Arabian Nights

Nice spot Waiter's etiquette is a little too warm, but good service, good food and hookah in the back

Stumbled upon this place while I was staying in San Francisco for a work conference. Amazing and authentic falasteeni food🇵🇸. I have spent a lot of time in both Dearborn & Chicago, home to some of the best Arabic restaurants in the country. That being said, this place beats them all. My server was friendly and hospitable even with the time being so close to closing, and the indoor/outdoor seating area reminds me of the mashawi restaurants in Cairo or Amman. The meat was delicious & juicy, and all of the moutabalat (mezza) tasted just like back home. I can’t recommend this place enough, I wish all the success to the owner & staff!

Outdoor seating in the back has great ambiance, this is one of my hidden gem spots in the city. The staff is always so kind, their food is delicious, and the location is convenient but you wouldn't guess you're on mission st when you're sitting in the back. A great place for a full dinner or to come hang out for some lentil soup and hookah. Also, the knafeh is to die for!!

Arabian Nights SF offers delicious Middle Eastern cuisine. I loved the flavorful chicken shawarma, the mezza platter with its variety, the perfectly spiced batata Harrah, and the crispy fried cauliflower. Great spot for authentic flavors.

Good hookah spot! Food was equally good especially Shish Taouk and falafel. Both were out of the world! I was only disappointed with Lamb kabob, it was very dry and we had to send it back. The waiter was very sweet and she replaced that with Shish Taouk. Parking might be a nightmare

The food here is freshly made, meat is halal and food is really delicious. Even the desserts are served fresh. The restaurant is in a location that looks sketchy but the neighbourhood is not bad, just dimly lit and empty after 8pm. Lot of seating area and staff is quick in service. The menu is not very expansive but the food is good! Really recommend the chicken shish taouk plate. We have been here twice and always get that.

The food in this place is amazing! We ordered a few salads, flatbreads, kebobs and everything was delicious! Their patio is cute and they have heaters!

This place is FANTASTIC. I don't understand why it isn't packed every night, because the food is delicious across the board. Big fan of the cheese philo, fried kebbe, and chicken wings for appetizers, and the seniehet kafta entrée. The desserts, which I never tried until recently, made me a full believer in this place. The baklava is delicious and not too sweet, and the knafeh was sublime--have to order it every time now. Super super tasty food, and the wine selection is also good. Service is on point. Please do yourself a favor and try this place!

This place is hands down the best middle eastern food I have found in San Francisco. I grew up in an area with a very strong middle eastern presence, and with that a lot of amazing food from the area. I'm not an easy customer to please when it comes to shawarma, but these champs did it. The portions are large and flavorful and juicy, there is no attempt to skimp on the meat like I have seen in countless other places. Service is attentive and friendly. The food is pricey, but worth it especially with the portion sizes. Rarely have I put so much effort into reheating my leftovers, as anything else would feel like a disrespect to the top notch food I was given. Inside the restaurant perfectly matches the vibe one would want in a middle eastern restaurant. I have ordered from other middle eastern places, but it always feels like settling in comparison.

The outside of this restaurant almost stopped me from going in. We went on a Friday night and the outside sidewalk and surrounding areas looked dirty and had a lot of people sort of hanging around doing random things. We parked in the parking lot next door, which also felt like not a great idea lol but it turned out to be fine. The restaurant actually looks like it was abandoned from the outside. But it was actually nice on the inside and the server was super friendly and welcoming. The food was really good, so it's unfortunate that the outside looks wild. The only food I didn't particularly like was the Makdous. I expected more walnut filling but it was mostly peppers and maybe one walnut per piece b

Food still exceptional! All of it... just amazingly delicious food. Lental soup, mezza sampler, chicken kabob.... all delicious..meal 5 star!!!! Ambiance...Mussion St has taken huge hits. I made a reservation, then when I arrived it looked closed. Actually the outside looked like they were out of business. Thankfully, they are still operating and inside looks unchanged. Service.. the server did take our order, and we were served.... then ghost. Didn't see another server until caught chefs eye asking for bill. Large restaurant... we were 1 of 2 occupied tables. This occurred Tuesday 6/17/25....

