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Name: Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine
Address: 8005 SE Stark St, Portland, OR, 97215
Telephone: (503) 256-4484
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.84

Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine

8005 SE Stark St, Portland, OR, 97215

(503) 256-4484
Store is closed

Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine Menu

Salads and Soups

Chef's Choice-Family Style Mezza

Fatoush

House Salad

Taouli

Greek Salad

Lentil

Swiss Chard

Chef's Choice-Family Style Mezza

Fatoush

House Salad

Taouli

Greek Salad

Lentil

Swiss Chard
Mezza

Pickle Plate

Olive Plate

Homous

Baba Ghanouj

Falafel

Grape Leaves

Arnabeet

Makdous

Charcuterie Board

Makaly

Vggie Kibbeh

Kibbeh

Sambousak

Meat Sfeeha

Fatayer

Oven Sample

Lebanese Sausage Plate

Lbneh

Mezza Sampler

Pickle Plate

Olive Plate

Homous

Baba Ghanouj

Falafel

Grape Leaves

Arnabeet

Makdous

Charcuterie Board

Makaly

Vggie Kibbeh

Kibbeh

Sambousak

Meat Sfeeha

Fatayer

Oven Sample

Lebanese Sausage Plate

Lbneh

Mezza Sampler
Plate

Kousa

Bamyeh

Moughrabieh

Lamb Ossobuco

Makloube

Shawarma

Dajaj

Tajen

Sheik Al-Mehshi

Artichoke Mehshi

Lamb Two Ways

Charred Green Beans

Kousa

Bamyeh

Moughrabieh

Lamb Ossobuco

Makloube

Shawarma

Dajaj

Tajen

Sheik Al-Mehshi

Artichoke Mehshi

Lamb Two Ways

Charred Green Beans
Lebanese Feast

Family Style Mezza

Family Style Mezza
Sides

Basmati Rice

Israeli Couscous

French Fries

Trio of Toum

Basmati Rice

Israeli Couscous

French Fries

Trio of Toum

Healthy Meal suggestions for Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine

Salads and Soups

Chef's Choice-Family Style Mezza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fatoush [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Taouli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Greek Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lentil [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Swiss Chard [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chef's Choice-Family Style Mezza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fatoush [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Taouli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Greek Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lentil [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Swiss Chard [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Mezza

Pickle Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Olive Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Homous [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baba Ghanouj [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Falafel [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grape Leaves [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Arnabeet [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Makdous [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Charcuterie Board [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Makaly [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vggie Kibbeh [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kibbeh [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sambousak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meat Sfeeha [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fatayer [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oven Sample [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lebanese Sausage Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lbneh [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mezza Sampler [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pickle Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Olive Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Homous [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baba Ghanouj [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Falafel [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grape Leaves [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Arnabeet [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Makdous [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Charcuterie Board [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Makaly [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vggie Kibbeh [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kibbeh [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sambousak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meat Sfeeha [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fatayer [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oven Sample [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lebanese Sausage Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lbneh [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mezza Sampler [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Plate

Kousa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bamyeh [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Moughrabieh [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lamb Ossobuco [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Makloube [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shawarma [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dajaj [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tajen [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sheik Al-Mehshi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Artichoke Mehshi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lamb Two Ways [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Charred Green Beans [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kousa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bamyeh [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Moughrabieh [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lamb Ossobuco [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Makloube [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shawarma [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dajaj [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tajen [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sheik Al-Mehshi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Artichoke Mehshi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lamb Two Ways [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Charred Green Beans [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Lebanese Feast

Family Style Mezza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Family Style Mezza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sides

Basmati Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Israeli Couscous [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

French Fries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Trio of Toum [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Basmati Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Israeli Couscous [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

French Fries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Trio of Toum [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Heath B.

What happened? We've been going to Ya Hala's for years and always had a nice time. Last night we went and were disappointed. The humus and baba were kind of sour. In the past the pita was large, warm, soft and plentiful, but last night it was small hard and not as much, but that wasn't a problem because we weren't eating the food. Something has changed here. It wasn't busy. Sure it was a week night, but it was unusually slow. The staff is different too. Does anyone know what happened?
(2)
Jonathan S.

Best Middle Eastern food in Portland. This is one of the places I always take friends and relatives visiting me. Everyone I've taken there has raved about it. The menu has a lot of variety, and there are many options for vegetarians and vegans. Service is fast and friendly. The food is very reasonably priced. Ya Hala's baba ganoush is brightly flavorful, and never bitter. The hummus is creamy and light, and the falafel are crispy outside, tender and steamy inside. After having these at Ya Hala, I rarely ever get them anywhere else. I'm making myself hungry just thinking about it. Do not miss Ya Hala!
(5)
Robin J.

WOW! I am surprised this place has only 4 stars. Maybe it's because the desserts are ordinary, but then, my dining companions and I are always too STUFFED to order that, so I wouldn't know!~ The Baba Ganoush (spelled how it sounds and yes, I know that's not the Lebanese spelling :) is terrific. Just terrific. I have one friend who doesn't stop talking-like ever- and I love her to pieces!! and she is silent for a full 5 minutes while we eat here. Starting with the pita bread (so tender! so warm! so fresh!) and the Baba Ganoush. Then we eat some of the hummus, which is always good, and the tabouleh, which I also love here. The atmosphere is quiet. The servers are attentive. The food is to die for. Seriously, 5 stars. Or at least 4-1/2!
(5)
Ron C.

Dined here Nov1st, 2014. Got there around 515 Sat night. Place filled up quickly. I thought that they must be doing something right to have this many people show up. Ordered humus which came with fresh baked bread. Very good. Also ordered a feta cheese plate. It came with 2 olives, a wedge go tomato, and 2 small pieces of cucumber. Not great and not bad, just OK. Also ordered the main dish braised lamb shanks. It as a generous portion of 2 lamb shanks in a nice sauce. Bowl of rice on the side. The service was decent and the atmosphere was working class casual. All in all it was a good dining experience.
(4)
Ethan D.

Ok, a short and sweet second review. In my previous review I said that Ya Hala's food was "pretty darn good." Nah. It's really, really fricken good. And my wife and I have finally tried Nicholas a handful of times. Yeah it's good, but I don't think I'd say it's better than Ya Hala. I just don't think Portlanders have discovered Ya Hala yet. And the decor? Still cheesy and dated. But maybe that's the point(?) I will say at least it's a warm and welcoming dining room. Amazing food, very nice staff, no long wait, great Montavilla location. One of our go-to restaurants that never lets us down and that we crave frequently.
(5)
Debbie B.

Love the atmosphere - comfy and a bit romantic. I liked the food and service too, although I do think I prefer Nicholas restaurant for classic middle-eastern fare.
(3)
Melissa C.

I'm posting one star and I haven't even been there yet. Called to make a reservation only to be told it's first come, first served. I don't have a problem with that. I have a problem with how rude the person was after I asked a couple of quick questions. We'll see how it goes tonight... And I'm back!! What a fabulous night! Our server was spot on, kept us in water and pita bread, cleared the table as plates were discarded, served our food in a timely manner and was just a doll! Every single item was amazing. From the shwarma to the hummus to the soup...all of it was perfect. I'd give it five stars but I had to wait a little too long for my own meal but I was more than happy to do so. We were celebrating my niece's 20th birthday and we will be back!
(4)
Cat S.

Unfortunately this was a really disappointing dining experience. Our service was terrible- we had to continually ask for water and wine, our hummus took a good 20 minutes to come out (I'm pretty sure it wasn't "made to order" hummus) and our food was cold and not as described in the menu. The restaurant has potential, but I would highly advise they update the menu to a more accurate version and employ better, more attentive staff that do not give snappy remarks (we asked our waitress a question regarding one of the dishes we had ordered vs the menu description and she just gave us a snappy remark and walked away). I ordered the ahi skewers and they were supposed to be medium rare but instead were closer to well done and chewy/grisly pieces of fish. The skewers were also deceiving- there were more lemon wedges on the skewer than actual pieces of over cooked fish. Would not recommend for large parties-we had 6 so maybe that's why we didn't get any attention since the waitress was guaranteed a 20% tip? Pretty bummed since our bill was rather high but our experience was not at the same level.
(2)
Dustin R.

I've had Lebanese just once before, in Australia, and will definitely keep going when I can thanks to this place. We were just visiting Portland and were searching for Ethnic food on Yelp, and Yelp never disappoints! I didn't give five stars because my dish, the Dajaj, a mix of shredded chicken and ground beef was actually a bit mild in flavor compared to what middle eastern I am used to. The chicken kabob was very good though and distinctly not like Indian kabob, which I am saying that as a compliment to both cuisines. The service was good and the pita that comes with the dish is puffy goodness as has been mentioned in another review!
(4)
Brendan A.

This is top notch middle eastern food. I've had lots of middle eastern food and this is the best.
(5)
Patrice F.

Great for vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters. The hummus is perfect, side salad and bread great - and the meals get better from there. Favorites include the stuffed eggplant or artichokes, but we always consider (and often order) the special - made with seasonal ingredients. The schwerma is popular and beautifully prepared. Always good service too.
(5)
Philip M.

Very tasty food with great service. I've gone multiple times and each time our waiter has been fantastic and funny
(5)
Georgie K.

I have been going to this place for years. The food quality ebbs and flows, but is mostly good. They have a great veggie mezza platter, great labneh and kabobs. The staff seem to change frequently which effects the service which is often slow and somewhat poor, but the prices are reasonable. There is lack of consistency both in service and food which I think is the main issue, but if you have hankering for Lebanese food this is good place to get your fix.
(3)
Emily H.

Excellent, refreshing food
(4)
Holly D.

"The difference between mediocrity and excellence is attention to detail." Ya Hala figured out the details. Arrived about 5:45 on a Saturday and was seated immediately. My first measure of a restaurant is what kind of service they provide for people dining alone. Whatever poor service issues Ya Hala had in the past are solved. I saw excellent efficiency everywhere. The best measure of a Lebanese restaurant is the tabbouleh. Ya Hala tabbouleh was perfectly balanced. Could have made a meal from it and the "right out of the oven" pita. The Kafta skewer meal was delicious on every level. My second measure of a middle eastern meal is the baklava. I prefer pistachio but rarely see it. Ya Hala had both pistachio and walnut choices. The only thing I can say negative is that parking is a challenge, but worth it.
(5)
Linda C.

Made a special trip here to try their food. Found parking easily on a side street. The interior decor is very themed but nicely done. Service was very quick. A waitress attended to us with drinks almost immediately after we sat down. Hubby tried a Lebanese Pilsner (he said it was OK...better than Bud) and I tried a Rose Water Lebanese Soda. Again, it was OK. We ordered a Veggie Mezza and a Veggie Kibbeh to share. We were glad we didn't order any more main courses as this was more than enough, even for our hearty appetites. Everything was delicious and really tasty. Loved the fluffy pita breads. We used the pita bread to wipe every plate clean! Since the main course was so good, we decided to go for a small dessert and shared a Ghouriebe (two Lebanese shortbread cookies). They were light and tasted great with the mint leaves on top. The only thing that sort of let the place down was the cold restrooms out back. They didn't seem to fit the ambience at the front of house. But since we came here for the food and not their facilities, this place still gets top marks!
(5)
Ed H.

Great food! I had the Kafta and potatoes. Be patient, it takes a while to get but the bounty at the end is worth the wait! Perfectly seasoned meat and potatoes engulfed in tomatoes with just a hint of that wonderful citrus juice! Totally recommend this! My partner had a trio of mezzas as his meal. The grape leaves and falafel were amazing. Babaganoush and hummus with tabbouleh were perfect and these little meat pies in pastry were outstanding! Service was friendly, restaurant clean, and portions were just enough to fill up these two bears!!!
(5)
Bob M.

Artichoke dish is phenomenal, as is the eggplant.
(4)
Andrea T.

Quite possibly the worst service I've ever had. I have been to Ya Hala quite a few times and it seems to be going slowly down hill. The first time I went there (about 3 or 4 years ago) I thought it was amazing. However the last few times it's just been okay, then tonight I experienced the worst service and mediocre food at best. I was promptly seated after walking in, then no one came by for at least 15 minutes. During this time my server greeted and took orders from people that came in after I did. When he finally came to take our order he didn't even greet us just asked what we wanted. The food came out quickly and was okay. I got the Shwarma plate and there was barely any meat on it, I'd say less that half a chicken breast of poor quality meat. I asked for a box, my server quickly brought them and not the check, although found the time to take care of other customers. I waited quite a while for him to come by again and just gave him my credit card hoping this would speed up the process, it didn't... a while later he came back with my check, having forgotten he already had my card, so then left again wandered around and then finally found time to charge my card. In summation it seems like the staff does not treat the customers equally and the food is just okay.
(2)
Jake P.

Some of the truly best hummus I've ever had in a restaurant... I mean, that's a weird thing to LOVE about a restaurant for an omnivore such as myself, and yet there it is... I go back to Ya Hala for the olives and hummus. Simple. Amazingly tasty. Their shawarma will make you glad you stayed until the end of "The Avengers" and decided that you too wanted to be like Tony Stark. I found the non-beef shawarma to be forgettable... I think it was chicken? Not what you want unless you don't like red meat. Seriously. Shawarma! They get a little busy on weekend nights to be sure, but have ample seating. So, instead of the long lines out the door you're used to in Portland, you exchange them for longish waits for drinks and food -- but at least you're seated, and they get you water and extremely tasty fresh flatbread to make you forget about your troubles. Will probably go here when feeling a need for Mediterranean food in the city until I can find something that competes. (Hoda's is a little more fast-food-ish lunch fair, and Elleni's is overpriced with the nastiest-mannered waitstaff I've met IN PORTLAND.) tldr; Some of the best hummus and other tasty food from the Mediterranean region you'll find in PDX.
(4)
Scott R.

Fabulous dinner location! Went Saturday night with another couple, arrived about 7 and were seated immediately. Started with bread and homous which is very good. For the main course we split; lamb shank, kafta with potato and dajaj over rice. Get the dajaj everytime so you know I am a fan. Still as good as ever. Lamb was very good. Kafta was excellent, especially the suace. The only knock was the service. It appeared we hat two relatively new people who were either slow(glasses, bringing check, boxes), or a bit to quick(water refills, picking up the check). Friendly, but they just could not seem to get a balance.
(4)
Cindy K.

Growing up with a Lebanese Uncle I can tell you this food is as good as it gets...amazing food, great service and excellent prices. A must.
(5)
Katie M.

My husband and I went here for his birthday. I had been here before and remembered it as good. We started with the hot mezza plate and quickly filled our tummies. I love the babakanuse (sp?) and it was nice that the pitas were unlimited. We commented that this place reminded us of a Mediterranean version of a Mexican restaurant. Unlimited chips/pita, murals on the wall, modest prices, good portions, not top notch but not too shabby. We also split the lamb casserole because they had ran out of lamb shanks. It was that great. The dish lacked a lot of flavor. Maybe that's how it's designed, but I guess I'm used to a more salty lamb, with more spices and some sauce. How ever, we did make out for $25 so that's not too bad either. I bet if we had the lamb shanks I could have given this 4 stars.
(3)
Tyson T.

Good Atmosphere, appetizers were good, main dishes were just ok, kind of bland, their rolls they bring out before your meal were hard and not good. Overall doesn't compare to Nicholas restaurant.
(3)
Kerri K.

Ya hala used to be a great place to go. But in the last couple of years they have gone downhill. The food has become lacking in flavor and spices, the garlic in the hummus is practically non existent, and the pita bread has decreased in size at least 5 inches- it's now smaller than a cup saucer and is portioned out two at a time- with a frown if you ask for more. The wait staff changes weekly, and if they are out of something they will randomly substitute without asking. Once the food is on the table you won't see them again-- you'll have to hunt them down to get your bill. You're better of going to nickolas restaurant-
(2)
Lester D.

Twenty minutes for the server to come to my table to take my order. Then I found a steel/metal piece in my lamb shank. The lamb dish tasted okay otherwise. Had the kenafe bejben for desert which also took 20 minutes to make and was only brought out after I asked my server about it. The server did comp me the desert. This didn't really matter as my work pays for my meals etc. I didn't like the kenafe it tasted stale to me but I have never had it before so maybe that's how it is supposed to taste. What else can I say maybe my case was unique but I can't rate it more than a 1 star.
(1)
Kyla S.

One of my favorite affordable Lebanese restaurants. Great baklava, lamb stew and basically everything I have ever ordered here has been delicious. My mom always makes me bring her here when she comes to town. I love love love their lentil soup and sweet potatoes hummus special was amazing!!
(5)
LeAnne W.

My family LOVES this restaurant. We always start out with Hummus and Labnah, oh so good. We've enjoy tasting our way through menu. This is a favorite for lunch, dinner or to go.
(5)
Travis N.

If you're black don't go here. My family and myself went to Ya Hala after my sisters graduation. It came highly recommended and we were excited to go. Upon entering the restaurant, we practically had to grab someone to seat us. We then told the server we had a party of 10. The server looked around like it would be difficult to accommodate us (there was only 15 people in the restaurant at the time). After about 10 minutes the sever said "you can sit now". We looked at each other as to say "wtf" but slowly proceeded to sit. As we migrated to our seats a Caucasian couple came in....the same server approached them with a smile and asked how she could help them. After seeing this we informed the waiter we would be leaving. We made it clear that we felt discriminated against. We won't be back..
(1)
Erik B.

Our favorite Middle Easter Restaurant in Portland. I was fortunate to know a Lebanese family well, many years ago. This traditional family prepared some of the best food I'd ever eaten, and I thought it couldn't ever be duplicated. I was wrong, Ya Hala serves traditional family style cooking and some of the best we've ever eaten. We've been coming back regularly since they opened. The restaurant itself is comfortable and casual, but with a little feel of the middle east. Our service has always been excellent, but can be a little slow at peak hours (everything is prepared fresh as needed), but it is well worth the wait. Ya Hala's prices are quite reasonable considering the quality and quantity of their dishes. Some or our favorites include the Lamb Kabob served with Tabouli, Kibbeh, Sambousak and Lentil Soup. I also like their Turkish coffee served with one of their many delicious cookies. Try Ya Hala, you'll love it and keep coming back. If you want family style Lebanese food, there is no other choice. And no they didn't pay me for this review, I just really love this place :-)
(5)
Keith O.

Danky lebanese food!
(5)
Kylee B.

The most authentic and the most delicious Lebanese food I have ever had - even after visiting the middle east. The fattoush, the falafel and the hummus are my 3 favorite basics and all 3 are home-runs at Ya Hala. And the fact that the owner is in the kitchen almost on a daily basis is incredible. No wonder the food is so amazing!
(5)
Adam R.

Ya Hala was the first restaurant (donut shops don't really count) that we went to in Portland. It came via recommendation, and it was a good one. I'm of the opinion that the best way to eat Middle Eastern food is by ordering a bunch of small plates and kind of feasting on them. Most of the stuff was good. Very enjoyable baba, tasty grape leaves, hummus, etc. Made my tummy happy. It was a pretty nice day as well, and the outdoor seating was fairly awesome. I'd go back.
(4)
Angus V.

Good food. Lousy service. If it's busy when you show up, turn around and come back another time. It ain't worth the wait.
(2)
Brooklyn G.

Middle eastern fare is easily my favorite as there's so many flavors and regional differences to the basics. Every dish here is amazing but I want to speak to the nuance and simple pleasures of a few items: The lentil soup. Out of the world. Whenever I am getting sick or just need some soup to warm the soul, La Hala's lentil soup is what I do and I do it in multiple orders. Easily one of the best soups I have ever enjoyed and I recommend it if you are a soup lover. Spices are lovely, balanced, and with the pita bread included...a nice meal. Stews. Any of their stews are recommended. In general, their meat selections are very hearty, beautifully spiced, and offset with great side dishes. My other suggestion is to visit their sister operation so to speak on SW Barbur which is World Food Market, right before the I-5., Their deli is stocked with many of the restaurant favorites (falafel, hummus, pita sandwiches) and they have "ethnic foods" from other countries. I found many brands of foods that I could only find in New York City so I am delighted by this store. They have a huge selection of imported beer and wine with a few selections that are incredible to find here in Portland or Oregon for that matter. Staff are incredibly sweet and helpful.
(5)
Shay B.

Very friendly staff, delicious food and reasonable prices! Definitely one of my favorite spots!
(4)
FoodE Y.

Wow!!!!!! Great Lebanese place. Taboule is good. Baba Ghanoush is amazing. Hummus is a little creamy but good. Pita bread is way too thick, but it goes a long way. Falafel are amazing..... can not go wrong with anything from here. The deserts are great and they don't use stale walnuts (unlike the other lebanese place in the area - see my other review). Must try it!
(4)
Nicole B.

