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Mama's Bakery & Deli

4.5 star rating
based on 287 reviews

Categories: Middle Eastern, Bakeries

Neighborhood: North Park
4237 Alabama St
(between El Cajon Blvd & Howard Ave)
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 688-0717
Hours:

Mon-Fri. 9:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Sat-Sun. 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Attire:
Casual
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Price Range:
$
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
No
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Good for:
Lunch
Alcohol:
None

287 reviews for Mama's Bakery & Deli

Review Highlights   

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"My favorites are the garlic chicken wrap and the fried eggplant." (in 29 reviews)
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"The Manakeesh Ultimate (zatar) wrap is to die for." (in 21 reviews)
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"Best Lebanese food I have ever had hands down." (in 62 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of John B.

Elite '09

76

275

John B.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
11/15/2009

Mama's is awesome!  It's a little hole in the wall and last night when driving over to the Linkery for some beers saw it and asked my friend about it, and she goes "oh I dunno I've never been there I think it's middle eastern or something?"

Well today I decided to give it a go and went with their falafel wrap.  That is the best damn falafel wrap I have ever had, hands down.  The falafel balls were perfectly seasoned and crispy, and they fill the wrap with all kinds of good stuff like pickles, lettuce, hummous, and tahini.  Add a little California chili sauce to it, and you've got the wrap made in heaven.

Very filling too, and only $5.50.

Big thumbs up and can't wait to come back here ASAP!

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Photo of Aaron K.

 

0

4

Aaron K.

Golden Hill, CA

4 star rating
11/12/2009

this place has the best fried eggplant wraps I have ever had. Yes, I have only had their fried eggplant wrap, but it is tasty.

This place is great for Middle Eastern lunch.

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Photo of Richard P.

 

6

16

Richard P.

North Hollywood, CA

4 star rating
11/5/2009

Delicious, filling and cheap - the three key adjectives for any comfort food. I've only ever ordered two items on the menu, the chicken garlic wrap and the manakeesh plus, and probably won't need to order anything else. Of the two, the biggest surprise was the manakeesh - a tasty, oven-baked flatbread with an intense variety of spices, tomatoes, olives and mint.

It's a small place in a comfortable setting. There are always three or four outside tables on the sidewalk and several in their seating area.

Every time I'm in San Diego, I crave this place.

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Photo of Roger W.

 

8

28

Roger W.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
11/14/2009

Um.  This place is awesome.  Delicious falafel.  Very large menu, quick, takeout.  Sit in if you want.  Plates or just buy yourself a shawarma.  You can see them rolling out wraps behind the counter.  Also, shawarma combo ftw.  Add 1.99, get half order of falafel + something else (baba ganouj/hummus/..)  Tastytastytasty.  All for like.  8.5 or so

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Photo of Cindy W.

Elite '09

130

105

Cindy W.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
10/13/2009

I never heard about this place till my friend told me about it. I have never tried Lebanese food but my friend says that it's pretty authentic.

The garlic chicken wrap is so good. I literally inhaled it and then fell into a deep food coma. For only $5.99 can't beat that.

The meat pie is out of this world. It's almost like a quesadilla but filled with ground beef, tomatoes and onions with garlic. Its huge and it fed me for 2 meals and was only $4.99

Try the Chicken Shwawarma Wrap with  marinated chicken breast with tomatoes, lettuce, parsley, pickles, tahini. $5.99

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Photo of Saya R.

 

1

44

Saya R.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
10/24/2009

It's a nice place to go for weekend lunch.

Going here for lunch and you won't need to eat dinner again.
The portion is huge. The first time I didn't even eat half of my food. So, the second time I learned my lesson. My boyfriend and I shared a meat pie. And, it was perfect portion for us. Then, we had Barklava, it was so good.

Only thing I wish is that they have spicy sauce, I know it's not mexican shop. But, the spicy sauce would have made the meat pie SUPER delicious. Maybe I'll bring my own spicy sauce next time.

