Al Baraka Restaurant

Great restaurant with authentic Palestinian food! Totally recommend! Try to get there for Iftar buffet dinner during Ramadan, so you can try multiple dishes!

We ordered Mansaf and Kidreh, both delicious with generous portions. The food brought back memories of family gatherings in Jordan, with all the beautiful chaos of 30 relatives enjoying a meal together. The restaurant is simple and unpretentious, with Arabic classical music adding to the authentic vibe. Overall, I highly recommend giving this place a try – it’s worth it!

My son in law ordered half lamb for Christmas Day lunch . The lamb was very small , very dry , almost burned. I think it was cooked the day before and it was warmed before serving it. The rice was too much but no flavour whatsoever, no spices , and too too much oily. I am writing this review so you will improve your cooking in the future.

Ordered for New Year’s eve party stuffed grape leaves with lamb. The staff was friendly and very helpful. The food was delicious, and the flavors were well balanced. The presentation was beautiful. Thank you Abu Shadi and Um Shadi for making our New Year’s eve dinner so special!

The Best Iftar Buffet – A Heartwarming Middle Eastern Experience This Palestinian-owned restaurant offers one of the best iftar experiences you can find. The owners are there working with their team, warmly welcoming every guest with genuine hospitality. From the moment you arrive, it feels more like being invited to a generous house gathering than dining at a restaurant. The buffet is a true celebration of Middle Eastern food—rich in flavor, variety, and tradition. Everything is homemade and absolutely delicious. From a wide selection of appetizers to hearty main dishes, there’s something for everyone, across all generations. The quality and taste of every item speak volumes about their care and authenticity. Their dessert selection is especially unique and traditional, offering sweets you won’t easily find elsewhere. They also serve tea, coffee, a range of soft drinks, and flavorful soups—all generously and continuously offered throughout your meal. Their hookah area is another nice touch for those who enjoy it. The space is large, so there’s always a comfortable spot to sit and relax. The staff consistently check on you, making sure you have everything you need. It’s clear they take pride in offering not just food, but a full, welcoming experience. We come here every Ramadan, and it continues to impress us year after year. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a warm, authentic Middle Eastern iftar.

We got the IMolokhya w/ Lamb, Moutabbal, Alayet Banadoura (Tomato with onion, garlic, green chili pepper, parsley, and almonds), Msabbaha (Whole Chickpeas and Hummus topped w/ Tatbeleh and Olive Oil), Muhamara, and Torshi. Everything was so tasty. The standouts were the Msabbaha, the Moutabbal and the Alayet Banadoura. The Msabbaha was rich and delicious. The Moutabbal was perfectly creamy. The Alayet Banadoura had both a sweetness and tanginess from the tomatoes. It was so good over the rice. The special of the night was mansaf (Friday) but I want to go back on a Saturday for the musakhan. I can’t wait!!

We ordered a variety of dishes, including kifta, mlookhiyah, grape leaves, labneh, hummus, and tabbouleh. Everything was fresh and tasted better than most middle eastern food i’ve tasted. Get some extra labneh and bread… it’s addicting.

The food is authentic and bursting with flavors, especially the kebabs and hummus. The portions are generous, and the prices are very reasonable. The staff was warm and welcoming, creating a comfortable atmosphere for a relaxing meal.

Friends recommmendation on Mediterranean food. It was feature on Yelps Top 100 New eateries and wanted to check it out. Parking is extremely limited. The place also has a separate desert place right next to it and there's sort of like a Mexican stand right next to the front entrance Inside is is kind of small. You order either through kiosk or with the waiter. The kiosk has pictures of each. There's no water because they only serve bottle water and sodas are can. There are daily specials. Got the Friday Mansaf special and Lenti soup Little did I know that each serving is extremely huge. Similar to Dawa Kitchen so that's a place. Even the salad is huge. The rice is good and lamb is kind of rare but it's ok. Lenti soup is kind of oily and taste greasy. The mansaf comes with huge bread and side vegetables. Overall, highly recommend if you like big portions and Mediterranean food.