I have to agree with other yelpers on the parking situation. It is hard to find a decent parking spot. I came on a pretty busy night, it was last night on a Saturday. The place was pretty packed, but luckily, it being 8 pm on a very cold night, there wasn't a line. We got sat within a couple of minutes next to the window, which was right by the door. We were contemplating moving seats, but it was pretty comfortable and warm enough to not switch seats. I had no idea what to order on the menu, with the many options. Many, besides the usual, I haven't tried before. I didn't notice if service was slow, but of course I did notice that it was pretty loud. I would definitely recommend to sit next to the window and not in the middle, if you want to be able to hear your fellow diner. We started off with falafels with tahini sauce. It was really delicious. Very flavorful. Yummy tahini sauce. I asked the waitress, what the best sellers were, and she said the lamb. So we opted for a lamb option, which was the lamb shank in a saffron cream sauce. My fellow diner wasn't too thrilled about the lamb shank, but it's more that that he thought it was a little to fatty, which I thought it was pretty good. I love eggplant, and decided on a dish called Sheik al mehshi, which was 3 baby eggplants stuffed with ground beef in a tomato sauce topped with pine nuts. I definitely loved the dish, and would definitely try to re-create this at home. There's a salad and freshly hot pita bread, and I opted for the basmati rice that comes with the meal. I was completely stuffed and satisfied. Next time I come, I'll try and stay away from the appetizers as the dinners are pretty large portions.
(4)
Roy S.

Roy 'The Hungry Englishman' Let me start by saying two things: Generally I'm rather sad that many of my yelps of late have been less than favorable. Perhaps my standards are too high or I suspect many establishments are either lowering theirs or just sitting on their laurels, I suspect the latter two! More specifically I'm very sad to have to write this review of Ya Hala, as each time my wife and I return to Portland this eatery is always at the top of our list. We have had many wonderful experiences here and have always been so thrilled with the service, atmosphere and especially the food, so what has happened??? To be honest I have no idea but something had gone terribly wrong. We went out for a romantic meal last night and it was little short of a disaster. There appeared to be no one running the front of house. The wait staff were inconsistance, confused, not communicating and unprofessional. The food was mediocre and our 'hot' desert special was served stone cold (they forgot to 'microwave' it...!). It wasn't just us that were unhappy; the table behind us constantly complained and had to send food back and one couple was so unhappy they walked out! Waiter #1, a tall chap (not our waiter) walked past me and I overheard him call a patron an "Ass***e"...! Waiter #2, a young tall lady with a blond bob, seemed almost useless much to the annoyance of #3 (our waitress). But and despite many tables being left uncleaned contented herself with flirting with one of the cooks. Waiter #3, was the best of the bunch, a petite young lady with dark hair. She waited on us and worked very hard throughout the evening, it seemed trying desperately to carry the other two. I'm not sure if this has become the norm or it was just a disaster of a night, never the less we left feeling like our special evening was something akin to a mediocre meal in a tsunami. We have always loved this place when we come to Portland but I'm afraid it may not be on our list next time. For goodness sake Ya Hala put someone in charge and get a grip.....! Happy eating, Roy
(1)
Q G.

I am always glad to try new restaurants, so I was excited to try this place. Had some hummus to start. Really good! I don't know how they make it, but I'm used to kind of a loose paste texture. This was really different- silky smooth, and nice flavor. The pita was good, too, warm and puffed and fresh. I ordered Bulgar-b-dfeen, kind of like chunks of pot roast, onion and chickpeas in a broth, with bulgar wheat on the side- much nicer than rice! Seemed to have shreds of meat in it(?) with toasted almonds for a nice crunch. Little dish of yogurt on the side, so with all the element separate, it was nice to build the perfect bite every time. The servers were really nice, too. So, lots of positives. On the down side, the menu stated free refills on my drink, but mine sat empty, and nobody offered a refill or asked if I needed anything. Apparently they're not used to many groups, as separate checks was an issue. The music was too loud for comfortable conversation- we were all raising our voices, and still not catching everything. We asked if it could be turned down, and were told no, that it was "a set volume." Maybe they're not allowed to touch it after management made that decision? Not a good one! And the prices are a little on the high side. In the long run, I'll plan on going back and continuing to explore their menu, probably for lunches, in hopes of avoiding having to talk so loud over the music- I understand it's not so loud for lunch.
(3)
Derek M.

excellent food! look no further for a wonderful Lebanese meal. we had a 5 top (one toddler) and we went for it, complete with 3 dishes of mezzas, 5 entrees, bottle of wine & coffees at the end. it was ALL amazing. starters: the bread was super fresh, the hummus and baba ghanouj scrumptious, but the kafta was just alright for me. entrees: the lamb shank was superb. the meat just fell off the bone, and the sauce was just right. if you're in to that kind of thing, the bone marrow on the 2 mega bones they give you was amazing. we also had a bottle of their dry wine and it went perfectly with the meal. we were so stuffed, but 2 of us had their crazy coffee. all i can say is that it was like drinking french pressed coffee, but not pressed. like, my little espresso cup was 1/3 full of grounds. it was weird, and not really to my liking. i suggest getting one just for the experience, but one is enough for everyone to try. couple tips: if you don't want a full meal, go mezzas (dips) and bread, then maybe share an entree. the shank, stews and kabob plates can easily be shared. if you have kids (lots when we went), ours just loved the dips and bread. i would suggest Ya Hala to everyone, and i'm certainly going again!
(5)
Kevin F.

This is a wonderful restaurant. Great food, nice location, good servings and decent prices. Can't ask for much more really.
(5)
Natalie W.

The most difficult part of eating here was choosing what to order. Everything sounded delicious, and most of the items were things I had never tried (or even seen) before. And then even the old favorites, like shawarma and kabobs... I didn't want to cross them off the list just because they weren't unfamiliar to me. But my eyes settled on the Moughrabieh - chicken simmered overnight (I think?) with grains (the online menu calls them caraway; they were like giant pieces of couscous) and yogurt - and I couldn't pull myself away. Better to just choose the first thing that sounds interesting than spend entirely too long trying to make a decision. We also ordered Basturma (thinly sliced beef) as an appetizer. So good! So incredibly good! The flavor in everything - the beef, the freshly baked bread, the chicken, the hummus - was just outstanding. And the presentation of the food was also wonderful - all the dishes looked as good as they tasted. This will probably be one of those restaurants that I'll go to frequently but never eat the same thing twice. I just want to try it all!
(5)
Prairie D.

i don't know what happened but i use to come here all the time and it was always great, but i came here again and ordered the same thing i order all the time, Lamb w rice and the lamb was undercooked, and the rice was very bland....the food as OK i had a bite of the chicken from another dish and it had a lot of gristle on it and not cut correctly a lot of waste for a chicken skewer... the place was a tad busy when we walked in we stood there for at least 20 minutes without anyone saying anything to us finally after the wait with no welcome, a waiter was breaking down a table looked at us rudely and said "YES?" I replied said can we get a table and he replied yes you can have this one when i break it down keep in mind i did see three other tables in the back that was ready to be seated.... I don't know if i will come back, this use to be one of my favorite places to go, maybe i just came on a bad night, if i come back and the service is better i can update my review to a better one
(2)
Andrew D.

I've been here a few times and I must say I am a fan. The foods good, the service is good, and the atmosphere is good. What more can you want? The only reason for the 4 stars and not 5 stars is the food isn't amazing. I have been to the middle east over 10 times, so maybe I am a bit bias.
(4)
Ren L.

Best Lebanese food I've ever had! Fresh warm pita, tasty mezza platter. Service was excellent. Family owned. Will be back again and again!
(5)
Leslie B.

What a lucky woman i am to have such a wonderful restaurant that is less than a 5 minute walk from my house. Usually this place is superpacked on a Friday but the angels were with me as we went in. Ya hala never disappoints. The house salad with the vinegarette dressing was crisp and not so acidic it was over-powering. I had the lamb sharwma and humus. Tasty lamb and creamy creamy humus. My partner had the grilled tuna skewers with pesto brushing. Yummy yummy. After we asked for it, the bread kept coming and was warm and a perfect way to scoop up the humus and lamb. For dessert i tried the orange scented pumpkiin mousse with caramel sauce and whipped cream. While tasty, I was expected something a bit lighter or airy (the mousse). The wait staff is friendly and helpful. And again i love all the restaurants on Stark Street.
(4)
Erin H.

I really can't figure out why this place gets such high reviews, then again I have run into numerous restaurants in Portland that get high reviews, then end up sucking epically. Let's start off by saying I grew up with a Jewish mother with a fondness for Israeli and Lebanese cuisine, so I kind of grew up eating this kind of food. Fast forward a few years my first job at the age of 14 was in a deli cooking a lot of this food. Add to all that I have eaten Lebanese/Middle Eastern in like 11 different states from a guy with a push cart serving Falafel, to a a street side cafe, to food carts, to a 5 star restaurant. I REALLY love Middle Eastern food. Ok, so cred aside on with my experience last night. Maybe it was because they where 45 minutes from closing, maybe they where having a bad night, but I am officially referring to this place as the Bermuda Triangle of Spices. Where did all the spices go? Aliens hijacked them as part of some sinister plot of world domination? I don't have a clue... Ordered the Homous, Sambousak, and Soujouk to start. The Humous while super creamy, was flavorless. The Sambousak, while they had a awesome pastry dough that was fluffy and delicious, again void of flavor. Now the Soujouk on the other hand, flippin fantastic! This was shortly after explained when I reviewed the menu and saw, "ground and stuffed locally just for us." Ohhhh so it wasn't even made here, that explains why it has epic amounts of flavor when everything else in this place tastes like paste.... On to dinner I ordered something extremely basic that should be impossible to mess up (wrong), the Kafta Kabob. You know when you go to the doc and the open up the rubbing alcohol how the smell leaves a weird taste in your mouth. Yea, that is the flavor of this dish. Tastes like plain ground beef with a side of rubbing alcohol. I might go back for lunch to see if that time of the day produces better results as I just moved to the neighborhood and now live 2 blocks away. I was really excited having good Lebanese nearby, not so much anymore. On a brighter note the Pita is really awesome, and they have really good customer service! =)
(2)
Connor G.

Not bad, a little slow and the portions vary enough to where yo may want to ask. Some dishes need an appetizer or perhaps leave room for dessert.
(3)
Aaron B.

Service is hit of miss, but their food is fresh, authentic, hot, and tasty! Been here 3 times, taken a different person with me each time, and all 3 of them loved it. I'll be back!
(4)
Michelle C.

I like Ya Hala. It's close to home and has a nice ambiance. The food is a little better than mediocre but there are definitely quite a few better options for this kind of food. I will say that their moussaka is delicious- I love that they use a small variety of eggplant rather than slicing up big ones.
(4)
Anjelah S.

I absolutely love Lebanese food.....SoOoOoo I figured I'd try this popular Middle Eastern place. Go figure.. the day I choose to go...it's SUPER busy with no place to sit. Waited for about 15 min to be seated, so that wasn't so bad, but we were scrunched in a small corner with our chairs constantly being bumped into by our table neighbors. It's not a very big place, so what was I going to expect? Ordered the hummus plate and felafel's. The Pita was nice, big and fluffy like the ones they make at Hoda's. I was kind of bummed about my felafel's however... they were over done. Hard, dry and kind of cold. The hummus was smooth and creamy and tasted great. The baba ganoush was ok, but I've had better. I guess I just came on a bad day, so I will have to try again and update this review later.
(3)
Elena G.

Ya Hala is excellent. I have only been a few times, but have yet to be let down. The service is great, the neighborhood is fun - it's next to Observatory, Country Cat, Flying Pie, Academy theater - So, you can enjoy a meal and then wander around, and maybe even catch a second run movie. If you're in the mood for Lebanese food, and you find yourself on Stark street, be sure to check this place out. Recommendations: Falafel and hummus, shawarmas, or just go with one of the mezza combos so that you can try a bit of everything.
(4)
Michael B.

Brrrr!!! This place was so cold. It felt like they had the air conditioning going. My mom and I stopped in here for what we hoped would be a great middle eastern meal on the east side of town. Going from her place all the way down to Al Amir can be a pain. Now I wish we had. After being seated, we waited 10 minutes for drinks. I know because I set the timer on my phone. Our appetizers and bread were pretty good. The bread was fresh and hot. I mostly used it to warm my hands up though. Did I mention the restaurant was cold? I ordered the Moughrabieh. It sounded great. Beef and chicken braised and served with Israeli couscous. The meats were boiled and flavorless. The couscous was severely over cooked and nearly a sticky paste. My mom got the lamp and she really enjoyed it. I think next time I will take the extra 30 minutes and drive downtown, my mom might go back though.
(2)
Sarah B.

Want to get someone to join your cult? Convert to your religion? Join your political party? Take them here and feed them the shawarma. After that, they'll do whatever you say. It's the food I would take with me to a desert island. I would eat it every day, three times a day, and be the happiest shipwrecked girl in the world.
(5)
Tommy T.

In my opinion Ya Hala has some of the best Lebanese food in Portland. The portions are huge and the food is full in flavor. The place is generally full but I have not had to wait more then 15 minutes. They have a lot of vegan options which are labeled clearing on the menu. When I go I usually get a Vegan Mezza plate, which includes: Hummus, Baba ganoush, Tabouli, Dolmas (!), Cauliflower with Tahini, and fresh Pita. I always leave with leftovers and prefer the smaller pita that they serve than other Lebanese restaurants around town. The location is a little far out but not too far and in a nice neighborhood.
(5)
Christina S.

Delicious, delicious food! We came here as a party of 8, with two tweens and a teenager, on a Tuesday evening. We were celebrating our daughter's birthday and brought our own cake, which was not a problem for the restaurant. We were a little worried we would not be seated right away because they do not take reservations and we've heard the line can be quite long at times, but we got lucky with the time and day of the week and had our choice of seating arrangements. We ordered a 4-5 person "feast" and what a treat. Dinner was served in "waves", which worked out perfectly for our large party. The baba ghanouj was delicious and smoky, we received generous amounts of tahini and hummus, the grape leaf rolls were small but delicious and the bread was warm and perfect. We received plate after plate of roasted veggies, salad, tabouli, fresh veggies, a handful of savory-lemony spinach pastries. Oh and vegetarian kibbeh. It was delicious, but oddly pinkish in a way that made it look like raw ground beef and the strict vegetarian at our table couldn't look at it because of this strange resemblance. The four kababs were tasty and cooked appropriately... they were tender, just rare enough and deliciously spiced. The service was appropriate, it didn't seem to take too long to get our food, but we had so much food coming in waves that I don't think we would have noticed if it did...? Though we ordered the "feast" that was appropriate for 4-5 people, it fed 8 and we still had leftovers to bring home, yay! I'll definitely go back again and am looking forward to trying new dishes.
(5)
Sarah D.

The food is worth the wait. Prepare for a long wait to be seated, even on a Wednesday or Thursday evening. Service is not swift, but food is delicious. Many vegetarian options (also options that can be made vegan). Plan for an hour and half or so for your meal. Wine options are good as well.
(4)
Nancy K.

I can't figure out the 4+ star reviews for this place. I had the veggie mezza and it's pretty average to all of the others I've tried across Portland. I normally pick this because it's a great way to sample a little bit of everything. The service here is so darn slow. My food was served in 3 parts - which is ridiculous if you order a mezza. I received the tabouli first, then the hummus and baba ganouj (when my hubs received his entree) then FINALLY I got the "hot" portion of my meal (falafel, fried cauliflower and grape leaves) about the time he was 1/2 done with his plate. I've never had a veggie mezza take about an hour to be served to me - the restaurant wasn't even full! I'd never come back unless we were meeting friends....friends that we hadn't seen in a long time that suggested we meet here. Friends that we could catch up with for a few hours. Then maybe I wouldn't notice the slow-ass service.
(2)
Phil C.

Food is the bomb! Haven't had Lebanese food since my friends Mom used to make it over 10 years ago! Only downside this isn't in my area of California!!!
(5)
Robynn H.

Awesome. We have been here several times, but our favorite times have been with large groups so we could try so many small plates. The hummus is amazing and the warm pita is wonderful. There are so many options, you are sure to find something that meets your vegetarian, vegan, gluten free or carnivorous needs!
(5)
David J.

I'm not sure what it is that makes me only rate Ya Hala 3 stars. The food was good, the staff were considerate and prompt, the restaurant was clean enough.... I suppose part of it was that the person who recommended it to me built it up as the end-all be-all of Mediterranean cuisine. Is it good? Yep. Is it the place I'm going to seek out when I absolutely must have some good Med food? No. Not unless I'm already in the neighborhood. I guess it (for me) was missing that certain je ne sais quoi that I get from Nicholas, Al Amir, and Arabian Nights. I think I'd rate Hoda's above it as well. Your mileage, of course, may vary. And if you find your self with a craving in this area, I say give it a 'go'. You might find it to be just right for you! :)
(3)
Dwane S.

Let me start with the good news. The food is great. Lets now begin with the bad. Waited for 7 minutes before getting a seat. (there were plenty of tables). Waited another 8 minutes for water.(Ordered our drinks and food at that point because we could tell service was slow). Drinks showed up in 8 minutes and the server messed up the order (there was only two of us). Our vegetarian mezza for TWO looked small when it showed up 18 minutes later. I asked the server to verify our order. She replied that our order was mezza for 2 appetizer size. Wrong again! She assumed and was wrong. SLOW, SLOW, SLOWER and a lack of concentration from the server equals a one star restaurant. There are plenty of other options in Portland, don't literally waste your time here.
(1)
Norman W.

My wife and I and many of our friends love to eat here! The food is delicious and it is always safe to try new things. I would recommend Ya Hala to everyone.
(5)
Al M.

My parents visited me from the East Coast and I thought we'd go try a cuisine neither of us had had before, so we came here. It was so freaking delicious, we ended up going back 3 more times during their visit. We started with an order of Soujouk and Nakanik. The Soujouk was by far superior; it was hot, tasty and tasty. Besides, it was tasty. Then we had the lamb shank, and the Makloube between the 3 of us. It was seriously tasty. Also tasty. OK, in all seriousness, the food was good start to finish. It came out at a proper interval, was hot, well spiced, and was served by a friendly staff every time. I especially liked their Lebanese beer, although I can't remember its name. Also they have a store right next door that has a lot of great ingredients available if you're adventurous enough to try cooking this food yourself. Just FYI if it's cold, watch out the tables near the windows; the front door gives one hell of a draft.
(5)
Holly M.

One of my favorite restaurants! Food is delicious, portions are generous. Good vegetarian options. Kabobs are yummy. Good atmosphere. I would suggest this place to anyone!
(5)
Ashley G.

My friend had kind of hyped this place up although she hadn't been there in 6 months. I was a pretty disappointed in my food selections. I thought that my friend's homous appetizer was pretty good (although the giant pool of olive oil in the middle was a bit over the top). The pitas were thick, warm and soft enough to take a nap on. I got the vegetarian kibbeh for an appetizer. It wasn't really what I expected from the menu description and I didn't really like it (although it didn't taste bad). For my lunch I ordered the kousa, which was supposed to be a stew composed of a "riot of vegetables"... I wanted to riot after receiving this highly overpriced mush. The vegetables were completely overcooked and unidentifiable. The side of basmati rice was a little dry as well. My friend ordered the bamyae (an okra dish) and she thought it was very under-seasoned. Our service was adequate, nothing extraordinary. I don't think I'll be in a hurry to give this place a second chance, although if I did I would try something less risky like falafel or soup. Perhaps this restaurant has better offerings for meat eaters, but for vegans and vegetarians, I'm not sold.
(2)
Tauna M.

My favorite Portland Lebanese! The only criticism is it's pretty high in sodium in everything I've tasted. Yet, the food is delicious, very affordable and the portions are generous. Very nice wait staff. There is a store next door which I believe is owned by the restaurant owners, you can purchase imported Lebanese foods. I love the ahi kabobs, vegie messa, lentil soup, etc. There's a decent wine list also. I always opt for a glass of red Lebanese wine. It's really a great little restaurant and very popular. If you go at an 'off' hour you should be able to get right in. No reservations.
(5)
J S.

Service is super shitty. Lunch menu is good. tasty food just don't expect anything to be speedy even if you're the only one in the restaurant
(2)
Brandon D.

Awesome!
(5)
George M.

Very disappointed in a dinner last night. This place has been enjoyed by us several times in the past. Humous was so bland not sure what was in it. Lamb kebabs were overcooked and tough-what does it take to grill lamb? The vegetarian stuffed artichoke was drowning in a greasy cream sauce. The carts around town have fresher and better Lebanese.
(3)
Dipanjan B.

We had heard about this place from a colleague and stopped by. Service was good but food was very bland. Of all we had, which was an upside down lamb dish (makloube), a platter of kebobs, and falfafel, the falafel was the only thing i liked. The portion size was good, from the crowd could see that it was a popular place, but things dId not interest me enough for a second visit.
(2)
liz l.

I would really give this 3.5 stars, if it were possible to give half stars here. I really enjoy the hummus here. It is delicious. Often the pita bread is phenomenal. (Sometimes it is too thin and crispy for me, but when it is good it is billowy and soft on the inside and just barely crisp on the outside). The salad that comes with entrees is OK. The dressing is quite good, the veggies are OK. I have had several times the chicken schwarma sandwich, it's pretty good. My mom loves it. Most recently I had the chicken kabob entree. The chicken was yummy, although a bit fatty for me, the basmati rice was flavorful (as far as rice goes, anyway). What takes away from the experience here is the strange service. There are frequently many people who appear to work there present in the restaurant. But, often they are sitting at a table eating and shooting the shit. They're also visible from the kitchen hanging out and chatting. The cooks always seem really busy, though. (In their defense, maybe I am eating their at off hours when the staff takes breaks to eat their own meals. I arrived today around 5:15 PM). Good, decent food. Fully staffed, though oddly slow, especially given that they're fully staffed.
(3)
Naly S.