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Photo of Joy S.

 

0

37

Joy S.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
10/28/2009

After reading Yelp, I tried their garlic chicken wrap and fried egg plant wrap.  They were both sooooo good!  Delicious and inexpensive.  I am definitely going back to try different items.  

They close early so check the hours!

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Photo of Sean O.

 

9

70

Sean O.

El Cajon, CA

4 star rating
10/26/2009

Foul Mudammas.

I know that sounds like a boxer they left out of Punch Out!! But trust me, it's one of the best things ever. Get it with hummus, and eat all those wacky purple and green pickled veggies they serve with it. And the baklava here is first rate. Mama's is great.

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Photo of Lei B.

 

96

120

Lei B.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
9/9/2009 3 photos

Came here for lunch on Sunday before heading to the San Diego Zoo. It's a cute little place with outdoor seating.

I ordered the fried eggplant wrap and boy is that thing GINORMOUS!! I had to take a picture with my arm next to it to show you how massive this wrap was! http://static.px.yelp.... After I calmed myself down and prepped up for the battle. The wrap was delicious! http://static.px.yelp.... Slightly thin slices of eggplant but had lots of flavor with the baba ghanouj. The battle didn't last long, the wrap defeated me with just 1/3 of it left. But I made sure I took apart his insides! The homemade flatbread was definitely my weakness I could not conquer. For less than $6 it was worth the fight and I would definitely have a rematch!

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Photo of Christopher C.

 

5

46

Christopher C.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
11/4/2009

Mama's Bakery isn't much of a bakery in the traditional Western European sense of offering scones, muffins, cakes, and breads in every shape and size, but they do make excellent baklava, and probably pitas, too (I say "probably" on the pitas because they seem to be made in-house but I have not yet verified this). One of the reviews for this restaurant mentioned that it is reminiscent of the Lebanese kebab shops in London; I concur completely with this observation and thought until a couple of years ago that if I ever wanted to eat such great Lebanese food again, I'd have to purchase another plane ticket across the Atlantic.

Luckily, i found Mama's about three years ago and have never eaten a meal there I haven't liked. I've taken many distinguished foreign dignitaries here from as far away as Green Bay and all of them have thoroughly enjoyed their food. The Manakeesh Ultimate is unlike anything I've eaten in a Mediterranean restaurant in San Diego: pita drizzled with olive oil and zatar (sometimes spelled za'atar--it's a spice mixture that varies from region to region and usually contains toasted sesame, summer savory, oregano, thyme, and sometimes marjoram, mint, or sumac), topped with veggies and lebni and rolled up tight. Lebni is a thick, tangy, and rich yogurt-like substance that interplays nicely with the toasty and crunchy herbal nutiness imparted by the zatar, and while this menu item is completely meat-free it is also delicious and filling. (Imagine that: an appetizer/light entree that is somehow delicious yet involves no vertebrate death whatsoever!)

Falafels at Mama's Bakery are always moist and delicious on the inside and perfectly cripsy on the outside. One thing that I think sets Mama's falafels apart from other Mediterranean restaurants in the area is the fact that Mama's falafels are made from fava beans (a rare infiltrator in most Western European-influenced cuisines) instead of garbanzos (chick peas), which tend to be drier.

I really like the Kafta plate here, and have also enjoyed the Makanek and Soujouk wraps. Kafta kebabs are not something you find at every Mediterranean restaurant, and Makanek (Lebanese beef sausage) and Soujouk (Armenian beef sausage) are two charcuterie items you won't find much at all in San Diego.

The baba ghanouj served at Mama's is always extremely fresh and never sparkly or champagney; all you taste is fresh garlic, herbs, olive oil, salt, and creamy roasted eggplant. The sparkly flavor tends to intrude on the baba ghanouj a couple days after it is made, and some restaurants even have the audacity to continue serving it as it obviously ferments, but Mama's will never stoop so low.