Albaraka Restaurant is a cozy spot that serves authentic Middle Eastern food. My friend and I came here on a weeknight for dinner and it was empty. We were greeted upon walking in and the gentlemen who greeted us talked us through the menu. We decided to order the Moutabbal and Qidra to share. Our food came pretty quickly and was a good portion for two people to share. The Moutabbal was delicious -- it was smoky, smooth, and well-balanced. We enjoyed eating it with the pita bread. The Qidra was very good. This is the first time my friend and I tried it so we didn't quite know what to expect but we both enjoyed it. The lamb was tender and there were a lot of spices, making it a flavorful dish. There were whole cardamom pods in the dish and they are not the most pleasant to bite into, so I had to be a bit careful after I got two of them. Otherwise, it was a very good dish. Overall, giving Albaraka a 4/5. Food is good and the service is quick. The ambiance is okay. There isn't anything particularly positive or negative to say about the space. Would recommend others to try this spot if looking for Middle Eastern food.

PROS: Five stars if I had to rate the food alone. Absolutely delicious, huge portions (each dish could serve 2-3 people). Very few staff but they seemed nice. CONS: No one was eating here when I came for lunch time on a Friday. And I can't help but wonder if it's because the dining area is kinda dirty. Not so bad I felt the need to leave (and I seriously enjoyed the food!). But unclean tables and stained walls make me question the kitchen, so I really hope things change. I would come here again for takeout, but this Palestinian food is beautiful and full of flavor. I loved the beef stew with okra and Friday special with lamb and seasoned rice. Our food came with olives, rice with almonds, pickles, pita, and a yogurt sauce. We just ordered water, because the drink options were Coke, Sprite, and water. I loved the food so much and was tempted to finish it, but there was so much food! But I was definitely grateful to take home leftovers. Definitely worth trying.

Amazing authentic Arabic food. Great service and hospitality with a very clean environment. We will definitely be back to enjoy .

This is one of the best, if not the best Palestinian restaurants in OC! Their Kusa and Grape Leaves with Meat is incredible, with amazing and juicy leg of lamb and enough food to feed 20 people easily. Their Hummus is incredible and I haven't had hummus this good since my mom's hummus. This is an easy 10/10!!!

Fantastic Palestinian restaurant serving dishes which casual diners may not have had before. We went on a weeknight and there were plenty of open tables. The restaurant is located in a strip mall and free parking is available nearby. The menu is extensive and includes appetizers, daily specials, and entrees. We had no idea what to order so we relied on the kind advice of our server, which turned out to be a great idea. Our favorite dishes were the mshakhan (half chicken dish served over a flatbread), and the sheikh el mahshi (fried squash stuffed with pine nuts, onion, and ground beef cooked in yogurt). The sheikh el mahshi came with rice pilaf. The look of the restaurant itself is a little rough, and decidedly casual. But those can sometimes be the best places!

Great restaurant with amazing food! Super authentic mansaf (lamb cooked in yogurt sauce, served with yellow rice and bread). Nice Palestinian art and decor. Friendly staff. Will definitely come again.

This was my first time trying authentic Palestinian food and boy, it was amazing! The food is great and the service is even better! Portions are large so come hungry! Will definitely be going back and try other dishes.

The humus is one of the best I had tried in California. The tabule was good too. Not to fan of their kabobs, but the bamya, okra, was good. The yogurt with cucumber was good too . It would have been nice to have hot bread, but overall, the food was good

Located in a plaza on the side of Brookhurst st in Anaheim, Al Baraka is an authentic middle eastern restaurant from the levant region! This mom and pop shop has a home like ambiance and laid back service. The food here is nothing short of quality. I recommend trying their main dishes of course because they each have daily specials that represent authentic Mediterranean dishes but as a vegan we stuck to the delicious juicy onion stuffed falafels, msabaha, ful, and and tabbouleh. This place makes their ful and hummus from fresh chickpeas and fava beans. Not canned like most places succumb to. Which makes it so much more delicious since it's from real fresh made ingredients. The only thing this place needs is to make a bakery so they can serve fresh bakery goods and that would complete it.

