The Tastiest Halal in San Jose

Zadna Grill

★★★★★ 4.7 (879) • $$

"Generous portions and good food. Came here for a weekend takeout lunch and ordered the chicken shawarma wrap, lamb kofta wrap and a side of garlic fries. The menu may seem on the pricier side but when we got the food we understood why, the wraps were huge and fries were overflowing from the box. If you're not a big eater I think you could actually share a wrap with a side between two people.Food came out promptly and ingredients tasted like they were high quality. Each wrap came with a side of toom and hot sauce. My chicken shawarma wrap was different than I was expecting in that the chicken was covered in sauce. Might not be everyone's preference for those that prefer the taste of grilled meat but I enjoyed it. Fries were well seasoned and very crispy. Would come back again."

Cobani Gyro & Kebab

★★★★☆ 4.2 (880) • $$

"I tried the lamb plate and it was incredible! Highly recommend--best Mediterranean food I've had!"

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!"

Chaat Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (918) • $$

"The local Indian restaurant that's near our house. Food is always ready quickly and for our family they do a good job. The kids like the butter, chicken and the roti. They are pretty easy to please. The place is always busy and has some room for seating. People are always friendly. Would recommend to anyone of our friends if they're in the area."

Atlas Pizza Parlor

★★★★☆ 4.3 (712) • $$

"We happened upon Atlas while on a date in the area, and we both agreed this is probably the best pizza we've ever had!We ordered the Italian garlic combo pizza, noori chicken wings, and potato wedges. The pizza was chock-full of toppings, incredibly flavorful, and the crust had the perfect crunch--so delicious! The wedges and wings were fantastic, well-seasoned, and crispy!Service was outstanding! We initially sat inside, but since it was such a beautiful day, we decided to move to the patio. I didn't catch her name, but the young lady was incredibly helpful in assisting us with the move and was very attentive throughout.Parking was a bit tricky (street parking), but we managed to find a spot near the front. Definitely coming back!"

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."

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"

Lados

★★★★☆ 4.2 (571) • $$

"Such a beautiful hole in the wall place that you wouldn't know was sitting in a residential neighborhood of Sunnyvale. The outdoor area is super cute and very nice for a warm fall night dinner. We came here on a Sunday night and it was fairly busy.I've heard great things about the fried chicken here and we had to come back with our friends to spread the joy! Definitely get the chicken tikka masala, it was 9/10, with very juicy and tender pieces of chicken.Your order at the counter and seating is open. We would definitely come back with more friends!"

Willow Street Wood Fired Pizza

★★★★☆ 3.6 (749) • $$

"What a great pizza place for your family or even for date night. It has pizza, pasta, and more. I love the thin crust on their pizza, and I recommend the margarita pizza and any of their salads. Also, they have great desserts, and mud pie from Marianne's ice cream is in Santa Cruz! Which is my favorite. The restaurant itself is clean. They have great staff. It's pretty quick and we didn't wait very long. I definitely recommend this place for a birthday. Quick dinner, maybe lunch, or a night out for drinks."

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."

Noori - San Bruno

★★★★☆ 3.8 (668) • $$

"Noori was such an enjoyable experience thank you so much to Max the owner and Prachi! I loved how the spice level that is broken down on the lower right hand side of the menu. Level 2 was very spicy and as a well versed spice woman I wouldn't want to go higher. Overall, great food that is very authentic and fresh. Try the goat cheese naan. Side note: the event space is great so ask for a tour if you are looking to host a party."

Lotus Falafel and Shawerma-San Bruno

★★★★★ 4.6 (378) • $$

"Stumbled on this place because Mazra was closed and what a pleasant surprise! The food is one of the best Mediterranean places in the bay.You order at the counter and there are lots of tables but know that it is a very casual establishment and nothing fancy. The food service is fast and the prices are very reasonable."

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"

Naan -N- Curry

★★★★☆ 3.8 (512) • $

"I am no expert but I love the Chicken Leg tandoori and curry from here. My husband and I shared the combo and ordered an extra naan plus a Palak Paneer. Servings are generous. We didn't finish the PP and didn't even touch the extra naan. It's located inside the mall food court. It was super busy and loud- but the workers move fast to clean up after diners."

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."

Momo Grill

★★★★★ 4.5 (350) • $$

"Butter chicken is amazing! Naan is amazingThe pakoras were extremely salty and difficult to eat.The garlic naan was very niceThe lamb roganjosh was very oily and would not recommend.The momos were spicy and yummy! Would recommend the raita if you can't handle spiceThe okra was amazingThe tadka Dahl was amazingWould recommend rice"

ShaQ

★★★★☆ 4.3 (377) • $$

"ShaQ is a fusion restaurant! Mix between Turkish and Indian food. I've never had that combination before but I must admit it was very good. They had a variety of options on the menu ranging from wraps to platters, all at a very reasonable price.I ordered the chicken shawarma platter and it came with rice, chicken shawarma, hummus, greek salad, and a side of pita bread. For $14, this was much more food than I was expecting. Everything was very flavorful and went together very nicely. I could tell the pita was also freshly made. It was warm and soft. Definitely recommend if you're in the Santa Clara area!"

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!"

Shawarmaji

★★★★☆ 4.4 (300) • $$

"If you're looking for a shawarma wrap that's bigger than your face, then you have to check out Shawarmaji! Starting out in Oakland, Shawarmaji is a small, family-owned, Jordanian restaurant that recently expanded to Santa Clara and focuses on offering authentic Jordan-style shawarma in the Bay Area. They're most known for their 12 inch chicken wrap that includes thinly-sliced chicken, which is initially cooked on a revolving spit, their housemade toum sauce (aka Lebanese garlic sauce), and cucumber pickles in a thin arabic wrap. The menu at Shawarmaji is relatively simple and offers chicken or lamb/beef served in a wrap or pita form, fries, and a few additional small sides. This is a great place to visit if you're looking to try authentic Jordanian shawarma!ORDER: Chicken Wrap ($14) - Chicken was really tender and I loved the garlic sauce that it came with. Although I do wish there were more vegetables included in the wrap, it was overall really good."