Food: delicious! Been here over a dozen times. Service: Can be a little slow. Sometimes you have to wait to be seated- Hope you have good timing...depending on what you order it can take a while to get out to you. Parking: Street-kinda sucks-iffy neighborhood. Cleanliness: It seems okay but I wonder...It's not the cleanest. Love: The endless pita because you're waiting so darn long for your food to come out. The Lamb kabobs. The Kabob Combo! The lamb Shanks! Hate: The waiting! The green salad is lacking...
(4)
Kristen G.

Ya Hala is so delicious! Large servings. Always take a box of leftovers with me. Delicious hummus. I want to try the group meal next.
(5)
Marc W.

Two points: 1) I am not an expert on Lebanese, or middle eastern, food, but of all the middle eastern I've eaten, this truly tasty food, and 2) we were accompanied by an Israeli couple, and they eat middle eastern and Lebanese food alot, and they said this place truly was good food. What struck me right away with this place is everything was so fresh, hand made right there. The tabouli - light and refreshing; the tahini - bright and fresh; the hummus - not overdosed with lemon juice to prevent oxidation, very fresh. Even the baklava was so fresh, the filo layers were crispy white. We ordered the Veggie Mezza for a fun sampling of several items. I was two steps away from embarrassing myself because I couldn't stop myself from wiping up the Homous and Baba Ghanouj with the fresh made pita bread faster than anyone else at the table. Some may not like the sour tang of Stuffed Grape Leaves, but I was happy to eat what the others didn't. The stuffing was very tasty but light; not overly oily or rich. We also ordered Kibbeh (good with the yogurt) and Zataar - the bread was warm and soft, with a fun textured topping of savory spices. It was already too much food, but we each ordered entrees. I had the Lamb Shank and the meat was tender, falling off the bone. I was too full to try the others, but they ate it all up. I can't believe I did it, but we ordered dessert and Turkish coffee. I love Baklava, and theirs was amazing. But I found two new desserts that I actually think I now like better - Shaibeyat and Kanafe. Oh my Oh my... these sweet, multi-textured confections in layers of pastry and sweet rose water syrup. Yes, I found some new favorites. This was my first time here, but certainly not my last. And from what I've come to understand, it's a good benchmark for others to now beat. One downside - the parking is on the street and may be tough to find. And if the sign says "no parking, you will be towed" - then don't park there. Trust me. HIGHLY recommended.
(5)
Jack D.

Dropped in at noon on a monday. Wait time was appropriate since we ordered a sh*t-ton of food. Needed a break at one point. Air conditioning felt good. Had the lamb shank a little soupy for me with to much of something (turmeric/tarragon?) Rice a little lumpy some hard. Meat fell off the bone...
(3)
Amber B.

very nice. the food is always good and the price is reasonable. we like the veggie mezze. its enough for two to share. sometimes we add on a feta cheese or a bowl of lentl soup and then we have leftovers. the lamb shank is delicious!! when we have family in town we bring them here because the food can be shared easily and there is something for everybody.
(4)
Rebecca H.

I love the food at Ya Hala. I've eaten there and had things catered there as well. Their shwarma is to DIE for and the hummus is superb. Be prepared to wait, however. You can't make reservations and there's often a line, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, and sometimes service can be slow. Still, there's a great adjoining lebanese market to where you can stay warm and entertain yourself while you are waiting and once you get the food, you'll forget about the wait altogether.
(4)
William G.

I'm not one to trash restaurants over one bad meal, but I took some out of town guests to Ya Hala tonight and the food was so embarrassingly bad that I felt compelled to write a review. We live in Mt. Tabor, and we've eaten several times at the Observatory and Country Cat which are near Ya Hala. Walking by we noticed that Ya Hala was typically busy and we assumed the food must very good. I looked for online ratings and read good things. So tonight we took friends there for what we assumed would be a wonderful Lebanese food fest. My lamb kabob was dry and stringy. My wife's chicken dish was equally poor. The other three members of our party did not finish their meals. Out of politeness nobody wanted to say the meal was bad (as I was picking up the check), but when I broached the subject, everyone immediately chimed in to express their disappointment. We've all eaten Lebanese cuisine many times and we know what's good and what's not. This was not good. It was terrible. Given the number of good reviews that have been posted and the crowds that Ya Hala draws, I can only assume that we hit them on a bad night. But still, when five meals come out of the kitchen and every one of them is bad, that's really unacceptable. Go if you must, but I caution you that this may not be the great experience you expect it to be. I know we will never go back.
(1)
Rob C.

I had passed Ya Hala several times on my way to Flying Pie Pizza and always paused and thought, "hmm... I should try that place." So glad I finally did! Ya Hala stands out from a lot of the other Lebanese restaurants in Portland because they offer a wide variety of dishes. From mezzas and the usual to gourmet dishes that would fit right in in lower east Manhattan. (Okay, I can't substantiate that, I just watch too much Travel Channel.) Service was adequate if not stupendous, but the food was excellent. My dish was perfectly cooked, and definitely of large portion. My other dining companions were similarly satisfied. Only inconvenience is that the food seemed a little under-spiced... which might be perfectly authentic or appropriate and my usually overstimulated taste buds just didn't get their usual adrenaline rush. Pita was good too, though a little different style than I was used to. Tabouli was amazing. Wish I'd had room for dessert, but ended up taking leftovers home as it was. Definitely will go here again.
(4)
BP N.

Great food. Yelpers are right on about the lamb shank. Can't go wrong with that dish. The fresh pita was alright. We prefer the pita at Nicholas, it's less bread-like.
(4)
Melissa G.

4 stars for everything in the veggie mezza, which can pretty much fill 2 people up on its own. I've failed to remember this the last 3 or 4 times that I've dined in. Comes with my favorite Baba Ghanouj around, and the crisp and scrumptious aranabeet has made me dream of cauliflower (bland ol' cauliflower!). 3 stars really for all the veggie entrees I've tried. I've had better at Nicolas'. I've heard the meat entrees are delicious though. Don't worry like I did about the small amount of pita that comes out - they'll be back to refill it promptly, fresh out of the oven. Pretty laid back atmosphere, even when its packed.
(4)
Micah S.

This is a hard one to review, because we LOVE the food. If it was just about the food, I would give this place 5 stars all the way. It's very affordable, the portions are generous, and easily the best tasting middle-eastern food we've had in PDX. We love sharing a Mezza platter, and getting a couple of sides of the seared tuna skewers, which are broiled perfectly to a rare/medium-rare texture. I also really enjoy the yogurt drink, which is garnished with what I think is cilantro. But sadly it's not just about the food for us, is it? The table service is consistently--meh. Just not that great. It's never really bad or rude, but most of the service staff is apathetic, and prefer to spend their time hanging out in the kitchen. It's very hard to get your servers attention if you need something. The ambiance is aesthetically nice, but the restaurant is constantly freezing in the winter, causing most of the customers to need to keep their coats on. Yah Hala really needs to turn up the heat, and put up a wind alcove in the entry. Currently every time the door opens, the entire restaurant is hit with a frigid blast of wind. There are several times we've passed on eating here just because we didn't want to be cold. Over all this is currently a three star restaurant that has the potential, with a few small changes, of easily being bumped up to five stars. Hopefully they start by just turning up the thermostat.
(3)
A K.

Reliable, delicious food. Chicken shwarma, yum.
(4)
Mickel T.

I love their chocolate mouse cake, I licked the plate clean. The best pitas I've ever had. Their lamb shank is awesome to behold and taste
(5)
Jessica M.

Delicious, authentic lebanese food. My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary and though it was fairly busy, we got seated quickly. They give you enough food to last as leftovers for the next day. I will definitely be back again.
(5)
Margo C.

I can't add anything to the great reviews about Ya Hala's food. But: I'd only like to add one caveat. If you're one of those people who can't bear to eat in a loud environment, you might go elsewhere. There's just something weird about the acoustics in there that makes it pretty much intolerable to me. If you aren't plagued by heightened sensitivity to ambient noise, though, I'm sure you'll be fine.
(4)
Jeremy H.

We ate here because of a recommendation, but I don't think we'd go out of our way to eat here again. If we met friends for dinner or something, we'd definitely give it another chance. What we ended up getting wasn't remarkable, but we enjoyed it even at a steeper price. If it was cheaper, I'd give it 4 stars for sure. The atmosphere is nice. It's definitely worth a try, especially because we might not have got dishes that reflect the best of Ya Hala, and I have friends that swear by it.
(3)
Sean G.

Hummus, creamy soft Pitas, hot pillows of joy When can I return? There was a restaurant called Ya Hala Their food only cost a few dollas The flavors were great All the new things I ate I even enjoyed some cauliflowa.
(5)
Martha R.

While this isn't the best Middle Eastern fare that I have ever fared, it was rather good for being outside Dearborn, MI where there are more Middle Eastern restaurants than there are days in the year. I walked in at an "off time" (i.e., 1:30pm) and was seated right away at the window. My waitress was young, and a little bit stand-offish, but overall friendly enough. I asked for some suggestions - and ended up getting the Lamb Shawarma. It wasn't like what I'm used to - it had lettuce, tomatoes and lots of tahini... but it was still pretty good. The lamb seemed more like ground lamb, though - which was a little strange, but again, still good. Plus, I walked out of there paying $7 including a $2 tip. Not a bad lunch price. The waitress also suggested the veggie platter. There was baba ghanoush, hummus, etc - perhaps I'd try that another time, but it was just too much food for lunch. But I will say... I really miss Dearborn sometimes. Especially when I eat at Middle Eastern restaurants. Where's my garlic paste (made with raw potato, lemon, and garlic), my hummus-to-die-for, and my REAL Shawarma? The meat's suppose to be spinning around a heating device and sliced off the spit right when I order it. It's then supposed to be wrapped in pita, and grilled a little so that it's crunchy on the outside. There are only pickled goods in there with my meat - and then plenty of garlicky goodness to sum it all up. Until I visit Dearborn.... this will do - but it will not stop me from continuing to look for a Dearborn-substitute... I can't be hopping on a plane every time I have a craving.
(3)
David W.

I love this place and my wife and the girls love it more. We have been to Ya Hala probably a dozen times int he last year and never had a glitch. The servers are efficient and not talkative. The food is always hot and tasty. I particularly like the hot over bread rolls which are very tasty hot so eat it right away.
(5)
Rhianna B.

Good portions, and a large selection of authentic food with large portions for a small price. The sitting area is a bit crammed and the service was slow, even though there wasn't that much of a crowd. The local parking isn't a problem, but you have to expect to walk a block or two in that area.
(3)
Jamin R.

Food is incredible. Atmosphere is ok, Service is wanting. The staff act as if they are entitled to a tip no matter what. I would say 25% of the staff is worth leaving a tip for. Hence the reason we always get the food to go. THE BEST SHAWARMA PLATE on EARTH! Bread is exquisite. But i think they put gold in to since they only give you a couple pieces at a time and only 1 piece if its to go....why??? Either way, worth eating, just not worth sitting to eat it! :-)
(4)
Patrick S.

I'm on a roll with The Big Red 5 Stars lately so I figured it's time to give my favorite middle eastern restaurant the props they so deserve. The Food is deliciously fresh and homemade. The service is on top of it and they're busting ass to get people moving through and the price is just right, two people stuffed with coffee & tea... $23. I've been here for dinner on the weekends and it is always a packed house but I've only had to wait 30 minutes at most. Lunch on the weekends is really laid back with most of the same menu items. On my most recent dining experience I found one of the dishes I want as my last meal here on Earth... Vegetarian Kibbeh. Holy Holy this dish is amazing yummy goodness from the word go. Here's the description straight off the menu for veggie Kibbeh: PÃ¢tÃ© made from gently parboiled bulgar wheat, soaked in tomato purÃ©e, mixed with onions, potatoes, delicate herbs such as basil and cilantro, and drizzled with olive oil. It has a hint of mint & sweetness which perfectly contrasts the sour tartness of the Makdous which is baby eggplants poached & stuffed with walnuts, garlic and chili peppers. I love all the vegetarian options here on the menu because this week I have been practicing vegetarian eating and I have found that it is not easy eating veggie so Ya Hala is an excellent place to get your veggie on. Shucram !
(5)
Joseph H.

Yet another review from "The in no way shape or form Lebanese food expert" reviewer! Yes, I rarely if ever eat Lebenese or Middle eastern food. Why? Because I don't like it! At least that's what I thought before I went to Ya Hala. It's still hit or miss for me, but I found plenty to like with the fresh wrapped grape leaves, hand made Nakanik sausge plate, the Mezza's both cold and hot. A friend of mine who loves the place helped me order, but that didn't matter it was going to be good anyway. I've tried a few other Lebanese style restaurants in Portland and always come away with a dry flavorless impression. Not at Ya Hala, everything had care put into it and you could tell these weren't copy cat recipes but someone passionate about the food. The Hummus alone had a rich creamy texture you'd never find in store bought brands. The Pita bread was fresh and warm, handmade pockets that I used to fill with all the ingredients around the table. I'm not sure I would go back on my own because it's just not my favorite cuisine. If some friends pull me along for the ride, I sure won't complain in the future.
(4)
Mark H.

I love Ya Hala, my family loves it, my friends love it. Great food, good prices, very lively at any time of day. Vegan, vegetarian, meat, it's all there and all good. I'm confident enough that I have taken my New York City friends here and they were quite happy with the food. The owner is around much of the time to direct traffic and greet customers. They tend to be very busy, and they are expanding their floor space. The servers tend to be super busy so sometimes service is a bit challenging, but hey, I'm not complaining.
(5)
Heathen J.

Great food! This place is usually busy so plan ahead. I often order to-go but when they say 15-20 minutes they really mean 30-40 minutes. Don't be hesitant this place is worth it.
(5)
Dyey L.

Pros: Great food, big servings, love the ambiance, best chocolate cake! Cons: Parking (on the street, one time took me 20 before getting one), serving time. Ya hala is my default mediterranean restaurant and with good reasons. Great kabob selection, tried everything and all was tasty. I highly recommend the lamb kabob, I don't usually eat lamb, except when my wife prepares it, which is the best, but ya hala's was very very good. The servings are huge. If you're with another person, try the kabob combination, it has lamb, chicken and kafta kabob (seasoned ground beef), it will surely satisfy you both. And if it's possible, save room for dessert, they have the best chocolate cake, made from scratch. The parking can be difficult because it's on a one way street. Also it seems that the serving time takes a while or maybe it's just me, I'm just so excited to eat, I guess. But all in all, my favorite kabob place in pdx.
(4)
rick r.

This gets my vote for Best Lebanese in Portland. Ya Hala has come a long way since its humble beginning as The Falafel King, more an extension of the market that it has since supplanted. The baba gannouj is amazing. Creamy, smoky eggplant that goes with everything. The skewers are fantastic. I do recommend going with a large group and getting one of the family-style feasts (ya hala mezza maybe), it's amazing. You will run out of table and tummy before you run out of food. The dinner wait can be a bit of a nightmare. They don't take reservations (though kudos...I called once to warn them of a large party on a friday night and there happened to be a table waiting for us, despite the crowd at the door). Ya Hala, while by no means fancy, is a bit nicer than Nicholas'. If you're craving street food, the cheaper Nicholas' might be a better destination. But for some dining, hit up the kibbeh, dajaj, makloube whatever.
(5)
Maya S.

I've eaten here many times, always good. This time, I ordered falafel only to find out that it is not gluten free. The waitress bent over backwards to make sure I got a new order, gluten free. She showed more concern that I would get what I wanted than most people would! Excellent customer service.
(5)
Beth G.

I think I ordered the wrong thing. I have heard great things abou YaHala for years--never heard anything bad, in fact. And our vegetarian mezza plate was lovely and delicious. But I gotta say, I didn't like my salad (Fatoush). It looked gorgeous, and had tons of veggies. And it tasted sort of bitter--the dressing, I mean. I think it was supposed to taste exactly that way, and I just didn't care for that kind of dressing. So it's my problem, not the restaurant's issue. But I still didn't like it. Given that everyone I have ever known has loved this place, I will definitely give it another try--and order a nice kebob plate.
(3)
Karen P.

Despite the fact that it is on the outskirts of town, it is convenient from Hwy 84, so probably takes less time for me to get there than it does for me to find parking in the Pearl (and I live right across the river from the Pearl). Do's: --Aranabeet-fried cauliflower...just trust me. Cauliflower is not known as a sexy vegetable, but this one, unbreaded and served with tahini...this dish will knock your socks off... --Artichoke hearts with tomato sauce. I have diffilculty going to Ya Hala and not ordering this dish. I don't know what magic spell they cast on it, but...the spicy tomato is offset with sweet sliced almonds...mmm... --Come during the week. I am one of those people who likes to be waited on...not to wait and since they don't take reservations...nuff said. Don'ts: --Let them serve you at a center table. The light in this place is terrible. Even the amazing food can't make up for the poor lighting. --Order wine. Their list is atrocious (at best). --Order the Kousa ("a riot of vegetables"). The dish is more like a riot...lacks depth--very bland. Overall, you will walk away satisfied--your server will have been prompt and pleasant, your belly full, and your pocketbook weighing only slightly less than when you walked in the door.
(4)
Robb W.

Since I'm recovering from yet another food-induced brain lock, I will keep this short... These fine folks do what they do very well. I've had lunch there a handful of times and have been duly impressed every time. When it comes to Middle Eastern / Lebanese food, I generally try to use a couple of items as a measuring stick - Falafel and Baba Ganoush (sp? yeah yeah...I can eat it better than I can spell it...sheesh...) The baba is really nice. You can taste the eggplant (rare it seems) and it has an unusual smoky flavor that I really like. However, it's the falafel that's the real showstopper. As others have said, it's crispy, light and very flavorful...little green hockey pucks of LOVE... Their hummus is solid (tasted a little eggy, which I thought was odd, but not unpleasant) and the tahini is very good as well. While I'm certainly no expert on this genre of food, I've had enough to know good from bad... This is good!
(4)
Ll P.

Amazing food. Great family atmosphere and unbeatable prices.
(5)
Kathryn K.

Oh my goodness is what I have to say. I went not expecting much and was totally wrong about it. This place is wonderful. The restaurant is big and has good ambiance. We ordered the stuffed baby eggplant for appetizer and it was addicting. I couldn't stop eating it. The appetizers come with hot homemade bread fresh and hot from the oven. I got the lamb shank in saffron sauce. I decided to get the bulgur wheat instead of the rice and I'm glad I did. The serving size is huge two lamb shanks with a bowl of bulgur wheat. The sauce could be a little richer for my taste and really didn't do anything for the dish. My husband got the trio of kabobs with jasmine rice and tubule. I can't express how good the food is. Everything we had was wonderful. We ended the meal with the trio of cookie dessert and a Turkish coffee. The cookies weren't too sweet and with the strong bold coffee it matched perfectly. We will have to go back so that I can try everything on the ment. I defiantly recommend this place.
(5)
Don B.

My wife and I found this place last night and are super stoked! I am a meat eater, and she is a vegan/vegetarian (depending on her mood). This place seems to be one of the few in SE PDX smart enough to mark DIRECTLY ON THE MENU what is vegan, what is vegetarian, and what is neither. Why can't other restaurants figure this out. THIS IS PORTLAND, people!!! SE PORTLAND, to be exact. Freak central. You are completely out of touch if you think that there's not a big restricted-diet market just waiting to be tapped. Anyway, now that I'm down off the soapbox... I'll just say its nice to be able to go somewhere that my wife has options and I can still eat some meat if I want. The atmosphere in this place is cozy. Not too small, but nice and crowded (as every good "ethnic" restaurant should be). The servers are friendly and seem to be pretty attentive. The smells emanating from the kitchen are so good they make your stomach growl in anticipation while you are waiting for your food. The food: The menu is big. They have a ton of Mezza options, which makes this a great place to share small plates (everyone gets a bite of everything!!). They have a really good Veggie Mezza platter, with Hummus, Baba, Falafel, Dolmas, Tabouleh, and pita. Their Pita comes warm, fresh from the oven. The Baba is super smoky (I can only guess they use liquid smoke - because its suspiciously smoky). The hummus is good (not as good as Nicholas'), and the falafel is nice and light and airy, while still filling (and its not too dry, thankfully). They are generous with the tahini too, which is nice. The other options include a list of stews, a whole bunch of kebobs, and a ton of entrees (some are just bigger versions of the hot mezzas). It is a nice, lengthy menu. We started with the Veggie Mezza, and then my wife ordered one more Mezza, and I ordered 3 more Mezzas (thinking they would be small bites - just enough for sampling). We ended up with WAY too much food. We got the little spinach and lemon vegan pies (can't remember the name right now) which were nice and lemony, I ordered the Foul (good, but needed salt), the spicy sausages (delicious - made especially for Ya Hala), and the Kibbeh (very tasty, but not the best I have ever had). The Kibbeh came with yogurt, and the sausages came with tahini. My wife and I just stared in awe at the mess of food in front of us, and then we dove in. The food here is very, very satisfying. The favors are not as deep and nuanced as I would expect, given the attention to detail on the menu, service, atmosphere, etc. But, I would not hesitate to call this fare "Lebanese comfort food". We got through maybe half of it and were over-full when we left. They definitely weren't stingy with the pita (our server brought more without us even asking), which is very nice. We ended with a couple of to-go boxes (yay, lunch today is Lebanese too!!!!) and a couple of leftover Pitas. Probably one of the nicest parts is that the Veggie Mezza is $8, and the other mezzas are around $4-5. 2 people could get nice and full off of the veggie Mezza plus one or 2 more mezzas - and thus escape satisfied with only a small check at the end. (I mark it as $, but if you get entrees, the you are at least in the $$ range). Attached to Ya Hala is a store that sells all sorts of middle-eastern goodies, including a wide variety of shishas for the good-time hookah smoking. I just got me a hookah as a housewarming gift, so I am going to have to stop back my and pick me up some Jasmine Shisha!!! I look forward to trying the shwarma next time I go back. I bet these people make a good lamb.
(4)
Jessica L.

