Hayat's Kitchen

This place is actually our go to for Lebanese. The only complaint I have is the inconsistency. We usually get the feast for 2, sometimes it’s huge, sometimes it’s not as big. Sometimes they bring us tea in a little tea pot, sometimes they give it to us in a big fancy one. Sometimes the food is sooooo good. Sometimes it’s okay. We come often as it is good but I think it would be perfect if they could master the consistency of everything. Love this place but I wish it was consistent.

The food was exquisite, the drinks were very good and so was the dessert, they bring a great service. Highly recommended 👌

Ambiance is warm and smells are intoxicating. Found the Falafel Sandwich savory and Grape Leaves satisfying 🔥🙏🏼✨

Taco Tuesday is a BOMB !!!! The Meat is sooo soft juicy and tasty , its the best in town . Chicken quesadillas is a wow as well

everyone from the staff with whom we interacted were incredibly kind, what a pleasure. we had a delightful meal of a "meal for 2" split across 3 people, everything was delicious. dipping the freshly made falafel in tahini and hummus was such a treat, the rice was soft and tasty, and all the kabobs were juicy and tender. the mint tea was so light and fresh. lovely place, please help support them.

Very good food. Recommend you try it!!! We had the Vegetarian Combo Platter with hummus, baba ghanoush, tabouli, grape leaves, and falafel. The hummus tasted mostly fresh and quite good. Loved the tabouli!! I would go back just for the tabouli. Liked the baba ghanoush, but it was a bit lacking in flavor. I've had better. The grape leaves were excellent! Well balanced flavors. And the falafel was very good. Not greasy and very tasty. Flavors you will crave. We also had the chicken and beef kabobs. The chicken was a little overcooked, so it was a bit dry, but the flavors were very good. The beef was not the best quality, but still very good. I recommend both, but wish both had been juicier. The garlic dipping sauce was excellent. Would prefer more garlic, but it was very good. The pita was very fresh and very good. The pistachio baklava was excellent. Very flakey. Makes you want to come back for more. The staff was very friendly and nice. Plenty of outdoor and indoor seating. A nice dining experience. It gets quite busy. Pretty small parking lot and limited street parking in this area. There are a lot of Lebanese restaurants in this area and I recommend you try this one for yourself. Bring a date.

Grade B+ (88): The service is excellent, they are always around right before we need anything. Enjoyed the dinner for 4. Sorry for missing some of the pictures, I don't know what happened I had taken more pictures. Now the food, Kibbeh and Kaftah nayyeh, the Luleh Kebab were good, the Branzino was excellent, the fried Sardines (Actually fried Smelts) everyone liked it and said it's crunchy, I tried one piece, I don't like it personally. The rest like Hammus, Baba Ghannouj etc were very good. It's a good place to go if you like Lebanese food. It used to be much better before, the spices have changed, there's hardly any salt, had to add salt and pepper and asked for red pepper, almost seems like the chef is not familiar with the taste, but the base is good.

Without a doubt the best Lebanese food I’ve ever had. I only wanted something simple so I got the chicken shawarma, but it had so much flavor and spices. Desserts made in house were also phenomenal. 11/10 would recommend to anyone. And they gave us a lot of extra treats.

We stopped here for lunch in between appointments in the Valley and we have found a new favorite! It was my daughter's first time trying Lebanese cuisine and this was a great place for her to experience something new. Hayat's Kitchen is absolutely delicious. Our server was so friendly and took his time making suggestions and explaining things we were unfamiliar with. We had a combo appetizer plate with all the dips as well as sanbousik. For our entree, we shared a chicken kabob plate. Everything was so delicious and flavorful. The best grape leaves and babaganoush I've ever had! We sat outside and it was a nice, quiet patio on a later weekday lunch. Only downside is there were some men smoking really stinky cigars on the patio, but they weren't right next to us. We had plenty for leftovers the next day and we definitely will go back!

We always order delivery at the office and the food is superb! Always arrives hot and portions are large. Just love it here. Went once to dine in and it was just as delicious. You aren't doing there for the ambiance. It's a basic place inside with some bright lighting. You're going for the food! And you will enjoy it!

The food was fantastic. Everything is very authentic. I wish we had a larger group to order more food. We got kibbeh nayye, liver, hummus, baba ghannouj, and ouzi, and shared a few desserts. The baba ghannouj is one of the best ones I've had in the US, perfectly smoked. The ouzi tastes just like how my grandmother makes it. The owner was very friendly and checked on us multiple times. I will definitely be back soon!

