Kareem's Restaurant

by Angela V.

This place has like the best hummus ever.The owner is Kareem his wife they're sooo nice! They know my face, as the non-middle eastern person. The best thing to order is the hummus chicken pine nuts and the falafel plate. It's sooo ridiculously good! Kareem always hooks me up with extra pita bread. The only thing wrong with this place is that you can't call in. You have to wait 15+ minutes for the food.

by Deisy C.

Okay, those four stars are only for the falafel, since I'm vegan and haven't tried any other dishes.I have to say though, the hummus is mediocre. I've been to Kareem's more times than I can count, because seriously their falafel = GODLY!but the last time I ordered hummus it was SO SALTY! I couldn't even swallow it, I really wanted to say something but didn't...I hope they check their hummus now or else nobody is going to order it any longer. Other than that it's really great.

by ebayfan b.

couple of years ago i would have gave that place a 4 star, we live in san fran it used to be a must stop for us (after i got over the fact that i had to wipe the forks plates before using them which would explain the 1 star deduction to 4 but food was good)..However the last few times we were there we got treated like crap. the first time i said itsok maybe the chef kareem is having a bad day i'll give it one more shot.. the second time we went the place was closed still after half an hour from supposibly open time.. we waited out there for 5 min when we realized oh he's inside.. we knock on the door to ask him if he's open, he gave us attitude but he opened, then  he messed up our food .. the foul tasted like he just opened a can of foul LOTS LOTS of cummin nothing else, food didn't taste the same( i used to love the foul there) , he didn't give us the garlic sauce as usual the whole experience was just plain bad and oh the dishes were filthy as usual..if he didn't want our business, he should have said no i'm still not ready or still closed but to do that was just really really bad.. would NEVER go back there again he's just not worth it..he was a pure jerk!

by Marc D.

* A nice hole-in-the-wall in Little Gaza *If I lived in Southern California I can tell there would be a lot of culinary exploring in this neighbourhood.  I wanted to try all of the different restaurants, bakeries and cafes.This is the one I did get to try.  Really friendly service and simple wholesome kebabs with all the trimmings.  We ordered a nice variety that included kufta kabob, shish kabob, chicken kabob, kibbeh, rice, hummus, and salad.  Quite the feast!  Everything was well prepared, nicely seasoned, and reasonably priced.  One or two of the kabobs were slightly overcooked for my taste, but not terribly so.  Overall a very solid hole-in-the-wall in the heart of Little Gaza!

by David B.

A few miles west of Disneyland, Kareem's serves awe-inspiring falafel and other Middle Eastern specialties in a tiny, bare-bones strip mall location. The location is easy to miss. Look for the predominantly Middle Eastern shopping center on the southeast corner of Ball and Brookhurst. Kareem's is tucked into the center's mid-section. For families, this place is fine. There are high chairs and the atmosphere is ultra-casual. There's nothing fancy about the decor here. There are just a few tables and a counter. Step up to the counter without hesitation, though, and you'll usually get a friendly greeting. Take a look at one of the yellow menus or ask for guidance about which dishes are best for you. It's hard to go wrong.Since Kareem's has won the OC Weekly's "best falafel" award, that dish is the best place to start. The smallest and cheapest option is a falafel sandwich. It's a classic with delicious falafel balls in a pita with lettuce, tomato, pickle slices, and sauce. Ask for it spicy, and an added kick of hot sauce is applied. Customers looking for more than just a sandwich can choose from nearly a dozen falafel platters, which pair the garbanzo spheres with foul (a fava bean dish), hummus, and other specialties. All the add-ons are good, but the most important part of the meal, the actual falafel, is excellent. The exterior is crunchy, but not brittle. The interior is moist and assertively flavored with parsley, cumin, pepper, and other key flavors. For the falafel abstainer, there are numerous other entrees, many with halal meat. Honestly, I've never ventured into that part of the menu, but I would expect it all to be prepared with the same quality. The only disappointing aspect of Kareem's is the limited beverage selection. There are a few canned sodas, including a tangy, unsweetened yogurt beverage, but some fruit juices would help the cause.

by catherine k.

Hmm..still think Wholesome Choice has better food, but then again, Wholesome Choice is mainly Persian and for $14, you get dejaj mashui (grilled chicken) with hummus and grilled whole tomato. The owners have been here for 10+ years, so it has to count for something...a definite mom and pop shop.

by Deisy C.Lisa Marie M.Marc D.Y C.Angela V.