Olives Mediterranean Market And Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (250) • $$

"I love the labneh with zatar! The labneh is very thick and creamy. The toasty zatar on top goes with the tartness so well. It beats Oren's any day. Service is very friendly and kind. Turkish coffee is amazingly fragrant but super strong. If you are used to needing cream in your coffee, you might need a bottle of cream. Just pour the coffee directly in the cream bottle."

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."

Dosa Point

★★★★☆ 4.3 (275) • $$

"Hands down the best dosa, and the best food!!! The service was great! they were super helpful, polite and nice. It is a small restaurant but it is clean, their bathroom was clean as well. I've recommended this place to 4 people already and they all loved it! I don't have the pics because we were too busy devouring the food."

Bundoo Khan

★★★★☆ 3.9 (330) • $$

"Love the food! Service is reasonably fast and cooked to order. Wish there was one closer to where I live. I wish they had curries but they only do BBQ style. The place is fairly big with plenty of seating, but can get busy quickly at times. Love the tandoori chicken spicy, but normal spice is good too, beef bihari, chicken kabobs, Lamb Chops, chicken malai and garlic naan. The vibe is chill with music in the background sometimes. Can't wait to go back!"

Via Mia Pizza

★★★★☆ 4.4 (259) • $$

"STACKED! That's how I would describe this beautifully made combo pizza. The box was heavy when I picked it up. I opened the pizza in the car just to see it and OMG, I was excited to get it home to chomp into this pizza! The ingredients are fresh and plentiful. The sausage, salami, veggies and cheese were all tasty. I will definitely come back to order from here again! Pro tip: if you get a pizza with a lot of toppings, ask for it to be cooked well done so the bottom isnt soggy."

Sal's Burgers

★★★★★ 4.6 (229) • $$

"Stopped by Sal's Burgers, located in a convenient strip mall off Highway 92. It's a walk-up and order at the counter spot with seating both inside and outside. Perfect for a casual meal. We ordered the SF Patty Melt, which comes loaded with grilled onions, mushrooms, Swiss and cheddar cheese, all on sourdough bread and the Cowboy burger, topped with cheese, an onion ring, pickle, halal bacon, grilled onions, mushrooms, and barbecue sauce. For sides, we went with onion rings and garlic fries. The burger portions were just right--neither too big nor too small, making it perfect for an average appetite. The food took about 10 minutes, which was expected,and both burgers were tasty. The sides were also solid. Overall, the service was efficient, and the pricing was what you'd expect for a burger spot. I'd come back to try more from their menu."

Momo Grill Truck

★★★★☆ 4.2 (269) • $

"Get the chicken and chicken chili momo! It was a random Sunday afternoon that I got to spend by myself while Gavin's at the temple learning about Buddhism and Vietnamese. I drove to the temple in Palo Alto to visit my grandpa (his picture is there) and decided to get gas on my way back. Had no idea there was a food truck meet up here. I was determined to stop by after Costco. I was excited to see momos on the menu. That was the first truck I saw. I didn't eat it the same day. These tasted great, still. I microwaved them but if I wasn't super lazy, steaming them for a few minutes would do the trick. The chicken momos were succulent. The chicken chili momos were earthy and had some heat to it. The chili sauce it came w/ elevated the heat, it was spicy but super tolerable. Accepts cards. Service was friendly. Will be back!"

Halal Gyro Express

★★★★☆ 4.1 (281) • $

"Gyro-meat was perfectly seasoned, delicious-bread was fresh and fluffy-veggies were fresh, crisp-sauces were perfectFalafels-crispy crunchy outside-soft inside-mixed with sesame seeds-just a little too salty"

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."

Sophie's Mediterranean Grill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (275) • $$

"3.5 STARSDate: Wednesday, March 29th, 2023Time: Ordered around 1:45pm, Picked up around 2:15pmHow: via Restaurant's websiteMeal: Lunch*Kabob Meat Only: Skewers of Meat - Chicken Kabob Skewer (+$7.89), Lamb Kabob Skewer (+$8.99)*Hummus: Comes with Pita Bread ($6.39)*Sophie's Tzaztziki: Cucumber Yogurt Dip with Pita ($6.39)The hubby's brother was grabbing food and asked me if I wanted anything. My answer? Always yes! Feed me! Funny enough, he and the hubby don't really like Mediterranean, so I often don't get the chance to eat it. (I believe he ordered their Fettuccine Alfredo. Lol!) So I was looking forward to satisfying my random hummus cravings. The skewers didn't come on skewers, but they had a nice smokiness. Tho I did find the meat a little dry. Thanks goodness for my two sides. The tzatziki provided a nice freshness. I did find the hummus a little bland, but nothing some salt or hot sauce couldn't fix.Good option for Mediterranean in the Evergreen area.Note: My pix are from a meal I had back in 2020. I didn't take any pictures this time around. There is an added Beef Kabob Skewer."

Hella Mediterranean

★★★★☆ 4.4 (206) • $$

"I've been here several times and have enjoyed it every time. You order at the register and then have a seat. They bring your to the table. It usually arrives very quickly. The food is great and I haven't been disappointed in anything that I have ordered. The restaurant is clean and comfortable."

Via Mia Pizza

★★★★☆ 4.1 (228) • $$

"A little expense. $30 for medium. Got a vegetable with a lot of cheese but not as many vegetables as most high end pizza places. e.g. Dominos."

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!"