As for the shawarma plates, I'll have to investigate the claim that canned chicken is sometimes involved. I don't order shawarma from anywhere very often because I find it bland and texturally uninteresting, but canned chicken doesn't sound like a place that Mama's Bakery would be willing to venture unless Hell somehow froze over and they ran out of poultry when no grocery stores were open.

So, if you want a low-key, highly delectable and highly affordable Mediterranean restaurant experience that isn't Frenchified, Italified, or centered entirely around gyros (not all Mediterranean is Greek), give Mama's a try. Unless you're addicted to shaved mystery meat products, you will definitely find something you like here and you'll feel much better about supporting a small mom-and-pop restaurant that consolidates profits in the community in which you live than you will by going to Daphne's (and Daphne's doesn't have zatar or lebni, either).

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Photo of i T.

 

0

16

i T.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
11/13/2009

Really liked eggplant wrap even though it was somewhat heavy on olive oil ( I think they fry eggplant in it). But it was delecious.  I am coming back

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Photo of Gayle L.

 

0

14

Gayle L.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
11/4/2009

I've been a fan of this wonderful establishment for several years and they have never let me down.  From the kebab to the baklawa (and my Chaldean and Lebanese friends agree) this is probably one of the closest to authentic that you will find in San Diego. My favorites are the garlic chicken wrap and the fried eggplant.  Friends tell me the lamb is superb!  Take out is your best bet as seating is sparse no matter what time of the day or night.  Who cares?!  The price is right and the food Delish!

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Photo of tania h.

Elite '09

54

72

tania h.

Spring Valley, CA

4 star rating
10/23/2009

mama's, mama's, mama's. why aren't you open later? i would love to grab a beef shawarma after a late night at livewire. as it stands, i have to visit you earlier in the day (which is not such a bad thing after all).

being half lebanese, i am pretty hard on lebanese joints. this place rocks. they actually have a saaj (bc-style oven) and use it cook up the most delicious arabic wrap-style sandwiches in san diego.

if you're a garlic lover, like me, try the garlic chicken wrap. it's pungent, tangy and oh-so-delicious. the beef in the shawarma is highly spiced and wonderfully flavorful. served with tahini, crunchy lebanese-style pickles and lettuce, it makes for a filling little meal.

if you're in the market for a lil' flatbread action, ask for a spinach pie. its combination of spinach, diced onion, olive oil and sumac make it irresistible - try it with a side of lebni for dipping. my personal favorite is the lahmbajeen - an open faced ground beef/lamb, tomato, onion and pine nut concoction that my grandmother used to make. it tastes of allspice and goodness, and to me, that tastes like home.

mama's a great place to grab some middle eastern comfort food, sit alone with a book or break bread with friends. and when that bread is warm, fresh pita off the saaj, you can't go wrong!

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Photo of John T.

 

2

4

John T.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
9/23/2009

Mmmmm! I've never sampled Lebanese food before, but I like it!

My brother and I went here for lunch and we were very impressed. However, one word of warning: you ~will~ get full eating here! I got the Garlic Chicken wrap, and let me tell you...we could have both eaten off of that alone. This is good, though, as they aren't cheap...about $16 for two wraps and two sodas. However, it fed two people and could have fed three or four, so it's not that bad. =)

I'll be back here...good stuff and friendly staff. What's not to like?

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Photo of Maureen C.

Elite '09

5

162

Maureen C.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
Updated - 9/23/2009

Mmmmm......Mama simply never fails me!

Have now tried: Garlic Chicken Sajj wrap, Chicken Shwawarma wrap, Manakeesh Ultimate Supreme with chicken, Falafel appetizer and the Wara' Eneb (grape leaves) wrap.  All have gone beyond my expectations in taste and freshness!  I would order all again, simply dependent on my mood (the manakeesh wraps are to me a bit more on the herby side vs. the creaminess of the others with the tahini - all are wonderful).