This is one of the best middle eastern restaurants for home style food in OC! It takes me back to visiting Syria and enjoying the flavors of true Arabic food. The service was great and the staff friendly. The restaurant isn't fancy but when the food is this good that doesn't matter to me. I had to order the kibbeh Laban!! This was the best I ever had in a very long time. The kibbeh was delicious and tender and the yogurt sauce was incredible and bursting with flavor. (I will try the Shish Barak next time.) Hubby had the KUFTA with tomato and it was delicious as well. Similar to what I've had in many homes. The rice was fresh and not Uncle Ben's. They use a delicious basmati rice with toasted noodles. They offer a nice olive and pickle plate and a generous amount. Portions are generous. The whole meal taybeh! (zakey) If you want true middle eastern home style food this is a great choice! Update! We took our son here so he could try we tried the fattoush and Shish barak and just as amazing. Son approved and only suggestion would be to turn the political news off as nobody wants to watch that while trying to enjoy their food.

The shawarma gave me diarrhea! The food didn't have any taste at all !!first and Last time going there!!!

First time trying this Palestinian restaurant and I was a little hesitant because the curb appeal of the restaurant isn't one of the best but that doesn't mean the food couldn't have been a 10/10 especially being locally owned. Unfortunately this will be my last time dining here, the restaurant had 30-40% working AC and on a 92 degree day in California that doesn't help you enjoy ur meal. The plate I ordered was almost $30 which was extremely expensive but I didn't mind as long as the food was great. Unfortunately the chicken and steak was extremely dry, the kefta kabob was not special at all. I ended up getting a couple other apps, bill ended up over $150 Comparing the prices of food here to other restaurants that have amazing food will make it be my last time eating here. 2 positive notes: the service was very good. 2nd, The reason for 2 stars and not 1 was because their restroom was very clean! I appreciated that. Cheers,

Authentic home cooked food. Everything I tasted was very good, the right amount of lemon in grape leaves mutabal, the Mansaf was delicious and also the orca ( bamieh) was delicious. My first time eating there but not my last, I love it because they have daily dishes not your usual kebabs.

My mom had been wanting to go out for middle Eastern food. So my husband and I were trying to find a place that would accept my service dog so we could take her. I called Al baraka restaurant and they said they are welcoming of service dogs so we were all very happy. The owners were so kind and accommodating to anything we needed. We ordered Mansaf, foul, shish baraka and mulokhya. The food was delicious and a very large portion. My mom said it reminded her of being young and eating her own parents food. We will definitely be back here to try more on the menu!

I tried many places but definitely this is the best, it's my favorite Mediterranean Food spot from now on, i tried Mlokhyeh, mansaf, kabseh, Okra, Mandi, and Meat Balls. I asked them for Mansaf Catering the portion is so generous 10/10

Authentic taste, kind people. Enough to feed 2 people! Ll come back again to try new specials

This is one of my favorite places to eat! The hospitality is 10/10 and the food is amazing!! Definitely recommend them for all your favorite home cooked meals. They even have outside seating in the back and it's all chill vibes and a relaxing environment.

Al Baraka is a Middle Eastern restaurant in Little Arabia in Anaheim. This restaurant serves food from Palestine and Jordan. Upon entering, the fragrance and music are very comforting. I just returned from the World Cup in Qatar and have already been missing the food. The menu has a different special for each day, and on Fridays, it is mansaf. The owner was very friendly and wanted to take a photo of me and my meal for posting on TikTok. So, if it goes viral, you heard it here first. Mansaf: This is a dish of lamb cooked in a yogurt sauce served in rice. The bone-in lamb shanks are soft and tender, a little gelatinous at the edges, and don't require utensils. The rice is big, yellow, fluffy, and studded with slivered almonds and parsley. The rice covers a thin flatbread. Raw onions and pickles are provided on another plate. Extra fermented yogurt sauce (jameed) is provided in a separate vessel. The warm yellow yogurt sauce is rich and savory like a cheese soup. It is like a very tart fondue with warm spices such as nutmeg. I like to get a bit of everything in each bite. The onions and pickles balance the richness of the lamb. The sauce is so tasty and unique (it may not be for everyone). I tell the owner how delicious the food is, especially the sauce. He comes back with a hot bowl of soup containing more of the yogurt, which I quickly finish. The service is so friendly and welcoming here.