I was not impressed. My friends took me to eat here after hearing hype from some of their classmates in Arabic class. So I had never had Lebanese food and this was my first time. And if all Lebanese food tastes like this, color me uninterested. I had the chicken dajaj over rice and a pepsi and my friends and I shared the homous... Okay. The rice was kinda bland but I'm Asian and we don't normally eat rice with spices so it was okay for me. But, the problem was... THE CHICKEN WAS UNDERCOOKED!! And no, it wasn't the lighting or anything. The chicken was mostly pink and there was some red in the middle. Um... it's in the food handlers book that chicken needs to be cooked thoroughly, otherwise, hello, SALMONELLA! Then lemme get started on the homous... the homous came with 4 little breads. The homous is nothing special. But the bread is quite nice. If inly it wad salted... And the thing is, the best part of the meal was the pepsi... it didn't taste like a pepsi you get from the fountain drink machine or the can or thr plastic bottles. Nope! It was quite smooth and I think it was from a glass bottle because it was one of the best pepsis that I have ever had in my life. So in conclusion, Ya Hala gets a star for the pepsi, half a star for the rice and half a star for the bread. And I think it's pretty fair. P.S. I ate the most cooked parts of the chicken and my stomach did not like me very much for a few hours.
(2)
Eileen L.

So sad to see the bad reviews pile up, but atmosphere doesn't please the palette. I, too, have noticed the drop in both quality and service over the past few years at Ya Hala, with some entrees appearing more like warmed leftovers than specially prepared dinners at a better restaurant. The Barbur World Foods market, to my knowledge owned by the same family, and offering much of the same food in the deli that is served in Ya Hala, has gone over the cliff in terms of super high priced produce and other items. But the most noticeable disappointment is that deli food, formerly a Portland takeout staple that had people lining up at the deli counter . . . now reduced in number of offerings, and to my taste not worth the drive. I loved discovering Ya Hala way back when, and had some memorable dinners with friends in its pretty space; won't be driving there from WashCo any more.
(2)
Jeff D.

Food and drinks were fantastic! So is the dessert! However, after our meal we couldn't get a server's attention for the bill. Getting the bill take about 15 minutes!
(4)
Poppy G.

My Gawd man, they have the best falafel balls ever, but the babaganosh and homus was week. Too much hickory flavoring or to much sour cream. Bleh, how can you mess up such easy dishes?
(3)
Raymond B.

Omg so slooooow. It took over an hour to just get a sandwich and pay, for lunch. They weren't even busy!
(2)
Chad F.

Have been here before and liked it. Batted 50% on Saturday... Veggie mezza plate was excellent. Special ground lamb with mint... Not so good. Lamb was bland and very dry. Accompanying veggies were variable. Cucumber salad just ok but beans (lima?) with garlic were terrific. Will be back but more likely to head to the one of the family's other establishments....Nicholas on Grande.
(3)
Dan H.

Some friends and I came up to Montavilla to eat at a place. That place was full so I mentioned Ya Hala as I had just seen it in a book on Portland restaurants that are worth a try. We ended up getting a table as soon as we walked in. The place is big, but this is definitely a place that should have more of a crowd on a Friday night. The menu is quite extensive. They certainly have a lot of the usual suspects, but I had my eye on the Kousa Stew ($10.50) pretty much as soon as I read what was in it. This is what the menu says about it: A riot of vegetables. Yellow squash, Mexican squash and zucchini are tenderly simmered in our freshly made tomato sauce with onions, fresh garlic, mint and lemon juice. It sounded on the different side and that is what caught my eye. Hot Pita and salad are included along with your choice of Bulgar Pilaf or Basmati Rice. I forgot to choose and was given the basmati rice which I was completely fine with. They give you large portions here so no need to fret. I ended up taking some of this home with me as we started out with falafel and the aforementioned pita bread. Quite filling in its own right. This stew was stocked with vegetables. I'm making an attempt at cutting down my meat intake. I don't expect that I will become a vegetarian, but it certainly is nice to not eat meat once in a great while. There were certainly plenty of meat options on this menu that I would have gladly eaten, but I'm happy I went with the healthier option on this trip. Well worth a trip out here for the food and the very prompt and friendly service. They have a few Lebanese style feasts on the menu too. This would be a good place to bring a group for one of those.
(4)
Lisa R.

I have been a regular here for years. They have alway had slow service and that part has remained consistent. I returned for a visit after some time away and noticed while the server was friendly the food has slipped in quality. The vegetarian grapevine leaves was small and dry, the falafel was surprisingly bland, the tahini remains flavorful and good. They still have good tabouli and baba ganooj. Some of the salads are bland now, lacking the tangy brightness lemon or sumac would provide. Main dishes were not warm enough or flavorful enough. Sadly they have become 'nothing special' despite the nice paintings on the walls.
(2)
Joseph F.

Perfection at its best. I am Lebanese and I can tell you that this place makes the best authentic food in town. The whole menu is yummy. I would highly suggest to try the veggie mezza, since you will get to try a bit of everything. Sambousek are so delicious. The bread warms your heart. Also Lamb shawarma is another plate that makes your mouth water. If you still can consume food, then I would recommend Knefe Bi Jeben which is sweet and amazing. Enjoy!
(5)
Beth v.

One of everything! Affordable and amazing food. Great experience to share with a small group.
(4)
Mark A.

The food is excellent. I'm a fan of kabobs, and they do these well. Also, they are a great supporter of neighborhood causes. (At least I know they support the local farmers market.) My gf says we need to go back several times to more thoroughly explore the menu.
(5)
Alex G.

I came to Ya Hala a number of times over several years, and my visits were generally pleasant. The food was always flavorful and the service fantastic. Unfortunately, my last visit turned out to be a disappointing one. The service was excellent and the staff attentive, pleasant, and friendly, but the dishes I ordered were surprisingly bland and in one instance even undercooked. I ordered Makdous, baby eggplants "poached and stuffed with walnuts", Sambousak, palm-sized hand pies stuffed with some sort of ground meat and spice mixture, and Falafel. The baby eggplants came out first. They were served in a jar of olive oil where they floated like some mysterious specimens from exotic lands. Their flavor vaguely reminded me of stuffed grape leaves, but the textures were just too strange for my pallet: oily and very soft outer skin matched poorly with grainier stuffing. These were served along with hot pita bread that turned out to be the best part of this course. I ended up dipping the bread in the olive oil while waiting for the next dish to arrive. The Sambousaks came next. Out of the three dishes I ordered, I liked these best. Little pies' outer shell was delectable: flakey, buttery, and warm like they just came out of the oven. The filling lacked flavor and needed more salt. The Falafel arrived last and seemed a bit too mushy in the middle, like it didn't cook through fully. Once I had attempted to make Falafel at home, and my results looked and tasted very similar. Not bad for an amateur, but for an ethnic restaurant a truly disappointing result. I did not order larger courses and perhaps my selection of items from the restaurant's large menu was simply unfortunate. But I won't be going back any time soon.
(3)
Robert R.

OK; I've had much better Lebanese food. There were a few olive pit chunks in my wife's land shwarma, will not return.
(2)
Moiz A.

I took an "uninitiated" friend here for Lebanese food, and he was blown away by the cuisine. This guy is very much a meat-and-potato type of fellow, but he couldn't stop complementing the food. We both had lamb kabob, and the meat was done just right with all the flavors that you expect from Mediterranean fare.
(5)
Jia S.

Boyfriend and I decided to try this place because he had a hankering for Lebanese food. The only thing sad about this place is that I didn't know about it sooner. I had the squash stew and the flavors were perfectly balanced. The menu has so many choices for vegans, vegetarians, and people who don't eat gluten. Our waitress was super helpful and friendly. I can see us going back to this place about once a week. The prices are low when you take into account their portions and the quality of the food.
(5)
Aaron S.

I love this place! When I go there, I always get the Veggie Mezza and the Shawarma Plate. I have had other things and all were great, but these are my favorite. They come with warm bread straight out of the oven and they have a good wine selection as well. Just go, it's worth it!
(5)
Brandy S.

This is one of the great Lebanese restaurants in town (both for vegetarians and meat eaters alike). There is more space here than in some of the other local eateries, so not a lot of waiting for food! I also love the fact that there is an attached grocery store where you can buy all of the supplies needed to make your own Lebanese feast at home. Overall: wonderful experience, even for those who are hesitant to try new, exotic flavors!
(5)
R S.

Best vegan lebanese in town-- best vegan kibbeh int he world. Don't forget the vegan baklava as well. Can get very crowded and the service suffers a little when this is the case--but well worth hanging in there. Their bread is awesome and they have options for a full entree style dinner (the stuffed artichokes rock) or grab mix and match mezzas and great lentil soup. Easy to do very cheap if you don't have a big appetite. I usually hate restaurant humus but theirs is great.
(5)
Rita W.

This place is, in a nutshell, beyond awesome. Wonderful authentic food. I don't hesitate taking out-of-town friends there or going on a date. Best Lebanese food I've had in years.
(5)
Lavenda M.

I love this restaurant, because the food is super yummy and the portions very large. While I have not ever been a sit-in guest, I often order take their take out so I can't attest to their service.
(5)
Britta E.

Dude, this place is goooood. Quite possibly the best Lebanese in Portland. I had the good luck of being taken here for lunch by my work and being fed a spread fit for royalty. Not only did they manage to overturn my negative feelings about baba ganouj for life (why is it not all like this??) but I got to try something entirely new to me: vegetarian kibbeh. Mmmm what texture and flavor this stuff had, spicy potatoes and tomatoey bulgar wheat made into a flavorful patÃ©, who knew it'd be so wonderful? We honestly had too many plates for our table and they just kept coming: dolmas, hummus, tabouli, falafel, stuffed eggplants, little flat breads topped with spicy meat called sfeeha, a sprawling cheese plate (with stringy salty string cheese complimented by olives!), these wonderful grilled meatball-like things called kafta and of course, endless steaming hot pita. Clearly after all that, we were pretty much incoherent and required caffeine in order to come down from our food high. And oooooo man did their Turkish coffee do the trick. We managed to jump from food high to caffeine high with utterly brilliant grace and balance. I've also been here under less feasty/more cheap eats circumstances (aka a quick falafel) and it's been equally satisfying. Make sure to leave some time to pop your head into International Food Supply a few doors down. It's a whole new world of goodies.
(4)
Man D.

I've been having a lot of trouble finding good Middle Eastern food for a decent price in Portland. I've been to this restaurant twice, the first time I was impressed, mostly with the homemade garlic paste the cook made per my request, because for some reason this isn't a normal item served. The second time around I was very disappointed & don't think I'll be returning here. I ordered my favourite Middle Eastern dish, veggie grape leaves, & honestly, they were the worst grape leaves I've ever had! Sooo disappointing! I also asked if the cook could make me garlic paste again, this time around it was not impressive at all, actually had a bit of a sour taste to it. My boyfriend ordered lamb kabobs, a fairly expensive dish, per my recommendation... he's not big on ethnic foods & I told him lamb is big at Middle Eastern places & I bet he'd like it... the lamb wasn't tender at all & there was even a piece that looked under-cooked (despite it taking quite a while for a food to come out). I don't know if the second time around it was a different cook or she was just having an off day, but neither me or my boyfriend were impressed at all & it totally ruined this place for us.
(2)
Barry S.

I ate there a couple of years ago. We waited a long time not only to sit but to be acknowledged at all, just standing there, not even certain where to sit or wait. When we were served the waitress regarded us as though we had just ran over her dog. The food seemed fine, though overpriced (especially considering how much reasonably priced Lebanese food is out there). I had some kind of lemony tuna dish that I didn't really care for. I know this is a popular place but I wasn't feeling it. I mostly felt the hate stare of our waitress.
(2)
Lisa L.

This place is awesome. My brother took me for lunch on a visit home as it is one of his favorite places and now one of mine. The place is dark and hasn't been updated, but the chairs were wide and really comfy, and it is pretty quiet no matter where you sit. We had falafel to start. I found this dry and not too flavorful although my brother was wolfing it down, so to each his own. We next had the Shawarma plate. The waitress brought out a basket of warm pita bread, and a plate of grilled chicken (you can also have lamb sirloin, which is what my brother usually orders but now recommends the chicken), surrounded by hummus and pine nuts. I was seriously licking my fingers and the plate at the end of this. It was a simple dish that was really delicious. I would like to try a dish other than the falafel next time but would not go there without ordering the Shawarma plate.
(4)
Jenny R.

This is not the Ya Hala that it used to be. We ordered food and picked it up and were sorely disappointed at the low quality - especially for the price. The fattoush salad was dripping with olive oil, the greens looked old, and on top of everything else, they gave us the wrong soup. When I called to tell them they had given us the Swiss chard soup instead of the lentil soup, the condescending server informed me that the Swiss chard soup also contained lentils. When I told her that it wasn't what I ordered, she told me that she thought they might exchange it if I brought it back. No thank you. We won't be going here again.
(1)
T M.

The food here is SOOOO good!! I've recommended this restaurant to many who live out in this area (because let's face it, good restaurants out here are hard to find), and everyone has always agreed about how good it is. The pita is amazing - hot and fluffy and yummy right out of the oven - the way it should be. The portions are generous and the prices are so reasonable. Plus, it's just good food - everything!!! We eat here often and will continue to eat here often!!! Just adding to my review. Saturday night we got take out from here. SO GOOD!! They are so nice, and very prompt with their service. We ordered the Veggie Mezza, Side of 5 extra falafel and a single lamb kebab. They prepare lamb better than anywhere else (it's like butter!!), and the flavor is amazing. In addition to the Pita, this was dinner and then lunch the next day for the two of us. I can hardly wait to eat Ya Hala food again!! It's seriously amazing!!!!
(5)
Nader A.

Ya Hala, dolla bill, y'all!!! With the departure a couple years back of my favorite Lebanese restaurant in PDX (RIP Abou Karim), Ya Hala had stood pretty much alone as my favorite Lebanese restaurant in town. Over the years I'd say it's taken a few steps back in some areas, but improved in others, and still stands out as my fave - though it's no longer head and shoulders above the rest. Next to Indian cuisine, Middle Eastern (or Near Eastern, if you prefer) is probably my second favorite type of ethnic food. I grew up eating a lot of Egyptian food in the home, and really the differences between Egyptian and Lebanese, or Greek or Persian, or any thing else under the rubric of "Middle Eastern" food, are pretty slim and mostly at the margins; at least in so far as their presentation in US American restaurants. Though the names may vary a bit (Arabic "Kofta" is much like Greek "bifteki", Arabic "shawarma" is a shaved lamb or beef very similar to Greek "Gyros") you'll always find lots of grilled meats and kabobs (emphasis on lamb and chicken), falafel, hommous, baba ghanouj, pita, stuffed fine leaves, etc. Ya Hala has all of this, but they venture further off the beaten path with less common Lebanese specialty dishes such as Bulgar B'Defeen, Tajen, Makloube, and Moughrabieh. I've probably sampled 95% of what's on the menu and been pleased with most of it. One thing I avoid though are the sandwiches. It's probably more of a personal preference thing, but I think they pack too much cold lettuce and yogurt or tahini in there, and not enough meat or falafel, causing the pita to disintegrate a bit. Truth be told I think you're probably better off with the specialty dishes rather than the grilled kebobs, especially when you factor in the price. It's not ridiculously expensive, and the portions are generous, but $14 for 2 skewers of lamb ($12.50 for Chicken or Kofta kebobs) with rice and small salad certainly ain't cheap. And I'm a little miffed they charge $1.50 to sub in tabouli, but I bite the bullet every time 'cuz I loves me some tabouli. Compare this with say, Dajaj over rice (one of my faves and a pretty good bargain at only $12) and you'll end up with a much more unique and equally satisfying meal of braised boneless chicken, baked on a bed of basmati rice mixed with spiced ground beef, topped with roasted almond slivers and pine nuts, and served with a side of yogurt you can stir into the meal (I usually just leave it out). If you've only ever enjoyed the straightforward grilled meats, it's definitely worth your while to venture out a bit. Ya Hala is still an attractively decorated little oasis in what has become an up-and-coming stretch of SE Stark in Montavilla. The walls are painted with themed murals, or to appear like rustic cracking brick from the old country. The recessed overhead lighting is prettied up with painted panels that hide the boring fluorescent bulbs, and lend a filtered near sepia tone to the place. The ambiance is definitely part of the experience here, and sets it apart from many other Middle Eastern restaurants. But what about those changes I alluded to earlier? Well on the plus side they've expanded by converting the attached little Middle Eastern market into a second dining room, nearly doubling the space and tables (the market moved to a new storefront, still adjacent to Ya Hala). You can still expect a wait, especially during peak hours, but if you've experienced that awkwardness of standing elbow-to-elbow with as many as a dozen others all waiting for a seat, you'll be glad they've added the space. Plus, they seem to have a better staff-to-table ratio now, whereas in the past there would often times be a single server for the whole restaurant. On the negatory though, it seems like their kitchen has been much more inconsistent as of late. I've had Kofta which has looked well cooked from the outside, turn out a little on the rare side for my tastes. Also, I don't know if they switched where they're getting some of their meats, or if they're starting to cut corners in the kitchen, but the last Chicken Kebobs we ordered (for take out) were huge and nicely seasoned, but had a disappointing amount of fat that in the past I think they'd have trimmed off. Most of the mezza dishes however are much more reliable. I LOVE their Foul Muddames, and the Arabaneet is always a delicious way to start a meal. All in all I still give Ya Hala a very high recommendation, but the window has been left open for another Lebanese restaurant to perhaps sneak ahead of this place in my heart.
(4)
Sasha L.

I want to give this a 3.5 review! A group of friends and I went to Ya Hala on a Saturday night, at about 7:30. I had heard from a friend to plan on mediocre service if it's busy--but the service was actually really great and attentive. Our water cups definitely never ran dry and our server was personable and really nice. (On a side note, my group was confused how the entire staff there could be so good-looking...I'd like to think this didn't affect my rating of Ya Hala but it probably did :). ) The food was pretty good. The baba ganoush that came with the Veggie Mezza was delish, and nobody complained about anything tasting bad--most of us got kabobs and those were yummy! The rice was, well, rice. I'm bias to the rice from Nicholas' though. I ordered the Moughrabieh--I can't place my finger on what I didn't like about it. I'm not picky; bottom line, I liked my meal but I wouldn't order it again. It felt lacking. I wouldn't go here if you wanted to dine and go....it's slower paced than some restaurants of equivalent ambiance/price/etc. Would I go again? Maybe, but I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to eat here.
(3)
Chris A.

We came here on a mid-week evening and the place was pretty busy. They seemed slightly understaffed, or at least the wait staff seemed a bit flustered. The food was tasty and came out to our table fairly quickly. I think we'd definitely return again.
(4)
Pita B.

Bad food, bad service. Even the pepsi taste like it was out all day and lost the bubbles. The only ok thing was the hummus. But that pretty much it. Chicken wasn't cooked. To much waiting. I'll never come again.
(1)
Danny D.

MMMMMM MMMMMM MMMMMM. I love this place. The food is so good and addictive. The Falafel, hummus, and naan are all to die for. I cant remember everything I have had on the menu but I have never had a bad experience. The place is a bit old and dark but that doesnt affect how delicious the food is. I eat mostly veggie and there are tons of options on the menu!!!!
(5)
Chris G.

One Friday evening, the wife and I were looking for a bite before a show at the Academy. The Observatory was jammed, so we decided it was finally time to give Ya Hala a try. This was great choice #1 for the night. Usually when we have Lebanese, we have a hard time straying from mezza. This night was no exception, but this time we went with one order of mezza and one order of chicken kabobs over rice. You guessed it: great choice #2. The hummus, baba ganoush, and other mezza elements were top-notch. The kabobs were fantastic. The seasoning, the way it was cooked, the rice... all delicious. We were hungry, but just those two entrees filled us up and there was kabob/rice/mezza to spare. We weren't sure if we wanted to leave that all in the car for a few hours. You know how leftovers can funkify a car. We decided to go for it. This was the trifecta; good decision #3.There was very limited funk and we had an awesome snack the next day... almost as good as the first time. Beside that, we had great service. She was friendly, attentive, and got us out in plenty of time to catch our movie. As odd as it may sound given the cuisine, I think this is probably a better family or group dining experience than a date night experience. The ambiance is fine, but there's just something small missing and it's the only reason that I'm withholding the fifth star. Perhaps I'll give it another go and change my mind. Knowing what Ya Hala is about will make me think twice rating any of Portland's other Lebanese restaurants with five stars. I certainly haven't experienced anything better than this.
(4)
Beerboy M.

