Zaina

Middle Eastern restaurant · Roosevelt

Zaina

Middle Eastern restaurant · Roosevelt

1

8000 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115

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Zaina by Sabra Boyd
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Highlights

Warm, casual eatery with colorful decor offering halal Middle Eastern & Mediterranean fare.  

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8000 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115 Get directions

$ · Menu

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8000 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115 Get directions

+1 206 528 3876

$ · Menu

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dine in
takeout
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outdoor seating

Last updated

Mar 4, 2025

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"Named after the owner’s daughter 30 years ago, Zaina is a convenient place to stop in and pick up a few groceries on the way home. Zaina’s creamy hummus and baba ganoush pairs well with freshly pickled vegetables, and their lamb gyros are a neighborhood favorite. Doubling as a Palestinian grocer, customers can also buy grape leaves to cook at home, coffee, or olives and pickled vegetables in bulk." - Sabra Boyd

Where to Find the Best Halal Restaurants in Seattle - Eater Seattle
View Postcard for Zaina

Roaring Pistons

Google
I often complain to my friends about food in America because it’s incomparable to back home. I absolutely love this spot! It’s halal and their flavors are rich, the lamb is spot on the prices are very reasonable and the workers are so lovely. Highly recommend it!

Dire Wolf

Google
This used to also be a hookah shop and still has the fun atmosphere (in places) The baklava was fire, I haven’t had better in Seattle, and the lamb was choice (and yeah the French fries even work), but the rest fell between mid and overpriced. $12 for 8oz of baba ghanoush is criminal, other places do it better for half.

King Cain

Google
I give atmosphere 5 because I did not pick up my food. My Lady brought it back. Every Gyro spot in Seattle, mind you there is plenty. WILL NOT. DO THIS. Look at the picture of the gyro they made me??. Unacceptable. I'm never going back WAYYYY to many Gyro spots in WA state to ever come back here and this is what you serve. Al bacha belltown and cap Hill. You deserve one if you eat here.

Ibraheem Aziz

Google
Delicious Palestinian food conveniently located off the interstate. Stopped in for dinner and there are a wide variety of options available to suit all palates. The wraps are delicious, as are the dessert options including baklava and kunafa. Highly recommend stopping by to try some tasty 🇵🇸 cuisine!

Sadat Shahriar

Google
Food was so damn delicious!! We ordered gyro rice, and requested for a combo, although it was Not in the menue. The nice lady said "sure 😍" Loved the food, and the humus was out of thw world. Will order from here again :)

Brynn

Google
The gyro I had here was unlike any other gyro I've had in Seattle. It was less yogurty, and more spiced. I think it's worth trying if you haven't tried it before!

Sam Stone

Google
Great tasting food, well prepared. Nice seasoning on the fries. Nice people, very polite and friendly. Limited seating areas inside but we enjoyed it anyway. We will be back multiple times.

John allen

Google
Not your standard restaurant, but very good food and Middle Eastern setting

Joyce W.

Yelp
Fresh, fresh and authentic .. So flavorfull and yummy! I tried the cauliflower with spices..and it was delightful

velma v.

Yelp
Lamb gyros Very little meat Lots of salad and yogurt No spices Fast and friendly service

Naomi J.

Yelp
I wasn't a huge fan of the lamb (3/5 stars) gyro but I think I got the shawarma (4/5 stars) last time and enjoyed it quite a bit! Budget friendly place that's convenient for me so I'm sure I'll be back again in the near future!

Lena A.

Yelp
The loaded gyro fries are amazing. The plates a good the sandwiches are loaded so kinda messy and hard to eat. I didn't love the salad but the other dishes were tasty.

Dan M.

Yelp
Called in to pick up a gyro plate, and the food was pretty good. Pricing on the site shows $12.99, but in store pricing was $19.99! That's more than a 50% increase, and based on your reviews you've know about this for over a year and haven't made the changes to your site. I can't support that type of dishonest business practice.

Rikhia C.

Yelp
What a fun find! Tucked on Lake City, this spot has the MOST flavorful gyros I've ever had. It's reasonably priced with the largest piece of halva for under $5. Do yourself a favor and spot by Zainia's - beware, you'll be so full that you'll need a nap afterwards!

S C.

Yelp
Ordered to go. Food was delicious. The Greek Fries were amazing. You could honestly make a meal of just the fries. Project 9 brewing is just across the street. Pick up to go and enjoy a beer.

Kidus B.

Yelp
I had the worst chicken shawarma at this place. The chicken was undercooked and in big lumps. I wouldn't recommend this place if you're trying to eat good food.

Alden C.