I was craving mensef and came here to try it out and it was so good. The lamb was cooked to perfection! I don't have time to cook right now with work and school m, so it was nice to have some food from back home. The staff is also very nice friendly and welcoming. While I was waiting the gentlemen gave a a little desert with pistachios and it was very good I will definitely be back.

Great Authentic Middle Eastern food. Recipes your mom used to make. My family from Baltimore wants to come back to Cali just to go there again!

I was in the mood for good middle eastern food specifically grape leaves. I looked up something on yelp and this restaurant came up and luckily the special dish for Tuesday was grape leaves ‍It tasted so good reminded me of a home cooked meal exactly what I wanted. Their food is so flavorful. Everything we ordered was delicious will be back again

In my quest to hit all, or close to all, restaurants on the la times top 101 list, we journeyed to Anaheim for this restaurant. More than an hour drive one way. The restaurant is in a strip mall in a street section called Little Arabia. I didn't know that this existed. At 2 pm, there were only a couple of people in the restaurant, a bad sign. I got the Msakhan, a chicken dish. My partner got the falafel. Both were terrific. I find most falafel not very good but this falafel had a superior outside crust, my chicken was awesome. We also had some babaghanoush that was good with an especially strong Smokey flavor. The helping size was huge and we had lots to take home. The ambiance was weird with a Qatar soccer match playing loudly on the screen. Who cares, the food was great. Great taste, great value.

Not really like it. We went there during Ramadan mouth. And we couldn't order the food we like it and we sat down in special area for people not fasting. I didn't like the way the trad us.

I literally have never loved a place enough to give a Yelp review. This place is amazing. I can't stop thinking about the hospitality and how authentic the food was, and how kind the owner was. It feels like you're going to your favorite uncle's house, and he whips out his best recipes just for you.

Iftar buffet was really good. Good variety of dishes and the dessert was my favorite with really strong tea.

Good food and great servers. The mood welcoming. They have a special middle eastern meal daily in addition of variety to enjoy in the restaurant or take out. The food tastes like back home. You will not go wrong trying authentic middle eastern meals.

We just discovered Albaraka and have already been back to have more. It's owned by the cutest husband + wife duo, and the ambiance is casual and homey. Everyday the special is different and it's so, so good. You can also just simply ask for chicken and rice and they'll give you a generous plate of rice with slow roasted chicken that has incredible flavor. The meat is so tender it falls off the bone. The falafel was so fresh and crispy, probably the best I've had. I loved their hummus and mutabbal (eggplant dip) too. They also have amazing shawarma right outside the restaurant after 5pm. I'll definitely be back again!

Some of the best falafel, hummus, musabaha, foul/fool in Anaheim. I went their for breakfast and the owner gave us complimentary tea, salad and bread. Some of the best customers service. I highly recommend trying their Palestinian/Arabic home cooking dishes. They're very authentic and delicious, the closest to Backhome style. They have a great mansaf, musakhan and Karahat on certain days. Highly highly recommend and will definitely be back.

Oh my God, the mansaf was amazing I'll definitely recommend to everyone to try The service was great. coming back for sure

Ok YUM YUM YUM. You wanna feel like you're back home???? Go there. The owners are the cutest Palestinian teta and jido and theyre the ones that run everything. God bless them, the food is so good, the decorations and whats hung on the wall is so cute and homey. Love this place so much give it try!!

Hi so i called the restaurant to make a reservation and i asked them what they offering today they told me this that and i went there first none of the things they mentioned was there also there was no dishes with meat at all it was limited dishes too most of the dishes needed salt also and on top of that it was 40$ per person which is crazy i used to go to their buffets last year it was 30$ and it was way better i hope they actually work on their dishes and work on their price too

It's all about food! My family and I enjoyed a delightful iftar at Al Baraka, where the food was delightful. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for serving such delicious dishes. The highlight of our experience was when the chef/cook personally visited each table, inquiring about the quality of the food. When it comes to recommending a dish, they're all good. Her warm hospitality and the genuine smile she wore, despite the long hours of cooking, left a lasting impression on us. We will undoubtedly come back.

