Not sure if its the thyme, or whether they use real hyssop (which is a sleep-aid herb), but either way, 99% of people won't have a problem, so go try it!

by Michael B.

I went to chill and have a lil hookah. The waitress was stupid, didn't know what was on the menu, and what the specials were. She was slow, and bipolar (one second she was nice, then she was rude)..... rather than work she took like 15 smoke break and then sat down to eat. It took a long time to get fresh coals on the hookah, and when they finally arrived they were only half lit.   The place is boring, and the service sucked so I most likely would not go back to this place.

by Carnley P.

Stopped by last night  to scope out the place and get a little takey-outey. This place just opened, so the word hasn't gotten out yet. Though with Gabby's just a couple of miles down Venice and a little closer to the action, I'm not sure what kind of traffic they will see. But in the 10 minutes I was there, 2 other customers came in.The menu hosted basic Mediterranean cuisine- hummus, falafel, kabob, Greek salad, shawarma. I got the Cheese Rolls- a Mediterranean eggroll filled with feta and herbs then deep fried, pretty darn tasty.Labneh- yogurt dip with dry mint, walnuts, and olive oil served with pita, yummy though missing the walnuts.Hookas!! They have them! Definitely want to come back for that! But with outside seating right on Venice, I don't know how relaxing that will be. They've worked hard to bring color and life to the interior, but really need to rethink the fluorescent lighting- way to bright, kind of like a McDonald's with jewel toned fabrics on the walls and seats.Great prices, homemade quality. One mile from my office, one mile from my house...I will definitely do Almaza again in the future