Beef Koobideh & Changeh Kabob Combo
#33 Chicken Koobideh Special
Falafel
51. Beef Barg Kabaob & Boneless Chicken Combo
Boneless Lamb Kabob (half rice half persian salad)
30. Tomato Omelette
Inside
Family meal
menu
a variety of food items
My favorite: chicken bark
Full menu
Baklava and Persian tea
50. Combo Beef Koobideh & Boneless Chicken Excellent!!!
food
19. Falafel Plate
50. Combo Beef Koobideh & Boneless Chicken
Storefront of Kabab Express
Chicken kebab!
interior, sushi and sashimi
Part of menu
Justin K.
Mar 3, 2025
Not often I drop in a positive review, but Kabab Express deserves some praise. The place itself is modestly decorated, but the value for the money is top notch.At first glance the prices seem a little high, but the quantity more than makes up for it. The roasted chickens are a good size, enough so that a couple could split the whole chicken plate and be completely satisfied. Pretty much everything comes with naan and hummus, and if you are on a bit of a tighter budget they offer complimentary hot tea so you don't have to buy anything extra at all.On my latest visit I tried the Gyros plate while the wife got a half chicken. Food was delivered fast, staff was friendly, naan tasty .... zero complaints.Looking for something a bit different than the sea of fast food chains in the area? Strongly recommended.
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G P.
Feb 13, 2025
First time visit.. Restaurant not busy and immediately greeted upon entry. Nice atmosphere and very clean.Ordered two kabab combinations to go.. One all chicken and other chicken /beef. Was offered a tea while I waited.Wait was not long maybe 7/8 minutes which was more than reasonable.Took food home and both were excellent as was the bread provided. Both meats were tasty and juicy, rice also great.I will definitely return to this restaurant to try different options. Highly recommend this business..
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Ashley S.
Jan 20, 2025
Best Persian restaurant in OC! We've tried countless Persian restaurants in the area and have finally found the best one. Definitely worth the drive from San Diego where unfortunately it has been difficult to find quality Persian food as of late.The kabob is fresh and juicy. It's cooked perfectly with all the right spices and flavor. They make their bread in house and it's delicious. The kabob sandwhich is my go to, but I've also had the olivieh salad and gormeh sabzi, which were both amazing. The inside is nice and clean with plenty of seating. They are located in a big shopping center with lots of parking available. The GM Mike is very kind and welcoming. He remembered us even though it had been a few months since our first visit. We've already taken several friends here and everyone has been impressed with the quality of the food. They get extra points for staying open so late too.
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Mahshid F.
Mar 3, 2025
Whenever I'm in Southern California, I can't resist the urge to drive to Lake Forest for a bite at this amazing spot! I hope this shows just how fantastic they really are!
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Paul M.
Dec 16, 2024
Our first visit was so enjoyable that my wife and I were really excited to return to this Mediterranean restaurant. We were greeted by a very friendly guy behind the counter, which reminded us of how friendly the staff was on our first visit. He was also patient and helpful, as I asked a lot of questions. My wife got the Gyros Plate, just like last time. I opted for the Chicken Koobideh. I'm not sure why, since I like the Gyro so much. Maybe it was that the Koobideh was promoted as their most popular item. After ordering, we sat down to wait for our meals. We waited, and waited, and waited some more. It took way too long to get our food, particularly considering ours was the only order they were working on. The food finally came, and there was plenty of it. I tried to remember to take a photo, but I was so hungry by this time that I forgot. Upon first bite, I realized I had made a mistake. My Chicken Koobideh was not bad, it just wasn't that good. It lacked flavor and was a little mushy. I have had Koobideh at other restaurants that had a better, firmer texture. I decided that the Tzatziki sauce on my wife's Gyro might be good on my Koobideh - maybe give it a little more flavor. So, I looked around to find the nice guy we ordered from. He was nowhere to be found. In fact, no employees were in the dining room, or evident in the kitchen, the entire time we were eating. No one checked up on us to see if we were enjoying our meals. This was very unfortunate, and I left disappointed. So, why the four stars? Because my wife's Gyro Plate was great. She enjoyed every bite, and I will definitely know what to order next time.
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Mary B.
Feb 14, 2025
Terrible service, tasteless food. Rude host. Not coming back here again. For what they charge they don't offer anything good.
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Cin-Yee S.
Sep 19, 2024
Incredible food and service in an unassuming Lake Forest plaza. A must stop for me from now on every time I'm in town. Some of the best kashke badjeman I've ever had, and I eat this roasted eggplant dish at nearly every establishment I can find it. The fluffy bread and well-seasoned koobideh were absolutely delicious. Hospitality is a hallmark of the culture, and the staff here were just so welcoming and wonderful. The owner even came around to ask all the diners how everything was going, which I thought was a nice personal touch. See everyone again for some more delicious food when I'm back in SoCal.
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Tammy L.
Aug 15, 2024
We were surprised to learn of a place that was open so late in our area and decided to check it out. We arrived around 8:45 and ordered, took a number and found a table. So, people were generally nice. There was a manager (owner?) walking around to greet people and one of the two girls working the cash register was very friendly...the other was new-ish.Anyway, long story short, the food is GREAT. I got chicken + beef koobideh platter (chicken was slightly better) and hubby got the lamb tongue sandwich which he loved. We also shared a falafel platter. BIL ordered he thought was chicken but was given a steak kabab ??? Couldn't really tell as the meat was blackened but the texture was that of steak. Whatever it was, it was pretty tasty. We were given a ton of taftoon (flat bread) for our entrees.That being said, the food did take a LONG time. By the time we got out of there, it was 10:30pm. I mean, we're pretty patient people but were getting a little hungry when our food finally arrived. Except BIL's. His took another 15 minutes and when we inquired, we were told the chicken takes longer to cook??? So I want to say it was over an hour by the time we got all our food. Not sure if we'll be back - will likely stick to to-go orders but it was nice to know we have an option for late night eats that isn't a drive-thru. The place was inexplicably packed for 10pm on a Friday night, with a party of 20 people showing up for a birthday party. Check it out but make sure you have plenty of time.
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George U.
Nov 14, 2024
What a great place for Kabab, Koobideh and other delicious middle eastern cuisine. Fresh ingredients, good portions, friendly staff and good customer service. The ambiance seems to be positive and customer focused. Recommended
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Avishek C.
Oct 22, 2024
Later at night, when the night is winding down, and most everyone had had their dinner, you can still find great food here. It's an unassuming storefront in the nice part of El Toro road in Lake Forest. You might see sparse diners and a few locals sitting around having a late dinner. And no matter the late hour we came, we were greeted with a warm smile and superb service.We ordered a chicken koobideh. One plate; we weren't that hungry, and we got it to go. We ordered and waited outside chatting. It took then about 15 minutes to make the dish. I could see them making it fresh in the back while I was standing outside. The value is amazing. Two skewers, with rice, pickles, and garlic sauce as well as a pita was far more than I expected. The taste was on point as well. I loved the place. Next time we will sit and eat in the restaurant. Loved it!
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