Yelp
I went to Zaina just this past weekend and enjoyed it considerably. I got their gyro sandwich and really enjoyed it. As typically with Greek food it left me quite full and satisfied for quite a bit of time afterwards. It was by keeping this in mind why I only got the sandwich and not the plate which included French Fries. The space is fairly small as far as seating goes other than one larger room which could occupy maybe about six or seven people at one table.

D. M.

Yelp
I've driven past Zaina for years and years and have never planned well enough to make a stop in so i rectified that tonight. It's easy to find, parking is a bit odd but available and I appreciated they were still open on the later side. I really really want to love this place, I love Greek food and all the different wonderful variations on dishes in the various restaurants. I had high high hopes for Zaina so maybe that's why it fell so short...? I ordered a falafel gyro and hummus and pita. I thought it was strange and sneaky that they don't have falafel or hummus as sides and instead you apparently purchase a whole plate/dish/meal. I threw in a baklava at the last minute and my total was $34. $34 for a veggie sandwich and hummus and ONE (1) regular sized pita and an order of two small pieces of baklava. I've never paid so much for so little food. I can list 5 other Greek places easy that I can get much more food at that same price. Still, I know times are tough and I can't fault a small business for having to do what it takes to stay open so I kept an open mind and was prepared to be wowed. I was not wowed. The falafel gyro was well seasoned and fresh and was ok. The hummus was ok as well, mediocre at best and the one single piece of pita was a bit insulting and stingy in comparison with the size of the hummus. My baklava was equally as mediocre. None of the food was bad, it was obviously fresh and made with love but it was just...underwhelming and not at all worth the price. The service was great and prompt and I just really wish I enjoyed my meal. I also felt a few things were a tad sneaky...you pay after your food is done which I can't think of many places that don't make you pay when you order. It's odd but maybe that's just me. I previously mentioned no side/appetizer options so if you want to try a dish in smaller quantities (cheaper amounts) your only option is a full dish. The hummus dish mentioned nothing about the number of pita, which isn't uncommon but I've never received an order of hummus with fewer than three pitas. Gyro SABABA and Gyro Hut, both in Northgate and Greek Kitchen in Richmond Beach are my favorites that are delicious and a great value.

John B.

Yelp
Super tasty! The owners are kind and very quick with service. I highly recommend their falafel plate. Glad I finally visited, but it's too expensive for me to go back. Also, the noise from the road makes it difficult to enjoy the seated area. Check them out!

Sajeev G.

Yelp
Great Swarma, and Shish Kebab plates with rice, vegetables, and pita! The lentil soup was also delicious! Will visit again!

Bell H.

Yelp
The quality of the food has gone downhill over the years. Convenient if you don't mind if you order the same menu item one week and get variations or whole components missing the next week. Depending on who is working the Greek fries might have cheese. Ordered a falafel salad and got no falafel.

Sy D.

Yelp
Ate here all the time years ago when I lived in Maple Leaf. Went the other day and it's still great!

Nellie B.

Yelp
What an indictment of Seattle's food scene! The food is what you'd expect from a pre-renaissance food cart (in fairness, the restaurant is little more than a stand), but the prices are not. The restaurant seems aware their bland dishes don't merit the $19 they charge, as they miserly exaggerate their offerings to justify the bill. Please, if a platter includes two olives as a garnish, do not say the dish "comes with olives". How disingenuous! As for the space? It is cutely repurposed, especially in the is-it-indoor/is-it-outdoor room, which is heavily decorated and carpeted. Also to Zaina's credit, it's open later than most places in post-covid NE Seattle. Thank you for your service.

Aaron W.

Yelp
You know when you see that sign that says: "Best ___________ in the world!!" Well, Zaina needs to get one of those that says: "BEST LAMB SHWARMA IN THE WORLD!!" And that wouldn't be a lie, straight facts people.

Ashley K.

Yelp
Still an amazing place to stop in for solid, quick Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food. This time we got the Greek fries, baba ganoosh, dolmas plate, roasted cauliflower and spanikopita. All of it was pretty good but the dolmas were sub par. The rice was undercooked and a couple of them were falling apart. They weren't made with the love and care they usually are which was a bummer. But they continue to be so sweet and the rest was so amazing. Thanks for feeding us!

Katherine S.

Yelp
I love their food and on warm day I enjoy getting takeout and just eating it there. It's kind of a weird parking lot but I like the food enough to ignore that! The little room that they do have is a cool setting.

Dawn J.

Yelp
This place up-charges you right under your nose. They have been doing that for years. They charged me $10 for lentil soup once. Sneaky ass frauds. I will never go there again. Pay attention to your charges. If you say something they give you a dirty look. Purposely mess your order up, and will microwave your food to heat it

Scott D.

Yelp
The Falafel is to die for. Fresh, and prepared on the spot. Take out is recommended due to very limited indoor seating, but I highly recommend this location for a try.

Terry D.