AND, I know everyone has written that the wraps are so huge, and how you wussies can't finish them, but even sitting at about a buck here, I love to eat, and I can eat (a lot); but I have to admit - one of those wraps is the perfect fullness level for lunch (dinner I'd have to order a few apps to share :-)

Support your local businesses and be happy while you do!

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 4 star rating
    12/29/2008

    Yum!

    My hubby and I wanted to try out someplace new yesterday for lunch, with the caveat that we… Read more »

Photo of Deanne C.

 

31

22

Deanne C.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
9/23/2009

The covered patio is sanctuary-like, a guy was even playing/singing reggae this particular Sunday!  

Been here a time or two before and got a falafel an order of hummus with pita bread. Today we ventured on trying the wraps.  I got hummus, he got a beef swa-wah-whateva it is.

The wraps have this 'taste', definitely not bad... just an acquired one.  **Next time I'll ask for NO PICKLES.  I'm not hatin' on pickles, just sayin...  not with hummus.

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Photo of Sophia W.

 

36

46

Sophia W.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
9/18/2009

Sooooo much better than a burrito, Mama's kefta wrap is the perfect hangover cure after a night of drinking.  The kefta packs a ton of flavor and all the veggies and pickles they shove inside the fresh baked bread makes the whole thing seem kinda healthy.

I've tried the eggplant wrap once and was appalled when I saw how much oil dripped out of the bottom of the wrap.  Yeck...  I'll stick w/ the kefta for now.

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Photo of Ed R.

 

0

11

Ed R.

San Diego, CA

2 star rating
10/20/2009

I had the chicken & beef shawarma plate. The chicken was CANNED. That's right; they used canned chicken, which tastes similar to canned tuna. What the hell kind of restaurant serves canned chicken? And of course the chicken had no seasoning at all being as it was straight from the can; silly me was expecting chicken shawarma since it's, you know, what I ordered. The beef was OK but a bit odd and not well seasoned. The rice, hummus, and pita were good. But canned chicken? WTF?

However I also had two different kinds of baklava and both were delicious. I'd come back for the baklava... but only for the baklava.

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Photo of Tim G.

 

1

9

Tim G.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
9/17/2009

To say that the food here is good is the understatement of the year. This food is so good you'll need to change your shorts after eating it.

Great, great, great. Deserves more than 5 stars.

Truly a thing of beauty. All the wraps are served on this flatbread that's somewhat crunchy but also somewhat soft. It's like a middle-eastern burrito. So yummy.

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Photo of Dr. Beau C.

 

61

34

Dr. Beau C.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
7/28/2009

Hummus:  The best I have EVER had!

Felafel: PERFECT balance of crispy and smooth on the inside!

Shawarma (chicken):  Healthy and LIGHT!

Baklava: SINFUL... and I always will have it for a Happy Ending!

The great thing is that the food quality is consistent, the staff are incredibly friendly and the food is served fast...

A great place to go when I do not want to cook!!! As if I could cook that good!

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Photo of James C.

Elite '09

465

256

James C.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
6/28/2009

Wow! Mama's is straight ridonculously. How could I've missed this place?

I never thought that there was a place, in San Diego of all places, that can outmatch the famous Maroush restaurants in London IMO (If you don't know Maroush restaurants, they cook some of the best Lebanese food outside of Lebanon due to the large expat Lebanese community).

The falafel is simply amazing. It was so different from what I'm used to. I'm used to having it dry which is the reason why I don't like it. Mama's falafels are expectantly crunchy on the outside, surprisingly moist inside, now I did a 360. I love it!

Their garlic chicken wrap and eggplant wraps were ginormous and delicious. Their baba ghanoush was outstanding and perfect with smeared with the warm pita bread.

All of this goodness for pocket change. Now, I'm going to eat here at least once a week.

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Photo of Joe M.

