Al Amir Lebanese Cuisine

I’ve been back many times and was always Al Amir. They only thing holding it back from 5 stars was the location (you probably wouldn’t bring a date there) but really nothing but good things to say about the food, service, prices.
Went by yesterday to get some food and it was closed. The store was being remodeled. Workers said that they heard that the owner had health issues. Very sad, this was a really good place and added a bit of variety to the neighborhood.
Get well soon and come back, please. WE“RE HUNGRY!

Came in yesterday, their last day of business. I am devastated. Al Amir has been my go-​to place. I bring everyone here. Wishing Pierre and everyone else the best of luck. I know the chef will be doing catering work but I will miss the fab food here. Even on their last day it was superb. Crushed…
xxx

The food and service were amazing. We were so happy to find this wonderful restaurant a few blocks from home and then saddened to learn they are shutting their doors as of 6−22−14. They will be available for catering and we got their information and will use them.
I just met their spicy potatoes. And now we must part and I don’t know when I will see them again.

Just had lunch there and it was great! Had the 2 chicken kabob entrée which included hummus, pita, a large and delicious salad and rice. Lots of food, all was excellent. Priced very reasonable with great service to boot. Try their date pastry for dessert. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys Middle Eastern cuisine. Can’t wait to go back.

Don’t know how I’ve managed to miss this place but based on Unilocal reviews, we took a shot at eating here last night. Whoa, what a treat!
My benchmarks for Lebanese cuisine are the babaganouj and grape leaves. After that, things usually fall (or don’t) into place. This was right up there with the best I’ve ever had. We ordered falafel, fatayer, spicy potatoes, arayes, babaganouj, chicken kafta, beef shwarma and tabouleh.
Each dish hit absolutely the right note with every bite. The babaganouj was just the right combo of smoke and smooth, the grape leaves, piquant, lemony perfectly seasoned. We were in heaven and will be again when we have the leftovers for dinner tonight.
The service was friendly, helpful and generous so I will be back. .. and I will send friends. Great find.

My boyfriend and I discovered this tiny, hole-​in-​the-​wall Lebanese restaurant located in a shopping center. Being part Lebanese, I was curious to check it out.
The restaurant’s ambiance (or lack thereof) is nothing to write home about but the food is phenomenal!
We started with the falafel appetizer which was excellent! Unlike a lot of falafel I’ve had that tend to run dry, this had a crispy, fried exterior with a moist and flavorful interior.
For our entrees, I ordered the chicken kabob which was served with a side salad, rice, hummus (great!) and garlic dip (possibly the best I’ve ever had!). My boyfriend ordered the beef shawarma which was also great. For dessert, we split an order of baklava (not the best I’ve had but still solid and only $ 1.50 for 2 pieces).
This is a great spot to check out if you are looking for a good value, quality food and speedy service. I highly recommend doing take out too.

Friendly friendly friendly. As soon as I walked inside the establishment I was greeted with a huge smile. The staff is really friendly especially the lady at the counter, and her hospitality is unmatchable.
And don’t get me started on the food. The cook must be a very passionate one because you can tell that all their menu items are made with love. The falafel is unlike any other that i have had, and every bite is heaven! I could probably down 20 these things if I were really hungry.
One more plus is that they deliver!

The best arabic food in Cali
This place so clean and the owner is so friendly and nice
The staff are so helpful
I totally recommended

This place is great! Remi was fun and suggested tasty options! Definitely coming back!

Service is 6 stars
Home made maanek sausage is amazing
Falafel was good (I’ve had better but it was good)
Labneh, foul, and lentil soup were all excellent.
Highly recommend this place.

Let me start off by saying that I am Lebanese and this review does have some bearing. I moved back to the LA area from the east coast a year ago and was really disappointed by the Lebanese restaurant selection in that part of the country. Moving back to LA, I knew I was in for a treat with options and selection, BUT I had NO idea I would find this little gem conveniently located in the hybrid area of what’s called «Sherman Village».
I was recommended to Al-​Amir by a friend (also Lebanese) so I decided to give it a shot. At first glance, it seems like a quick fix sandwich shop. It’s nothing fancy by any means, but at the same time, it’s slightly lower than casual. Regardless of the fact, I was still inclined to try it because of the rave reviews from our inner circle. Let me tell you that I was introduced to this place about a month ago and have already been there 7 times!
Pierre is great, always greeting and chatting with his patrons! He recognizes the regulars and makes them really feel at home. Occasionally, he throws a few pieces of baklava or Halawet Jibn on the house. I’ve brought a few different groups of friends already and they love it also.
The only thing I’m worried about is Al-Amir’s limited seating if I decide to bring an Army!