Yelp
Great falafels and hummus... temp on falafels were a bit cooler than room temp yet delicious plate!

Parvez A.

Yelp
Used to be my favorite take out spot for last 4 years. Unfortunately, it's just too inconsistent now. My latest order was a lamb sishkabob plate and they didn't include the pita and worst of all, there was barely any lamb in it. Pretty disappointing. Hope they can fix the quality consistency. I noticed they have new people so maybe that's the problem.

Jiwon C.

Yelp
Yeah you drive by this place and go, wow there are lot of signs, and make a mental note to try it sometime but life gets busy and you forget until you see the store again the next day and the cycle never seems to break. But man rain snow or shine, Zaina is hands down the best greek food i've ever had. I can't pin point it. Maybe its the gyro fries that combine the worlds best fries with the sauces, or its the perfectly toasted gyro, or maybe its the fresh veggies diced into bite sized pieces.. Words do not suffice! Stop by the store and get the gyro dinner you've been telling yourself you'll have to try one day.

jae l.

Yelp
Scam Shack! Beware. Untrustworthy! Ordered over the phone for a chicken gyro. When I got there they made me a chicken shawarma plate. Ok, mistakes happen, and the young cashier was being instructed by the chef in a NY Yankees hat - so obviously new. He then charged me $21. I said "that's really expensive." He just gave me the idk look.... It was the first time I was there, it was late, so I payed him? Just found out that there's nothing for $21 on their menu! I don't really fault the new guy. The only reason I'm writing this now is that I remembered NYC hat guy motioned to the cook to look at what the new guy was doing! NYC hat knew that the price was wrong! Nice scam. You're now known as the scam shack!

Apolline R.

Yelp
I really love this place, staff is really nice and food delicious ! My go to is the Greek fries they never disappoint

Jables B.

Yelp
Food is tasty enough, but it's very expensive for what you receive. The gyro sandwich and (frozen, out of a box) fries pictured cost 22.18 which is a good deal more expensive than similar restaurants in the area.

H L.

Yelp
Amazingly flavorful with large servings! Always fresh and best Mediterranean food in town, hands down.

Liana R.

Yelp
Meh...having heard of this place many times I was in the mood for a great Mediterranean lunch and stopped in to try, given it was on the way to an appointment. Got a takeout order of the Gyro and Falafel sandwich as well as a piece of baklava and was grossly overcharged. Unfortunately I didn't notice since I was in a rush to get back to work but the bill came to about $40 for these three items. Wasn't worth it, food was ready too quickly to be anything but mediocre. Sad to say I won't be back. :(

Joshua D.

Yelp
This place has amazing food. I got the lamb gyro plate, a lot of flavor and very tender lamb. Some of the best I've had!

Shannon S.

Yelp
Bummer. We really wanted to like Zaina since we live nearby but were very dissatisfied with the food, service and price. Two shawarma plates and a baklava were $50 before tip which is higher than similar establishments, and higher than their most recent prices online. When calling in to order, we were asked what spice level we wanted and requested medium. However the plates had no spice and were very bland - to the extent that I added salt to almost everything (and typically don't). The baklava disintegrated from dryness on contact. So yeah, bummer.

Caroline M.

Yelp
We live right by Zaina and come here at least 1-2x a month. I get the chicken shawarma pita, husband gets the falafel plate. The pita is always good - I love the sauce and pickles in it! Husband's falafel is a bit too crispy for my liking, from being deep fried. We also get the Greek fries which are always delicious. Solid place for Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food.

Susan W.

Yelp
I don't know how many times I have to say it. I wish Yelp would give us the ability to give 1/2 stars. I would give Zaina 4 1/2 stars if possible but can't quite give 5 stars yet. So our first experience with Zaina was hubby picking us up a chicken gyro plate & lamb gyro plate to go. The menu doesn't indicate that they come with pita bread but they do. We still got 1 extra bread & some extra tzatziki sauce. We both loved our food! We each had enough for a second meal the next day. Our second time was less than one week later. We only ordered one lamb gyro plate to go and while it was enough for us I think I prefer the chicken and wish we would have got one of each again. Their rice is phenomenal. I will now judge all other rice against theirs. I think their Greek salad could be improved. The dice of the cucumbers & tomatoes is too small and it would benefit from a dash of red vinegar. We got baklava both times and while tasty I think the layering of phyllo dough could be better. The bottom layers are too moist & the top layers are too dry. I look forward to dining in next time & trying their falafels.

Lauren C.

Yelp
This is the best falafel I've ever had. I have fallowed this amazing place from the days of the hookah bar and live music in the parking garage of the bonmarche. Their food had given me so much joy and has constantly been there for me. When I moved up north Seattle and found them in lake city. And their little walk up downtown. The best! Their falafel is the best thing to get

Richard P.