Elite '09

60

260

Joe M.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
8/15/2009 1 photo

I don't often have a reason to venture into North Park to eat, but my buddy insisted on picking me up to grab some Lebanese food over at Mama's Bakery.  A very tiny, cramped restaurant, the family owned eatery seemed to have weathered the years with local support and has supplied shawarma to the community for generations.

Normally when you go to order the half chicken and half beef shawarma you get the gruff, "no, cannot have" reply, but that's not the case with Mama's Bakery.  The folks here were very kind and accommodating to the special request and there was no resistance when ordering.  The lightly marinated chicken was tasty, tender, and flavorful, but I found the heavily marinated beef to be a bit dry and stringy.  As a package, it was a pretty tasty wrap but could definitely have used a bit more moisture.

While it's not my favorite food in the world, shawarmas are a good go-to sandwich when I want to mix up my meals.  There's no attitude here at all and customizing my order was not an issue.  I wouldn't eat it every day since it's not that rangy a food, but for shawarmas, this was definitely worth coming out of the way for.

Food: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Price: $

Atmosphere: 5/10

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Photo of Gerry H.

Elite '09

12

64

Gerry H.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
10/12/2009

I had the ultimate supreme with chicken.  It was good, certainly fair for the price, but not great.  If I go back, it will be to try the baklava that everyone is raving about on here.

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Photo of Kristin M.

 

7

20

Kristin M.

Reno, NV

5 star rating
8/2/2009

I'm shocked to see so many people have reviewed this place. It's such a well-kept secret, so I'm glad the word is spreading. It's hard to find authentic lebanese food in the West. Most just substitute greek because its popular, truth is they are very different. Well "very" in my opinion. This place has great food that remind me of my grandma's cooking. Great hummus and lots of stuff to choose from.

My only complain is that they serve "greek style" grapeleaves. We asked and they said that people just expect greek style and that's what they sell more of. So to this day the only place I can get a true Lebanese grapeleaf is from my grandma in NY :(

Go in and ask them to start serving Lebanese style grape leaves (lamb and rice)! Your taste buds will thank you! They are so much better than the greek, which are way overdone and so cliche.

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Photo of Colleen B.

 

6

73

Colleen B.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
11/7/2009

Really enjoyed our late Saturday lunch on the patio. Inexpensive and more than we could eat.

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Photo of Brenda J.

 

9

51

Brenda J.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
7/18/2009

THE BUSINESS.

Taste, price, location, seating, hours.. baklava...

This is the kind of place you can become addicted to, and so I try to go less often so it will keep that "special treat" appeal.  I made that up.  I'm broke otherwise I'd eat here multiple times per week.  To save you from my butchering of the names of the food, let's just say I've had beef {a couple different varieties}, rice, salad, hummus, grape leaves, breads and baklava.

I'm a girl who latches onto things and orders tasties out of routine, however this restaurant is so good that I am not afraid to try new things {even though I have no idea what they are by name}!  The only tragedy would be that I couldn't get my favorite.. but then I'd have to get way too much.. you see how hard it is to decide?  Eat here.

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Photo of Veronica A.

Elite '09

4

101

Veronica A.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
7/31/2009 1 photo

I would never have found this spot if I didnt read about it on Yelp.

I came in after coming from Dr. Beau's Chiropractique office! I walked up to the window and the one band reggae man was singing some Gregory Issacs....NIIIIIIGHT NURSE...his rendition. Love iT!!!! What better way to come to a new joint?

I bought the Meat Combo Plate...includes Beef Shawarma, chicken shawarma & kafta with basmati rice, hummus, salad, pita. All for $10!!!! Sooo much food. I eat a lot, and I only got to eat less than half. Took the rest home and had a great 4th meal!!! The Kafta was a little dry...but thats fine. It was still good! I'll be coming back again probably try off the sajj next.

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Photo of Leon T.

 

1

5

Leon T.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
8/28/2009

Manakeesh (Zatar) Supreme w/ Chicken and a cold drink. Can there BE anything better?

No.

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Photo of Nora S.

