Kochee Kabob House

Ever wanted to spend some quality time bonding with your toilet? If so, then try the gyro wrap. Whatever the mystery meat is, it is NASTY. I doubt a dog would eat it (unless its one of those mangy dogs from Pirates of the Caribbean). But the nasty mystery meat does fit the motif of the «restaurant» — flies, dirt, and just general filth pervade. On the plus side, I got a gray hair in my gyro FREE OF CHARGE!!!

I just had the chicken and beef kabob plate (#14, I think?) for lunch and I thought it tasted amazing — on par with what I’ve had at Lusy’s in Van Nuys (
). It was so delicious that I may have downed my plate a bit fast, just under 20 minutes…
Now, I’ll start with the caveat that I was starving, and the Unilocal reviews had my expectations set really low. But I thought that the grill-​to-​order food was so fresh, the meat (both the chicken and the beef) were juicy, and even the rice was plenty flavorful. It was a decent lunch amount, though I could potentially complain about the price ($ 10.99). There are cheaper lunch options nearby in UTC, but given that it’s next to a university I don’t think the price was outrageous. (A sandwich at Mendocino Farms could easily cost just as much.) There were also cheaper options on the menu but I just really wanted to try this plate. Plus, they have a 10% off your (first?) check-​in offer on Unilocal so I took advantage of that.
My only complaint may be that when I asked whether they took credit card or cash, the guy told me ‘cash’. And then I noticed that everyone after me paid with a card.
Of course, my Iranian friend maintained that the chicken kabob at Panini’s Café is still so much better. But hey, maybe this place provides the right amount of authenticity and convenience to a non Persian like me?

No pricier than anything else at UTC. The meat is good but not great. The sauces are good. I wouldn’t go out of my way, but I’ll be back when I am at UTC and looking for Mediterranean food. The line was long, but the food came out quicker than I expected (given the long list of tickets).

Got the #2 which was either beef (or lamb?)ANYWAY it was a really good gyro, just wish it was presented better. Overall, pretty good for a quick bite. Staff was friendly as well, no complaint on that just wish he was a little clearer on the type of meat in the gyro but I didn’t mind if it was beef OR lamb.

The better half wanted a light dinner before we hit the Unilocal event at Stax (don’t let dinner spoil your dessert people) and found Kochee which was practically right across from Stax in University Center.
We arrived (
) around 8:00 pm and there was no line and very few patrons inside the restaurant.
Rohlinism: No lines are a good thing for the patrons, not so much for the establishment you are visiting!
The menu is rather simplistic consisting of Salads, Wraps, Kabobs, Kobideh and Shish. For proteins, they have chicken, beef, lamb, salmon and some vegetarian options. There are some standard Middle Eastern sides available as well.
My lovely wife and I took some time to go over the menu (
) before ordering a side of hummus (
) and we both went with the Beef Gyro Wrap (
) a la carte.
Kochee has two spits turning (beef and chicken), so they aren’t grilling the meat like some places (Daphne’s). The food is made to order, so it will take some time before you meal is ready for pick up. Laina went outside to procure a table (not much seating inside) while I waited for the food to be prepared. I think the order took about 15 minutes to complete, I grabbed some plastic ware and napkins and headed outside with our food.
The first thing I tried was the hummus and lavash bread. Admittedly, I am not a fan of lavash when it comes to eating it with hummus or tzatziki, so there is already an issue with personal preference. After taking a bite, there was another issue, the taste. There was a very strong and acidic flavor coming from the hummus which I had trouble identifying initially. It was powerful enough, that it initially left my palate confused. I had Laina take a bite and after I took a second bite, I concurred with her assessment … it was the lemon juice. The restaurant had been way too liberal with the lemon, but it wasn’t the worst hummus I have ever eaten, it wasn’t very good either. This proved the adage, too much of a good thing is bad!
The wraps weren’t much of hit either. There was a decent amount of beef in each wrap, but it was beef and we both prefer a mix of lamb and beef. The veggies weren’t exactly fresh and the tzatziki was more runny than I am used to and there wasn’t much of it on the wraps. On the good side, the pita was soft and seemed fresh.
The prices are probably attractive to the college crowd across the street, but even with the reasonable prices ($ 5.99 for the wrap), it is not worthy of a return visit in my opinion. The Unilocal reviews are really divided on this place, which is almost never a good sign, for us it just not a good representation of Middle Eastern food. The only other positive from the experience was leaving unsatisfied, which meant our dinner in no way spoiled the dessert that was waiting just across the way.

Yet another restaurant that lacks quality in UTC. I don’t even know how this place is still around, but I’ve been here several times and it seems to get worse. The service is spotty — sometimes you’ll get friendly service, other times you’ll get a grumpy person helping you. I’ve tried several dishes and they lack freshness and quality. It also lacks cleanliness, which is disappointing considering this is Irvine. I love Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food, however I refuse to eat here.
Food: 1 star.
I ordered the Chicken Kobideh special my first time here and it was dry and tasteless. I went home and had to use a gallon of hot sauce just to take 4 more bites and throw it away. My second visit I ordered the Vegetable Gyro and again, it was very dry. The vegetables tasted bland and unseasoned My friend got the Salmon Kabob and it was severely undercooked. It also had a rank smell indicating the fish was either of bad quality or old. Sure, they give generous portions, but who wants to eat a huge amount of terrible food?
Service: 2 stars.
Sometimes you’ll have someone nice helping you. Other times, you’ll have people who look annoyed you’re there.
Location: 2 stars.
It’s dirty and gross inside, but I’m giving it 2 stars because it is in such a good center. The Irvine Company really needs to consider putting better places in UTC because it’ll only increase business. This location is across from UCI and central to many businesses in the area. It’s crazy busy with people of all ages, race, etc., but this specific restaurant is NEVER busy. I’ve never waited in line or been here when there’s another patron in the restaurant.