The food was alright at best. Not the typical Palestinian Jordanian food I've had in the past. The musakhan is very much average. The fried food like the kibbeh and the falafel are very good along with salads and such but the main dishes are average at best. The service sucks. We walked in and the place was empty. After standing around awkwardly for 7 minutes a guy came out from the back and pointed to a table for us to sit at. A couple minutes later the same guy came over with takeout menus and asked us what we wanted to eat. We told him we needed a couple minutes and he left. He came back a bit later and asked us if we were ready and we started to order. It quickly became apparent that he was more comfortable with speaking Arabic so I ordered in Arabic for the group. The whole time he kept pushing for us to order some special dish they had made that night that we didnt want. Eventually the food came out but no drinks or anything. Also we were each given 1 fork and 1 spoon. We had mentioned that we were going to share but no extra silverware was given. Also no knifes were offered. No staff was around for us to ask, seems like everyone ran away to the kitchen as soon as the food came out. The food was ok at best. When we were done eating we wanted to pay. Again no staff. I stood up and walked around looking for people and then the guy came out again. I payed and we left. Overall very slow and awkward experience. We basically had to eat with our hands because of the lack of silverware and lack of staff to help us out. Would not recommend. You can get much better tasting middle eastern food for a lot cheaper and actually have a good restaurant experience as well.

Food is not fresh. My daughter got food poisoning and ended up with severe vomiting and diarrhea. Had to take her to urgent care for an IV. Will never go to this restaurant again.

want to give a special shoutout to the shawarma stand outside this restaurant which does not have its own page but serves the most phenomenal shawarma i have had in california. the hummus and falafel at al baraka restaurant is also amazing. my family and i had a great food experience.

Delicious, authentic cuisine . Went on Friday and had the Mansaf which was excellent. Moutabbal and foul appetizers were so tasty. Will definitely be back to eat again but also to try the shawarma stand right outside !

Msakhan and Mlokhia were excellent !! Authentic taste! Place was nice and clean, owners were very nice and pleasant.

Bad, iftar buffet was re cooked no thing fresh , 1 type of dessert, no hygiene, employees no gloves I don't recommend it I will never ever go there

Great food and great prices! Love Mediterranean cuisine! Raleigh is really becoming multicultural and I love it!

Words won't do them justice . I just like to say , thank you for making it possible . It was perfect and pleasant

Family business home made food great food and friendly people also the price is ok for arabic food

I love the food Azzie I love the service. I love the workers. I love the dining. I talk a lot

Amazing food & great service! Came with a large group & everyone had a great time. The food is very authentic & tastes just like the food back home. Also, the staff is so sweet!

This is the first time we try this place, I think it recently opened. We tried Iftar buffet during Ramadan was really good. It wasn't too crowded, and there was a large variety of very delicious Arabic dishes including 3 or 4 different types of rice with meat and chicken and stuffed zucchini. The owners are very sweet they were greeting ppl and smiling to customers, the vibe was very cozy. I recommend the place

The service and food was fantastic. I really recommend this place , best Arabic food in Southern California.

what a beautiful spot! excellent, delicious home-cooked food that is truly delicious and authentic: we tried their maqlouba, kibbeh, salads, ma7ashi and all were delightful. the owners are so kind, sweet and hospitable and have some of the best ethics and standards i have seen in the restaurant business in the area. they are really an example to follow.

Al Baraka is by far the best breakfast place in OC! The quality and taste is unmatched. An absolute favorite for my family. Highly recommend. The owners make you feel like you are entering their home and treat you like family. Never disappoints. Their lunch and dinner menu is just as great, taste like a home cooked meal.

The most authentic Egyptian style falafel and hummus ever...so good that my kid ate falafel for the first time ever and asked for seconds