Yelp
Having the gyro platter special order no parsley, extra sumac really good would recommend!

Dasha W.

Yelp
ROBBERY. I ordered a shish kabob sandwich from my sister when she was stopping by based on the prices of their menu listed here. We got two items - a sandwich and fries. She came home and said the total was 27$!!!!!!! I contacted them and the woman said all the prices have changed and one sandwich is now $15.99. Completely outrageous. And no price transparency or accountability from them.

Jim L.

Yelp
Great food and service by hard working folks. A great asset to our neighborhood. Love the falafel here.

Matt M.

Yelp
Delicious gyros, always a 10! The shawarma is also tasty when looking to mix things up.

Sarah M.

Yelp
We've passed this place many times and never thought to stop. Wish I had sooner! First off the staff are super friendly. All the staff members greet you right when you walk in. Such a plus in my book. The menu has many different options to appeal to all appetites! We chose the gyro fries, beef gyro and a gyro plate. I think our eyes were bigger than our stomachs because each portion was HUGE. The flavors are delicious and you can tell everything is made with love. They are quick and efficient! We waited 10 minutes tops! Can't wait to come back and try others!

S J.

Yelp
Lucky that I have always lived close to a Zaina's location in Seattle. Such a great place for halal food. From their sandwiches to plates everything is absolutely delicious. A special shoutout to the falafel supreme!

Lauren T.

Yelp
Tasty place and friendly service. The falafel was delicious! There is a parking lot too for free parking while you get your food and/or eat.

Tracy A.

Yelp
I have a fondness for this place. You drive by on Lake City Way, and the neon signs beckon to you to come try this food! It's like the Las Vegas of Shwarma. Right now, during COVID, you can walk in to order and take out. You have a choice of lamb, beef, or chicken. The pita on the gyro is soft and puffy, and it's stuffed large with meat and topping. Had the baklava which was phyllo pastry and sweetness and nuts layered in goodness.

Cristina G.

Yelp
Disappointing. I simply don't understand the excellent reviews I've seen for this place. Food was average, at best. We ordered 2 gyros, 1 chicken kebab and 1 lamb shawarma. The chicken was dry, and the lamb, underseasoned (no salt, nevermind spices). No juicy, tasty meal, and the pitas were straight out of a store-bought pack, slightly warmed on the grill. To top it off, after adding a side of fries (soggy), small tabbuleh (fresh veggies, but not seasoned again), and baklava (undercooked phyllo, with no honey), the bill came to $54! Will not come back.

Jamila K.

Yelp
I've always passed by this place but never tried it. I got the gyro fries and that shit was BUSSINNNN! I added some hot sauce and the flavors all mixed together was outta this world. 10/10 recommended.

Nathan N.

Yelp
Stayed with some friends up in Seattle near here and passed by a few times and was set to try it. Went tonight and it was incredible. Highly recommend!! Great food.

Lauren L.

Yelp
Thought we ordered the veggie (falafel) plate, side, and gyro. Total was $26 pre-tip so took take our order and thought it was all fine. Got home and realize we paid that much for one gyro and one side. Don't know if they forgot a meal, rang us up wrong or what but what we got doesn't equal that much. Too far away to go back to inquire.

Luke B.

Yelp
Great spot, got the gyro plate and was fantastic. However, prices do not match menu on here. A bit more expensive.

Alex K.

Yelp
Awesome gyros! I will say though, their website menu needs to be updated to reflect current prices, on the website it said 7.99 but it was actually 12.99. Inflation is super un cool and I get it completely that they had to raise their prices. That being said, you won't be disappointed with their food!

Julianne S.

Yelp
I loved this place. But it's getting pricey. And the last four routine county health inspections have netted them just an 'okay' rating, which really isn't very good. They take credit cards and apple pay, but no other e-payment service. Sorry if you use PayPal, Google Pay, Android Pay, or anything like that. Love the gyro sandwiches, but just can't justify $12+ or the food rating risk.

Richie S.

Yelp
HOLY MOLY! Amazing customer service again! That's a roll! I had the lamb shawarma plate and my wife had the lamb gyro. Off the hook with these dishes! Talk about a stuffed gyro...I was looking for the net that held this bad boy together! Must have fallen off when the flavor punched through. The lamb shawarma plate...it's like the gyro exploded into perfectly separated portions and they had to use a plate. I love what they did to the layout of the joint. There's some stools along a countertop, then a common area with benches along the walls where everyone can sit and have one huge conversation about how awesome our Seahawks are! I'm guessing the 3 guys are relatives or just really close friends who have fun here...cause they were fun with us too. So if you need a bite to eat before waiting in traffic through Lake City Way...go here. It'll help kill time to let the traffic fade away.