Mawadda Cafe

The food here is AMAZING!! It is toooo good! Everything was soo fresh and soo tasty!! This place is a must visit for people who want to have just some soul food without needing an ambiance! The owners, a father-son duo are also very sweet and often ask your opinion/suggestions on the food. Mawadda Cafe is one of my absolute favorite place whenever I am in the Seattle area.

Great little place. Kinda hidden but then again those are usually the best places. The food was made fresh and the people were really good and accommodating. We are from out of town but kept going back. I think we ate there 3-4 times in a span of 4 days. It's that good.

Warm and cozy casual family owned restaurant with amazing mediterranean food. Everything on the plate was so so so good. We especially loved the spanakopita (not pictured), tzatziki, lamb, hummus. Will come back again for sure!

We’ve been coming to this family run restaurant for 18 years and love it to this day. The food is delicious and prepared with doting care. And the chai! I especially like the…everything. Mawadda!

Good food but not the nicest storefront. It's unfortunate that this place doesn't have the most appealing building. As for the food, however, they prepare the meal with care. The dishes came with a starter salad, which was nice. I ordered the lamb shish kabob, which was cooked to a medium. The meat was cooked just right, but I think the rice was a bit too fluffy and didn't separate very well. Overall, still a great meal

Great Food and Fantastic Service. Probably one of the best middle eastern restaurants I have been to. The outside looks like…excrement. It is pretty obvious nobody has put money into this building…ever. This inside is updated like someone actually cares. They care about their customers and the food. Especially the good. Ordered lamb kabobs medium rare and they were medium well but still really good. The rice was light and full of flavor. The waiter was actually really polite. Overall a great meal.

The food is decent and the service was friendly. I’m still confused why they strictly do not allow buying meat on its own (as a side). The prices to portion ratio was the main red flag here. The basha plate which I got to share was $31…. the picture shows 3 pieces of pita and it came with one, and the portion is less than what I get at my usual spot in north Seattle for $15. Twice the price and 3/4 of the portion. The chicken shawarma was extremely dry as well. Bummed as this is our only local Mediterranean spot in Columbia city. I really wanted to love it but don’t think it’s a repeater.

Fresh tasty food. If Owner Rami is there you are guaranteed to get a really good fresh delicious food. Easy to understand menu with photos. For years their food quality, flavor,taste had been the same as good or better. We appreciate that. Nice clean place. Spacious dine in lounge prices are on the high side, but it's OK. Food is good, food quality , taste and freshness are good ,customer service is good Very small parking lot, with Very tight parking spots. Watch out for your nice car.

Picture this: a charming Mediterranean restaurant with the most delightful family running the show. Whenever my partner and I walk in, the owner's son practically reads our minds because we're such regulars. But here's the kicker - every time we order our usual, it tastes just as amazing as the first time we ever tried it. And let's not forget about those Greek fries! They're like little bites of heaven, especially when dipped in that delicious sauce. It's like a party in my mouth and my tummy every time. Oh, and did I mention how beautiful the environment is? The plants and cultural decorations really add to the ambiance. If you're looking for a place with great food, a lovely atmosphere, and the sweetest family behind it all, this is the spot. Trust me, you won't be disappointed!

Don't let looks deceive you- this cute little place has a welcoming atmosphere, generous portions, and the perfect price! Wish we lived closer

Food was very good, but a little pricey given the minimalist interior for sit down dining. Order at the cash register and then seat yourself. Only a few tables inside, but adequate onsite parking. Great for takeout but not ideal if you're looking for a nice dine-in experience.

We've eaten her 3 times, each time the food was consistently excellent! The lamb really shines, whether it's the lamb shank or the lamb shawarma. The chicken shawarma is always moist and seasoned perfectly. I also love their hummus and garlic sauce. We try to come here every time we are in Seattle.

Absolutely delicious. Cooked fresh there. Delightful! I loved the food. The owner is so friendly. Very healthy food, very reasonable. The 2 other guests raved about the food. There's this location, one on Graham Street and a 3rd. I brought a dish home for breakfast. Wonderful restaurant!