Food and service were great. We will be back. We showed up after a movie at Universal City Walk and the place was very busy. We were seated after a short wait and the food was just delicious. (please see pics) We got the combo platter FEAST for 2 and that was enough for four plus a few other side dishes. They had a belly dancer there that night who enjoyed out table of four and kept coming back to chat us up.

Perhaps my expectations were too high after reading the reviews and expecting a trip to Beirut lol. While the portions were big, I think the food wasn't something to rave about considering I've had better Lebanese food in SoCal and the Midwest. We ordered chicken shawarma and chicken shish tawouk. The place was not too busy but service was lacking. We had to get the waiters attention to bring us bread--which was carb free; like why fam. Too bad this place could have capitalized and baked fresh pita bread but perhaps that's too much to ask. The fattoush was just a basic salad with romaine lettuce--again another missed opportunity to be wow. The hummus was decent and the toum sauce. Anyways, it was worth a try.

Classic, tasty Lebanese spot! Portions were comparable for the price and the food all tasted fresh. I ordered takeout from Hayat's tonight for the first time and was pleasantly surprised with the flavors. I ordered the "Grilled Boneless Trout" which .... unfortunately... had many many bones in it. I understand that that's a result of wherever they got the fish from, but still a bummer when you expect boneless. Nonetheless, the flavor was great and it paired perfectly with the rice, salad, pickles, and hummus. We also ordered a couple pieces of Lokum for dessert. They must have been out of the Rose Lokum because we received something else instead. We were confused that we didn't get what we ordered, but whatever it was was super tasty either way!

The food is so gorgeous to eat. The tastes are very flavorful and fresh. The hummus chickpea dip and baba ganoush eggplant dip are so yummy and well-made. I don't know what it's called but the garlic puree dip is a wonder with the fresh pita bread. There are lots of vegetarian options but the meats are good as well. We had outdoor seating which has nice ambiance. A very good dinner experience.

Wowowow!!!! The portions are huge! This was one of the BEST tasting shwarma I've ever had. The staff was SO friendly! I asked for a desert menu but they have deserts they make fresh inside and you can choose. After I finished my desert they brought me & my partner the original baklava slice on the house! SO friendly!! Server was great attentive and nice. The flavors on this just blew my mind. Super cute ambiance I sat outside but they do have an inside option as well. Can't wait to come back and bring my friends!

Service is just mediocre: the waitress are not friendly and just like robots! The time I went in and dined there: I was so disappointed since my food came way after my friend's dished, and I had to wait so long looking at her eating!

I didn't think I was going to enjoy my experience at Hayat's b/c there was a wait for a waiter and for the food. When our meals did arrive, they were delicious, particularly the lamb, the mezze, fish and the desserts. I've always appreciated Lebanese food and there's no question I will return to Hayat. One thing to consider: there is a sizable outdoor area for hookah and cigars so bear this in mind. This space is not sealed from the smaller 6 table inside dining room. EOY.

Great spot! Lots of love and care put into the food. Excellent lentil soup and the Lamb Chop entree dish was excellent. Great service and nice gathering of families. Lots of seating indoors and outdoors. Their desserts are also amazing!

I have loved their fattoush salad for years, although the dressing has been slightly tweaked. The chicken skewers are always consistently good. Love the owners family and supporting their business even though we don't see them too often anymore! They have a nice staff, and have also made some nice improvements to their outdoor patio as well!

Noted as a Lebanese place that is a simple storefront in a strip mall, you'll find that Hayat's is popular for their straight up order and hang out atmosphere, with a patio that offers hookah for patrons who make the most of their evenings with some good eats. The service is casual and somehow prompt to order, and they leave you alone for a while once you get your food - I think this is always a nice way to take your time to enjoy your meal. You'll find that the portions are large and prices can be rather decent. The 4 fried kibbeh at $14.50 can be a delight, and served fresh. I think this was the highlight because it can be hard to get, and served well. These folks did it right. Similarly, the kabob-shish kafta is served fresh, but rather large at the price of $21.99, making it bigger than most kabob dishes that you get. You can pick your sides and alternate, and in this case the hummus was fresh and so was the pickled goods. I would have liked this more, but my kabobs were overcooked and burnt and the rice wasn't plentiful. I wished for more, but perhaps others got a better made meal. Overall, this is a low-key place and decent meal, with very come-in-your-sweats vibes. Parking is easy as theres usually enough space after hours in the strip mall. It isn't in the most desirable area, but no one seems to mind.

