The Yummiest Halal in Oakland

Kamdesh Afghan Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.1 (961) • $$

"Had another delicious meal here. Haven't been back since pre pandemic days. Came by for lunch- not too busy. Had the bolani filled with leeks and a mixed grilled platter family style. Everything was delicious - well seasoned and cooked perfectly. Right on 14 th street in downtown Oakland, easy parking. Come and support this family run small business!"

Q's Halal "Mediterranean Comfort"

★★★★☆ 4.2 (894) • $$

"Really love this place. Food is delicious. Fresh. Love the Gyro Philly wrap. My go to. So good. Their Hummus and Pita is also delicious. Great for an afternoon snack or early snack before dinner. For dessert, we got their Baklava. Nom nom. Service is excellent and food is consistently delicious. I highly recommend. Cheers!"

Fremont Afghan Kabob

★★★★☆ 4 (882) • $$

"Short Story: This place can rival de Afghanan! Long Story: I've been coming here for a few years now and this place is always great! I've had almost all of their menu items such as lamb, chicken, chapli, and beef kabobs. I've also had all types of their bolani and it's been fantastic! The prices are a bit cheaper than de Afghanan and the service is friendly. The food does take a good amount of time to come out so be sure to plan accordingly!Verdict: I'm coming back!"

Shawarmaji

★★★★☆ 4.3 (664) • $$

"They recently moved across the street to an even better location with more dinning space.I've been here about three times now and I am obsessed. Actually obsessed is an understatement. Pitas and wraps are amongst my favorite quick meals and Shawarmaji does it right! Everything I order is freshly made and perfectly seasoned. I usually get the chicken shawarma wrap or the Arabi style wrap with a side of fries. The wraps are served very warm which is a plus. I love that their fries have a nice crisp to it. They serve everything with toum sauce and it makes everything taste even better. I would happily return and highly recommend this place. Good for takeout too."

Great Indian Cuisine

★★★★☆ 3.9 (770) • $$

"This is my go to place for Indian food. At 17.99 for the buffet you can not beat this quality of food. LIFE HACK!! I'm not sure how much a value meal at McDonalds is at the moment but I'm sure this is only a few dollars more and this is real food and you can eat as much as you want . These people treat my family and I like family and it's always clean and consistent . Try this place NOW!!!"

Mirchi Cafe

★★★★☆ 4 (726) • $$

"Recent discovery of this fusion Halal spot thanks to my Pakistani Sista from another Motha.. Love it! I was told this place is very popular in her community and I can taste why. I ordered the crispy chicken burger with madrasa fries and it was absolutely delicious. Not only was the coating crispy, the chicken inside was juicy and well seasoned, not oily. The fries were "meaty" & had a good kick to it with their house wing sauce. But you must enjoy it fresh, best at dine in. My friend had the Sheezan Club with regular fries. Its one of her regular favs. We sat and talked from open to close, service was attentive enough that my friends chai was refilled multiple times at ask. Easy to wave down wait staff when needed. Minimal Décor. The restaurant was steadily busy and seemed like everyone knew each other. Very friendly atmosphere. Inside seating behind small doorway feels a lot cooler than outside. Perhaps there's AC in the back? I was feeling a bit warm/stuffy at one point as I was seated in main dining area. Not a big bother though as the food was good. Parking is plenty. Restaurant is in the last space all the way down the driveway. Can easily miss the driveway to plaza if not paying full attention."

Maya Halal Taqueria

★★★★☆ 4.3 (591) • $$

"These were some of the best birria tacos I've ever had! The meat was marinated really well and the consome was nice and rich. The service was great because I arrived a couple minutes before they were closing which I didn't realize but they still were willing to take my order. I'm not sure if there's usually any seating outside since we came around closing time but at this place you walk up to a window to order and then wait for your food outside. I'm glad I gave this place a try and will definitely come back so I can try other items on the menu."