Hidden gem & one of my favorite places in Rainier Valley. The food is fresh and delicious. When the chai tea is just brewed, it's gingery-clove concoction hits the spot! This time, I got the Gyro Salad & half a dozen frozen sambosas to air fry at home. Jeez, I could eat their food everyday

Best hummus on earth. I can't explain it but the flavors in there are amazing. It's something special and I highly enjoy it!

I always drove past this place growing up in Seattle and only recently got food here and it was amazing! The gyro was delicious and fries were super crisp and flavorful. My brother got the chicken shawarma which was tasty as well. The inside has such nice decorations and the staff was very friendly. Definitely will plan to come back again :)

I usually wait to try a place more than once before reviewing but the food was so good. I had the gyro because I heard this spot was a hidden gem in the neighborhood, and wow it was amazing and huge! Great flavors, lots of meat, good balance with veggies, and just enough sauce, plus the pita was soft and fresh. Got the greek fries too since I was having a bad day, and it truly hit the spot, the garlic sauce they came with was truly outstanding, not sure if it was tzatziki but it was garlicky and delicious. On top of it, the guy at the register was very nice and prompt. In all, I'm very glad I tried this, especially after the bad day I had.

Chicken shawarma platter was amazing! $18 but a huge portion definitely can make it into two meals. It came with a side salad pita as well. Rice and chicken were full of flavor and very tender. My partner got the lamb gyro and Greek fries, it was good but mine was better Can't wait to go back.

Food is tasty, quantity is also good. Garlic sauce is very yummy. Wait time can be an issue sometimes. Service is also good.

Mawadda is always great. I get their falafel wrap every time and, if I am feeling extra ambitious (hungry), then I get their Greek fries too. I love supporting this family-owned business. I see the same people every time I go in and they're pleasant and always deliver the best service and food! We need to treasure our locally owned businesses in Seattle. We are losing so many to chains and corporations!

Maggots. In. The. Rice. Ordered delivery from here for the first time. Chicken Swarma and Gyro were both edible, not great, but as we were eating, realized that the rice looked...funny. On closer examination (with a magnifying glass), the long, tapered rice grains with a red tip were not rice at all. Easily identified as rice maggots. Do not eat here. You will regret it, as we now are.

Lamb shank is the best in town. It's juicy and tender, and has good flavor. The business is family owned and very friendly.

I highly recommend this restaurant they're super fast and friendly definitely family oriented. Their food is ready hot and fresh. The young man at the front recommended me not to order online just because they charge extra 20%, I ordered from yelp so I got charged extra. Definitely call ahead and pay there. So yummy. I recommend their Greek fries and chicken sandwich.

All of the sandwich style options and Greek fries are consistently excellent. If you get the chicken shawarma I highly recommend asking if they will make it spicy. Some of the plates can be a little inconsistent though...I think it depends on who's cooking that day.

Great authentic food! The owner is a hard worker and his kids are always a pleasure to deal with.

Thank you for making our Noruz meal so special. The lamb shank did disappear in a matter of minutes. My son loved it. Everything was flavorful. Will stop by again when we have craving for good homemade food.

Literally the greatest customer service ever the guy in the front was so nice even though he was very young he was very respectful and funny!!!

Dat hummus tho. I followed Yelp's advice and called in my order. When I arrived, the restaurant looked empty. It seemed like all other patrons had also placed to-go orders. When I went to the counter to pick up my order, they had forgotten what I ordered and seemed to make it there on the spot. Not typical for U.S. food service standards but I read through handy dandy Yelp and was prepared. The parking lot is really tiny so be prepared for that. There's a dirt lot across the street where the taco truck is--maybe try there if there aren't any stalls in front of the store. Okay so the food...was amazing. So flavorful yet not overpowering. And #dathummus... ugh, so good. I usually don't even like hummus but theirs is so creamy and has a bit of tang (possibly from Greek yogurt?) I would definitely order to-go here again and even possibly dine in if I'm wanting to pass the time on a lazy/rainy day.

