The Tastiest Mediterranean in San Jose

Yiassoo

★★★★☆ 4.1 (964) • $$

"I've been coming here for months, since I started working in Cupertino. Love the food; always fresh and the flavors are on-point for traditional Greek dishes I've had in the past. I've tried many dishes, but my go to favorite is the classic Gyro sandwich with some extra tzatziki sauce in the side. The staff is always nice and they have a great outdoor area for lunch."

Yiassoo

★★★★☆ 4 (979) • $$

"Great food, fast service, good fit take out or dining in, this has become a regular spot for us. Love it! Could use some music or something, it tends to be a little quiet"

Cobani Gyro & Kebab

★★★★☆ 4.2 (880) • $$

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

Meso Modern Mediterranean

★★★★☆ 3.9 (963) • $$$

"The dishes here are fresh and change based on seasonal vegetables, which I really appreciate. I love that they use what's in season--it adds to the quality and flavor.The presentation is absolutely gorgeous, and the pricing reflects that level of detail. The restaurant can get pretty packed since it's located at the end of Santana Row, but you can always make a reservation to secure a spot. The interior is just as stunning as the food, creating a beautiful dining atmosphere.Overall, it's a fantastic spot for a gathering if you enjoy high-end Mediterranean cuisine!"

Yas Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.9 (890) • $$

"Came for dinner around 730PM on a Thursday. About 1/4 of the restaurant tables were occupied when we arrived, and never got super busy for the 3 hrs we were there.I believe the wait staff was trying to be polite and not interrupt our conversation but I had to get her attention to order, and get a to-go box and the check.Food was good but entrees seemed to take a while, ~20+ min? Overall pretty good except the music, and especially the happy birthday music (there were 3 that night) was SO loud. It was challenging to hear someone talking sitting right across from me."

Siena Bistro

★★★★☆ 4.3 (694) • $$

"Came here 3/20/2024 for dinner. We decided to sit outside since it wasn't too cold and there was fire so it was cozy. The owner was extremely nice and welcoming. I believe he went to all the tables to talk to the customers, overall a friendly guy. Apparently, he's never been sick and works in the restaurant almost every day. Hey, I mean great staying healthy and strong!! The other workers were also very nice and provided excellent service. I ordered the Dijon Crusted Salmon ($34)The salmon was not dry and it was lightly covered in sweet Dijon Mustered. I like it a lot but I realize I like my salmon with lemon more. The veggies and mashed potatoes were perfect, wouldn't change a thing. French Vanilla Bean Gelato Single ($5) The owner told me it was going to be the best vanilla bean gelato I've ever had and hey it was delicious. I wished I had more, but I was too full from the salmon dinner. Overall, great dining experience, and the outdoor seating was a change of setting. Time to plan my next visit!"

Real Kabob Persian Mediterranean Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (674) • $$

"We did takeout from GrubHub so I can't speak to what the restaurant atmosphere is like. But I can speak to the food! (and since our food was delivered quickly, I believe the staff are on top of takeout orders, so I consider that smart service)Really enjoyed the shirazi salad. We split a lamb kabob plate and I got an additional beef kabob skewer. Plates come with a lot of basmati rice and a large vegetable skewer which had onion, zucchini, and yellow bell pepper. Veg had a lovely char. Onion sections weren't quite cooked enough, but I enjoyed it. Beef kabob was not on a stick and was mostly cut through in bite sized portions. It was very tasty. Lamb pieces were on a skewer with limb slices. Lamb was out of this world delicious. There was also a grilled tomato, sauce, and some strips that were like pita. I don't remember what the menu called them. We would definitely order again. And I'd like to try other things!"

Momo & Kebab

★★★★★ 4.5 (612) • $$

"Jhol momo (lamb): yummy; Medium spice is just right for usOur go-to dish here is C Chili Chicken momo, which is spicy (more than what we would like even in Medium spice level)."

LaLe

★★★★☆ 4.2 (697) • $$

"10am Saturday. Determined to see Flower Piano in Golden Gate Park, I skipped breakfast in order to find a parking space near the Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park. Taking a day off from my perfect Avocado Toast quest I found LaLe, an easy walk. .Nice! They have a parklet, should it ever get warm enough. Inside, comforting dim lights, warm wood arched plank ceiling, like 1/2 a fancy giant wine barrel. Clever solution for a too high ceiling I'm guessing. Definitely a classy casual vibe, country-ish rock music, you can still have conversation. This is no laptop village, people are talking to each other! Wallpaper is enlarged French newspapers with giant tulips incorporated.Ordered a la carte 2 fried eggs, 4 strips bacon, muffin. Bummer the eggs not medium well as ordered, rather runny, more than made up for it with the homemade jam & muffin.By 10:30 folks were streaming in. MUNI N Judah on the corner.Destination worthy.Support Local!"