Ive eaten here before and thought it was good, but the time prior we had eaten take out. I will say the food is much better in person! We sat on the back patio which was nice, but service was a bit slow! I still enjoy this spot in the Mission.

Good food. Service good. Nice ambience Had the kafta w tahini and their appetizers good. Grilled chicken is ok (burnt from outside a bit)

Authentic Flavors & Cozy Vibes Arabian Nights delivers on flavor and atmosphere. The mezze platter was a great start--creamy hummus, crispy falafel, and smoky baba ghanoush. I loved the lamb kabsa--tender meat and fragrant rice--while the chicken shawarma was juicy and well-spiced. Service was friendly, though a bit slow, and the baklava was a little too sweet for me. Still, it's a great spot for comforting Middle Eastern food in a warm, inviting setting. Definitely worth a visit!

I had the best times there with friends. We love that patio :) The service is very warm, attentive, and feels personal.

I was craving kabobs the other night. I ordered the chef sampler. I ordered mine with chicken and beef kabobs. It came with baba ghannoj, hummus, and French fries. I ordered a side of falafel also. The food was delicious and tasty. The chicken was full of flavor and very tender. The beef was seasoned well and also very tasty. I really enjoyed the baba ghannoj, and the hummus. The fries were perfectly fried and the falafel was amazing. The chef sampler comes with a lot of food. I ended up cutting the top of one of my flat breads and stuffed it with all my left overs. I had a huge pita stuffed to the top left over. The restaurant is really nice. They have a huge dining room and can accommodate big parties. They have a nice out side patio that you can eat at also. The vibe was just right. Over all I rate this place a 10/10. The staff was friendly and the restaurant was nice and quiet. The food was simply amazing. I recommend this place to anyone looking to eat good Mediterranean food. You won't be disappointed! But don't take my word for it. Get out there and give it a try.

The food in this restaurant is delicious! We had hummus, salad, kebobs, flatbread and everything was very very tasty! Also, the have a nice patio with heaters in a back!

The ambiance perfectly matched the Arabic theme, and the staff was friendly and welcoming. Talking about the food - their grilled shawarma and crispy fries were my favorites. The portion sizes were generous, and the prices were quite reasonable. The special sauces added an extra kick to the overall taste. Since I love exploring fast food spots, I'm always on the lookout for new places and unique menus. Since I love exploring different fast-food places, I often write about my experiences and share helpful tips for food lovers on https://mcdsmenuwithprices.com/ . If you enjoy discovering tasty burgers and quick bites, you might find it helpful too.

I chose Valentine's Day to take my partner out for a nice romantic dinner. When we first arrived, only one other table was seated, which was surprising, considering all the good reviews. Our friendly waiter took our order and reconfirmed everything. Almost an hour later, our entrées arrived. I reminded him our appetizer never arrived, and he reconfirmed the order. We also had to ask for the drink that wasn't delivered. Soon after he arrived at our table with an order of falafel and ask if we ordered it; we hadn't. by this time, the dining room was about 1/3 full, and our guy was trying to serve everybody by himself; he was obviously completely overwhelmed and other tables seem to be having issues also. Despite ordering it twice our appetizer never arrived, and neither did the bread we ordered. I left a decent tip, thinking it wasn't all his fault, but we will never go back.

You come here for the food. The place itself is a bit dated and from the outside, you might even wonder if it's open -- but don't let that fool you. The Lebanese/Mediterranean dishes are absolutely fantastic. For appetizers, I recommend the creamy hummus with freshly baked pide, crispy phyllo cheese rolls, and flavorful batata harra. For mains, the shish taouk and lamb chops are to die for. And whatever you do, don't skip the knafeh for dessert -- just be sure to order it ahead, as it takes time to prepare.