After multiple visits I have come to the conclusion that this place is below average overall, with an occasional average uptick. I keep giving them another chance, and leave unsatisfied yet again. Slow, slow, slow service. Expect to wait a long time to receive your food, or, if you are ordering a mezza, part of your food. Long periods with no checking from the waitress leaves you with no pita for what seems like the majority of your meal. Surprisingly, the bill comes rapidly at the end of your meal. 1 vegetarian mezza and 1 shawarma, with a glass of Arak aperitif and 2 soft drinks ran $31.20. For that, the shawarma was completely unseasoned. Lamb that was reasonably well cooked, but absolutely no garlic, pepper, or allspice detected. The dish was pretty, though. The hummus was good, the baba ghanouj was good, and the tabbouleh was OK. The falafel was overcooked, and the deep fried cauliflower was just that, deep fried cauliflower with no other taste. For that, it could have been steamed and healthier (not traditional, I realize). Grape leaves were average. Honestly, you'd be better off heading to Hoda's or Nicholas if looking for Middle Eastern/Lebanese food in SE Portland. The one positive, though, is that you can visit the grocery store next door and buy your own ingredients for similar or better cuisine.
(2)
Andrea B.

This is definitely authentic Middle Eastern food! While the atmosphere isn't very Middle Eastern, the food definitely makes up for it, and isn't overpriced either
(5)
Yianni B.

I will always go back here. I love the food and the atmosphere is great. I just wish they had more servers when its busy.
(3)
Mari T.

I was tempted to give Ya Hala my very first 5-star review and then remembered that as much as I love the food here (and I do love it so so much!), I hate the service most times... The waitresses are usually slammed busy and getting their attention and service is difficult if they have a full house... That being said, the food here is my favorite Lebanese food in Portland - and my husband and I try Lebanese restaurants whenever we hear of a new one. So when I say our favorite, that means of the other 10 or so Lebanese restaurants that we have tried (a few have closed - alas!), Ya Hala is the one we take friends and family to and the one we prefer to go to, given a choice. The bread here is piping hot when it is fresh and it usually is (we have occasionally been at the tail-end of a batch) -- The outside is crispy and the inside is soft and overall it is a huge puffball on the wicker plate. Be careful when you tear into it at first because the steam is vicious - but once it vents, it goes pretty fast on our table. We usually get a vegetarian mezza plate which has hummus, baba ghanouj, tabouli, falafel, stuffed grape leaves and deep fried cauliflower. We fight over the baba ghanouj because we both LOVE the smoky rich flavor of the dip that is so different from the usual at other restaurants. The hummus is also really good with a nutty taste and creamy texture that I love to eat with the tabouli. And unlike most tabouli that I have had, Ya Hala manages to make the tabouli taste like something WAY more than the usual chopped parsley and lemon juice that a lot of places serve. My husband and I usually trade off on the falafel and stuffed grape leaves -- I hog 2/3 of the falafel and he takes the grape leaves. The last few times, he has said the grape leaves were a little on the tart side, but I have no such complaints about the falafel! It is always crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and absolutely delicious! For meat, we usually change it up a bit sometime getting shwarma or kebabs, other times getting some of the more specialized lamb or chicken dishes. The meat dishes have never failed to make us happy and everyone we bring is happy with the flavor and selection. We always have a ton of leftovers that we enjoy the next day, though the dips don't travel as well as I would like. Even the next day, though, the food is good and we get one extra day of Ya Hala, which makes us happy.
(4)
Donald B.

Everything seemed quite good. Unless you are knowledgeable about Lebanese foods go with someone who knows what's what and try a sampling of as much as you can. This is a very safe place to try out Lebanese and our waitress was very helpful. For those of you who have hangups about sexual orientations, you're really missing a bet if you don't try out some Lebanese food.
(3)
Gracie P.

The food was pretty good. Some of the dishes we ordered were really delicious, and the basmati rice we had was fabulous, but some other dishes were quite bland. The main complaint I have is the atrocious wait time. This place is clearly not set up for parties greater than 2 or 3. We had 5 people in our party. We arrived at 7pm and were only number 5 on the waitlist. We were not warned of how long the wait would be. We were not seated until 8pm, and didn't receive our food until after 9pm. Our waitress was fine, but the place was clearly understaffed.
(2)
Elias A.

Been here four times total and would come again. There Mezza is really good, with the exception of the arnabeet (fried cauliflower which they just can't seem to cut in to equally pieces and as a result, you end up with undercooked large chunks). The fresh made bread you get soon after sitting down is a very nice touch. Being Lebanese myself, and a carb fanatic, it gets my vote. Some of the entrees did not quite hit the mark, hence the four stars.
(4)
Jodeen V.

Oh Lordy! Am I on the floor? Did I faint from a sheer, overwhelming foodgasim? Please excuse me, but that was a culinary experience that has altered me down to my cellular level and I shall move forward in this world a changed, better person. Okay, there was a line and a wait, but that's a good sign, right? The four of us got stuck at a teensie little table in the middle of all the hubbub and a breeze-blow from the door, but that was okay. One member of my party knew our server, so that may have helped everything go well, because they were really, crazy-busy and we could see right into the kitchen and "controlled-chaos" was probably the best term for all the clanging and yelling going down in there (although everyone seemed pretty okay about it). But the food......... oh, the food, it was like a first kiss from a boy you've had a crush on since 6th grade. It was sweet, spicy, exciting, interesting and perfect and utterly worth the wait. It was so fresh and abundantly-flavored. I may be easily impressed, but the people I was with are food people, and they loved it as much as I did (although maybe I was the only one swooning). Everyone shared, so I sampled at least 5 or 6 dishes. I even tasted the meat dishes (because I am not a PERFECT vegetarian and it WAS WORTH IT! COMPLETELY! Those animals did NOT die in vain!). It was wonderful. It was definitely the best hummus I had ever had and the rest is just a food-astic blur of happiness. All the stars and more for this place!!! I loved it!
(5)
michele f.

Food was heavenly and geez this place can get packed! When we arrived, maybe half the dinner room was full but by the time we left, not only was the main room completely full but the second room off to the right of the front door. Delicious food (and lots of it so arrive on an empty stomach), an interesting wine selection and friendly wait staff that were able to handle the amount of diners. All pluses in my book! One suggestion- invest in slightly larger tables so all the plates fit without having to juggle all the dishes.
(4)
Donald E.

Trying to sum up my experience at Ya Hala's, all I really can say is "meh." I've definitely had better. And with so many Lebanese restaurants all around Portland, why settle for mediocre? We ordered take-out, and the food was prepared in a decent amount of time. Granted the vegan in our group received not his ordered dish, but something meat-filled instead. On top of that, the food was just... okay. Horribly underwhelming. The food almost had a pre-prepared taste to it. The lebna was more of a cream cheese than a yogurt, and the falafel is green on the inside. All said and done, was it a bad experience? No. If this was my only Lebanese option, would I be back? Yes. Given the current circumstances, will I be back? Probably not.
(2)
Kris W.

A 4.5 star joint - the inexpensive hot and cold mezze choices are great for sharing. Very nicely spiced dishes with a good variety of options on the menu. Skip desserts. The stuffed grape leaves were small but very tasty; hummus was light and creamy. The salad with the grape leaves was dressed in a tart, garlicky vinaigrette with a little sumac in the dressing. On a par with Aladdin and a bit less expensive but comparable quality to Karam.
(4)
Mikalina W.

I love the fact that Ya Hala is in my neighborhood! The food is just scrumptious! We always get the veggie mezza starter, which is a great selection of appetizers, and a meal unto itself and share an entree. And we always eat past the point of being full because it just tastes so good! They're expanding, which is great because there is always a line on the weekends and oftentimes during the week. The one thing that keeps this place from getting 5 stars in my book is the service. I understand that they're busy, really I do, but sometimes, not always, the service is so rushed that there is zero eye contact I almost feel like a nuisance for being there and interrupting the servers' busy schedule. I went to another Lebanese restaurant downtown with a friend for her birthday, because we were already downtown and she had never had Lebanese Food, and it just reminded me how awesome the food at Ya Hala is. The food at the other restaurant was ok, sure, but nothing as awesome as I have become accustomed to at Ya Hala, So by all means, go to Ya Hala! You won't be disappointed at all. Just don't expect any eye contact from the servers.
(4)
cori k.

i'm no expert on lebanese food, but i've never left ya hala disappointed or hungry. tons of veggie options, good drinks, baklava (mmm), lots of tables so there's rarely a wait. the last time we went our food did seem to take longer than usual to get out to us, but hopefully that was a one-time thing. plus, how fun is it to say "ya hala!" ??
(4)
Bobby D.

This is a small lebanese restaurant serving traditional foods. It's on the one way road going west from 82nd ave. I went here a few times for lunch and it was always good. My recent visit was also good except they didn't serve the really giant size loaves of bread like they use to. They now have more of a flat type bread. However, the service was still good, you can still sit at tables outside if you want, and the prices were still reasonable. They also have the traditional desserts there. I ordered a lamb dish which was really good. Parking can be a problem since there is on street only. I will definitely go back when in the area.
(4)
Valerie J.

This was my first time here, and I ordered the tabouli salad and lentil soup, and both were delicious. They have other vegan items that look interesting. The service was kind of slow, but they were also busy. The inside temp seemed rather cold, but maybe it was just us. We liked that there was relatively easy parking on the side streets.
(5)
Jay M.

It's not food, it's edible art!
(5)
Shell R.

My husband and I visited Ya Hala for a much needed date night out. We love Lebanese cuisine and were excited to try it out. I had the chicken shwarma and he had a lamb dish. Both were great but he did have a nice long hair in his dish. :( We didn't bring up the hair.. because we just wanted to have a nice dinner and not complain cause everything else was so great. Btw the baklava is to die for. Anyway,.. the bad part of our meal came after we left. We looked at our charge on our bank account and we were charged $100 for the tip on top of our bill instead of $10! Ahh So I called the next day to have the bill fixed and they said they would call me back.. they didn't call me back.. so I called them again in the afternoon. Then they said well it will take me a while to find the tabs so I will call you back tomorrow. Okay fine. No call back the next day.. I call again and they said I found the tab and we charged you correctly. At this point I had already called my bank and they said that by looking at the charge they know the merchant charged us incorrectly and that we would need to file a dispute. It has been a week and I am still waiting for my $100 back! grrr If I was the restaurant manager or owner I would not argue with the customer.. and/or they should call the bank for me. Not good customer service on the managers part.
(2)
Sarah R.

Whenever I'm in need of a delicious lamb sandwich, this is where I go. Last winter, when I was eating vegan, this place also was very satisfying, with a very alive spinach salad and vibrant tabbouleh. The food is always tasty and well-seasoned. All the servers are friendly, and the family's Lebanese daughters are beautiful. The owners/family are always around, showing that they're hands-on and assuring continual high quality.
(4)
Katie S.

I love Lebanese food, and this is my favorite. Such great flavors! Lots of food at reasonable prices. Had the stuff artichokes and they were AMAZING. I had a bite of the lamb kabobs. They were FANTASTIC. You really can't go wrong here. My husband and I highly recommend this place if you want Lebanese food. So delicious. We have been to Tarboush and Al Amir as well. Though I love both those places and would give them 5 stars, I think this one is 5.5 stars!
(5)
Verelle S.

This is easily some of the best Lebanese food I've ever had. It's also ridiculously inexpensive and they serve very generous portions. A great place to go with a group and order 'family style'.
(5)
Rachael J.

I have been here 3 times and have had 3 good meals. The menu has lots of options and the prices are right. There is often a line and you can't make reservations. Service is fair and if it is busy food tends to be slow. Worth the trip for a decent cheap meal.
(4)
Amanda E.

This place is straight packed starting around 6 pm, so if you can't wait for your lentil soup, go for lunch. Veggie Mezza - super delicious, tons of food, not expensive. The veggie Kibbeh is yummy too. Pita is fresh and warm outta the oven, and the falafel sandwich - I dig. Only problem is that the servers kinda leave you to fend for yourself, so pre-emptively ask for anything you need when your server's at the table. P.S. Foul Mudumas is very not foul! Try it!
(5)
meg g.

We were visiting from SF and wanted a tasty place to meet friends last minute. So glad that someone suggested Ya Hala! We had a lovely dinner. Between 5 we ordered a little of everything. Nothing was a disappointment. It was definitely a hit.
(4)
Lee C.

I ordered something called Kefteh and what I got was cardboard -- tasteless, baked to a crisp, and with a filling that was dried out. It was horrible but they made me pay for it anyhow. I asked for something to spread on their "bread" and what I got was $4.50 worth of hummus -- way, way overpriced (and I would have told them not to bother if I had known they were going to hold me up for it). The salad was undistinguished by anything worth talking about. All in all, I wouldn't even give them a star if the Yelp software would allow it.
(1)
customer s.

Hands down, one of my favorites! Coffee, baklava, homous, tabouli, falafel, grape leaves, everything is simply perfect! Somone at the table always orders lamb and comments on how delish it is, me no like lamb so I can't say. Pita bread is the best around. Portions are big, so I usually order the Mezza plate and I'm stuffed.
(5)
Christian M.

Not sure if I should go back and change any 5-star ratings I've given back down to 4 so I can emphasize that this is probably the best food I've had in Portland. Certainly one of those times where it's a bit pricey, but totally worth it. It's always pretty busy, so go early to beat the crowds or be willing to wait (it's worth it), because this place is no secret. Everything is very, very good. Best pita I've ever had. Good Turkish coffee. My family lets the birthday-boy/girl pick the restaurant as their main birthday gift, and I always pick this place. My Lebanese friend and I agree that this is the best Lebanese food in town. Oh yeah, and my friends parents, visiting from Lebanon, loved it.
(5)
Jes P.

Aside, from having a name that is fun to say, this place has fantastic food (if you order the right thing). The appetizers are out of this world- the fresh pita, grape leaf rolls, hummus, baba ghanouj, samosas, falafel, etc are to die for! The entrees are the other hand are never that exciting- I've been their many times and every entree my friends or I have ordered has been a giant pile of flavorless meat and rice. Good quality- but flavorless. The other downside to this place is the SLOOOOOOOOW service. The food is good enough that I'm always willing to come back, but I only go on weekdays- the earlier the better.
(3)
Jon N.

First-rate Lebanese, family-oriented, everything handmade, a real find! Pita bread is puffy, right out of the oven, I never had that before. Falafel is also light and fluffy, delicately spiced but with good crunch without being oily. Our family style Mezze included delicious Bulghur spread, meat pies, cheeses, delicate pickled eggplant, way more generally than we could eat. Our kebabs were ordinary however, and the setting is fine but not special. Popular and no advance reservations.
(5)
TheBeesKnee S.

Compared to many of the other middle eastern restaurants in Portland this place is a rip-off, at least two stars below Nicholas and yet it's much more expensive. Sure, you have to wait for a table at other middle eastern restaurants in Portland, but that should be a good sign. Ya Hala had bland hummus, tiny portions, and a long wait for food (despite the fact that the restaurant was only half full). We won't go back.
(2)
Dan K.

The food is great, and it's dirt cheap--so far, the best value in Portland. The vegetarian kibbeh is awesome. It's busy, so there's sometimes a wait. You can call ahead and get your food to go, but the pita is much better at the restaurant. The ambience isn't great, but it's fine.
(5)
Olive R.

I love, love, love Ya Hala. The Veggie Mezza is great, because you get falafels, hummus, stuffed grape leaves, aranabeet, baba ghanouj, tabouli, and pita bread. And it's vegetarian (actually vegan) and awesome value.
(5)
Michelle S.

This is one of the best restaurants in town! The food is healthy and absolutely, insanely delicious, the price isn't cheap but it's reasonable (about 10 bucks to eat enough for one person, it usually lasts me the whole day), and the service is so very friendly. One of the ladies who I think is one of the owners helped me pick out ingredients to make dolma at the grocery store nearby. She recommended various recipes and gave me tips. The dolma came out superb but not as good as theirs. I live in the neighborhood and she always smiles when I walk by. I wish they were open on Sunday but I can certainly overlook that shortcoming because they are so incredibly good. I want them open so I have them as an option all the time! My mom, who is a pretty serious diabetic, had lots of options which is a huge deal to my sister and I. I'm moving out of the neighborhood but I'll make the bike ride just to enjoy this place again and again!
(5)
Deb P.

Ya Hala is one of our fave restaurants in SE. We usually get takeout, although no matter how far in advance you call in your order, you will still wait at least 10 minutes for it. We love their veggie mezza plate and the lamb shwarma sandwiches. The falafel and the bread is hit-or-miss, sometimes fantastic, other times just mediocre. I am happy to see that they recently expanded (by moving the Lebanese grocery further down the block). Last time we got take-out, it was a very, very hot day. I could see into the kitchen area and proceeded to watch one of the kitchen assistants scratch at her nose, pick at the corners of her eyes and rub her face several times over 5 minutes. It was so gross, it made us not want to eat our dinner. I immediately reported it to the manager, who went to speak to the person. Hopefully she brushed up on her kitchen hygiene! Overall, Ya Hala remains a great choice in SE. Try it!
(4)
Ziyad A.

Good Middle-Eastern food. You might better Middle Eastern restaurants in neighboring states, but nothing is better than Ya Hala in Portland metro area. I am from the Middle East and I am telling you their food is good.
(4)
sara s.

I don't get what all the hype about Nicholas' is. In my opinion, this place is so so so much better. I order take out from here a lot, they are always super nice...which goes a long way!!!! I can't stay away from the Veggie Mezze plate. It really is one of the perfect meals, with lots of little yummy bites to choose from. Even their basmati rice gets about 10 "mmmm's" out of me.... so amazingly good, all the time. yum!
(4)
Rebel B.

I was looking forward to this place. I made the drive across town and was impressed with the initial atmosphere. It was not busy, all the tables had their food and only one table was waiting. We did not get any service! It took 10 minutes to get water and we were told that our server would be with us shortly. 10 more minutes past and nothing... just blank stares from a couple of people in the kitchen area. It seems to be a gathering place where people seem to be "busy" but pay you no attention. After another 10 minutes we got up and left. So I can't say much about the service or the food since there was none. What a waste of time!
(1)
Jessi S.

The ambiance of this place is great. They have spent a ton of time/money on murals that transport you to Lebanon. Having never been to Lebanon this is what I think it would look like anyway. Even better than the decor is the wonderful aromas that greet you at the door. The staff was courteous and attentive. The food was delivered quickly as it came out of the kitchen. This means that some dishes come out faster but since we were sharing it didn't really matter. Now onto the good stuff... We ordered baba ghanouj, shanklish, falafel, and sambousak. All of these are off of the mezza menu. They are small plates but 2 of use shared four and were stuffed. The baba ghanouj was amazing. It has a wonderful smoky flavor and was served with fresh house made pita. Next up was the shanklish. This is an aged cheese ball served over a salad of tomatoes and scallions. My description kinda blows but this needs to be ordered! The cheese was salty and the light vinaigrette on the salad paired very well. The falafel was very tasty. It was green inside which I had never seen before. It must have some type of green herb in the mix that adds a great fresh bitterness to it. The sambousak is a meat hand pie in the tradition of calzone or pasty. This was perfectly cooked so the dough was still a bit chewy and the inside was warm. The ground meat filling was excellently spiced and went very well with the plain yogurt that accompanies it. I liked it and will be back at some point.
(5)
Liz S.

I love this place. I think it is probably the best Lebanese food that I have ever had the pleasure of putting into my mouth. I have only ever gotten one dish - the vegetarian mezza platter of course! The roasted cauliflower is wonderful - it kind of melts in your mouth. I have to say I have never had a bad experience here. You get a huge amount of absolutely wonderfully prepared food that will satisfy people of all different food preferences. Vegans, vegetarians and carnivores alike. I think the prices are very fair for what you get. Only complaint - sometimes the dining area and bathrooms don't seem as clean as I'd prefer.
(4)
Greg W.

This place serves quite good Lebanese food and gets busy. Unfortunately they do not take reservations. Talk your party into ordered the mezza combination for four if you are feeling adventurous or are new to Lebanese food. Their food has a fresh, homemade characteristic to it. The baba ganouj is a standout with a unique smoky flavor. Classic dishes such as the falafel and stuffed grape leaves have a lighter, more delicate taste than other places. After additional courses of pita, hummus, spinach fatayer, and vegetarian kibbeh, we were treated to kabobs of lamb, chicken, kafta and ahi. The meat dishes were all prepared well - some with hints of citrus. My only complaint was that the Ahi skewers were cooked to medium well (should be rare on the inside). I did try the house Lebanese Cabernet and it is definitely different than American and European cabs - dry, a little flinty and with hints of olive. Our service experience was actually quite good, although the waitress said that she was new there. This is now my favorite Lebanese restaurant in Portland.
(4)
Patrick C.

If they just fixed the A/C, I'd upgrade Ya Hala to 5 stars pronto. By far the best of the mighty Attar family restaurant dynasty (members own Nicholas's and Hoda, although they are entirely separate otherwise), Ya Hala has the best falafel I've ever tasted, even better than Chicago's mighty Sultan's Market (I'm sorry Chicagoans, please forgive me but it's true). It manages to be somehow light and fluffy even though it's fried-- I have no idea how hey accomplish this. The prices are more than reasonable and I've yet to have anything that wasn't at least pretty good on the menu-- it's also very vegetarian friendly. But it's very hot inside. Their lack of functional A/C makes me hesitant to eat there-- I'd rather take it to go and eat at home. Blah.
(4)
Laurie S.

My favorite place for middle eastern food. Don't miss the vegan stuffed artichoke hearts. They are served with rice and salad. A lovely big meal; plenty to take home. The pita is homemade. The baba ganouj the best. I always ask them to serve the mezza without the extra oil on top. I love the aranabeet--deep fried cauliflower. It gets crowded in the evenings unless you go early, like 5:30. Lunch is fun there too.
(5)
Brian L.

