Ara's Shawarma

Reviews

• AB

  aris bautista

  5 days ago
  5.0
  Been a fan of Ara's Shawarma since they started serving great food at Sherman Way. Followed them when they open their first shop in North Hollywood. Now here at their new location in Encino, they still continue to serve the same great quality. With a bigger place, really clean and great service thank you to Mike who has been a great host. A variety of combos and plates are available. I will definitely recommend them for our next lunch catering at our office.
• GA

  George Atallah

  Jan 1, 2026
  5.0
  Ara’s Shawarma in Encino is one of those low-key spots that delivers big on flavor and consistency. The shawarma is well-seasoned, juicy, and clearly cooked fresh, whether you choose chicken, beef, or a mix. The meat is sliced perfectly, wrapped in warm pita, and balanced with crisp veggies and rich garlic sauce that doesn’t overpower the dish. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming, and the service is excellent. Mike was very helpful, answering questions, offering recommendations, and making the overall experience even better.
• BN

  Brendon N

  Jan 1, 2026
  5.0
  Aras Shawarma delivers an outstanding experience from start to finish. The service was exceptionally friendly and efficient, and the food was truly astonishing—fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. You can tell a lot of care goes into both the cooking and the customer experience. I highly recommend Aras Shawarma to anyone looking for high-quality food and excellent service. The guy there Mike was amazing.
• HC

  Honor Chervin

  Dec 30, 2025
  5.0
  Such a great addition to the neighborhood. The food was very tasty, we got our meal very quickly, and they threw even threw in a few extra goodies since we are neighbors. Mike was super nice and even keyed us into the best thing on the menu, the Crispy Chicken. It has the crunch you wish every burrito had! Chicken was juicy and NOT dry which was clutch. My wife had beef which was also very juicy. We are so excited that this place joined the neighborhood and we will definitely be back often.
• HH

  Hunter

  Dec 19, 2025
  5.0
  I'm a native Angeleno who's seen kabob, shawarma, and falafel places of every variety come and go for decades. Elements of the cuisine is common throughout many communities--Indian, Israeli, Persian, Armenian, Greek... No one has a lock on it. Till now. Ara's nails it. They hit the sweet spot between taste, affordability, and availability for fast casual dining in LA... Fresh, generous portions of tender chicken breast. The food is clean, healthy, filling...and oddly less expensive than their competitors. Better, cheaper, faster are three things that seldom go together--but, miraculously, at Ara's, they do. Importantly: they're open late... Which makes LA feel less like some backwards cow town. When you step into the joint, you're greeted by walls painted with a crazy cast of characters perhaps more appropriate for a Chuck E. Cheese. The kids will feel at home. But, even so: the Rüfüs Du Sol soundtrack will keep you from feeling like a basic soccer mom. The falafels are outstanding. A close second only to Joe's Falafel in Studio City. The hummus is legit. Doesn't taste like it was mixed from some powder in back. The rice is light and fluffy. Every good thing accompanies the standard chicken breast plate: baked garlic and tomato, an unusually spicey charred jalapeño, a great slaw, sauce, pita, the works. It's a complete and right-sized meal. (All to say: yes, if you're vegan, you can join your buddies here without starving.) For desert, they got phenomenal strawberries. If you fall for TikTok trends, you can get them slathered in Dubai chocolate. But--plain--they're excellent, too. But most importantly, the service is on point. Extremely accommodating. It's clear the guys running the place care *a lot* about customer satisfaction. Mike--the manager in Encino--makes you feel like you're about to sit down for Miyazaki prefecture wagyu at Wolfgang Puck's Cut in Beverly Hills...but, honestly, you'd be smarter to bail on Rodeo Drive and keep your stomach _and_ pockets full right here on Ventura Blvd. I love this place. I hope they stick around. It's my go to meal after every leg day.

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