Arabian Nights serves up halal Mediterranean fare. My group ordered hummus with meat, chicken taouk plate, kibbeh, baklava and knafeh. Service was a little slow as one customer ordered kibbeh after us and his order arrived first. Kibbeh ($12) - the kibbeh here consisted of seasoned lamb placed inside a shell of beef and bulgur wheat. All off this was deep fried. Taste wise it was good. The kibbeh here are on the smaller side, given their price point. Hummus with meat - $12 - the hummus here was rich and creamy and was perfect! The meat consisted of seasoned ground beef. Most places serve this dish with shawarma beef or chicken, but not here. The portion was on the small side given the price point. Freshly made pita bread was provided with the hummus and was very good as it fresh, hot and pillowy. Chicken Taouk - $19 - I was really impressed with how tender and juicy the chicken was. It had great flavor as well. I was disappointed they used short grained rice here and the rice didn't have much flavor. Some charred grilled veggies were provided as well. Baklava - $4 - at $4 a piece this was expensive. Although I appreciate that they used only pistachios for their filling, the baklava wasn't very crispy and was soaked in too much syrup. Knafeh - $8 - I love knafeh and the one here was disappointing. The top layer consisted of a crispy shredded phyllo dough layer and the bottom layer was an extremely thin layer of cheese. The simple syrup applied to the knafeh was too much and drowned out the whole dish. Overall I thought the food was over priced. They definitely need to work on their desserts and increase portion sizes by 40 to 50% on the other menu items. They also need to make sure customer service is consistent for all customers.

This is one of my favorite comfort food spots when I want Arabic food. There's always tables inside, but when the weather permits the outdoor seats are a great vibe and you can get shisha outside too. Favorite dishes: *Mezza sampler (or vegetarian sampler): the hummus and eggplant are so flavorful. The falafel are fresh, with great texture inside and crispy outside. *Bread: This is free but deserves a callout because it's properly baked and fresh; no thick pita bread. * lamb or chicken skewers: I've had both and they're both good. I think the lamb is a bit more moist. I prefer getting fries over rice *Knafeh: I get this often. It's not really the "best"; they make the khishneh get super crunchy but I wish there was more cheese. However it's still made welll enough. Overall: 5 rating for taste, vibes, price. I come back every ~2 months.

The service is absolutely horrendous but the food is good. Asked for tea 4 times, never got it and still had the audacity to charge us. Didn't even try or bother to take it off our final receipt. Also charged us for a second soup we never ordered. Hard for me to even want to consider coming back. Like I said, food is good but expect to possibly get ripped off, over charged and given the worst service.

I'm so conflicted writing this review. The food is actually amazing, 5 stars, I think this is the best middle eastern food in the city and I'm Iraqi. The service is horrible though. We ordered 6 appetizers for our meal and only received 3. The waiter didn't write down our order and we thought that was the reason. After we ate the 3 appetizers and he came to take our plates, I told him we were ready for the other dishes we ordered and he never came back. We asked for our receipt from him twice and also flagged down another waiter to get a receipt. The receipt never came and he brought us some baklawa for free, so we thought he knew they messed up. We eventually just went to the kitchen to ask for our receipt and the receipt included all the appetizers. I told him we never received the other ones and he looked perplexed and asked "you didn't get those?" And I said no. He fixed the receipt without an apology and we left. Was a very strange experience. I'd come here again and recommend it and am hoping they can improve the service based on this review.

Ok, first off, Arab here.... I have to say, mashallah! This was fantastic! I was feeling homesick and didn't feel like cooking so, my usual restaurant that I like was closed so, I thought I would give this a place a shot and to my surprise, exceeded my expectations! This is just like home - you can taste the smoke on the meat and baba ghanouj, the hummus was salted perfectly and had great flavor. The kanafeh was a little to carnalized around the edges and a little hard to chew but, still delicious. The baklava oozed with sweetness..... Thank you so much for making a homesick woman feel home. American's, if you want to taste what Arabic food is supposed to taste like and NOT that other watered down bland garbage you find in the city, then you really need to come here! October 24, 2024 Ribeye Kabob 1 Ribeye Kabob 1 Assorted Baklava 1 Knafeh Bel Jeben 1 Labneh 1 Baba Ghannouj 1 Hummus (VG)(GF)

This place was empty on a Saturday night and now I understand why. Do not get the chicken Shawarma. Literally left over chicken pieces. Their mezzanine plates are decent. Would not recommend.