Sultana Mediterranean

★★★★☆ 4.1 (701) • $$

"Genuine and really good. A must go. Went there with a customer. Ordered the appetizer plate. Every one of the items was excellent. The chicken kabobs were awesome. Try it"

MAZRA

★★★★★ 4.5 (507) • $$

"We were so lucky to have a party of 11, come on a Sunday evening ,and get seated right away. The host and staff were very accommodating of our small children and quick to help us. The food was easy to order through our phone and surprisingly affordable for being in downtown Redwood City! I love the self serve hot tea station. It smelled of cinnamon. The heaters and lights outside made for an enjoyable atmosphere. The interior transport you to a nice Mediterranean diner. The food was just as delightful and fresh. I love the baba ganoush, the tabouli salad, fluffy pita bread, and chopped chicken skewer plate with rice. The garlic sauce was so perfect. A surprising favorite was their giant charred cauliflower, seasoned and cooked perfectly. This was a sure highlight of our trip!"

Agape Grill

★★★★☆ 4.2 (560) • $$

"I wish I was closer to Agape Grill as I love their gyro plate. The only thing I didn't realize was now much garlic was in this plate and we all know....I'm garlic sensitive. But screw it! I popped a Pepsid and just suffered the consequences. And it was still delicious.Service is the same great service and we've never actually eaten in and always taken to-go.They have a tiny parking lot but it's okay we've never had issues finding parking."

Holyland Restaurant & Catering

★★★★☆ 4.4 (495) • $$

"The Mansaf and the Mandi are harder to find dishes in the bay area even for middle eastern restaurants. They have all the kebabs n stuff as well, but I recommend checking out the other dishes first since you can get kebabs/wraps anywhere.Overall, generally enjoyed my food and will probably try some of their other items next time"

Urfa Bistro

★★★★☆ 4.4 (492) • $$

"Had a great time here for my friend's birthday dinner! Food was phenomenal. Highly recommend the chicken marsala-- filling but not too heavy! Ambience was great, not too loud inside and they gave us a free appetizer and dessert (yummy baklava). Friendly service. Would definitely come here again!"

Tamra Mediterranean Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (490) • $$

"Falastini food on the borders of Saratoga and Cupertino? Man, we lucky out here in South Bay.I've been wanting to try Tamra Grill for so long, especially since those in the South Bay know that this corner restaurant has just bad juju. So many restaurants have come and gone over the last few decades, I really hope Tamra Grill is here to stay. They're located in the same area as the real estate company and our favorite neighborhood classical-music-blasting Diamond gas station. There's outdoor seating and lots of indoor spots as well. Great for parties, date night, and those with dogs on their outdoor patio. The only wish I have for improvement is the longer than usual wait time for food. Yes, the food is fresh and made with local ingredients, which as we all know now is just how Palestinians do it. So the wait is worth it. But it's a lot to ask if you're hangry, just order yourself some chicken liver hummus and one bite of that delicious goodness with their pillowy-soft bread will soothe all your hanger. The eggplant musaka'a was so flavorful and just to die for with that creamy bechamel cheese right out of the oven. Their tagliatelle chicken meatballs was also our favorite. Al dente and flavorful was the theme for that night. Love that all Palestinian dishes are flavorful and seasoned with parsley or za'atar. Service is SO kind, and it really feels like a homey and family-owned spot, but with an elevated and hint of finer dining aesthetic.Every bite of Falastini cuisine just hits different knowing that their people, culture, cuisine are being attacked and a great antidote is to support all those in the diaspora with your coin. So glad Saratoga and Cupertino get to create a home for Tamra Grill. We need to jazz up the outdoor tarp seating with some olive trees and Jaffa oranges I think. Free Free Falasteen all the way."

Millbrae Kebabs And Gyros

★★★★☆ 4.2 (492) • $$

"Had a sudden craving for yummy Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food after a hike on a chilly day, so I looked up to see what was in the area on Yelp and found Millbrae Kebabs And GyrosThe chicken gyro definitely hit the spot. The baklava for a sweet treat was definitely much-needed and satiated my sweet tooth. Great spot!"