This place is outstanding and fresh. There are a variety of mediocre to great Lebanese places in the vicinity, but we stumbled upon this gem back in January and are hooked!
Why? Because in addition to the usual food you find in Lebanese places, Al Amir routinely has specials that we’ve never heard of! I’m not Lebanese and didn’t grow up around Lebanese folks (not until college), so I can’t say I miss the food that my Lebanese momma used to make. But if you ARE middle-​eastern, you WILL say this constantly… until you visit Al-​Amir. These «homemade» dishes they do are amazing.
* Mujaddara — lentils, rice and carmelized onions. An incredible vegan dish that any carnivore would love. Full of flavor and texture.
* Stuffed cabbage rolls — cigar-​like thin and not like the «usual» American preparation. These are light and tender with ground beef and a lemony sauce (not tomato sauce) topped with yoghurt.
* Kibbeh — both traditional fried (with the shell not painfully thick) as well as baked, in a manner almost like cheese-​less lasagna. Excellent.
* Cabbage salad — if you’ve never had this, you haven’t lived. Crunchy cabbage with a wonderful tangy lemony garlicky olive oil dressing.
and many more, including a shredded chicken over rice (pressed into a cool mold) from the other day that was to die for. It seems like half the time I go there, the special is something I’ve never seen in any other restaurant.
The basics are TOP-​NOTCH. Some of the best tabbouli of my ilfe, along with crazy good stuffed grape leaves, and outstanding hummus. Chicken and beef dishes always come out with perfectly cooked meat, tender and flavorful.
The staff is nice and not over-​imposing. My only «complaint»? (it’s not really one LOL) is that the chef – who has seen me many times – come over to our table to introduce himself. I want to congratulate him on his outstanding cooking!!!
The setting is not fancy. It’s what I call a fluorescent light place. Simple. But with food this good, I really don’t give a damn. I’ve had NOTHING bad here, and my very very very very picky Jordanian friend Sam actually gave this place kudos, along with every single person I’ve taken here.
Prices, by the way, are very fair, and I don’t think these folks can do anything wrong.
There’s no lamb on the menu, but aside from that, you can get your fatoush and mezze platter and all the usual stuff. Everything tastes fresh and of top-​quality.
Luv it, luv it luv it.

I am so LUCKY to live in North Hollywood because it means I am just that much closer to Al Amir Cuisine! But believe that this place is worth driving across the city and over the hill for.
I found this place on Unilocal and tried it for the first time this evening. So happy I did! I ordered a bunch of food for a bunch of people and had it delivered. Every single thing was utterly delicious and priced really well. This is the best Lebanese food I have had in the US. No Joke.
The service was outstanding. The delivery was fast. The food was packed beautifully. Everything is prepared with such elegance and finesse. I hope the Chef/​Owner knows how gorgeous and special his food is. I will be back time and again and I hope all Unilocalers rally around this place because it is a special gem that should be around for decades to come. Here’s what we had:
Hummus — nutty, tangy, creamy with some texture. perfectly seasoned and garnished with olive oil and chick peas. Good size. A+
Warak Enob — aka Stuffed Grape Leaves. Light and delicate, these are to die for at Al Amir. Sometimes, they can be very dense or the leaves are not cleaned properly. Not here! The were … elegant. A++
Shanklisa — the cheese is dried and so flavorful and is expertly finely diced with tomatoes and dressed with an oil dressing. I am sure there are other ingredients. All i can say is order this when you go! A++
Beef Shawarma — (side) this is very lean and moist. Sliced finely, the way it should be. So flavorful and … delicate. Served with Garlic Sauce and Tahini. A+
Chicken Kabob (side) — the meat was browned, crispy and moist. This is served with grilled stuffed pita pieces, Garlic Sauce and Tahini. It was delicious. A
Fattoush — This was a big salad. Expertly chopped with fresh fresh produce and crispy pita chips on top. Tons of flavor. A+
Cucumber Yoghurt — Simply the best I have ever had. Cucumbers are crisp and fresh. The yoghurt is clearly top quality… possibly home made? A++
Baba Ghanouj — Fresh, and perfect. A
Fateyer & Falafel & Rekakat — Each one is light and airy. Full of flavor, not over mixed or dense. Where there is dough, it is light and crusty. Perfect. A+
Garlic Sauce — everything it should be and more. A+
Tahini — everything it should be! A
Halawet al Jeben — my new favorite sweet cheese dessert! A
All that and they make their own lemonade! What more could you ask for?

A great place to grab a bite to eat, very casual, small business, local… Stopped by for dinner just a bit before close — they stayed for us to cook us dinner. Overall, friendly service.
The meat is well marinated, very well cooked, and the sides are nice compliments.
Not sure, may be this is a 4-​star place, this is one of those where it’s 4 ½, but I think closer to 5stars — let’s support small businesses, while enjoying great Lebanese flavors.