What a cool spot! We came in after dinner on my sister's recommendation. The space is HUGE and decorated like the Arabian desert. The main dining room was completely empty, and I was a little confused. The server led us out to the patio in the back, and we were instantly transported out of the Mission. It's a narrow patio with a few tables, but you get some outdoor air and it's perfect for hookah. The servers were great and got us a large hookah with melon. They give you disposable tips so you're not spreading germs. We also ordered fries and a really tasty hummus. You also have to order the tea - it's delicious! It was a beautiful night, and we'll definitely be back!

It is grilled to perfection, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, fragrant and full of the soul of charcoal fire in every bite! The ingredients are fresh and the seasoning is just right. It is the kind of delicious taste that you become more addicted to the more you eat it, super satisfying!

Amazing food, looks real sketch from the outside but I feel they go for that look since its right on mission street in SF. The inside is quite open, food was great. They have hookah on the back patio. Bathrooms were real clean. Music was playing, nice place for a date night. We came on valentines and there was only 2 people working the tables and about 3 cooks. Food was real good, I cannot stress it enough. Of course no parking so if you plan to eat at a certain time, I suggest adding an extra 15 minutes to park.

Fun decor and great service! Music was quite loud, but they turned it down when we asked. Our server was very sweet. It was pretty dead on a Monday night at 6 PM; there was only one other table for the two hours that we dined in. Beef Shawarma with fries was alright, but the Mezze platter was good! Would come back or order delivery for their Baba Ghanouj and Hummus.

The ambiance was absolutely charming. We wanted to enjoy my daughter's birthday in the private bubble rooms but the main outdoor area was lovely and I would recommend the main area. We enjoyed the belly dancer and had hoped to get henna for our hands but that was not available the night we went. The servers were very gracious and accommodating. The food could have had more flavor.

The place inside is great. Outside was a little skeptical to come in. Cultural Music makes you even more enjoy the food. Service is very good. Food is tasty and price can't beat.

Good food. Good ambiance. Good service. Thank you for a good dinner experience. Sit outside and relax.

*Quick seating, friendly staff, decent food* The hubby and I were STARVING on a Saturday night and the place we REALLY wanted to go to was all booked up. So we came here. Good decor although there are some tables oddly placed and its a bit over the top. The place was pretty empty. Food was OK but not memorable. Go for the ambience.

Absolutely loved this place! The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. I ordered the grilled chicken alfredo, and it was cooked to perfection.

I came here for a solo dinner and I liked the food, service was slower than I liked but my server was very friendly and I could see that she was busy. I sat outside, where there is food service and hookah. I don't know if that's not a good place to sit due to slower service but I wasn't greeted for about 10 mins. Someone who was attending to the hookah smokers acknowledged me but she said another person would help me and processed to let me sit there for nearly 10 mins without being helped. I understand that she wasn't my server but I think maybe bringing me a water in the meantime or asking the server if she needed help would've been a better move. She was mostly standing there waiting for the hookah to burn and wasn't doing much. My server, regardless of being slower, was so kind. She was a beautiful blonde who had an accent. I thought she was lovely. I could tell she was very busy so she was trying her best to be as quick as she could. Would've made sense to have the girl doing the hookah to help a little. Anway, the chicken shish taouk was really good. I loved the veggies, their fresh and sweet. The portion size was good, enough for me to have leftovers. I ordered a knafeh for dessert but i didn't like it much. I've had this dessert before, if it's ever on a menu I order it but this one was very flat and wet. I've had better. I would for sure some back here but I would sit inside.

Amazing! We went to celebrate our program with about 20 people. Waitress was so nice and the overall experience was great. The food was amazing, especially the hummus. Great spot for families. I will visit again with my family. Thank you!

Abdallah our waiter was awesome and recommended the best food! don't remember the last time I ate so good and I usually eat very good. Their kebab was absolutely fantastic with the ribeye and chicken. The sampler plate was the greatest. Overall five stars everything was on point.