Vary savory with an abundance of flavor and just the right amount crispiness. That's what every bite into the shish kebab tastes like. I've only ate here once before sometime last year, but I've made a point that I just had to come back, if only to see if that first time was a strike of lightning or id it's what's expected at Hayat's Kitchen. Happily, it is the latter. It's sometimes easy to assume that most Middle Eastern restaurant should be able to do Shish kebab well, but many times, the flavor can be there but not quite there, or you need a little extra help with a garlic cream, saffron rice, or other garnishes like sumac. But this shish kebab, you can just eat that by itself and be completely satisfied. I loved it so much that I forgot to ask for sumac (which is something I tend to ask to add a bit more taste when the meat is a little lacking in flavor). The rest of the plate nicely complement the main attraction without calling too much attention, although the owner did swap my includes hummus for Baba Ganoush at no charge which I appreciate. That baba ganoush has a nice hint of roasted smokiness to keep it interesting and to not not be too one-note. I only avoided the onions but that's just my personal taste since the onions can be overpowering. If anything, if I have to nitpick it would be that I'd love to get a whole roasted tomato instead of a slice. The Kelaj for dessert is also delicious, balancing a creamy filling and the pistachio without becoming too heavy for the flaky pastry texture. The baklava is also delicious and was offered as a complimentary to the Kelaj, so that was a nice gesture. Can't turn away free baklava, after all. All in all, Hayat Kitchen earns its reputation for delicious Lebanese food!

Best hummus with meat it tastes so delicious. Their soujouk is fantastic with a hint of cumin. Also, my bf loves the grilled fish. They also give you lady finger baklava that is the perfect way to end your meal.

Today's food experience was uniquely delicious. The feast for 2 was indeed a good choice and enough for a group of 3. Among my favorites were Baba Ghanous(eggplant), falafel, lamb chops (which normally the least of my choice ), and kabob shish tawook (chicken) juicy, flavorful and tender, hummus was creamy and delicious. Their Lebanese coffee was served in cute cups perfectly paired with baklava and lokum roses. Pics courtesy of their website. I forgot to take my own because I was excited to eat

i wont even give any start to this place, but I did it for the comment,,,,, RUDE OWNER ,,,,, the worse costumer service I've received in my life, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN AN OWNER CUSSED HIS COSTOMER,,,, NO ONLY AT THIS PLACE.....the worse place to spend time in, the owner Hassan very disrespectful person, they literally charged us 128 for one salad plate, and the hookah took it aside cash, he is rude, and not professional at all, I highly not recommend going there, with the worse service..

The food never disappoints. This is one of my favorite places to eat. The outdoor area is also really nice. Everyone that works there is helpful and polite. When the owner and his son are around they greet you and make sure the food is amazing. They finish off your meal with some complimentary delicious baklava..

My first experience with Lebanese food, so take my review with a grain of salt, as I am no expert. The only negative I can find about this place is the parking is terrible and the ambience is a little dated, so that's where they lost one star, but WHO CARES WHEN THE FOOD IS SO GOOD. I ordered a few things that I figured would be safe choices, and they were all amazing, so next time I will be expanding my palate and trying everything on the menu. Highly recommend this spot, but don't tell anyone, because once the secret is out you'll have to walk here and wait for a table.

The food here is really good - my favorites were chicken kabob, hummus, tabbouleh, falafel, and baklava. When you order water, they bring you plastic bottles which is kind of annoying when you're expecting a glass of ice water like in 99% of restaurants, but not the end of the world. The negative to this restaurant is the patio. As we were eating, older men started showing up and lighting cigarettes. They have "no smoking" signs all over, but clearly they don't enforce them at all. That disgusting smoke ruined the experience. Unless you're a smoker, don't bother eating here - order takeout instead.

In the category of never sleeping.. that's how you need to be when it comes to this spot. Even though it's in the tuck in a parking lot, don't sleep on it! Amazing staff and ambiance, fresh cooked everything type beat and the flavor and seasoning in each dish will put you back into a food coma just as soon as you leave one. In a good way. Trust, pull up, dine in and stay eatin! Legendary authentic vibes.

The ambiance was just beautiful the wait was a long time though they did forget we were outside so they apologized and we ordered our food. The servings are really big and everything is so good! I had fish since I'm a pescatarian and my girlfriend had chicken shawarma plate.

Our first time here. A small restaurant tucked back in the corner of a strip mall with little signage. I ordered the chicken Galaba, which was pieces of chicken with green peppers and onions. It's served with a small salad, rice, hummus and garlic sauce. It was good, not a huge amount of flavor. My wife and our friend ordered the chicken Kebab which included the same sides. They both enjoyed it. French fries were an option instead of the rice. I definitely found it extremely unpleasant smelling cigarette smoke wafting in through the open door from some inconsiderate smoker outside. This alone would prevent me from returning. I also don't like it when I asked for water and I'm served bottled water for an additional $1.00. The service was fair. It should have been better given the restaurant wasn't busy.