This is a wonderful place to enjoy a good meal. The service is very good. The food taste amazing. The bread comes straight from the oven. It makes you want to take a trip to Lebanon!
(5)
Thilo W.

Loved it! The food was delicious (I won't bore you with the details). The server (while a bit overwhelmed) was very friendly, helpful, and good-natured. Price is right and it's family friendly. Great value and we all had to roll out of there we were so stuffed.
(5)
J.K. P.

They've expanded the dining area. It is so nice. The food is still the bomb, but the spaciousness of it is beautiful. The thing to really make it a five star experience...take some friends. Sure, you'll want to sit at the table a little longer, but there's more tables in the expansion. My advice, go ahead talk away, enjoy dessert, talk away, eat, and continue to talk away. With the extra eating area, now you won't feel so rushed, you can enjoy the food even more than before. EAT & ENJOY!!!!
(5)
wei w.

Nice lamb
(3)
Brian H.

Ya know, I really used to like this place.....but it has gone down hill. The service suckssssss....... we practically had to use semafore with our menus to flag down our almost non existant waitress. The food isn't as good as it used to be either..... Lamb shank kind of gamey..... Very dry shawerma. They never have Shanklish (this really good spicey cheese) anymore. The hummus is ok. The salad is usually soaked in dressing. And what's with rose water in all their desserts?????
(4)
Liz S.

I liked the food here a lot, but the service was terrible, it was way too loud, and it took FOREVER to get our food. The bread, hummus, and falafel were my favorites.
(3)
Z Z.

Hmmm, I am so confused by all of the glowing reviews. The food was OK, not great by any means. The service was quite bad. There was a wait when we got there, which is fine, it was late in the evening on a weekend night but geez, the folks that work there have no manners or people skills what so ever. Sorry, I am not normally so harsh but our waitress was downright rude to us. The bathrooms were so nasty, I actually thought about leaving after I saw the bathrooms but figured I would give them a break given all of the glowing reviews. I ordered the falafel, hummus, bulgar wheat, and shanklish. Paul got the chicken moughrabieh. The hummus and falafel came out pretty quickly along with this amazingly delicious warm pita. After a few bites I thought, wow...none of this has any taste. It was so strange...hummus and falafel normally don't taste like each other...right? The shanklish came out next and it was awesome. I loved it. It was encrusted in peppercorn and the flavors were fantastic! So, that was great. Paul's meal took forever and I mean forever to come out. I was pretty much already finished before it had even arrived. He was also disappointed. He said that everything on his plate tasted the same also and it was so drenched in butter! Ick. When Paul was halfway through his meal, my bulgar wheat finally came out and it was just a big ole sticky mess of nothingness. Our waitress had a habit of just dumping the food on the table and walking away without asking us if we needed anything. Paul was quite bothered by the fact that our waitress never offered to refill his coke. That drives him crazy! And when she finally gave us our check (after I glared at her while she was in the kitchen talking and texting for about ten minutes) she just threw it on the table and said "here you go". No "thank you" or "hope you enjoyed your meal". Ugh. So, why the three stars? OK, well the shanklish and the pita bread was fantastic, easily five stars. And the next day when I tried the left overs (yes, left overs...apparently my falafel addiction is so bad i would rather eat mediocre falafel then none at all), it actually all tasted better. It was as if the food needed some time to let the flavors infiltrate through the ingredients or something! So, the leftovers were three stars although the night before I had said two stars. Totally not sure if I will ever go back, the service was just the pits. Hmmm, should I change it to two stars????? Check back in later........the stars may start dropping out of the sky.
(3)
Beth M.

Holla, Ya Hala! You rocked my world, and I will definitely be back. The falafel was brilliant, the baba smoky and delicious, the cheese platter enticing and intriguing, the Lebanese beer... ummm, okay, the Lebanese beer wasn't that good, but I'll drink just about anything except lighter fluid, so whatever. For a HUGE meal for two with beer, dessert, Turkish coffee - the works! - we paid about $25 with tip. Seriously budget friendly, even for non-vegetarian dishes. Next time I go, I also plan to check out the attached funky fun international store next door. I heart you, Ya Hala.
(4)
Alexis K.

LOVE IT. Can't go wrong. Can't wait to go back. Was taken there to see a friend who works there, with a newly made friend. All in all a wonderful experience and GREAT food.
(5)
Jennifer U.

I was suprised at how inexpensive and fabulous the food is here. I grew up in Detroit MIchigan where the MIddle Eastern Population is large and the restaurants are plenty. This was my first time enjoying Lebanese food in Portland!!!!!!!! There are even delicious vegan entrees. The cauliflower with tahini is so yummy. I am going back in a day or so for the ahi tuna skewers:)
(5)
Majur D.

Eat here whenever I come to town... once actually just got a glass of wine and got take out to take back to the hotel. Great service and very friendly which goes a long way when you're at a table for 1. Kabob combination plate is only $16 and you get one chicken, lamb and kafta (ground beef) kabob along with nice fluffy basmati rice. Very good homous if you want with warm pita bread makes a great starter. . , , ,
(4)
Jeffrey L.

Excellent Meza Plate! The falafel is superb... Hands down better than Nicholas
(4)
Karen S.

Six of us went to eat on a Tuesday night. We had one of the family meals. The place was packed! Within minutes of our arrival we had food on the table (my Uncle made the reservation so they were well prepared). I had never had Lebanese food before and wasn't sure what to expect. The food is amazing. Not everything we had set before us was my favorite, but that is just my taste and no fault of the restaurant. The only complaint I have is once the last dish was placed before us, our table was never cleared and the server had to be promted to even ask if we wanted dessert. All in all a very nice time was had by us all and would definitly return!
(4)
Patrick N.

Good home made bread. Great lamb kabobs.
(4)
Mike S.

Authentic and a sure bet. good price, friendly service, large portions. Shop at the market next door for unusual treats. We've been there 4 times and I was just admiring the nice landscape out front on this latest visit. I've NEVER had a problem parking on the street. The neighborhood appears to be blossoming too. Great family restaurant.
(5)
Aaron S.

Two thumbs up... Great vegan choices, pleasant atmosphere.
(4)
Heather A.

Ya Hala is one of the best Middle Eastern restaurants in town. Their prices are a little higher than your average Middle Eastern restaurant, but it's worth it because the portions are large and the quality of food is excellent. The service has always been good, although they can get pretty busy, so don't be surprised if you have to wait a while for a table. I love that Ya Hala is so close to International Food Supply. It's easy to stop in and stock up on more Middle Eastern food!
(5)
Rebecca H.

Great food! We really enjoyed our first Ya Hala experience. The restaurant itself is a little cheesy but pleasant. The service was fantastic, responsive and quick. We had the veggie appetizer platter thing, with falafel, cauliflower, dolma, tabouli, hummus and something else. It's under ten bucks and with the fresh hot bread they serve, enough for a meal for two. We also had the braised lamb shank and chicken kebab, both were delicious. The salad was tangy and the parsley in it was unexpected and fresh. The only down note was the stuffed baby eggplant. It had walnuts and was pickled and tasted like I imagine vinegary butt would taste. My husband and B in law wouldn't eat more than a bite. Husband had the Ya Hala iced tea and was buzzing nicely, it was strong. The entire meal was under fifty bucks and we had a ton of leftovers. It's a good price for good food with good service. We would definitely go back. Edited to add that we took the parents and a friend, 5 people all together, and got the Ya Hala Mezza combo dinner. The waitress warned us it was too much food and to get the smaller combo. We scoffed at her. We were idiots. We left with four take out containers of food and we didn't even package all the leftovers. We ran out of energy in the midst of packing, there was so much. Good food. A lot of food. Don't get the Ya Hala Mezza unless you are feeding 8-10 people, and make sure they are hungry people.
(4)
Jen S.

I would give 4.5 stars rather than 5, but I rounded up. I love this restaurant and try to stop in every time I am in the neighborhood. The food is so delicious and there are so many vegetarian options. I recommend the veggie mezze. I have also had the falafel which is very good. The only so so part of the meal is the pita served with the falafel, which is not the soft, chewy pita that I prefer.
(5)
Joanna Y.

I have known about Ya Hala forever. Have heard the cries of Ya Hala enthusiasts: "It's the best!" "You HAVE to go there!". I politely smiled. I ignored their outcries. I think I've hesitated because for me there was no urgency to visit another Lebanese place in town as I have already discovered the best (Nicholas' on MLK). And now I have finally experienced Ya Hala. I do not know if my experience was typical or not. It was a Wednesday night at about 8pm and it was PACKED. We waited at least a half hour to be seated. Once seated we waited another 10 minutes for our server. It was indeed very very busy in there; but the service seemed unnecessarily slow. Once food was ordered it took an expected amount of time to come out-- in waves however-- which was fine because we couldn't have possibly fit all of our food on the table had it come out at once. We ordered typical Lebanese fare-- Kabobs, Mezzas, etc. It was all pretty delicious with plenty of food left over for us each to take a little home. Overall the food was fine, service fine. However, I don't think that I'll go back. Too busy. A little out of my neighborhood. I suppose it should be noted that I would, however, still make the trek to visit nicholas'. It is equally if not further away and I have been dreaming about it nightly. I think that this may be a case of either you are a Pepsi person or a Coke person. There isn't really anything all that different, but you picked a side and you're sticking with it. I'm sticking with Nicholas'. And I can think of a few reasons why. I guess I'll have to go review them. :)
(3)
Paul P.

I returned here after a wonderful first experience. There is nothing that we had as a group that was not fantastic. The Homous and baba gannouj was wonderful. Stuffed artichokes, shawarma, sambousak, tabouli, falafel, stuffed grape leaves, all as good as it gets. A great place to treat visiting friends. Be careful ordering because you can quickly over order trying to get a taste of everything. A definite repeat.
(5)
Erik O.

My favorite Lebanese restaurant. First of all their Ahi Tuna skewers are to die for, they're something you won't find at other Lebanese places. They are definitely numero uno in my book with Nicholas coming in as a close second. Nicholas probably has the best pita bread...but the whole Ya Hala experience food quality & presentation make it my choice.
(5)
Lindley E.

Tasty, fresh, fast...and a good value. We went with a few vegetarians and everyone left happy - this is a great place to bring your ovo-lacto friends as well as your vegan friends, as there's plenty here to please. There's a wide variety of mezza (small plates) and an extensive menu of salads, stews, grilled meats, etc. The menu is varied, so you can come here over and over and never have the same thing twice, unless that's what you really want. There's a modest wine list featuring Lebanese and Oregon wines, and a few beers are available as well. They close every night at 9 pm, so get there early.
(4)
Kelly M.

I really wanted to be crazy about Ya Hala. It seemed like everyone else is, so perhaps my expectations were a little too high upon going in. While the meal was good, it didn't stand out as much as I had hoped it would. Ya Hala's definiely beats Nicholas' in its larger restaurant space which provides ample seating, and consequently, little to no wait. The interior is decorated with funny, cheesy murals of somewhere that must be Lebanon, and their attempt to paint over flourescent lighting was a little weird and also funny. I also like some choice phrases off the menu, such as "riot of vegetables" and "football shaped servings." Watch out for the rose water soda--it tastes like drinking your grandmother, but the lemonade is good. We ordered a dish that was described as "crumpled cheese" and it was delicious. The vegetarian mezza was as tasty as the other Lebanese favorites in town, although the falafel was a little dry. Baba here is good with a smoky flavor. Ya Hala is a good Lebanese restaurant, but I'm not sure it's good enough to pull me out of my tiny corner of Southeast all that often.
(4)
Danielle H.

I've been there several times now...and each time it seems better than the last. It is nicest if you can go when it is not crowded. The food is absolutely delicious and it does not cost an arm and a leg. Ya Hala just totally impresses me!
(5)
Eric N.

I wasn't a big fan of Lebanese food until now. This place has introduced me the great food that I'm sure I'll be back many times. Let's start with the food. This is my first time coming here so I haven't had a chance to try a whole lot. Yet I came here with 3 others people and we decided to do a family style so everyone could sample everything. - Makloube (you gotta try this one if you are a lamb lover). The lamb is just right and juicy serve with basmati rice. YUM! - Dajaj over Rice, another rice dish yet the fowl is set upon a mixture of spiced ground beef, roasted almonds and pine nut. The chicken breast is flavorful yet was a little bit dry for my taste. - Artichoke hearts and beef... not so crazy for this. For 13 dollars, it's pretty small and to me it's more like an appetizer. - Fresh baked pita bread is sooo good. It seemed like I couldn't get enough of it. Be careful as the hot heat comes out from the bread... hehehe.. You'll be surprised how much you can handle this bread. - They have like 10+ kinds of dessert, too bad, I was so full that I had to say no. Darn it! The place is sorta small, decoration is alright, but you come here for the food so who really cares right? Service is great. The server was very attentive, helpful and nice. Here is my suggestion, if you come to this place w/ 3 parties or more, let's do the family style and ask the server to pick out those dishes that are big enough for 3 or 4 people. This way, you can taste the many things here. If you love Lebanese food, this place is highly recommended. If you haven't had Lebanese food, this place is highly recommended too! so you know what it's like. Parking is on the street. It's okay for lunch, but a bit crazy for weekend. Oh well, that what you get for having good food.
(4)
Shenda I.

I love this place. Great food--tabouli, baba-ganoush, mezza galore--great sweats and wonderful service. Great restaurant to have in the deep southeast. A definitely must!!
(5)
Nickole C.

Well I have only had a limited selection of the menu...mezza plate...pretty good though the Baba was ehhh....great service and roomie spacious good for big group. I would say it is good but their are better places closer to downtown if you are a downtowner which I am:)
(3)
Linda M.

We have been going to Ya Hala for quite a few years as it it close to our home. It consistently has good, fresh and flavorful food. Service can be a little slow, but they are always polite. They offer take out as well as dine in and have an adjoining grocery store that is always interesting to look through.
(4)
Nicole A.

If you're in the mood for classic lebanese cuisine, then bustling, family-friendly Ya Hala is the place for you. Highlights are the lamb kabobs, the orange blossom lemonade, and the vegetarian kibbeh complete with piles of fresh mint garnish. Large portions and never ending poofy bread cater to social dining. It's a bit too close to 82nd, but if you're in the neighborhood, it's definitely worth stopping by.
(4)
Willus W.

Ya Hala...Ya Hala atcha boy....Ya Hala...I am com-eing eing...nevermind...I'm babbling again..these are just some of the non-sequiters that go through my mind when I am in and around Ya Hala. Actually, Ya Hala means "welcome" in Arabic, but to me, in my crazy non-sequiter filled mind, what it really means is "FABULOUS FOOD"!! I might even have a new favorite Lebanese spot over Nicolas...the jury is still out on that one...I need a couple more visits in a close time span to each. The first time I went to Ya Hala, it was with a large group for a going away party for my friend, who was going to New Orleans to work with Emeril Lagasse. This particular group of folks all work in fine restaurants in town, and really know good food, so I trusted that this was going to be a good experience. I was not disappointed! We had one of their "feasts" listed on the menu, and several other individual items. It was enough food for an army of 100 (well, maybe 50), and we all ate until we couldn't stand ourselves. They have this wonderful Armenian beer on the menu as well, though I can't remember the name of it. The last time I went, we ordered the veggie mezza, which included 2 falafel balls, baba ganoujh (sp??), hummus, two dolmades, some roasted, spicy cauliflower, some tahini, two mini pocket breads, and tabouleh. The veggie mezza combo is a little more expensive than Nicolas, or about the same, but different. I think you get a little more food with the Nicolas mezza, but honestly, it is alot anyway. Aside from the combos, the mezza is sold ala carte, with an impressive selection. I will say that for the rest of the menu as well. We also had the Zaatar, which is a spiced, baked flatbread, and it was quite good. The husband also ordered the kabob combo, which looked like a lamb kabob, a beef kabob and a chicken kabob, all served over a bed of basmati rice with a salad (you can also substitute Tabouleh for the salad). I honestly couldn't even have a bite of the kabobs, because I was completely stuffed with only part of the mezza!! But, it looked really good. The service is excellent, and our seat by the window provided an entertaining view of the bus stop outside. The decor is warm, and the space is large, though a little chilly (I guess that happens if you sit near a window in the winter, though). The prices are very reasonable, and again, the portions are very large. This would also be a great place to go if you are a vegan, as many of their selections are vegan, and are marked as such on the menu.
(5)
Linda L.

This is by far our favorite Lebanese restaurant. With the newly expanded area, we haven't had any problem with getting seated promptly. Food is delicious, served promptly, and best of all, priced well. The veggie mezza is a must try and could potentially serve as a light meal for two (and at less than $10, really cheap!). The lamb dishes here are out of this world. The eggplant lamb stew and layered lamb dish are wonderful. Awesome lentil soup, pita bread, and reasonably priced wine. You can't go wrong with Ya Hala.
(5)
G M.

Delicious! There were four of us, and we ordered the Mezza Feast which was absolutely wonderful-- and the price was really amazing for that amount of food! Will definitely be going back.
(4)
Nikolos R.

warm atmosphere. you can always count on quality food, a short wait, and quick service.
(4)
Kimberly V.

Let me chime into the Ya Hala love. This place has options for everyone, from the vegans to the carnies and the spice-fiends to the spice-free. The Veggie Mezzo provided a flirty sampler for my group of four. And then, just to make my eyes agog, Big D ordered a meat appetizer. It was on the flat bread with a spread of finely ground beef, tomato and more spicy goodness. Having never enjoyed pate, this was a real surprise. Between the two starters and the salad snuck onto the table in between - we won't even get into how often the wonderful bread that resembles a doughy balloon showed up - I was certain I would be asleep before the entrees arrived. But my Moughrabieh - chicken and beef cooked in their own broth with a huge helping of couscous (not the itty-bitty boxed stuff normally served in my home) - came and cajoled me into a second wind. The various dishes of lamb, potato, spicy beef and chicken around our table looked amazing. And while I didn't pick up the tab on this outing (thanks BIg D!), the price range would have allowed me to do so. And if my wallet doesn't agree, my taste buds definitely overrule on this count. I can't wait to eat here again.
(5)
Flory W.

We were in the neighborhood and decided upon Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine for our late dinner. This place really hit the spot for me. We had the lentil soup, three different Kabobs, an arugula salad and basmati rice. Everything tasted so fresh and good. I was dipping my bread in the lentil soup! The glass of wine that DH had with his dinner was of a generous proportion. The prices do not break the bank. We ate all that we could and even took some home for lunch the next day. I will be returning here again for sure. I'm giving an extra star here, because I love the curtains, I love the mural (makes you feel like you're sitting in a mediterranean coast, and just thinking of the nice warm breeze touching your hair, so pleasant, like my last visit there, and no not in Lebanon, it's much safer here!)
(4)
Joe P.

Long ago, when I first found Ya Hala, the owner would greet us at the door, his wife would wave at us while running the kitchen, and their daughters would promptly show us to a table. Nostagic for such a well run family establishment, I went back while visiting Portland. While the food is just as it always been--broadly liked--their service has dropped since, forgetting (seriously) to take our orders, forgetting that I ordered a beer (which I had to then cancel), and then taking ages to bring the check. oh well, things change.
(3)
annie c.

ooooh, ya hala... what a disappointment you've become! so sad that i have given you so many wasted chances, hoping that your downhill slide of serving horrible food was just a fluke. not only does your new menu suck, but your "service" sucks too. the one star i am giving you is because i have to, not because you earned it. it's a pity star. i would chose no stars if that was an option. the wait to be seated was over an hour and a half. my in-laws were visiting from out-of-state, so we endured. they remember the old ya hala of past, when it was great... YEARS ago. had we known the whole experience would be so bad, we would not have bothered. the quality of the food was subpar. the trader joe's hummus is far superior to your current homous. what happened??? does anyone who makes the food there even taste what they are serving?! because if they are tasting it, they must not have functioning tastebuds! the only consistent thing is how much everything at ya hala sucks. the restaurant had many unseated tables the entire time we waited, which were never used. we still can't figure out why that was the case. the waitstaff were just standing around chatting with each other. no one seems to move with a purpose. we did not feel welcome. a few eager diners were turned away and told they could not accommodate them... really? you can't accommodate a table for two, almost an hour before your 9pm closing time? don't they want business? i really don't have anything nice to say about you, ya hala. i won't be recommending you and i certainly won't be back. you're not even a ghost of what you were.
(1)
Mark B.

We stopped into Ya Hala on a late rainy afternoon. It was the perfect place for comfort food. You have to give this place a try. They were very help with the menu offering suggestions. We started with hummus, falafel. The meals came with salads or soup. Christopher got the soup and I got the tabouli salad. I had the leg of lamb and Kafta with potato. It was a good hearty meal. The flavors could have been a bit more bold for my liking but all in all it was very well prepared. I will be back to try several more items.
(4)
Katherine S.

It's a cozy little restaurant that has a side room with a huge table for large parties. The wait was really long, so I'd advise calling ahead to get on the list. The wait staff was friendly and the food was delicious!! Definitely worth the wait!
(4)
Michael S.