Just DoorDash Arabian night dinner. Food was fresh tasty and delicious. Customer service was also stellar. Authentic Middle Eastern food made like back home , would highly recommend.

My favorite place! Been going there for years, management has changed many time but the food has stayed the same and impeccable!!! I'm Middle Eastern and Love this place!

I was looking for a restaurant on Xmas night with my family in the SF area and chose to try a new restaurant, to which we picked Arabian Night. Regardless of their high rates, from the street you can't tell that you'll find a hidden gem. The ambiance,service, and especially the food and dessert deserve 7 stars if it were possible. I'll come again and again, and will complete the review later on. THANK YOU Olga, management, chefs, and other staff for the great service tonight.

Only authentic Lebanese restaurant in SF. Don't skip the mezze- try their kibbeh ras and meat-topped hummus! Very hospitable owner

How do I even begin to describe the flavor? The chicken is so tender cooked for very long to marinate the garlic - the sauce complements it to PERFECTION. The rice is sweet sour salty deliciousness. The onions basically taste like onion rings. They also have an outdoor hookah spot that I'd love to go try with friends with next time. Wow I highly recommend respectfully with my ABSOLUTE UTMOST REGARD. Beautiful, gorgeous, delicious food and amazing servers (also same descriptions)! 88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 should be business with this much customers cause it's delicious (in Chinese 8 means wealth)!

My dear friend took me head as a surprise because I love lebanese food. It did not disappoint. It can easily be one of my favorite restaurants. We shared the Meza platter and the Kabob platter. As Lebanese style we had too much food and had to bring it home. Excited to have the leftovers. When I walked in I was instantly delighted by the decor. It would be a great place for a party. The outside patio was also super cool. I also have to say that the staff were wonderful. All and all 5 out of 5. Absolutely loved every minute.

Amazing food, and fast service! Omg everything was perfect. For the first time in a long time I don't ask for salt! It was just perfect. Thank you for an amazing dinner.

10/10 spot if you like hookah. Combo of hookah/food/tea/outdoor patio is amazing. Welcome to value town - definitely good prices for what you get. Sit in secret outside spot, with plants, heaters, hookah, and shawarma ... in the middle of the Mission? Sign me up. There is a reason I'm almost a weekly regular. I'm on a crazy diet and eat out like twice a week but I can always find time to visit Arabian Nights. Food - 7/10 I like all the various meat shawarmas they offer which come with chunky fries or great rice. The portion is large so you feel like you got your value. More importantly, tastes bomb. I usually get this and then one table appetizer. Kibbeh is awesome. It's essentially falafel stuffed with lots of ground lamb. Like to dip in hummus (not included). The hummus is perfect. Hummus comes with hot bread that seems fresh and tastes amazing. I usually go for the meat hummus which has ground meat (lamb?) sprinkled on it. Any hummus can easily feed 2-4 people. Ambiance - 9/10 secret outdoor patio & 8/10 inside Great for dates. Inside features an impressive mural artwork on the wall that shows an ... Arabian Night... Looks nice. Don't sleep on the back patio though. That's the main attraction. Has heaters and is surrounded by high walls topped with plants. Very cozy and intimate. Good for dates, hang outs alone or with friends. Outside door looks so messed up that you with think it's closed but that kind of adds to the charm. Service - 9/10. Rock solid. Sometimes leave you at entrance wondering wtf is going on and if anyone is home. Despite no consistent greeter, you can be sure someone will come help pretty fast if you idle in the entryway by the door. This isn't entirely ideal for new guests but old regulars know the deal and it's chill. The staff are all super nice and the food / hookah service is very fast and great. Don't ask the pretty hookah attendant to pick flavors for you. She does not like that (but dang she does such a good job). Hookah service is smooth and includes absolutely everything you could hope for. No use writing it down. Bathrooms - 9/10. Big with many stalls, tucked away/private. Love to see it.

best place to have a chicken kabab with hummus dipping ,and the provided atmosphere exactly like ,y home town, highly recommended!!!