I remember back when I be walking by everyday to go to school, I told myself I needed to try this place. Years later, I'm glad I finally did. Been here about 2 times now and each time, I get the Greek Fries. My last visit I also added the Samosas; one chicken, on beef. Greek fries are really good. Thick cut, fluffy, has some good cheese and green stuff on top. But the highlight is definitely the garlic aioli. Its so good I'll be ordering an extra next time I stop by. My one complaint about the fries is that the portions are smaller than expected for the price. The samosas are probably the best I've had. I ordered 2. Chicken is the way to go for me. The beef seem a tad oily, and I'm a bit unfamiliar with the flavor. They're a good size and are completely loaded. Parking is a bit tight, but free. Some menu prices are inaccurate. I think the fries were listed at 5 dollars and samosas 1.50 each. But when I ordered the total came to about 10 dollars after tax. Had me feelin a bit salty.

Excellent food. We tried kufta, shawarma and sultani and they were the best. Full of flavor without being overly spicy. The portion size was also large and thus we shared our food between five. We will definitely go back; love love loved the food!

I've been going to muwadda cafe for like ten years, their food is the most flavorful. Every bite my taste buds are having a party, the owner treats you like family. He comes around greeting his customer. It's hard to find a place where their food is consistent, this place has been consistent. I've never had one bad meal, hands down it's best Mediterranean in town! I'm at this place at least once a month, I'm beyond addicted. Today I got sultani dish , sometimes I get Kufta kabob. I highly recommend this place, try it out and thank me later.

I don't know if you are playing the new Pokémon Go game, but it can take you to many different places during your explorations. :-) As I was on the hunt for a new pokemon, I happened by Mawadda Cafe. Typically, I wouldn't have payed it any mind, as gyro places are a dime a dozen these days, but something about it called to me. Maybe it was the non-descript nature of the building, but it was probably the pokemon footsteps of the GoBat right near it. I got it by the way! Anyway, I decided to give it a go, and I am glad I did! It is not a flashy place, and you can miss it if you blink, but once you get inside the people are nice and friendly. The were a couple of groups inside eating when I arrived, but it was not too busy. Other reviews have mentioned a long wait to get your food, but mine came fairly quickly, so no complaints here. I ordered the gyro salad, and a side of baba ganoug. The gyro salad was made with fresh ingredients, and tasted good. It came with a side of garlic sauce that was also very tasty. The baba ganoug was also very good. It looked and tasted homemade. I would definitely order it again. Overall, it was very good, and I look forward to going back to try more things. Maybe I'll even get a new Pokémon!

They have pretty good gyros here. Try their gyro plates with rice. Tastes great.

Absolutely blown away by the yumminess of this food! BEST GYRO I have ever had! I ordered the spicy chicken with taziki sauce and the Greek fries with a side of garlic sauce! I would go there for the garlic sauce alone... drool!! Seriously, their flavors, freshness, cook to order was spot on! We waited around 15 min for our order, but so worth it as you know it was being cooked fresh. Totally been craving a good, authentic, mom & pop shop gyro this quarantine and my local haunt was closed. This place was further away and when I came across this little hole in the wall I was hesitant and a little skeptical with cleanliness and COVID standards. But it had good reviews so we thought, let's try. I can't wait to go back here and try more of their menu. They were out of lamb gyro, so hopping after COVID they might have their full menu again, their falafel looked really good too. Seriously yummy and highly recommend this authentic hole in the wall, you won't be disappointed.

Always excellent falafel. Very prompt takeout service. They have been a reliable and consistent neighborhood fixture for many years.

There is only one word to describe this place: Amazing. The food is amazing. (They certainly aren't afraid of flavour) The place itself is quite cozy, and staff are nothing but helpful. All in all, if you're looking for great shawarma, gyros or hummus, come here.

Every time we try and order take out we never get it. It always gets cancelled, even though we get an email stating our order is being prepared. We get a cancellation 10 mins before delivery. Thanks GrubHub and Mawadda you both disappoint!

Love Mawadda! One of our favorite Friday night take out treats. Our faves are lamb kabobs and gyro salad.

Holy crap. My boyfriend and I just found our favorite falafel place! FYI this place has an "Okay" health rating, but with falafels like the ones they have here, we were able to overlook that. The place is pretty clean, and enticing smells hit you once you come in. We got the falafel wraps with hot sauce, and they were so bomb!! The falafels were herbaceous, fresh, and packed with flavor. They were some of the best falafels we have had. We also had the Greek fries everyone raves about, and they certainly lived up to the hype! They were really, really good. We are definitely coming back here soon! And I honestly didn't see anything that could warrant an "Okay" health rating. The people were friendly too.