Ya Hala made me wanna holla holla. My evening started with one of Ya Hala's Signature Drinks: Ya Hala Iced Tea ($9). Much like my liver most nights, this alcohol cannonball is filled with Absolut Vodka, Bacardi Rum, and Bombay Gin plus splashes of Triple Sec and Pomegranate Juice. My liver recommends it ... and so do I. Homous is the classic spelling of Hummus at Ya Hala. I tried the server-recommended Butternut Squash Homous ($5) with smooth Garbanzo Bean (Chickpeas) dip flavored with a healthy dose of sweet Butternut Squash and served with a warm and puffy Pita. Even though I like Hummus a little less sweet, my recommendation is they spell this creamy version as Yummus. For a main entree, I pigged out on a Kabob Combo ($16.75) with 3 skewers of meat: Kafta (Ground Beef), Chicken, and Lamb with Basmati Rice and a Tabouli Salad ($1.50 upgrade). It was a lot of food and I was quickly getting full, but did find the Lamb reasonably tender and Kafta the most tangy. I recommend skipping the Chicken. Sadly, there was no room for some of the tempting Baklava displayed near the kitchen. The two room set up at Ya Hala is a testament to their success and superb service. From the moment I stepped in out of the rain until rolling out like a stuffed pita, the Ya Hala team was quick, friendly, and helpful. 5-star service. For authentic tastes and flavors of Lebanon served with Portland flair, holla holla at Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine on Stark Street.
(4)
J K.

5 Star food. Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine is our favorite Middle Eastern eats in Portland area. The owner hails from the family of Nicolas restaurants. The service is hit and miss so we give ourselves plenty of time. Our favorites are the Eggplant stew with addition of Lamb and the Veggie Mezza Combo that comes with hummus, baba ganoush, salad, cauliflower, falafel, and stuffed grapes. It's a perfect combination of flavors. We also pay extra to upgrade our salad to tabouli. You have the cool Stark and 81st to walk around as well. We usually visit Ya Hala in conjunction with Academy Theater down the street.
(4)
Anthony D.

The food wasnt good. Falafel had a rancid flavor. Tabouli had mushy tomato, with old and "grassy" tasting herbs, and came on a hot plate. Hummus also tasted old. Maybe buisness is too slow to serve fresh prep or busy enough that they dont care.
(1)
Theresa C.

Ya Hala used to be amazing. Really - it was the best. The last couple times we've gone the food has, however, been sliding. Last night was the last time we'll eat there. The food quality, quantity, and flavor profiles have been slipping and then last night we were presented with the new, improved menu. You'd have to think they couldn't make lentil soup bad but they've taken what was once the best lentil soup in Portland and turned it into a watery, flavorless mush. They've even changed the recipe for the pita breads. They no longer have that wonderful fresh crackery taste. They're just plain bread now albeit still served hot. The salad was nothing but greens with vinegar. And didn't come with the entree. We had to pay $5 extra just for lettuce. No tomatoes, cucumber or anything. Just plain, vinegary greens. We are so disappointed in you Ya Hala. We no longer feel welcome in your restaurant. Higher prices, less food, bland flavors lead me to believe that your Iron Chef no longer rules the kitchen. Good bye.
(2)
Mohannad A.

They changed thier menu to save some money. Less quality and quantity. Will not come back. When i order Kobab... they sent me one piece in big dish without any sides.... Dude..just put a french fries on aside
(1)
Alana M.

I used to LOVE this place. Recently went back and my husband said he remembered the portions being bigger and I remembered the food being better. The rice tasted like plain minute rice. The stuffed grape leaves are TINY! The pita bread was not fresh. I get the mezza platter at Nicholas' as well and always end up taking enough leftovers home for another meal. Even if Ya Hala's portions were up to par with Nicholas' large portions, I'd probably leave it in the table due to lack of flavor. Bottom line: this place has gone downhill. Will not return.
(1)
Amanda L.

Burger Week is in full swing!!! I chose this as my second destination because the pic of the Hala burger on the PDX Mercury's website lured me in. We arrived around 3pm between the lunch and dinner rush so the place was pretty empty. My dining companion and I each ordered a Hala burger, along with hummus and frites, and it's a good thing we did or we might have left hungry. The burger patty itself looked more like a slider on a regular sized bun and sat atop a pile of chopped romaine. My patty was grey and dry (VERY medium-welll) and I could neither see nor taste the feta that was supposedly stuffed inside. My companions patty appeared more pink (medium-rare) but he too couldn't locate any feta. Additionally the description online listed arugula and roasted tomato, but neither of those were present either. The "fizzled onions" were included as advertised, served in a pale pile on the side of the plate. If it was toward the end of a crazy day or of the entire week we might have anticipated missing or the substitution of ingredients, however this was mid-day, day 2.... Overall, with the onions and tzatziki sauce, the flavor was good, but we were extremely glad we only paid 5 bucks for each burger.
(3)
Pablo H.

I used to eat lunches here when I worked nearby and have stopped in for dinner once or twice since, but today, today I had their brunch for the first time and I will be back. The addition of brunch comes with morning hours and Sunday hours! Lamb bacon is now a thing in my life and, for that, I am grateful. The mint in the hash browns was quite welcome next to the smoky, gamey, little strips of lamb belly. Mostly, brunch here is American food reimagined with Lebanese ingredients. My daughter had a Lebanese parfait, grains, nuts, candied chickpeas, and yogurt. Certainly a place that is good for kids and doesn't fall into the dumbed down kids menu trap. Go here for brunch! Outside of brunch, you can count on some really great shareable food and you'll want to bring a group of friends with you so that you can try more and more dishes! There's more to this experience than hummus and baba ganoush, but they have those things, too, for those who need to be eased in. Also, they have full bar selections as well as a large number of middle eastern booze.
(4)
Zarnigor N.

I was traveling with my family ... We want it to eat something authentic middle eastern food since my hubby Arab he loves any Arabic food.. I end up finding Ya Hala from Yelp .. I ordered for all my family different type of food. The one I had eggplant with ground beef cooked in tomato sauce wasn't bad. But my hubby wasn't happy about his lamb shank because it was hard to chew and eat. He said this is the first and last time I'm coming here . Food was awful he said ... Meat wasn't tender enough and he had to chew for a long time . For me it was first Experience with Lebanese food . I bet there's plenty of Lebanese cuisine better than this. We are not coming back again.
(2)
Stephanie L.

Visiting Portland for the week and checked out this place today! really nice ambiance inside. Had a sort of wine cellar feel to it. I ordered the Mezza sampler( eggplant spread, grape leaves, hummus, tabbouleh and falafel) and loved it. Everything tasted really freshly made with quality ingredients. The service was a bit slow but the food was definitely worth the wait. My Husband ordered the gyro and it was huge and the presentation looked great. I want to come back before we leave Portland!
(4)
Msc C.

A group of us came to try the special lamb burger for burger week. It was a bit dry, but still very tasty. I loved the tzatziki sauce; refreshing and tangy. I did not like the bun, left it on the plate. I don't like bread with sugar and this was too sweet. I loved the pita and hummus. My family is middle eastern and I love anything with lots of lemon. Food: 4 star, Service: 3 star, ambience: 3 star. I wish they would take reservations. There were 10 of us and it took 1hour! This is the only reason I would not go back, unless I get take out.
(3)
Tim F.

Compared to others in town--like nicholas'--this place isn't great. The lamb we had was pretty bland. They didn't put much spices in it or salt. I suggest they put some more black pepper, garam masala or serve it with a yogurt sauce with garlic. trust me, i am a lamb expert. the hummus was pretty good but the bread was also sub par. I'd probably come back here to see if that was a one-time thing; and if they make something good, ill change my review.
(2)
Sunny C.

The food was wonderful and everything was cooked and prepared just right. Ya Hala service was some of the most caring and conscientious I've had in Portland. We were treated very well by warm staff that were attentive without hovering or interrupting our conversation. Days later, the manager, Pascal, was very patient and went out of his way to locate something I'd dropped in the restaurant. His attitude was stellar. Truly some of the very best service I've had in years, and a scrumptious meal as well! This place is tops. We look forward to more delicious dining at Ya Hala.
(5)
Greg B.

This place is wonderful. I have been here once before and I am surprised that I do not remember the high quality that is used to make the food. There is this wonderful dish that can, at best, be described as a mini-crescent meat pie. There are many side dishes that could (and do) double as a main dish. Even the bread has a certain quality that is well worth the high price. The staff are always attentive and good. I do note that parking is rather difficult and getting here is a problem unto itself. Suffice to say that I would like to drop by this place again just for the bread. My word is the bread wonderful. It is light, airy, and suitable to put any type of sauce with it. Then there are the kabobs and at a risk of going on about how each meat stick was prepared with great care, I will simply say that someone and anyone must try this place.
(4)
Vahid J.

I think I may have found my new favorite Lebanese restaurant. We went here on a Saturday around 5, found it fairly busy. The seating process seemed a bit chaotic (as in, not much of a waiting area and people just sort of milling around at the front of the restaurant), but that's not terribly unusual and we were seated within five minutes of arriving. We had a couple of mezza plates: hummus, a plate of samoak, some stuffed grape leaves, and some spiced beef sausage that I can't remember the name of but it was just fantastic. I would definitely come here again, only with a bigger appetite, because this food was rich and amazing and I wish I had had some room for falafel and some baklava.
(5)
Juanita M.

Being from out of town, it was with glee to discover this Lebanese spot so close to my relatives. Very authentic cuisine, reasonable prices and portions. Just be sure to order extra pita bread and you'll be fine. Love the take-out service, just right for us.
(5)
Monica A.

By far one of my favorite restaurants. We went there for my post b-day dinner. The food was fantastic with a great ambiance. Service was efficient and good. This place gets crowded FAST, and they do not take reservations so get there early or prepare to wait. We ordered falafel and hummus for appetizers, and had the combo kabob and lamb shawarma for our entrees. The rice was PERFECT. Lamb kabob was juicy and tender, but the chicken was a little dry. Lamb shawarma was good, but a little sweet for me-- a lot of onions. Excellent quality in their ingredients and preparation. One last thing-- their dishes are LARGE. We had tons of left over that I was very excited about. Delicious!!
(5)
H O.

+: Good falafel sandwich. -: Interior is not as cool as the exterior of the building. !: Falafel at Nicholas is better! ?: I would eat here more often if you weren't so far away, please open another location closer to town?
(3)
Janet M.

Back in the day, when we lived in the Tabor neighborhood, I loved to go to dinner here. It was pretty quiet and a nice place to get a meal without a rushed feeling. Then other people discovered it, darn it! But, I was in there recently with friends, and it is still good. I like the hummus, and the falafel. I usually get some kind of mezze assortment and share with my peeps... but I also like their soup with the swiss chard, and I don't share my baklava... not with anybody. Get your own baklava. Come on.
(3)
Anthony S.

There are a lot of good Lebanese restaurants in Portland, but no place compares to Ya Hala! This place offers a truly exceptional Lebanese dining experience. Excellent service, beautiful clean restaurant, extremely delicious food, a lot of healthy options, good wine, homemade deserts.. Try the pistachio baklava. I've eaten here several times, and my dining experience is always very good. Ya Hala!
(5)
Rew P.

Amazing. I feel great after eating . The gluten free, vegetarian and vegan dishes are abundant and easily labeled.
(5)
Dan H.

If you're looking for Mediterranean food, I assume you want them all rated on a bell curve so you can pick the best one, so I give this a 5. If you are actually in the mood for something else, you wouldn't give it a 5. They make their dishes A+. I've been here a lot so I'm never disappointed. You can see right into their kitchen to observe that its all clean too. I explain my rating this way because I can imagine anyone giving this less than a 5 isn't a huge Lebanese food fan like we are.
(5)
Anuj K.

This is my favorite lebanese restaurant in Portland, with Nicolas' in a close second. I came here with a friend and feasted with a table full of delicious vegetarian food (the mezza, foul, and lebney) for less than 20 dollars. The pita bread is always fresh and you can always ask for more. Service is great from what I remember. I also fell in love with Lebney (the yogurt/cheese dip) here and immediately went to the lebanese grocery next door and bought some. The decor is nice enough to take family members or even go on a casual date.
(5)
Dave M.

Wonderful place! I had the veggie mezza and a greek salad and it was delicious. What was even better was the staff- one of the hostesses/busser's? was lovely. She made us (my wife and i) feel incredible comfortable and answered all of our questions, as well as sweet and funny. We went on a Monday night a few weeks ago and were immediatly greated at the door, sat down, watered, and what not. Ya hala, as i remember, had terrible service. I was just so surprised this time and will definitely be back! thank you hostess/busser and of course our waiter for making our experience memorable! and thank you chef and kitchen for the delicious food! My wife and I will definitely be back there soon!
(5)
Tet W.

I came here yesterday for a farewell lunch for one of my colleagues who's relocating to Cascade Park. I ordered the eggplant stew with chicken and basmati rice. It also came with a choice of pita, house salad or tabouli salad. I chose the house salad. The salad was okay drowned in their vinaigrette dressing. Good thing it was small. The eggplant stew with chicken was very good and I put my rice and mixed it in the stew. The stew is very large and it may be something to share between 2 people. I a big guy and I was able to finish half of my order. The broth is tomato based with onions and garlic...Mmmmmm!! The service is always great and they have nice pita to nibble on while waiting. Their hummus is awesome as well. Very smooth and creamy, just the way I like it. The price is very reasonable considering how much you get and the quality of their food. Their kabobs are also great and has always been a favorite of mine for dinner. Again, the portion size is large and will definitely fill you up so pace yourself if you wish to try some of there great desserts. If your in the SE Stark and SE 82nd Ave area, definitely stop by for lunch or dinner. It's a great place to meet up with family, friend or business lunch.
(4)
Jamie P.

Ya Hala's food is magnificent! I always get the veggie mezza, ahi skewers, and eggplant stew. They will blow your mind! Service is usually pretty great too, though it takes a bit longer when they are busy (duh). I always wish that the portions in the veggie mezza were just a bit more plentiful, but I guess they leave you wanting more so you come back. The ambiance and decor is a little cheesy and dated, but is clean and comfortable.
(4)
Raja S.

I have been here twice for 2 occasions with a group... some of the items that I consider as safe choices (kabob, chicken shawarma) did not turn out to be that way. Chicken shawarma was not so good on one visit and was good on the other. Kabob was okay. Veggie choices were good like their falafel was very good and Bamyae (okra dish) was surprisingly nice. Their Makloube (with lamb) wasn't appeling enough for me (probably a little undercooked for my taste). Their lamb kabob was tasty when we ordered it to go for a party. Can't go wrong with Baklavas Considering that Portland has a lot of other good middle eastern place (like Nicholas, Hoda, Karams, etc), I give it 3-stars, but definitely not a bad place to go.
(3)
Anthony K.

Great food! Went here with a few friends. I am greek, really enjoy mediterranean food (greek, lebanese, italian etc.) When im wanting something similar to what I love but want a change I will always think of this place. They have really good appetizers. We had some hummus, tabouli, meats and cheeses with the delicious warm pitas that htey bring out. We enjoyed a bottle of nice wine and all three ordered something different for our main course. The skewer combination plate my friend ordered looked amazing, Same goes for a lamb plate that I enjoyed. I would definitely go back. Prices are good too. KInd of a toss up between this place and Nicholas, but I would side with Ya Hala if you want to have a more formal experience. Nicholas is great too just a lot more causual which is also fun.
(4)
colleen M.

Best Baba Ghanouj EVER!!! Must order! I want to have it everyday!
(5)
Deborah N.

Yummo. The Observatory down the street had a 30-minute wait, so we checked out Ya Hala's menu, called my daughter and told her to meet us there instead. Good choice. Pita bread and veggie mezze: Outstanding. The bread was warm and fluffy, not like those hard Frisbees you usually get. They brought my gluten-free daughter fresh cut veggies to scoop up dips. Hummus was lemony enough. Dolmas were pretty tiny. Falafel is bright green but tasty. Two of us ordered chicken kebab, and the boys ordered something that was cut-up chicken on top of ground beef and rice. The plate of kebabs (2 of them) was massive. Next time, I'd definitely split one of these plates after the mezze, or just make dinner of the mezze. The boys weren't crazy about their chicken/beef dishes; it seems like they chopped up rotisserie chicken and plunked it on top, and there wasn't any salt or other spices. There was no room for dessert but after seeing it all layed out on a pretty console table, I wished I had saved room. Also, the "lemonade with orange blossom water" sounded wonderful so I ordered it and ended up sending it back. If you like drinking incense, I guess it's okay, but it was not sweet and just too perfumy for me. We will definitely be back if just for mezze and dessert!
(4)
Jessamina C.

Great hummus here and the Turkish Coffee is everything it should be :) Service was decent and all our courses were tasty and worth the cost. The restaurant was small but cozy. Be sure to give ample time to find parking on the street as they do not have any dedicated parking. One thing I did not care for was the pistachio baklava as it had pieces of the pistachio shell throughout.
(4)
Carrie C.

Not too bad. Definitely amazing portions for the price. Can be inconsistent with their seasoning. Most of the time, things are under-seasoned. Nothing a salt shaker can't fix. I recommend the falafels and the lamb shank.
(4)
Nina S.

My sister loves the food. I like it even though it's not my favorite type of good. The hummus is the best EVER and the baklavas are great. What I will say- and why I may not go back as I would normally- is the service is not great. Our server took a long time acknowledging us and seemed to be annoyed we brought a child. This is the second time we've been there and had poor service. Bummer is some of the food is great.
(3)
Erik D.

This place makes me happy. From the insanely delicious food (I had their take on a gyro. It was served with patties of seasoned lamb instead of the typical thinly sliced lamb. It was an explosion of flavor) to their incredibly friendly staff, I will not hesitate to come back to get my Lebanese fix again. The prices are reasonable, the portions are great, and the pita bread was fresh and kept on coming. Also, they have whipped feta. Whipped. Feta. Delicious.
(5)
Chris C.

Really bad service and cold entrees tonight. Pretty much a fail across the board but deserving of another try. It's been 4 years since I had dinner here and the passion and charm seems to have been misplaced somewhere along the way. Too bad.
(2)
Ken B.

I've only been to one other Lebanese/Mediterranean restaurant and they had great schwarma. I came in here and I ordered the schwarma plate expecting something similar, but instead I got something entirely different. But it was so good I was complete okay with it. Definitely a place I'd recommend going to. :)
(5)
marcy g.

Yummmmm, party in your mouth good. Baba ganoush, creamy, rich, savory and delish, hummus, perfectly smooth nutty goodness with just the perfect amount of garlic. The lamb and chicken shwarma were tasty as can be and my two little girls loved the lentil soup. Being gluten free, I couldn't enjoy the fresh pita but my husband and daughter couldn't get enough. We also had olives and pickled veggies. The baklava looked delish but we didn't save room for it. We will make it a new tradition during our annual visit to Portland.
(5)
Terry C.

I've never tried Lebanese food, I didn't know what to expect. We went there (GF and I) to meet up with some of her friends for dinner. The menu is quite large and there are many selections to pick from. I had the kabobs. It had lamb, steak and chicken over rice. It was really good. I thought some of the stuff the other people ate were good too. The GF didn't enjoy her dish that much but she agreed the rice was good. The service is a little slow. They seem over whelmed at times when the place gets too busy. Their bill machine broke too, so it took about 10-15 mins longer to pay. The atmospher is nice, while it didn't quite take me all the way to what ever it was I was suppose to be I thought it wasn't a bad place to try. Again service is a bit slow.
(3)
Yana K.

The food is alright but their baba-ganush is definitely not how it is supposed to be! It lacks garlic and has way too much vinegar. Their other food like the chicken kabob and the fresh bread was pretty good. The main reason I give them a 3 star is because of their rather unfriendly customer service. When I was paying my bill I did not have change and gave the waitress a $100 bill. She claimed that she had no way to get change and demanded that I myself go to a nearby business establishment and get change. I found this to be very rude and unfriendly! I am a paying customer and if the restaurant does not have change than it is their job to find a way. After complaining the waitress walked next door to another restaurant and got change. She was very rude and unfriendly! The somewhat good food is being covered by this ugly layer of terrible customer service. This could be a 4 star restaurant if they hire some friendlier personnel. My family and I were visiting from California and here it is beyond unacceptable to demand that a customer get up and go get change.
(3)
Tiffany H.

Veggie mezza is the best deal on the menu- get it! The humus is great, tabouli's delicious, pita bread is tasty (though occasionally burned which is unfortunate). Some of the small plates are relatively over priced for the portions- you get quite a small portion of the arnabeet (maybe a few big heads of cauliflower) for around $6, which is just a bit much- that's what makes the mezza such a good deal- for $11 you get a little bit of everything, it's great to split, and then get a gyro or other entree. I love the lamb gyro, and the kibbeh and sambousak are my favorites. The kabobs are very good, but overpriced. Service can be hit or miss- I suggest going during off-peak hours to more easily find parking, and to get a table faster and get better service
(4)
Conrad B.

Ya Hala is a good restaurant. I had the beef kibbe, and it was good. Definitely fresh out of the oven, which is nice for something that sounds like it's a slice of a bigger savory pie. Think Middle Eastern-spiced ground beef baked into a multilayered pie of dough and onions. I get frustrated by the only large prices for large entrees at many Middle Eastern restaurants (this place is no exception). When I return here, I will definitely try some smaller plates because I enjoy the food here!
(3)
Carolina A.

It was good - it took a long time though
(4)
Cassie S.