I was in the valley for the night and I was craving some middle eastern food, so I checked out Hayat's. Hayat's is nestled in the corner of the plaza and there's outdoor and indoor seating available. The workers are friendly and I was seated immediately. The menu is mainly Lebanese and other Levantine dishes. I ordered the Kafta Platter for $22, which came with pita along with pickled vegetables. It was delicious and the meat pie and grave leaves complemented it perfectly. The food as a whole was decent, nothing too outstanding but it did the job! The desserts are amazing and the baklava is some of the best I've ever tried. The Kelaj is great as well!

There was plenty seating although many people are at the restaurant. The parking lot was packed but I found a spot because someone left as I came in. I ordered beef, veggies, and fries. Although the beef was tender, it was tasteless, so were the fries and salad. The hot beef paired with the cold salad was a bad match.

I love the food here its spectacular! I made the mistake of eating in rather then taking food to go. The guy who served us was not friendly or helpful and I had the feeling he really didn't like dealing with women. He was not welcoming and really gave off a negative vibe.In the future I will only order to go or rather I will have my husband order to go. If I was just rating food it would be a 5 star. For service 3 star and that's being kind.

Great portion for all food options! Great fast service and friendly environment. Would definitely comeback for more.

Good fast service. I like the wraps but they are getting to be expensive and on par with zankou

The food at Hayat's is truly exceptional. The portions are huge, cooked to perfection with just the right spices. I love it and wish I lived closer so I could go more often.

Love the food and atmosphere here firstly their salad is the only one that resembles how my dad makes it back home. Also in general the food is insanely good, me and my girlfriend come here and get the combination platter every time and it's amazing. My go to when it comes to Mediterranean food

Me and my friends always come here for how good the food is. We ordered meat that came fully cooked even though it was requested to be medium rare. Our waitress was a new girl who answered with very cold responses, but later this was fixed when the manager came to ask us how everything was. her attitude was very positive and warm and welcoming and I hope she talks to her staff because there was a man who would answer very bluntly before too. I think you will have a good experience based on who your server is.

I work nearby this restaurant and I have tried many different spots around it, so I took a chance on a new place and it paid off once again! I got the chicken shawarma sandwich and a few other staples and I didn't regret any of it. The location is tucked away off of Vineland and Burbank, and I can't describe the atmosphere inside the actual restaurant any other way besides cozy. The prices are pretty fair and the portions aren't skimpy either! Definitely check it out if you're in the neighborhood.

We ordered for pickup. The food was delicious, the reason I am giving 4 stars is because their prices are at least $2 higher for each item when you pickup than on the website. They should update their website prices

Random Mediterranean place I found in Glendale. I think this place is ok.... 5/10 overall. We got a sample platter pretty much that had chicken, steak, etc... with rice roasted tomato, roasted chili. They give you free low carb pita bread but it doesn't taste very good and free hummus with olives and pickled radish. The owner (?) was very accommodating when we asked for more garlic sauce and what was popular here, but the overall food was also meh. The steak was probably the best. The chicken was kinda dry. Fries tasted like they were straight out of a freezer bag, which is fine, but they're just not good (get the rice instead).

The food was average imo and while the server seemed to be giving his best effort they were understaffed and couldn't keep up with our drinks at all. Chicken wings were undercooked and we just wanted to send it back because it wasn't appealing and they brought us more chicken and charged us for it even though it's not what we wanted. The ambiance was nice though and I don't wanna make a big deal about it. Maybe an off night.

Everything is very delicious. I like it Chicken Shawarma SandwichChicken Kabob Plate

Very delicious food in unassuming location. Warm friendly service very accommodating to our toddler. We sat outside in their quaint patio. Plentiful parking in lot. Small portions. Water for purchase.

Service was very good. I walked in there today for the first time and they were very helpful. I wanted to try the grape leaves and I ended up ordering the lentil soup, cheese rolls and the chicken kebabs to go. Everything was delicious! Loved it and will be back to try more from their menu!

Excellent Lebanese cuisine. The whole fish thing is IT, as far as I'm concerned. It's hard to find, but look for the not at all hard to find giant neon clown sign for Circus Liquor. It's across the street to the west. Zero atmosphere, but that's not what this place is about. Over the years, I've taken many friends to lunch here and they all have fallen in love with the food. I'm hardly alone in my praise. They've had to break open to the space next door and expand. There's also very pleasant outdoor spaces. While there, take note of the Indian place next door. I don't recall the name of it, but it's also excellent.