Great spot. Great good. Friendly owners. Great for the neighborhood. We use Mawada regularly fir take out

Incredible gyros! The meat is perfectly cooked, the sandwiches are overflowing with ingredients, the tzatziki is flavorful, and prices reasonable. I cannot wait to order from here again. Our new go to

Never thought I would stop in here since the exterior is not appealing. But I ordered the gyro with Greek fries and it was sYUMMMY!!!!

Sooo Delicious!! New favorite place. Don't know if they offer hot sauce but definitely need one.

Restaurant is closed. I was here on a Thursday 1230p. Yelp says open; I arrived to pick up my Grubhub order and there's no sign anyone is working. Nothing on their website about Covid scheduling. Unless you call and someone picks up I'm not sure they're open.

Very good middle-eastern fast food here, taken up a notch; prepared carefully and with fresh ingredients. The flavors really pop, from the delicious sauces to the garlicky hummus to the well-marinated meats. And it's plated and served with obvious pride and careful precision. They really care about their food here! Service is friendly and prompt. Do NOT miss the homemade chai here! Rich, spicy and warming, just the thing for dessert! Soooo good. I would come here just for the chai. Thankfully, the food is excellent as well! One star missing for exterior cleanliness- I almost didn't go into the place, because of all the debris outside. Take a little time, do an occasional sweep around your business, and really show your pride in welcoming your guests. I know keeping things clean in a high-traffic area can be like herding cats, but it pays dividends in customer comfort and satisfaction! Recommended!

4.5... means rounding up... so a 5! Awesome gem in the Rainier Valley. The spot isn't exactly the greatest or appealing, but hey if businesses had to be picky, we'd hardly have anything around here at all. =P The gentleman that took my order was pleasant and had a good vibe when taking and bringing out my orders. The falafel salad i ordered up front was paid first then took the corner booth. After that, I went back to order the greek fries and a busma; oh ok have a seat; ok. At this time they had some more customers in so that's probably why he didn't ask for me to pay then. I paid for these 2 when done, and although he forgot I already paid the salad prior, quickie no problem fix. The ordering and table drop-off were nice. The food was great---I liked it and it seemed like they made that extra effort of pride-in-their-craft and presented it well. I noticed speakers, although the music came on awhile later, but it was cool when it did. Overall, great space for what they have and pretty clean. The bathroom towel dispenser was dusty, so I wiped that off 'cuz that's how I am. :) I'd like to return and try more goodness and the rather homey atmosphere. During my visit, there was also an issue with some dude who popped in for a "sample" sambosa--got it--ate it--then was about to leave but called out to pay. I didn't hear the whole commotion, although they probably could've handled it better despite a slight communication barrier. Putting that aside, this is a great place. Note: parking might be an issue for some.

It would have been 3 stars if the gyro meat had been heated, with a slight char. It would have been 4 stars if feta was added. It would have been a 5 star sandwich if the pita bread had been brushed with olive oil then toasted on the grill. This was the excellent gyro I had to complete at homeafter paying $9.

The owner is really nice. Organized a huge order for my birthday and everyone raves about how delicious the food was! I ordered each person their own sandwich/gyro due to COVID awareness and it worked out perfectly. Each one was wrapped separately. The flavors were amazing and everything was ready on time. I would highly highly recommend them and I'll be back to have lunch a few times a week to support this local business.

This place is consistent and yummy. You can never go wrong with the spicy chicken Shawarma! The garlic sauce is here bomb too. It's so good that I want to put it on everything! I get it separate than the tzatziki sauce, so depending on their vibe you'll have to pay .50 cents. I believe this is a family establishment and I have been here a handful of times. I have made a to-go order by phone 30 mins before closing and they were nice to take my order. The other dishes look good too but I haven't yet to tried it.