The Ultimate Deli Cafe and Catering

★★★★☆ 4.3 (563) • $$

"All I ever crave is a Turkey sandwich and now we have an amazing halal deli shop! Alhamdullilah! The menu is actually pretty extensive. They have gyros , falafel , paninis. I think I even saw orange chicken! But you can't go wrong with a sandwich! The Vietnamese coffee was also delicious! I'll be coming here again inshAllah! Definitely recommend"

Falafel Fremont

★★★★☆ 3.9 (635) • $$

"Another update as it's been a couple years since. Falafel Corner has changed its name to Falafel Fremont. Same people, same place just different name. No more check in for a free baklava but that's ok, it was just a nice little perk.The parking here is always hit or miss as depending on the peak eating times can be challenging with Kakuna Sushi nearby and now Dope Pho. Recently we actually had to park in the middle section instead of right in front, but that's okay. There are still spaces. They can get a bit busy at which times, they may not even pick up the phone which can be frustrating. We did come after not being able to reach them over the phone and saw that there were large groups waiting for their food and so we ended up going somewhere else.Inside is pretty spacious with tables.We have yet to try their pizzas and we've been meaning to. Their gyro meat is just too salty and oily for me for some reason so I avoid it as well as falafels. What we do come here for is the burgers. It's always a place we come back for the burgers. The fries can be hit or miss, sometimes we switch it up for the curly ones.Just drop by, try them out and perhaps I'll eventually try their pizzas."

The Hot Shop

★★★★☆ 4.4 (440) • $

"3.5 Stars for food and service. My only problem was the bathroom.We ordered the steak and chicken burritos. The steak was pleasantly tender and juicy. The chicken was dry and didn't have much flavor. These are "gourmet" burritos so no refried beans here folks (love my refried though lol). However the black beans and rice inside our burritos was really good and married nicely together. You can add sour cream/cheese for an extra $1 (approx). We did because we like that. The burritos had a little lettuce and tomato that wasn't soggy even after reheating 20 mins in a 350 degree oven! We both added lots of sauces to achieve the desired flavor and heat. Next time we plan to try the prawn burrito. Nice guy working the counter. Its a small place with maybe 6 tables, and sits just off Solano on San Pablo Ave. It's nestled between a couple of slightly larger businesses and you will miss it if you drive too fast. There is a plastic tent on the sidewalk to help guide you. See pic attached.The bathroom needs a lot of attention but nothing a good wall wash and coat of paint can't fix. The soap dispenser was low on soap but not empty. After going in there I was afraid to eat the food (germaphobe) but we didn't get sick or have digestive problems lol. So yeah we'll go again. Hopefully that problem won't exist next time."

Afghan Burrito

★★★★★ 4.7 (358) • $$

"I think hands down my favorite spot currently in Berkeley. Afghan Burrito will always have a special place in my heart because I first started coming here while pregnant and then continued to come here with baby in tow for a full circle moment. Still.my.favorite.spot.The family-owned feels, wonderful people and staff, the beautiful space (both indoor and outdoor), and the flavor explosions of this incredibly special food that is described "where traditional Afghan spices meet the boldness of Mexican cuisine"...seriously craving it right now as I type this! The Secret Golden Sauce I could literally have on anything and everything.My husband usually gets the Golden Burrito ~ you can get it rolled the traditional way or the Afghan way (fried tortilla, served open). This burrito is massive and packed with your choice of protein, beans, rice, shredded cheese, sour cream, lettuce, pico, golden sauce, and for no additional charge you can add hot sauce, nacho cheese, fajitas, corn, pickled veggies. I usually opt for the chicken burrito bowl, which is also such great value and portion size. A newer menu item we always split is the Golden Crunch Wrap with fried chicken...honestly, one of the best East Bay menu items. Don't sleep on this! I also noticed their menu now offers tacos, loaded fries and nachos, quesadillas, sides, and a kids menu.The Iced Karak Chai is also a game changer if you need an extra pep in your step..I mean there is truly nothing I don't absolutely love about this spot. Metered parking can be tricky on San Pablo Ave, but sometimes you hit the jackpot with open spots in front of the restaurant..those are the best days :)Ask for a variety of their additional sauces and lastly, you can now order ahead through the website or through the Yelp app for pickup pretty true to time. Looking forward to my next meal here!"