You've GOT to try their veggie platter. I'm saying this as a meat lover. Their veggie platter is one of the most flavorful dishes I've ever had, and I've tried a LOT of different dishes. It's absolutely massive but so delicious. Their chicken shawarma was decent, but the veggie platter is hands down the winner here!

My husband actually took me to Arabian because he khow how much i love hummus and falafel Waitresses was so nice It's cute restaurant with colorful decor and tasty food

I've been coming here for some time now and it is my go to place for when I'm craving some authentic Arabian food. The food is absolutely delicious!!! I am obsessed with the hummus, freshly baked pita, and veggie platter. The fish, meat, and chicken entrees are so flavorful and cooked to perfection. You can order anything from the menu, it will not disappoint. What makes this place even better are the staff, they are amazing so very kind and professional. I give this place 10 stars!!!

Quality of food and service need to improve. The food tasted as if they warmed up frozen food or as if it was prepared by a non professional.

Have you tried Lebanese cuisine? Quality & chill Mediterranean restaurant in the heart of SF Mission I haven't tried that many Mediterranean cuisine in SF, but I liked the food here more than Beit Rima (the most popular Mediterranean spot in the city) Would recommend you to try it out if you're looking for 1 quality Mediterranean cuisine + 2 a cool patio in the vibrant SF neighborhood. (from the owners) "Inspired by the old #Arabian tale, we invite you to experience a memorable night of delicious food coupled with a balance of vibrant interior, dramatic 18-foot ceilings , and dim lighting ." (closes @ 10pm)

While the roasted cauliflower and kebab platter here was not bad (just a little dry) and there was a ton of free pita, the service was subpar. Huge space, dim lit, nice decor, large kitchen, 1 chef, 3 waiters in the corner folding napkins (9pm at night), and 2 other customers. We weren't waited on for ~15 minutes and the food arrived nearly an hour later. Dealing with the check also took time because the waiters were just not attentive at all. People lined up for the hookah bar got much better service it seems.

They are literally THIEVES! I don't like to give negative reviews but this time I will : first I noticed they charged me for chicken shawarma ($15) an extra $3 total ($18) more than the actual price. And for the beef shawarma ($16) extra $4 total ($20) !! At first I thought maybe they forgot to update their menu due to COVID and other factors so I let it go but then days later I checked my bank account and I found out they charged me $5 extra! Put in mind I did not tip them they just decided to tip themselves in other words (steal more money).. Stay away there are many other decent restaurants! Yikes

Before COVID we'd go to Arabian Nights on occasion and would order in when we wanted really good Lebanese food. Then COVID hit and we found ourselves ordering from them weekly and sometimes more often. Healthy, tasty food -- what's not to like? This past weekend we had a party and ordered in catered food from them, and it was perfect. Delicious. Well cooked and spiced. The manager who helped us was a great communicator and everything turned out as planned. If you enjoy Lebanese food, I'd strongly recommend giving this place a try.

Went a few years ago was very delicious ,, fresh bread and nice hookah Drive by last week and this part of town has really gone down hill. The whole street is tagged up and this business was also tagged. Feel really bad and since it was very late didn't feel safe to go in anymore Support this business

I can't get enough of this place. I love Mediterranean food but especially this place, it has gone beyond my expectations. I've only dined in the restaurant twice and it is a lovely Arabian theme restaurant in the Mission. I order here every week through Postmates. I've tried the Fried Kebbe which is seasoned lamb stuffed with pine nuts in a roll. It's a bit dry for my liking. The Philo Cheese Rolls with feta cheese, a little rich and oily but delicious. The hummus and tabbouleh is delicious. What I keep coming back for is the: * Salmon - it's moist and seasoned well * Kafta Meshwi kebab is my ultimate favorite is the minced lamb & beef is flavorful and just delicious *Labneh - yogurt with mint and garlic. I dip the kebabs in this sauce to make each bite even more explosive. I always ask for extra garlic paste and put it in the Labneh gives it even more of a kick. I recommend anyone to try it! I love anything lamb so the kebab and lamb chops don't disappoint. The quality of the food and the sauces are all tasty and delicious. Every time I get a delivery it's as delicious as the last. Five stars!