Kali Greek Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.3 (463) • $$

"I'm obsessed with Kali Greek! I constantly crave their rice plates because the flavors of their rice, chicken, beef, and lamb are so deliciously and made with high quality ingredients. The rice alone is something I could never get tired of. Fluffy, buttery rice with roasted orzo and chickpeas expels this amazing aroma. This is the tastiest rice I've ever had. This with the juiciest seasoned chicken skewer and creamy dill sauce creates the perfect bite. I also love the beef kebab, it's seasoned perfectly with a blend of savory spices. Aside from their entrees, they also have incredible desserts. The frozen Greek yogurt on the menu caught my eye before anything else and I wanted to try all of their different toppings! The nice thing is that you can customize it to your liking! I tried the honey with candied walnuts one and added cherries. If you like tart froyo, this is incredible. Other desserts are the baklava, which is flaky yet chewy, and loukoumades, which are a must try! These mini donuts are covered in a honey syrup and crumbled walnut topping. Kali Greek is on California Ave with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. There are two contactless ordering kiosks, grab a table number, find a table, and the food will arrive at your table. The staff and owners are super friendly and welcoming."

El Greco Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (445) • $$

"I ordered a large takeout order for a picnic - several dips and skewers. Note that there is a pretty decent wait time on the order (but that means it's all fresh). In fact, there was one item they felt was past its peak and they offered to remake it (would have taken another 20 minutes) but since I didn't have the time, I just ordered something else. The wait staff was so kind in providing me a snack of pita and yogurt dip while I waited. Everything was very delicious, but the falafel were not my favorite. Highly recommend the dips and pita. The chicken and beef skewers were enjoyed by the others at the picnic but I didn't try them (since I'm vegetarian)."

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!"

Meyhouse

★★★★☆ 4.3 (418) • $$

"Absolutely spot on! I chose Meyhouse for a team holiday lunch on a recommendation from another co-worker. What an exceptional experience. I truly mean EXCEPTIONAL! So good I fact that I didn't take any food pics because I was to busy devouring all the food! Loved the decor and the open concept. Huge bar that runs the length of the restaurant and I noticed a cute dining area upstairs in a loft like setting. My only issue was the beautiful high ceilings caused the noise level to be pretty high so if you visit in hopes of a quiet romantic setting, this probably isn't it. Service was flawless! I felt like we had 2 if not 3 weight staff taken care of us at all times. One of our guests got up to use the restroom and placed his napkin on the table. The server came right over, folded his napkin and placed it neatly on the back of his chair. That's great service. As for the food ... outstanding! Absolutely everything was not only tasty but presented beautifully. We ordered 4 different appetizers and each one was mouthwatering. Since I didn't order, I'm not sure what each dish I was called. My favorite though was a yogurt topped with eggplant and tomatoes served with this AMAZING bread. I could literally eat that and be happy. We all had different main dishes and desserts and every single one of us walked away saying how excellent everything was. Will I be back? Ten thousand percent!! 10 out of 10 for me!!"

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!"

Cafe 220

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (534) • $$

"A good place to get a meal before a show at the Stanford Theatre (which is across the street). My wife and I, along with two friends, ate at Cafe 220 for dinner before a movie. We enjoyed our tasty meal which was prepared quickly. The person who took our order was friendly and helpful describing the various offerings. When it was ready, he brought it to our table. Later, he brought each of us a glass of complementary Turkish Tea. This place has a basic decor, suitable for a quick meal. The open kitchen is right next to the tables in the small dining room. The food was good and filling. My wife had the Mousaka plate ($19.95) which included rice, some pita bread slices, and salad. She enjoyed it. I had the Lamb Shish-Kebab plate ($21.95) with a low carb substitute: instead of rice and pita, I had Baba Ganoush (an extra $2.50 after removing the rice and pita), which also included salad. The lamb was very good and the Baba Ganoush was a different color and taste from what I'm used to, but while it was different, it was still very tasty."

RocknWraps & Kabobs

★★★★☆ 4.1 (342) • $

"This is one of the cool hookah parts that you can hang out have some good food. Nice drinks on the weekend too. Usually, Redwood City and the surrounding city gets overcrowded during the weekends. You won't have time to wait in the lines. Find a good spot to sit down, but this place is in the middle of the city heart of the Redwood cities downtown and this is an Amazing Pl., Ali who is the owner of this place is a very generous and a nice man who takes care of the customers a lot and suggest hook us and good flavors and there he has a good way of greeting people too. I love their food and service and I've been visiting this place from continuous to weekends and I wish to go again and again thank you."