Good ground beef and chicken kabob. Is on the pricier side though

This is a decent lunch spot. The portions are generous and it taste good enough but nothing to write home about. They make your food to order so expect a bit of a wait. They messed up on one of my coworker’s orders and her new food didn’t come out until nearly 20 minutes later. =/
I’ll be back for lunch but I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here.

What a sad place to go eat in. I ordered the curry chicken to go for 8 $. What I received was just pathetic, it didn’t even look like their advertised pictures. I had a super small portion of chicken curry, a small portion of an abused salad and a whole lot of rice! They cheap out on the essential and give you tons of rice. What a joke! Never eating here again as this place is a disgrace to middle eastern food.

Decent kabobs, but low value for money.

Solid food, solid service. A student discount would be nice, but that’s alright. The rice here is really delucious, and the meat is what I’ve come to expect from a kabob place. A little pricey, I think (but perhaps to be expected due to the rent at UTC).

I was mortified with this place. I really wanted to like it but it just was not good. I came through and picked up the chicken kabobs. The total was 11 bucks without a drink so thats already more than what I paid for at Panini Café. When the dish came out it looked pretty good but looks can be deceiving. I bit into the chicken and immediately realize that it wasn’t up to par with some other kabob places I’ve had the past. The chicken lacked texture and wasn’t very flavorful. The meat was not of top quality as I had experience earlier at Panini and the lettuce that was suppose to compliment the dish was inaffective to the plate itself.
Still I was gonna give them a 3 star until a saw a drop of blood right there next to my chicken on my plate. I immediately stopped eating out of terror. I smeared the drop around to make sure if it was blood or something else. When it started fading in color I knew it was blood and not some food coloring or something like that. I proceeded just watch a bit of the NBA finals on their tv screen (one of the few highlights they have) and left by half time.
The customer service is actually pretty friendly. Its just a shame that the cook wasn’t as good as the cashiers were. They were really cool but its just that the food was not up to par. I really wanted to give them a higher rating but you just can’t have things like that. I wouldn’t come back but its a very nice place to hang out if you’re going to school in the area. Its just the food was bad and a bit overprice but I guess they gotta cover their cost so its quite understandable.
PS they take a good minute making your food too but chicken is delicate so I would have loved it if they took even longer.

The food was taste, and the staff are very welcoming. Great place to grab a bite at the university courtyard !!!

OK, this isn’t fine dining. But the food is great and very well priced. They cook to order, and the portions are ample, but not extreme. Sauces are wonderful, well seasoned and full of flavor. Perfect compliments to the food. Staff is friendly and helpful if you are not familiar with the menu. A clean, well appointed place. I rarely give 5 stars, especially for casual dining. If you like middle eastern food, you can’t miss here. And LA Bite delivers for them!

I am a convert. Tried this place for the first time two weeks ago and so far I’ve been back at least 5 times. I can’t help but wiggle and dance every time the delicious food goes into my mouth. The first time my friend gave me his chicken piece I almost cried with joy. The portions are large and they grill to order so its always fresh. The boneless chicken is phenomenal with excellent seasoning. It takes a while for the food to come out though. Around 8 minutes?
Nothing phenomenal about the customer service but as long as my food tastes good, I’m happy.
I do wish that they air conditioned the place though The inside is SO stuffy and steamy even in February that I’m always forced to sit outside to prevent overheating.

I was in the area for work and I have a soft spot for Mediterranean food. I walk into this place and everything seems until I sit down and open my to-​go box.
The to-​go dressing containers are tiny but the part that really turned my mood around was the absence of pita bread. For $ 10.76 for chicken kabob, rice, and salad I expected more. Meal did not feel complete. Definitely overpriced and will not be returning.

Pretty pricey but I can’t complain since they’re kabobs.
Got a chicken and beef meal and both kabobs were really juicy and good. Chicken was charred a bit too much in my opinion but I’m sure others would dig it. So freaking juicy: D would definitely eat here again
I love the staff :)

Friendly workers, sad ambiance. I got #15, with a drink it came up to a not so cheap 17 $.
First of all, I didn’t get even a single slice of pita bread with my order, nor did I get the hummus. A must have if you claim to serve Middle Eastern food. The meat is «okay». Its not great, but its not as dry as some claim it to be. Again, its «okay».
The rice lacks the flavor, I’ve had plenty of home food Persian rice and I know what it should taste like.
The salad is useless, but if you happen to be a rabbit then I definitely recommend.
If my meal was in the 11 – 12 range, it wouldn’t be as bad. But paying almost 20 $ for a plate of mediocre «Middle Eastern» parody, no thank you.
Not planning to come back.

This place gets a bad rap but I think it’s pretty good and it’s convenient for me because of it’s location.
–Chicken Kobideh: just okay, but not bad.
–Salmon Kabob: really good, I enjoyed it.
–Pineapple juice: fresh, good, no added sugar or water, you see it being made in front of you.
Sure there might be a better place to get kabobs in Irvine especially in Wholesome Choice, but I liked the Kabob House as there was no wait and it was pretty decent. All of their fresh juices don’t have any added sugar or water which is great. Finally, it is a bit pricey; those two plates and two drinks amounted to about $ 30, I think the prices listed on the menu on Unilocal is a little incorrect.

Food is good and service is great. I ordered the chicken and beef koobideh which were very tasty. The rice is always moist and savory. The salad was fresh too.