Today's experience at Mawadda Café was completely ridiculous. My order was very simple, a chicken shwarma sandwich and Greek fries to go. The cashier was inexplicably flustered but somehow got through the transaction. I paid and waited. While I waited, someone got up from his table and tried to pay for his meal. The cashier ran his credit card and informed him that "it didn't work". He asked her to run it again. She ran it again and told him again it did not work. At that point, he told her that he could see that her card reader said that his card had been approved. He checked his bank account on his phone and discovered that the restaurant had charged him TWICE, once for $14 and then another time for $22 - all while insisting that his card was the problem. He actually showed her his bank account on his phone, and ONLY THEN did she apologize. Then, she handed him $11 cash from the register, as if that was supposed to make up for it. He then had to ask her for the rest of his refund!! Unbelievable. (I checked my own bank account and was relieved to find out that hadn't happened to me too.) I waited for over 25 minutes for just a sandwich and fries, and just when I was getting up to ask for a refund the chef came out and casually announced to me that my order had been completed and had just been sitting behind the counter, out of sight. NO ONE HAD SAID ANYTHING. I was pissed but I had no more time to waste, so I took my cold ass food and walked out, never to return again. When I got home, I was also annoyed to discover that because I paid $1 for two extra sauces, they ripped me off for the one that was already supposed to be included with the Greek fries. Two stars because the food turned out to be absolutely delicious, but unfortunately it can't make up for piss-poor customer service.

First time experience here. I had the #14 chicken Shawarma and it is very good. I called a head and it was ready when I got there in the exact amount of time they told me. I 'm defiantly going back there soon.

This place is a hole-in-the-wall. It really doesn't look like much but... the food is fantastic. The hummus and pits was very good. If you like garlicky salad dressing this is the place. For a meal I ordered the Gyros and rice. It was gyro meat, rice and some small pita wedges. The meat was tender and packed with flavor. The rice was light and fantastic. Portions were great and service was good. What can I say...I will definitely come back.

Always bomb. I eat at the restaurant half the times and get takeout the others. Good vibe in there. Owners are super sweet dudes. Get the lamb. And the chai.

In short: TOO... MUCH... GARLIC! Additional points: Had to wait more than 30 minutes for the food. Apart from heavy use of garlic in everything (and I mean everything!), the food was ok but it the prices were relatively expensive for what you get.

Our family loves this place!!! They are always so kind. A small family owned restaurant with the best gyros in the south end!

Love their Gyros!! I ordered one to go as usual and it was HUMUNGOUS! I totally got my money's worth! The Greek fries are awesome and the Sambosas are addicting fried little pockets of love haha. There is ample parking as it's in the fred meyer parking lot area and not too busy during the day but dinner hour can be packed.

After coming here for so many years, we recieved the WORST customer service ever by a young girl with curly hair. She was very rude! I ordered my regular meal (gyro combination), she tried to charge me $.50 for garlic sauce on my gyro instead of tzatziki sauce and $1.50 to have one of the orders with greek fries instead regular fries. My friend then ordered a meal that cost her over $16.00 & was charged $.25 to use her debit card. Then another friend ordered her dinner and tried to overcharge her. They had a different price behind the counter, we told the girl the price on the board says otherwise. She rudely responded saying that's not what it says here. She proceeded with running my friends card and said it was declined. My friend was surprised and asked her to run it again. The girl rudely responded by saying it wasn't her fault her card was declined and that she needed another card. My friend kindly asked her to run again and it went through just fine. By this point the customer service was so poor I decided to ask for a refund. We all asked for our refund. I expressed how disappointed I was in the customer service and the girl condescendingly responds saying, "I'm sorry you feel that way". The brother quietly gave us our refunds. The owner/dad was on the floor praying and offered no apologies. I feel like a jackass for raving how good the food was to my friends but they never found out cuz the customer service was so awful. I can say I will not ever return and will not recommend this place to anybody. The quality of customer service has declined. I really liked this place at one point in time. The prices are too high and King County food rating is "OKAY" that clearly means they are not clean and need to be better. Suggestions to the owner, if you really want your business to sustain, value ALL your customers that come through. Stop nickel and diming them and make sure your prices are aligned throughout the restaurant. Good customer service is everything! Try it.

Wonderful little gem down here on the South End off of Rainier. We stop in for dinner often but also have used them for catering parties. Food is quality and so delicious. I'm really into the falafel. Portions are generous. Clientele is diverse in a really great way signature to Hillman City/Brighton. Family that works there are so kind. This is a really nice addition to the neighborhood. Highly recommend stopping in, supporting Masada and getting some great food.