Bittersweet Bistro

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (563) • $$$

"Bittersweet Bistro Aptos CA Fri 12/27/24On Rio Del Mar Blvd!One very bright Friday in December!Sunny & warm at the coast!Several of us stopped by for drinks!©Here with friends after taking care of some business in the area! You can't help it but feel celebratory in the beautiful Santa Cruz area, Capitola, Aptos, coastal Rio Del Mar, where ocean proximity offers the best of the sea-meets-relaxed-lifestyle! In comparison to Silicon Valley's stresses, it feels almost remote here, yet it's only a hillside away from the valley's intensity! In a beautiful koi pond, just outside of your stone and stucco building, the happiest vibrant fishes sparkle & dance in the water, displaying bright red and yellow! You wanna join the human size teddy bear Santa by the bar? You can do it here! Straight to the bar counter we go, spacious and inviting to relax and quench that thirst! Classy Mahogany bar is hard to pass by. Let's go! My rye whiskey, but of course! We ordered several cocktails, one of those was French Lemon Drop! Chitchat with the bartender Cliff! Excellent service! Bittersweet Bistro is a staple recognized by locals, one of top spots in Santa Cruz County & in Aptos's Rio Del Mar enclave. It's a New American classic with Mediterranean twist!I savored my rye! Overall the WhistlePig PiggyBack Rye 6 Years has a nice sweet profile! It complements the dominant rustic and spicey notes. Good all around, it's a versatile whiskey! Works equally well in cocktails or in a glass by itself, just like I have enjoyed it! It features a 100% rye mashbill, a solid 96.56 proof.Delicious Lemon Drop, made to order, I carry a recipe given to me years ago, by a true professional. It comes out strong & citrusy refreshing! Very good. Time flew fast with a great conversation! On to the next stop! Arrivederci Bittersweet! Until we meet again!* Cocktails and dreams give them to meI said, oh, oh, oh I'm begging you pleaseGive them to meCocktails and dreamsCocktails and dreams give them to me[ Review #817 w 4 pics Jan 21, 2025 ]Vibrant fishes in the pond outside!Santa's waiting to make U company!My WhistlePig PiggyBack Rye 6 Years! Exceptional French Lemon Drop!@Bittersweet Bistro Aptos CA Fri 12/27/24"

West Park Farm and Sea

★★★★☆ 4.3 (290) • $$

"Really good!! Always looking for a healthy lunch option, will be returning. They share a location with 'hella Mediterranean' so you can order off either menu."

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."

Nick The Greek - Fremont

★★★★☆ 4 (329) • $$

"Nick gets the job done and is great value.A spotlight is due for the staff, there's a woman with red hair who's been working there the last couple times I've been in who is really kind and helpful. I really like their honey mustard sauce, it's a not too sweet compliment to the chicken gyro.Their froyo is also generously portioned. The location has always been clean.Main note is, I wish their fries are a little more crispy."

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."

Dahab Restaurant & Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.1 (306) • $$

"This cafe/restaurant has a cool chill vibe to smoke some hookah, have a drink, or eat a tasty meal.Came here for a private event and the room (Iocated inside and in the back) gives you the privacy you need. It has a mini stage for the DJ, a decent sized dance floor and many tables that can hold 100 people.The service and staff were kind and always there. Even the manager joined in the fun and danced the night away which makes you feel like you're at home.FYI:Although the parking lot is tiny, you can park along the street."