We ordered food to go for mothers day & everything was delicious!! Would 100% come back, we had a chicken plate, a steak plate & both were just as good.

The desserts are something literally out of the Middle East. I've never tasted good Lebanese foo yeahs until now. I would drive an hour for this place

Delicious food and great service. Tucked the way in the back of a small shopping center. They offer hookah as well to outside seating but I recommend sitting inside. All meals come with pita bread and olives/pickled radish and they give you some delicious baklava at the end! They do charge for water bottles. No tap water.

Hidden in the back side of a small shopping center seeming unassuming is the best most authentic Lebanese food you'll find in Los Angeles. The tables are typically occupied by large family groups celebrating life in general. Then order abundantly to share with your table. Everything on the menu is amazing. Super fresh. Amazing (did I say that already?) Kid friendly? YES! Family friendly? ABSOLUTELY Outdoor dining? It's really the only place to be! There is indoor dining available but the outdoor space is perfection and I've not ever seen anyone eating inside. Parking? Don't waste your time parking in the crowded lot (unless it's not crowded) just park on the street. It *is* still The Valley after all. When you're here, you're family! And for an extra kick, make sure you order a Lebanese coffee

The place is somewhat difficult to locate because it's almost hidden in a corner of a busy shopping center. The parking lot is shared with several other businesses. I came here before the pandemic (almost 5 years ago) and it looks almost the same. They still had outdoor seating with heating lamps. Nice ambiance. They also have indoor seating but it feels crowded compared to outdoor seating. There was a large party already there and we didn't have a reservation. The owner graciously accommodated us anyway. Service was very slow because they only had two people working all the tables. We ordered the family style platter which came with chicken and beef. Prices seemed a bit high but it makes sense post-pandemic. They know EXACTLY what they're doing when it comes to the food here. Every single time, the food has been consistently good. Meat was a little on the burnt side but still juicy on the inside. We ordered extra skewers because the mixed meat plate (family style) didn't come with enough meat. The hummus was delicious! The salad was good too but nothing spectacular. I will be coming back here again, definitely!!!

My wife and I are like culinary detectives, always on the hunt for places that serve Halal food. We lucked out with a beautiful outdoor seating arrangement on a gorgeous day, setting the stage for what we hoped would be a gastronomic adventure. However, just as we were getting comfortable, a family decided to set up camp in the back of the restaurant. The father seemed to think he was auditioning for a smoke-filled lounge act, puffing away on his cigar like it was his last performance. Needless to say, our lungs were treated to an involuntary smoke show. Now, on to the food critique. The Musaka, a delicious dish in its own right, had one small hiccup: it was cold like dog nose, and we couldn't help but daydream about how superb it would have been piping hot. The chicken Shawarma, well, it didn't exactly do a belly dance on our taste buds; it was more of a shy waltz. But, lo and behold, my wife found her garlic chicken to be the star of the show, leaving us with garlic-infused satisfaction. And here's where the tale takes an unexpected twist! The young waitresses, perhaps sensing our smoke-induced plight, bestowed upon us a sweet surprise: free baklava desserts. It was a delightful ending to our culinary adventure, leaving us with a sweet taste in our mouths and a lingering desire for more.

I'm so excited to leave this review! Having spent 20 years in Detroit, I have eaten my fair share of Middle Eastern food, but this place is the best I've ever had! Ww had the sampler appy, kibbee nayyeh, fatoush and falafel sandwich. Fresh ingredients and a friendly atmosphere made for a great experience. And as a special treat, there was a piece of baklava for each of us that came with the check. Just another nice little touch that rounded out this awesome meal. Look, if you go here, you'll never be able to eat Middle Eastern food anywhere else and not be disappointed.

First time at Hayat's Kitchen and the service was top notch. Food was superb and super tasty such as the home made moghrabiyeh and Lamb/rice. Those 2 specials of the day come with a fattoush and hummus starter.

One of my favorite Mediterranean spots. In a nondescript strip mall in the valley. The fool (I'm spelling this wrong) is epically good, so are the garlicky fries and the vegetarian platter. I haven't been in a minute; but think of this place often and will return soon.

The service was abysmal, with waiters seemingly indifferent to customers' needs. They took ages to bring the menu and even longer to take our orders. When the food finally arrived, it was disappointingly cold, as if it had been left sitting out for too long. Attempts to get the staff's attention to address the issue were met with indifference or excuses. Overall, it was a frustrating and unsatisfactory dining experience.