Saffron Grill

★★★★☆ 4.1 (462) • $$

"Quick and delicious. They have a great $10 plate that has rice, meat, veggies, and dressing. You can barely find any $10 meals anymore these days. Please help support local small business!"

Biryaniz - Milpitas

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (752) • $$

"Service was great! Huge pani puri line outside on a Saturday evening!! Cashier was friendly, foo"

Shahi Darbar Indian Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.7 (332) • $$

"This is a decent Indian food place overall. They had special food items advertised at the table but it ended in December & they no longer had the food items. They were on every table, but they still didn't take them off the tables. I had several entrees as seen in the photos. The food was pretty good, the chicken was a bit salty for some reason, but not terrible. The service was ok, the waiter wasn't friendly/but wasn't unfriendly...they were just there to do the job and I get it. I'd come back & try other items on the menu for sure. If you enjoy the heat of spice, this might be a place for you to check out."

IGrill Kebabs and Biryani

★★★★☆ 3.8 (439) • $$

"This is probably the best birayni I've had in the Bay Area. There was so much flavor in every bite! Sometimes I've had problems with other biryanis because either it's not spicy enough, it's not flavorful enough, or the flavor is not even late dispersed enough. This one was perfect all-around. I ordered it through DoorDash very late on a Friday night after barhopping. The food came right on time as I got home.I got the chicken biryani. I liked the onions and the chicken meat was moist! There was not an option to customize the spice. It was extremely spicy, which I loved, but it did hurt the next day coming out. Everyone that took a bit also felt the spice hurt their tummies. One recommendation is to give options for spice levels.The mango lassi helped with cooling the spice.I'd love to visit in-person and try other foods!"

Basil Delight

★★★★☆ 3.7 (393) • $$

"I came over to California, for my husband's doctors appointment. We stopped for the night in Livermore on our way back home, and we both wanted Chinese Food. We ordered takeout and they were Zippity fast!! We were starving. We ordered Pad Thai, chicken Satay and veggie egg rolls. The food was delicious, really good!! Yum! Their sauces of Chili sauce, satay sauce, soy sauce were delicious. Very good food. We enjoyed our dinner after we found a place to camp overnight in our camper van. Food hit the spot. Thanks!"

Kabob Fusion

★★★★★ 4.7 (234)

"AMAZING EXPERIENCE The owner is super nice, the food is fresh, flavorful, and affordable. I ordered falafel and babaganoush. Falafel was as fresh as possible and super green on the inside."

House of Curries

★★★★☆ 3.6 (392) • $

"I've been here a few times since my original review. Each time when I've ordered the Chicken Tikka Marsala, the chicken has been overcooked and tough. I do like the curry sauce"

Crave Subs

★★★★☆ 4.3 (250) • $$

"My son enjoyed his sandwich, however he mentioned it costing him almost $40 for a large, with fries and a drink, the sandwich was large enough to split in half and eat it the next day, but the cost was way over the top for a college kid"

Halal Wings Plus

★★★★☆ 4.1 (258) • $$

"I love this place and my boys love it too. They have a lot of options and combos to choose from. They also have boneless wings which have more meat... Even though I love most of the flavors, my favorite has to be the boneless spicy lemon pepper ...The staff is always friendly!! They chat with us and give my boys extra fries, extra sauces, etc.The restaurant is also very clean. Too bad I'm about 35 minutes away, but it's worth the drive."

Rayo’s Pizza

★★★★★ 4.5 (202) • $$

"OK pizza in Hayward, we were visiting my brother and wanted to reward the kids with lunch, they chose Hawaiian Pizza and I found Rayo's on Yelp. It was close and it was easy placing our order over the phone. When we got there, nobody was inside and nobody was at the cash register. They have a distinctly painted interior so we wandered around a bit having a look and trying to make some light noise and eventually someone came out from the kitchen to help us.They still needed another 10 minutes but we weren't in a rush and waited. Hawaiian Pizza: I always try to support independent place and this pizza was OK, I think I prefer some franchise variations of this but it was for the kids and I did see they had some more unique creations we would try next time like carne asada pizza.Fries and Chicken strips: fries were a bit pale and tasted OK, when they are this size and proportion they are very similar to McDonalds fries and it's hard not to compare them. Both were fine but seemed like they could have been bought frozen and in bulk. I do like how the chicken strips came with some vegetables."