Okay, those four stars are only for the falafel, since I'm vegan and haven't tried any other dishes.I have to say though, the hummus is mediocre. I've been to Kareem's more times than I can count, because seriously their falafel = GODLY!but the last time I ordered hummus it was SO SALTY! I couldn't even swallow it, I really wanted to say something but didn't...I hope they check their hummus now or else nobody is going to order it any longer. Other than that it's really great.Thank you, Yelper, Chris D. for introducing me to Kareem's Restaurant!  Chris D. advised me to try Kareem's.  I love Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food. I am always looking to explore new middle east restaurants that come recommended by fellow yelpers. Chris D. mentioned Kareem was good and "good" indeed is Kareem. O.C. Weekly even named Kareem as the best restaurant for falafels. Knowing that recommendation, I ordered the falafels which were served mezze style with hummus, pickled vegetables, tomatoes and pita. The falafels at Kareem are great. The falafel balls had a crispy outer shell and were fluffy, meaty inside. The flavors in the falafel were really wonderful. Damn, O.C. weekly got it right on highlighting Kareem's falafels. The falafel's are fantastic. I recommend you try them. My husband and I had lunch here. The hubby ordered the beef kabobs with hummus, basmati rice and roasted tomatoes. I sampled my husband's meal. I tried the beef kabobs which had this amazing charbroiled taste. The beef was tender and juicy. The basmati rice and hummus was wonderful. I really liked Kareem's hummus. I was surprised by how good the hummus was. I am super picky when it comes to hummus. I need blended tahini, good puree or mash up of chick peas, and the right amount of olive oil and lime juice. Kareem's hummus is right on par with all the important ingredients. Really good hummus. Kareem is as Marc D. wrote, "A nice hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Little Gaza." This restaurant is the best hole-in-the-wall. Kareem is not about the atmosphere... it's about the food. So, if your looking for niceties like decor, music and wait staff... this might not be the place for you. The decor is a bit third world inside. The tables are shabby and the walls have tacky faded lithograph, circa 1980. Pictures that have faded from the fluorescent lighting. Ambiance is missing but the food is DAMN good. And the owner is a sweetheart who will serve you with much care, as he makes his good food.* A nice hole-in-the-wall in Little Gaza *If I lived in Southern California I can tell there would be a lot of culinary exploring in this neighbourhood.  I wanted to try all of the different restaurants, bakeries and cafes.This is the one I did get to try.  Really friendly service and simple wholesome kebabs with all the trimmings.  We ordered a nice variety that included kufta kabob, shish kabob, chicken kabob, kibbeh, rice, hummus, and salad.  Quite the feast!  Everything was well prepared, nicely seasoned, and reasonably priced.  One or two of the kabobs were slightly overcooked for my taste, but not terribly so.  Overall a very solid hole-in-the-wall in the heart of Little Gaza!I'm on a middle eastern food kick and am running amok in Little Gaza. Kareem's definitely has good falafels. I'm not going to so as far as saying that they have the best falafels but they are very good.  I also had their kufta which was nicely seasoned and charred.  Very tasty with basmati. Love their hummus!This place has like the best hummus ever.The owner is Kareem his wife they're sooo nice! They know my face, as the non-middle eastern person. The best thing to order is the hummus chicken pine nuts and the falafel plate. It's sooo ridiculously good! Kareem always hooks me up with extra pita bread. The only thing wrong with this place is that you can't call in. You have to wait 15+ minutes for the food.

by Lady V.

Thanks to Caroline B. for recommending this place.  It didn't look like much at first, just a small, cheap restaurant, and it was completely empty at lunch time, but we braved it, and boy was it is delicious!   I got the falafel and hummus plate.  Best hummus around, easily.  I especially loved it because it's garlic hummus with fresh garlic.  You can still taste it in your mouth forever afterwards.  Mmm.  And the falafels are sooo yummy (and surprisingly green on the inside!) not too salty, perfectly crunchy.  Mmm mmm.  It's one of those places where you don't mind burping afterwards because it only reminds you of how good the meal was.

by Y C.

I'm on a middle eastern food kick and am running amok in Little Gaza. Kareem's definitely has good falafels. I'm not going to so as far as saying that they have the best falafels but they are very good.  I also had their kufta which was nicely seasoned and charred.  Very tasty with basmati. Love their hummus!

by Maury M.

Had a very very satisfying meal here.Babaghanoush: very very tasty! garlicky and flavorful. the best i've ever tried to date.Falafel: Soft and nicely flavored. These were fantastic.Kufta: Wonderfully spiced and moist. This was my favorite meat item.Chicken: tasted nice but not what I would order when we returnBeef: a bit undercooked for me, but otherwise, again flavorful.Tea: nice and strong. they give you fresh mint to put into it. I liked it so much I had 2 cups.