Elite '09

5

131

Nora S.

Poway, CA

4 star rating
7/7/2009

I had heard about this place from friends and because I have an Arabic heritage, I had always wanted to try it.  Finally went there for lunch and was quite impressed.  We tried the grapeleaves, the shawarma plate and a special zataar bread (a wrap with zataar spices, onions and tomatoes).  

The wrap was incredibly delicious.  I have grown up eating zataar bread, but had never thought to make it like that so kudos for making something good even better.  The shawarma meat was well flavored and made me nostalgic.  I'm not sure if it was authentic shawarma off a spit, but it was very good.  The hummus was very good too although if you want the best hummus, I recommend visiting Mr. Hummus in Poway (that place rocks!) or hit me up for some of my home-made stuff.  To be fair though, there are so many ways to make hummus and I like mine a certain way so...

Oh, and the grape leaves were good too.  Again, they were made in a specific style that is not my absolute favorite, but then the way I like them is not usually to be found in a restaurant.  Well, I have a jar of grape leaves in the cupboard.  Now I just have to get off my keister and make them.

I know the review sounds a bit critical, but the food is really good, it's authentic and it's a great price.  What more do you want?  And I've heard their falafel is the best.  Now, that is something I can't make to save my life...Another time definitely.

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Photo of The W.

 

5

86

The W.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
9/2/2009

This review is for the desserts alone. The reason it is not for my whole meal is because, to be honest, the food was a three. Straight up 3. The desserts though, AMAZING.

I first ordered the pistachio baklava. I believe the price was somewhere around a dollar. I am not sure. Cheap though, even if it was a average to small size piece of baklava.

So I sit down, cut it with my knife. It wasn't too easy to cut. Is that because the baklava has been sitting too long? Is that because my knife is plastic? Is it because the plate is Styrofoam? Who cares right? I take a bite...

Oh... my... LORD! I do not believe this. My mind explodes. My taste buds dance. My palette cries more More MORE! I take another bite this time letting the layers come apart in my mouth. Tasting the light crispy top layer come off to reveal a sweet deep crystallized layer of goodness, with an smooth light oil texture of yet another layer. This goes on and on. Different layers, different textures, different flavors, some savory, some earthy, some sweet, all around sweet. I am in love. Homemade, fresh, flavorful, fantastic.

I take my time, finishing the baklava. Must have more. I get up, order the walnut baklava. Against the pistachio baklava, everything is the same except one flavor. The pistachio is now walnut, of course. it is a great combo. Just as good as the pistachio. Lordy lordy lordy. Amazing.

I also order some walnut cinnamon stick type dessert. It is crispier than the baklava, crunchier. The crystallized sweet substances make it dance it your mouth. The flavors pop like pop-rocks without the actual popping :p. it is wonderful. Magnanimous. Superb.

I will be back. I will bring everyone I care about. Maybe not for dinner, but DEFINITELY for dessert. My my my.

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Photo of Danielle J.

Elite '09

12

199

Danielle J.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
7/21/2009

I'm utterly shocked about the lack of reviews of the hot sauce at Mama's... you MUST get hot sauce to go if you don't eat your lovely food there. It rocks. Adds just the right spiciness to the wrap.

I got the grape leaves wrap with baba ghanouj and it was very yummy. LOVE the dolmas (grape leaves with rice) inside the wrap; i think it came with 5!!! The wraps are HUGE and a perfect dinner. I couldn't save any for lunch tomorrow! I hear the garlic chicken is the best... next time!

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Photo of Olin H.

 

1

43

Olin H.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
10/5/2009

I think it deserves a 4.5 star rating. Great place for a schwerma fix.

Good food. A little pricy (compared to Lebanese places in LA and NYC) but not outrageous.

No table service -- you just order and then get your food at a pickup window.

Authentic food. All fresh.

They had a singer/songwriter playing guitar  -- love it. If he is there the next time I go, I will upgrade to 5 stars.