Delicious! Delicious! Delicious! I've been wanting to try Ya Hala for some time now. I ride the #15 home from work and as I was waiting for the bus, I thought since my transfer ticket is good for two hours, I might as well pop in for some food. I am so happy that I did! The pita was hot and plenty. I ordered the mezze platter and every single item was melt in your mouth delicious. Everything was fresh and savory without being overly salty. I went with a light rose wine that the server recommended, and it was an excellent compliment to the food. I am already day dreaming about going back!
(5)
Liz C.

Great opportunity to introduce a group of friends to excellent Mediterranean food. The feast has lots of interesting items and the fresh pita bread just keeps coming. Fresh hummus, babaganoush and tabbouleh were excellent on their own and as a compliment to the other dishes. For five of our seven diners this was a first taste of Lebanese food, and they are all fans now. I guess that sums up this review!
(4)
Brandi M.

I love this restaurant. I only finally first tried it a few years back and I have been meaning to review it for a while now. This won't take long at all... In short I just want to say if when you go to Ya Hala there is a long line and long wait DON'T leave and go some where else...STAY and wait, it will all be worth it in the end. Though if a long wait is really a turn off for you, you might want to try going on early week night (seems easier to get in on a Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday night).
(5)
todd w.

Boy, am I glad I didn't read the recent reviews before visiting twice. I'm not one to over-sell a restaurant, but I've been to Ya Hala in the past. Trust me: this is an entirely new venue, even if it (almost) looks the same. When I went there for lunch recently, and sampled the new lunch menu, I was blown away. My thoughts: "Are you kidding me? A perfectly-seared-ahi salad, with majadra, sauce, and greens perfectly complementing it, for just a bit over $10? Man, I want this for dinner, with a glass of vino". So when I returned for dinner, I was a bit put off that the lunch menu was different from the dinner menu. Not only was there no ahi salad on offer, but the dinner menu reminded me of the "old" Ya Hala, with its promise of over-cooked and dried meats, overcooked veggies, etc. But stay we did, and when the food arrived (quickly)... "Oh my! This place has transformed!" Short story: The food SOUNDs the same on the menu, but the level of cooking is at least three levels higher than it used to be. My wife, usually the most rigorous paleo-eating, carb-avoiding woman you could ever meet, scarfed down *all* the rice with her entree, and my dish was on par with anything you could get at any of the higher-end, "foodie" restaurants in town (really! Who serves roasted marrow bone with beef cheeks except "foodie" places? (as much as I despise that word "foodie") That dish was seriously tasty stuff, and everything we had was amazing!) Not only that, but service both times--for lunch and dinner--was spot on. I have no idea what the naysayers are going on about, but I'm amazed with the changes, I WILL be back, and I hope that only enough folks go to keep it open but not enough to make it crowded, because I love what the "new" Ya Hala has become!
(4)
Rigo.Diana R.

We give 5 stars to Ya Hala because for us is definitely the best Lebanese restaurant in Portland, we been to a few but none like Ya Hala. Food is always great, the pita bread is always hot and fresh, the homous is always delicious and so tasty, my favorite dish is the chichen or fish (ahi tuna) kabob, the basmati rice is just perfect and the sauce that comes on the plate is extremely delicious, every bite is just fantastic! My husband prefers the lamb kabob and even do i haven't try it because I don't like lamb, he says it's very good. The alcoholic drinks are always so perfect and refreshing, even do their a little pricy is definitely worth every penny. Staff is always nice and friendly, we always spenda great and relaxing time. The place is in a nice location, sometimes it can be hard to find a nearby parking, but doesn't matter to us if the food is as good as in ya hala. Definitely one of our favorite restaurants. We love this place and recommend it to anyone looking for delicious food.
(5)
Sue S.

I have been going to Ya Hala for many years, and today I feel compelled to write a review. I had lunch the other day, and they had just changed the lunch menu. I had the Lamb Shawarma. It was beyond words good. Best shawarma ever. Perhaps the sauce was a little on the spicy side for me. A fresh piece of pita bread, grilled, lamb cooked perfectly, greens, onions, spicy sauce, etc. Delightful! I'm coming back for lunch again, and soon!
(5)
Vanessa H.

Thanks for the great brunch! The food was amazing and the group of girls running the floor were attentive and helpful. I'll be back.
(5)
Hayden N.

After discovering Nicholas Restaurant, I never go anywhere else. Lately, I felt like branching out and seeing what other Lebanese restaurants have to offer. My little sister used to love going to Ya hala in high school (that was about eight years ago) with her friends and she took me there years ago. I decided to invite her to lunch there since it's down the street from my workplace. Not anything like I remembered it to be! I recall it being dark and dingy inside, but there were windows now that allow light to stream through. The service bar and kitchen had an open layout so you could see the cooks/servers working. The space is nicer than it originally looked, not only did the decor change but the food did as well--gotten better. My sister and I both ordered the Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard to start. Then she ordered the Vegetarian Mezza plate and I got a Falafel sandwich. Loved the soup! They brought us some pita to accompany our soups...how did I describe it? "Fluffly pillows of goodness!" When you rip open the pita, a cloud of steam escapes yet it doesn't deflate. We asked for seconds and dipped it into everything. My Falafel sandwich was delicious (added feta and hummus), they put in pickled radishes which provided a crunchy texture to compliment the moist Falafel. I much prefer the radishes over onions. Good portions and very filling, I took half of my wrap home. Toward the end of our meal, the owner came out of the kitchen and was making his way around the dining room. He's no longer hosting and waiting tables, but it was nice to see him checking up on customers. Excellent service.
(4)
Trevor S.

I've been coming here for years. I take my wife here tonight and at 8:03pm we're told they've stopped seating people for the evening, even though they're open until 9pm and the restaurant has more than half of its seats open and a kitchen full of cooks. Absolutely ridiculous. You just lost a customer for good.
(1)
foodfoodfood f.

I love this place but lament the recent change/hipsterization of the menu. They got rid of probably two-thirds of the items. Still, the kebabs and stews are great. The warm housemade pita is always a treat, and all ingredients are fresh. I think my favorite things are the skewers with tuna, lamb, or grilled veggies with olive oil.
(4)
Maria D.

Service was excellent and the food was amazing. I will be a repeat customer. I was very happy with the food portions. And the quality of the food was amazing.
(5)
Jillian C.

Sadly, I was pretty let down by Ya Hala. All the other not so great reviews sum up my experience. Although very friendly, the service was incredibly slow and the food was bland. No seasoning, and in dire need of salt (and I rarely ever say anything needs salt.)
(2)
Ryan F.

If you're anything like me, you're a white, bourgeois gay man. And that means you have an insatiable need for brunch spots. If so, allow me to direct you to Ya Hala. They are doing excellent Lebanese brunch foods that are great to share as a table -- the lamb bacon on the Lebanese country breakfast is, by itself, worth going for, but there's a bunch of other great stuff, too. We also tried the Lebanse parfait, the traditional Lebanese plate, the hommos balila, the pecan brioche, and the kanefe bejeban (sweet chese pie). All were excellent, and this ended up being way more food than for people needed for bruch. Best of all, they've only been doing brunch for a week, so there are next to no people going there. So you can walk in and get a delicious brunch with absolutely no wait!
(5)
Tim F.

i always think the food is good here. The problem is the service. The wait staff are not that friendly, pretty inflexible and give the kmpression that customers are an unfortunate part of their job Lunch last week was dampened by this and i dont think I'll go back Take out maybe?
(3)
Chris L.

I was excited to hit Ya Hala last night. Having been there at least 5 times prior, I have always loved the food and I knew what to expect. Or so I thought... One thing that I have never liked. When you walk in, you basically enter into the front part of the dining room to be seated. More often than not, the staff will look at you, but it takes some time to actually be acknowledged and seated. They don't have a host - the wait staff seats you. This was again the case last night. We stood there for a good five minutes before being seated. It makes for an awkward situation as all of the people that are sitting there eating wind up staring at you. Once seated, it took our server another 5 or 10 minutes to actually come to the table to take our drink order. She seemed very distracted even though the place was not at all busy. She had 1 or 2 other tables. We pretty much order the same thing. Chicken Kabobs and the ground beef stuffed artichoke hearts with cream sauce. Usually very good! This time, not so good. The chicken kabobs were luke-warm at best. They tasted as if they had been cooked several hours prior and just set off to the side, waiting for someone to order them. The artichoke hearts. Not much better. The sauce seemed bland. We had to ask for salt - which we have never had to before. We brought it to the servers attention. I asked if they had a new cook. She said no and she just made excuses. "oh" she said. "sometimes the sauce comes out a little different". Really? I've ordered the same thing 4 or 5 times. This is the first time is was "different" ie. Bland. No apology from the staff. I rarely complain, and I don't expect anything to be comped, but usually when you mention something out of the ordinary, at a minimum the manager would come over. Nope. Nada. Now, after reading other recent reviews about similar experiences, I'm beginning to think its them and not me. Time to explore other Lebanese cuisine. Nicolas is so "Portland" but I'm sure there are other choices. The hunt continues...
(2)
Sara M.

My husband and I went here on a week night recently and had an okay time. We'd been here before and had been impressed, but this last week our experience was pretty mediocre compared to our prior experience. Our server was good, but otherwise the place was meh. My wine glass had something stuck to the bottom of it (not where the wine was - below the stem) and so did my water glass (I didn't drink the water...). The food was pretty okay, but the pitas, which previously had been hot and fresh, were cold and a little hard as if they'd been sitting out for a while. Honestly, I don't know if we'll go back. It's really close to our house, but I'd rather learn how to cook Lebanese food than spend a good amount on just okay food.
(2)
Winnie F.

Yummy! Great service, good food, decent prices and good selection of wine. They have a party room if you have a huge group of people. Their desserts are delicious and I highly recommend trying them. Parking is off the street, with good restaurants on the same block sometimes it's difficult to find a spot nearby.
(4)
Kim I.

First time trying Ya Hala today and it was good but was not mind blowing. The service was wonderful, our waitresses was so sweet and they accommodated a large group with no hassles. They put us in a quiet large back room where we had tons of space to all catch up. She continuously checked on us and made sure we had enough pita and were doing alright. For appetizers we got two veggie platters and a cheese platter. The cheese platter was delicious. I could've eaten a few trays of that alone. That string cheese was divine. The serving sizes of the hummus could've been a bit larger. The group ran through the hummus so quick. I ordered the artichoke with ground beef entree per my friends suggestion and although I'm a die hard meat eater, I actually preferred the vegetarian stuffed artichoke. The flavors and texture was better with the vegetarian stuffed artichoke. I highly recommend that dish. Then I shared the skewer platter that originally comes with a chicken, kafta, and grilled beef skewer. For 1 dollar I substituted the chicken for an Ahi Tuna skewer instead. Surprisingly I found the kafta to be the best skewer. The grilled beef was a little chewy to me and the ahi was a big disappointment. It was dry and didn't taste fresh. All in all, it was good. I prefer a few other Lebanese restaurants over this one, but I wouldn't mind coming back. Service was a huge deal as well. They were so kind here so it made the dining experience much better.
(3)
Kevin B.

Always a favorite. I have been going there for years. I took a coworker there today and it was fantastic. The lunch menu has changed a bit. I ordered the Lamb Shawarma pita. They have changed the sandwich and It looked different but I was pleasantly surprised. It was very good. It was also a huge....
(5)
Charles F.

We've been going to Ya Hala for years, caring very much for the Attar family that owns it, and the food has always been excellent, but the new menu, now almost all a la carte, has turned us off. We use to order the wonderful kafta kebob platter and divide it with a tabouli salad and rice included. Now everything is separate, even the rice! And you get a smear of the yogurt dip instead of the small dish as before. The pitas are now smaller, and then try to get the servers attention for another. The appetizer dishes, hummus and baba ganoush, though about the best in town, have also gotten smaller. I'll give it an extra star for having the best falafel in town, and hope it reclaims its status soon.
(3)
Deb S.

What a pleasure to walk into Ya Hala on a hot summer afternoon. We were greeted immediately and our server went over the lunch menu offering suggestions. She brought iced tea (and a side glass of ice which was most welcomed !). My dining companion ordered the Turkish coffee which he loved. We decided to share a platter of mixed offerings including hummus, felafel, baba ghanoush, tabouli, stuffed grape leaves and pita bread. It was all delicious! The grape leaves were tasty surprises as I generally find them to be too minty, the pita tasted fresh from the oven, the hummus was yummy and I loved the smokiness of the baba ghanoush. Our server was attentive and very helpful. She suggested several desserts and we decided to share baklava and mamoul. The baklava was delicious (we had the walnut one) and the date stuffed mamoul was outstanding. I'm glad we shared the baklava as I could not have eaten the whole thing! All in all, great food, atmospheric and wonderful service! Will be back....can't wait to try the brunch! 7/29/15
(5)
Alla S.

Took my sister out to dinner here. It was good but it wasn't what I was expecting.. The food got cold super fast. And our appetizer and entree came out almost at the same time.. The bus girl kept coming up to our table and taking dishes that we didn't finish yet. We ordered the veggie mezzanine and chicken kabobs. The baba ganouj was good. Probably my favorite part of the meal. Also the high chairs are disgusting!! I don't think they have ever been cleaned or even wiped down. Super sticky, food is stuck to them. Just nasty
(2)
Lubna M.

the best middle eastern food in Portland so far.
(5)
Gavin M.

I love Lebanese food. This place is a great place to introduce someone new to the genre. I've taken several people who aren't gastronauts, or have an aversion to trying new foods. They always love it. The wait staff is friendly, the food is always tasty, there's a connected store if you want to pick up your own ingredients for making authentic middle-eastern food at home. The only downside is that there's no way to make a reservation and the place is always packed. I suggest taking small parties to this restaurant.
(5)
Thom P.

My partner and I were on the hunt for something that wasn't too heavy or greasy for lunch. Our usual haunts were too much for our tummies, so we decided to give our local Lebanese restaurant a shot. I walk by Ya Hala nearly every day, but had never had the opportunity to visit - until yesterday. I am *so* glad we did. To begin, the Turkish coffee, served as it should be, was divine. Warm, and smokey, it definitely got our palates ready for what was to come. The partner is a vegetarian, and we were pleased to see that the menu was not only extensive in it's non-meat options, but that everything was clearly spelled out, so there was no guessing as to what we were going to eat. We ended up ordering the Zataar pizza and the Veggie Mezza. Both dishes were fresh, flavorful, and made perfectly. In fact, I've been seeking a decent falafel since moving to Portland about two years ago, and every place I've visited has come up short - until now. Crispy on the outside, melt-in-the-mouth creamy, nutty, and warm on the inside, the falafel served up at Ya Hala was precisely what I was looking for. At the end, we got to enjoy a piece of their homemade baklava (we got the walnut and cashew nut version, versus the pistachio one), and both of us sat there, paused, and let the flavors and sweetness overtake our senses. The staff was great (and I wish I had gotten our server's name - she was fantastic!) and we were seated for lunch quickly and graciously. The price was also wonderful - the two of us, filled to the gills with such goodness, racked up a modest tab of around $30. Great food, great service, great pricing - I will certainly be back, and will be bringing my friends and family!
(5)
Dave C.

After being regulars here for 8 years (over 100 meals ) we won't be back. The food was bland, the falafel was nearly tasteless and the service, which has never been a strongpoint, was indifferent. It used to be that the food was so good you overlooked the crappy parking and helter skelter service. Now, give it a miss.
(2)
Joe D.

Hadn't been in a long time. About as long as the wait time for our food tonight. I will go back in a week or two, and offer them a chance to redeem themselves, their establishment and their reputation with me. The server was rude when we asked how long our food would be. At that point we'd waited 40 minutes. After just over an hour it finally came. My lamb shawarma was cold..... That's not how I remember this place. It use to be one of my favorites.
(2)
The Q.

we used to love this place but not anymore; the wait staff is blah and the sherama plate (humos) didn't taste up to par. we will not be going back; too bad, the food used to be off the chain, but no more. UPDATE; gave this place one more chance and yup, not up to par. the sherama plate has shrunk, the lamb was tough and the bread was crispy and not baked the way it was supposed to be; talked to some young man who was the manager and he did not seem interested in our comments
(1)
Melissa E.

I ate here last week and loved it! The service was great and the food was so yummy! The portions were good sized and i definitely will be eating here regularly!
(4)
Cassandra A.

This place was great. I came in on a Thursday night without a reservation and got seated immediately. The restaurant seemed well spaced, not over crowed like many venues down in this area. My friend and I split the Veggie Mezza. Super yummy. I loved everything on here, even if not initially. The eggplant Makalay was not my favorite but grew on me at the end. Then my friend and I split the Lamb Shank over Bulgar Wheat. It was good. Not something I would necessary have to have again. Lastly, I ordered the Pistachio Baklava as raved about by other reviewers. The waitress recommended not sharing this as it was "so good." I however was not really a fan, despite the fact that I like baklava and I love Pistachios. The waitress was pretty good. No issues there. She was very knowledgeable about the menu and prompt with our service.
(4)
Professor X.

First time having Lebanese food. Oh my god. So good. Everything was so good. 5 people, each got 2 items and shared. I will be back. Often.
(5)
Betty F.

This is my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant in Portland. Lebanese is one of my favorite foods and offers manny healthy and super flavorful options. There is something for everyone here. Being from the Detroit area, where there is the largest amount if people from the Middle East (besides the Middle East itself) I have expectations as to how I want my food. In my opinion, they are spot on. Including the attached grocery store, where you have great options of their special products so you can cook at home. They seem to be family owned and run. We always see familiar faces that are always happy to have you as a customer. Our family and little guy are always treated with respect. Their portions are great and have a fair price for their product. I've never been disappointed with anything I've ordered. I almost always have left overs and make sure to get extra groceries next door to take home for later. This neighborhood is blowing up, so make sure to arrive a bit early to find decent street parking and find a table before the dinner crowds get there.
(5)
Bryan L.

Before I went to Ya Hala I was warned that it was pretty slow service.. I had no idea that it would take over an hour to get a salad at lunchtime on a Tuesday. And it was served initially incorrect. Yes it was busy (mostly families and older patrons - very opposite of what I'd expect for mid-week lunchtime) - but it was the lack of service that really made this a forgettable experience. There was one server that was serving the 8 or more tables around us. Waters left unfilled. 2 plates at our table delivered 15 minutes (45 minutes after ordering) before mine and then another 10 minutes (we had to ask for it) until the last person in my group had food in front of them. The food I had was fine. My group all liked what they had to eat - but I will guarantee you that not a single one of us will ever go here again.
(2)
Samantha L.

You had me at "Ya Hala" - "We welcome you". Fantastic Lebanese food, at really reasonable prices. My little party and I of 7 shared two cold Mezza plates, a couple of entrees and a Greek Salad. I would definitely recommend coming back for the Cold Mezza Plates to share as well as the delicious Spinach Pies. The Mezza Plates included a plate of: Homous, Baba Ghanouj, Tabouli, two servings each of Falafel, Stuffed Grape Leaves and Aranabeet. The highlights along with the piping hot Naan was that of the Falafal and the Homous, personally. We came before the rush, so there wasn't a wait at 6PM on a Saturday night. The rooms were very bare and chilly, but the service was quick and friendly enough. Ya Hala was the perfect spot for a lighter dinner that featured authentic dishes and delightful lamb entrees.
(4)
Benny H.

My server was fantastic, the staff were friendly and welcoming but the prices were a bit steep for me. Also i don't think I'm a fan of Lebanese food. They did everything they could to make my visit better, if you like Lebanese food I'm sure it's tasty and worth it but it's just not my thing.
(4)
Lisa B.

I give 4 stars because this place is a little hit and miss. I have had great food here, but then been disappointed a few days later. Overall it is a great choice especially if you are looking for good Lebanese food in the local area.
(4)
Jennea R.

In a city full of great restaurants, this is in my top 3 favorites. Best Lebanese restaurant for sure. I could eat there weekly I love it so much. I haven't found a better baba ghanoush.
(5)
Perlita G.

I haven't been to this restaurant in years. I was excited about it, he used to be very good. OH my! i am not going back ever and I wont recommend it to anybody either. Food is over price now, and not even good anymore, the portions are smaller and less of everything. Very very disappointing specially for what you get, I was in shock of that, when this restaurant changed so much for worse? too bad... :(
(1)
Amy L.

Delicious lebanese food!! Went here with my sis and we ordered a few items: Veggie Mezza: Everything delicious from hummus to falafel and baba ghanoush. I would love to eat this dish again. Lamb Shank: The sauce was very flavorful how ever the lamb was pretty bland. It's like they didn't braise the lamb in the sauce none of the flavor was in the meat. It was falling off the bone and juicy. Mixed Pickle Plate: Nice, tart and refreshing. Makdous: Stuffed baby eggplant, very flavorful and yummy but very salty. Had to eat with pita bread. Pita Bread: Different style than what I'm use to. Theirs is small thick and crispy. Pistachio Baklava: Very delicious one of the best I ever had. Tasted buttery and full of pistachio flavor. Overall a few hits and misses but their menu is huge and everything tasted freshly made. I would come here again to try their other items.
(4)

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Address : 8005 SE Stark St
Portland, OR, 97215
Phone (503) 256-4484
Website https://www.yahalarestaurant.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

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Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine

8005 SE Stark St, Portland, OR, 97215

Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine Menu

Salads and Soups

Mezza

Plate

Lebanese Feast

Sides

Healthy Meal suggestions for Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine

Salads and Soups

Mezza

Plate

Lebanese Feast

Sides

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