New York Pizza & Kabob

★★★★☆ 4.3 (202) • $$

"This is the best pizza so far that I had around Union City. If I'd compare it to big names of pizza, I'd rather pick this one lol. I'll try the Afghani pizza next time. Fast Service!"

Naan Stop Kabob

★★★★☆ 4 (230) • $$

"Who's working the magic in the kitchen?!Hercules is the fortunate home base for Naan Stop Kabob. Hubs and I were missing Vic's in Berkeley, but didn't want the hassle of going there. We remembered seeing Naan Stop Kabob when we went to other shops near by. After looking up the menu online we called and placed our order. We bought a lot of food. (See picture for list). We were so happy with all of our choices. Just the right amount of spice and heat. Absolutely delicious! We will definitely be back. Menu is extensive. Everyone should be able to find the right choices for them. Highly recommend."

Burma Bay Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.4 (189) • $$

"I've been here twice now and both times were excellent. The service is friendly and fast, but the food quality is what stands out the most. It's been delicious and fresh both times.Tried the black pepper Berger and basil chile beef, both excellent.And their desserts...it's worth it. The fried bananas with ice cream were great."

California MoMo Kitchen

★★★★★ 4.8 (157) • $$

"Stopped by during late afternoon and we were seated immediately. The waitress was super nice and laidback. What we got: chicken Himalayan curry (5/5) -- we got this in mild because I am a spice wimp and it was not spicy at all (thank you)..the sauce was bursting with flavor and I love the chunkiness which added robustness. The chicken was succulent but they didn't give nearly enough meat for what was being charged prawn tikka masala (5/5) -- again, ordered in mild for my sake and this sauce was tomatoey and creamy. The shrimp were a little overcooked and I thought there needed to be more for what we were payingnaan (4/5) -- my boyfriend said it is usually fluffier than this, but it was my first time having naan and I thought it was delicious dipping in the curries Although the meat was a bit skimpy for the dishes we ordered, flavors were perfect and I enjoyed the meal a lot. I would return to try their momo and other items!"

Tandoori-n-Curry

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (296) • $$

"I've tried butter chickens and chicken tikka masalas in a wide variety of Bay area restaurants, and I most admit this one was a lot better that I expected. The food came out piping hot. The butter chicken I got smelled so good i couldn't wait to have a few bites. The sauce was actually spice and creamy while the chicken was really tender. The use of black cardamom is a tell tale sign of good masala and it was there. The rice was fresh and fragrant as well. Server was a cool guy behind the counter. Nothing crazy. And the atmosphere was whatever, just a regular set up. This spot is right next to the oh so popular pakwan so it definitely doesn't get as busy, but I kind of prefer the butter chicken here as it's spicier and more tender. Definitely try this place but eat the food at the restaurant as out is such a different experience when it's fresh out the kitchen."

Habibiz

★★★★☆ 4.4 (171) • $$

"Our first experience far exceeded our expectations! From the moment we stepped in, the place was filled with folks enjoying their supper on a Friday night. All of the staffs were so friendly through every step of the way! We got the 3 combo plate $15.50 with hefty and generous amount. We got half & half of spicy fried rice and chow mein. Entrée, we got pepper beef, Kung pao chicken, and salt & pepper fish. All delicious and fresh! Egg rolls are $1 per and also yummy.Best part is that they use halal ingredients serving broader community of Fremont.Looking forward to trying other goodies here time to time."

A-Town Pizza

★★★★☆ 3.6 (251) • $$

"I haven't been to A-Town Pizza since high school when it was on San Antonio & Park so I can't really compare it to how it was back then. But honestly, we got exactly what we were expecting from a pepperoni pizza. Flavor profile and all. Im usually the type to be able to eat a whole pizza to myself but I feel like this pizza was just "heavier" than others, and I mean no disrespect when I write that. The crust was risen and fluffy and it had the pools of grease from the pepperonis. Id order again and next time I'm trying their signature pizza with 20 toppings."