Mama Mia Italian Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (424) • $$

"I have only been here once, and it was for a party of around 80 people, in the outdoor patio. It was a catered buffet meal and open bar. I loved the outdoor patio. It is covered with grape vines above, and there is a beautiful large waterfall pond in the corner, and an electric fire that was on as it got dark out, as well as little lights strung all over the lattice ceiling. There were a few leaves dropping from above and we saw two possums climbing up the grape vines to the latticed rooftop, but overall, it was a beautiful setting, for an enjoyable evening. The patio area was large enough to accommodate the originally planned 130 people, so it is a great place to hold a party, a bridal or baby shower, or just a meal out with a friend. The service was excellent. We had pitchers of lemon water on our tables, which is likely not the norm with a regular meal, but it was refreshing on a hot evening. The staff were taking away used dishes and glasses, almost before you could be finished, but they were very efficient. The buffet meal was delicious. We had carved roast beef with a sour cream/horseradish sauce, Chicken Bernardo with broccoli, tomatoes, garlic, and parmesan, penne pasta with marinara sauce, tortellini (which wasn't brought out in time, so I didn't taste that), sides of mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables, and salad, which were all very tasty, and appetizers of a cheese & meat board, which were supposed to have candied walnuts, which I didn't see. Overall, especially for a buffet meal for so many people, I thought the food we had was delicious, filling, and very satisfying. The bar was just indoors from the patio. They only had one bartender for a while, which was not enough for so many people. Another came out about a half hour later. They had a wide variety of wines, and also served mixed cocktails. They made a nice Old Fashioned drink, which, by tasting someone elses, does matter what kind of bourbon is used, but was a throwback in time for me, and enjoyable. There was a glassed in room right off the patio with a very long table, for another group's gathering. Plus the rest of the interior of the restaurant; so they are capable of having multiple celebrations at once, seem to be efficient with their service, and, while a couple of small glitches, seemed an ideal place to me to hold a party, gathering, or just have a nice ambience for a meal out. A friend next to me said she frequently ate there for meals. For my one time of being there, which I wasn't paying for, it was a very enjoyable evening in a beautiful and peaceful environment, with very tasty food. I would recommend it for a gathering, and am very willing to go back to try it for a regular meal."

Nick the Greek Morgan Hill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (283) • $$

"Located in a shopping center Nick the Greek serves...... well Greek inspired food.The inside is purposely a little dark, which gives it a great ambience, there are fun signs that let people know how to properly say words like Gyro and the like lol. The inside was very orderly and clean, The server was at the ready to take our orders and he hand delivered it to our table. Later he brought out some samples of their yogurt ice cream with hard shell chocolate on top. "I mean who doesn't like chocolate hard shell topping, right?" The yogurt ice was freaking delicious, I could taste the tang of the yogurt, so good.I ordered a Greek salad and the lemon chicken soup. The Greek salad was quite delicious "I do wish however instead of giving me a chunk of feta cheese, that they would crumble it and stir it in" 4/5 rating. The lemon chicken soup unfortunately fell flat to my taste, I couldn't really pick up on the lemon flavor and there wasn't a whole lot of chicken inside 2/5 rating. Overall I will come back for their Greek salad and yogurt ice cream but will pass on the soup."

Gourmet Gyros & Kebabs

★★★★★ 4.5 (208) • $$

"Tried this place recently again. Got the Falafel plate and sauteed eggplant . The food overall was decent, except that the Tzatziki sauce served as part of the plate the sauteed eggplant dish had a bitter / sour taste, perhpas because they were stale and on the verge of going bad. The falafels were fried fresh. The pita bread was warm as well. Seems like they don't make everything very fresh. Only 1 other customer besides me on a friday afternoon. Not sure I will try it again."

Opa!

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (432) • $$

"Santa Clara, y'all can do better than THIS! The food is good, but not fantastic. It's fairness, I could go 3.5 on the food scale. The food is presented nicely, and the visual makes you want to eat everything ! Maybe I was just hangry. Service is super slow, so if you're in a hurry, this isn't your spot. If you want it now, yes Veruca Salt, this means you, it's not happening. The breakdown -The lemon chicken soup, beautiful presentation. Tasty, but too lemony. The pistacio- the side salad was tasty, but basic. The pistacio was a smaller than what I expected portion. It was tasty, but it wasn't served pipping hot like it should have been. It was also over baked. Despite the slow service, the people are nice, and that always helps. We liked it. Didn't love it. I may toss a dish on the floor, and yell OPA!"

Cafe Nur

★★★★☆ 3.9 (263) • $$

"Living close by and not sure why we haven't been here before!! Amazing Turkish food in a beautiful setting. It is supposed to be casual dining and the setting, good and presentation stands out as more!!!We opted for the special of the day lamb and kofte platter and sat outside on a beautiful Friday evening and excited that downtown Los Altos had the Friday night buzz with many diners out!!The food was prepared in a timely manner, the presentation was beautiful (see pictures), and the taste was amazing. Not sure why some reviewers complained about the meat not being juicy, both the kofte and lamb were full of flavor and juicy!! The sides of babaganush and hummus was amazing as well. Wish we could have tried the desserts. Maybe next time...BTW, was tempted to try the Turkish breakfast for dinner and decided to go back for breakfast once..."