This is a casual place, very simple it’s interior décor but simply amazing when it comes to their food. I had the Mezza Platter finished with their Halawat Al Jeben for dessert.
The Mezza Platter consists of a fantastic selection of items: Hummus, Baba Ghanouj, Falafel, Warak Enab, Tabbouleh, Fatayer, Kibbeh Makli, and Rekakat. Everything was delicious and so fresh. The Tabbouleh really stood out, with it’s sprightly collection parsley, tomatoes and onions with a pleasant tart of lemon dressing. The Falafel was delicious and perfectly fried. I was also a fan of the Baba Ghanouj which had the perfect blend of eggplant and spices. It’s fantastic plate and each very different item included sent my taste buds into a frenzy.
To top it off the Halawat Al Jeben for dessert was incredible. Don’t miss it, the price is a bit steep for a dessert but well worth it in taste as well as quantity. Halawat Al Jeben translated is sweet chesse. Moist, milky (condensed milk is used to make a custard like filling) and surrounded by a casing of cheese dough topped with pistachios and honey. My God, it was orgasmic and I really have had nothing before like it. But I damn well want more!
My only request is that they offer a side order serving of falafel. I wanted more but couldn’t reason purchasing a whole plate of of five knowing that I couldn’t eat them all. A side plate of two would have been perfect and do hope they can offer that in the future.
The service was so attentive and friendly too. My waiter took the time to explain everything to me and made great recommendations.
I live downtown but this place is so good I’ll be driving here whenever I need to feed my Middle Eastern fix.

We were quickly greeted by a pleasant woman named Gloria. She did not hesitate giving helpful suggestions with the menu. We followed her recommendations and ordered the mezza combo and the chicken kabob.
The mezza combo has a selection of, baba ghanouj (roasted eggplant), falafel (garbanzo bean croquette), hummus (mixture of garbanzo beans with tahini and lemon juice), warak enab (grape leaves stuffed with rice and vegetables), kibbeh makli (beef dumpling), tabbouleh (chopped parsley, tomatoes, onions, crushed wheat, with lemon juice and olive oil), fatayer (dough stuffed with spinach, sumac, onions, and pine nuts), and rekakat (cheese rolls).
The falafel was cooked to perfection! Crisp golden brown crust, with a moist center. The tabbouleh, is the best! It has an excellent balance of flavors. A wonderful suprise was the smokey taste of the baba ghanouj. Awsum! The last entrée worthy of praise is the chicken kabob. Tender, juicy, moist, and flavorful! Best of the Best!
The restaurant is a very casual diner. Your served with plastic plates and paper napkins.
Parking is plentiful during the dinner hours, however, I suspect it can get busy during lunchtime.

The best part of Unilocal is how it takes you to new places and restaurants. That is how I got to Al Amir Lebanese Cuisine, just a random search for a new Lebanese/​Middle-​Eastern spot in the area. The funny think is that I have been to the Sushi spot next door a million times and have never even notices this place.
This place has a nice selection of traditional Lebanese cold and hot appetizers, salads and soups, entrees, sandwiches, and desserts. The prices are great with appetizers ranging from $ 4.50 to $ 9.95 and entrees ranging from $ 9.95 to $ 16.95. The portions are big and hard to finish, peeeeerfect for my eating habits.
We had the Chicken Kabab $ 10.95 and Chicken Kafta $ 10.95.
Chicken Kebab — Marinated chicken breast with garlic grilled on skewers, served with rice, Lebanese salad, and hommos.
Chicken Kafta — Ground chicken leg and thigh meat with basil and garlic grilled on skewers, served with rice, Lebanese salad, and hommos.
Both of the plates were delicious. I really enjoyed the garlic sauce as well as the pita bread that had some toppings on it like a pizza (tomatoes, onions, parsley). Never had this kind of pita before.
I will be back for more.

Fantastic food and very reasonable prices! I am SO happy to live next to this bomb ass place!
Husband and I had the eggplant appy thing (mousaka?) which they serve with a huge piece of thin Pita bread. Then we had 1 order of Chicken kebab plate that was so perfect we ate every single bite! The chicken is extremely flavorful and juicy, the hummos is fresh and perfectly flavored, and the salad and rice complement the rest of the plate. I was VERY impressed with the quality and taste of the food. The service was VERY friendly and quick. We were stuffed and left with an $ 18 bill. Cant beat that! 1 kebob plate + 1 appy + Pita is enough for 2 people.
This is not a place to go for the ambiance, but it is comfortable and quick for a casual dinner.
The only drawback is my love for WINE and BEER with this type of food. They dont serve alcohol :(Oh well. Take out and my home bar will work just fine.

Tried this place for the first time. Very nice, friendly staff. Everything we tasted was executed professionally and perfect. This is probably the best middle eastern food I have had in a while and it was perfect!
Hummus — 5 Stars
Babaganoush — 5 Stars
Tabouli — 5 Stars
Grape Leaves — (cold like dolma) — 5 stars
Fried Cheese — 5 Stars
Pita Bread — of course, warm and 5 stars
French Fries — Perfectly made — 5 stars
Baklava — needs more syrup — but was really good.

It was a leisurely Sunday when we stopped by Al Amir. We ordered the chicken kabob and the Mezza combo. I thought everything was delicious, and the price was fair. Service was excellent.
This is a small operation located in a strip mall. It seemed rather new as the Grand Opening sign was still displayed.