Yummy Grill Afghan Kabob House

★★★★☆ 4.4 (165) • $$

"I've driven by this place a thousand times & finally decided to try it out. Man am I glad I did! Lamb 5outta5, tender & full of flavor, same with the rice. Their green sauce is divine! I went back the next day and had the tandoori chicken. 5outta5 The chicken was absolutely delicious! I want to learn more about Afghan cuisine. The spice blends are amazing. The service was excellent. I got my food to go but I could've dined in as well. Very chill & welcoming vibe. I'll definitely be trying more dishes."

Kusan Bazaar

★★★★★ 4.7 (128)

"Ordered the lamb skewer, the Samsa and the milk tea and lots of drinks. Try the yuzu honey. Food needs less mild."

Chikin Drip

★★★★☆ 3.7 (189) • $$

"Food is a good price and really tasty! Inside is nice and clean and the workers hooked it up!"

Habibis Birria

★★★★☆ 4.3 (139) • $$

"Our first visit was a 5 star experience with goat birria plate, birria plate, and the chicken and shrimp taco Tuesday special. Everything was on point that we came back for takeout just a few weeks later. The goat birria was still delicious and the birria tacos were great but the shrimp in the Taco Tuesday taco was so tiny (1/5 of the size of the orignial) that it reminded me more of shrimp salad sized shrimps. Our third visit, we were told after we ordered that they were out of the goat birria so we tried the Mediterranean side with the mix plate. Nice that their mediterranean side is as good as their Mexican side. Our most recent visit was more of a 3 star as we noticed that the offerings for Taco Tuesday no longer has the shrimp which given the size of them last time, probably for the best. Was disappointed that their goat birria is no longer offered daily, so we tried the birria ramen. Didn't realize the ramen was Tapacio ramen similar to Cup O Noodle so was thirsty all night.Over four visits, it's a bit of a hit or miss at this point so more of a 3 1/2 star overall now especially if the goat birria is not available daily now but bumping up to 4 since their employees are friendly.and their birria tacos are still worth coming in for."

Halal Bites Of Chicago

★★★★★ 4.5 (109) • $

"Y'all were delicious at Autumn Lights festival on Saturday, and I appreciated seeing the family all working together. I had "Mixed on Rice" and it hit the spot. The chicken and lamb were both moist, tender, and flavorful. The lamb was a little more stewed than I was expecting, but it tasted good. The iceberg salad was plain but refreshing. The rice was spiced strongly - it tasted good and went great with the food, but once I'd finished the protein and lettuce I couldn't eat the rice by itself - it needed something blander to balance it out. Everything was generous portions -- My main regret was that I didn't get to try your falafel. But that's a good reason to come back, and I look forward to seeing you again. Keep up the good work!"

Chandni Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (194) • $$

"I had such a wonderful experience! I hosted my daughter's 1st birthday here with over 200+ people and Mohammed was so helpful and accommodating throughout the whole process! In the beginning, he helped me answer all my questions and had open communication with me the whole way through. The day of the event he and his team were phenomenal. Everything came out on time. The food was really good and the bartender was great. Mohammed was so generous enough to add a few items on the menu to accommodate my guests. He even threw in some things to make the venue extra special for us. I've never had a venue do that for us. He is a true blessing! I will definitely be booking more events here in the future"

Sultan’s Grill Turkish Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.5 (97) • $$

"A new hidden gem!! Delicious food especially their Turkish delights! When we arrived there were people waiting for their food and I would say it was about 10-15 min but definitely worth it! We have a little one who was getting a bit antsy and one of the servers brought her French fries first! It was so thoughtful and excellent way to keep her occupied while we wait. Everything was delicious especially the falafel balls and the combo plate. The lamb and chicken were cooked to perfection. And don't get me started on the selection of sweets! We got a baklava and some Turkish delights. I will say we are definitely coming back."