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Photo of Shaun d.

 

5

12

Shaun d.

Rowland Heights, CA

5 star rating
8/14/2009

For some reason when I yelp cheap eats in a city, I almost always end up with Mediterranean or Middle Eastern food. My friends and I went to San Diego during Comic-Con weekend 2009 and didn't feel like eating over at Gaslamp (too crowded). So we decided to Yelp and give this place a try.

The food was of both great quality and great value. I got a garlic chicken wrap which was just really, really good. I need an expanded vocabulary to describe all the flavors and sensations that I encountered.

The atmosphere was home-like and very comfortable. Also their baklava was a great ending!

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Photo of Anne M.

 

3

25

Anne M.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
Updated - 8/10/2009

Mmmm!  My latest Mama's obsession:  vegetarian sampler plate!  3 big delicious falafel, both hummus and baba ganoush, tabouleh and pita.  So fabulous and enough to save for lunch tomorrow.  

If you don't try one of the varieties of baklava, you are truly missing out.  They are all great - divine actually.  Decadent and "real" tasting vs. the over-sugared, over-processed desserts you see around town or at the grocery store.  Simple and delicious.

Only gripe:  lots of flies.  Bring your own swatter.

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  • 4 star rating
    6/2/2007

    Wow, Mama's Bakery and Deli was great!    The food was amazing, service fast and efficient with… Read more »

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2

8

Tee A.

Chula Vista, CA

3 star rating
8/13/2009

Just went here for lunch today. The patio seating (only seating) is nice and can fit probably about 30 people. The decoration made me feel like it was someone's nice backyard and there was also a cool breeze flowing through it. There wasn't many flies at all which is a big plus!!

However the service was a little slow. The food as just alright.

We ordered the garlic chicken wrap, meat lover's wrap, and falafel salad. The salad was a little bland and small for $6 but the falafel was alright. I liked it because it wasn't too greasy like most places.

The garlic chicken wrap was huge but the chicken was plain and not marinated in anything which made the whole wrap dull. The garlic sauce it came with was nothing special either and the vegetables inside weren't fresh. I didn't know they put pickles in it and I hate pickles. They were the soggy kinds like the ones from McDonald's.
Anyway the best part was the actual wrap .. homemade flatbread. It tasted fresh and delicious. My boyfriend's meat lover's wrap was just ok as well. Again lacking in flavor.

We love the Kebab shop over in downtown versus this place... but we wanted to try something new. Next time we are craving middle eastern food (mainly wraps) we will go to downtown.

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25

117

Marcin M.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
6/13/2009

Love this place for Lebanese food in San Diego.  A very casual and relaxed restaurant with plenty of outdoor seating.  Service is friendly which is a big plus.

The food is great.  The kafta plate as well as the falafel plate are in my heavy rotation depending on what I am craving.  The serving sizes are plenty so you definitely get your money's worth.  My favorite is the end my meal with a coffee -- very thick and caffeinated.  It's a total perk up and you get over that food coma immediately.

My only complaint is that if you sit outside (in front of the restaurant) you often have to battle with the flies that hang around the garbage cans.  Kind of gross.  They need to invest in some fly repellent.

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8

20

Katie S.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
7/15/2009

My first "real" (i.e., non-service or mandatory uniform related) job was in City Heights, and on the first day my Lebanese co-worker took me to Mama's for lunch.  Since that fateful day, I eat lunch here about once a week.  It's just that good.

Mama's combines what simple Americans raised in the South think is Middle Eastern food with actual Middle Eastern food.  For every hummus and tabouli on the menu there is a Fool Mudamas or a Soujouk Wrap.  I mostly fell in love with sajj pies, which are basically little pieces of heaven wrapped in flatbread.  Really, heaven must be full of carbs and meat and cheese, because it is just slap your momma good.

Mama's continues to be excellent cuisine in an unpretentious environment, and when you get done day eating you can get some day drinking on down the street at Livewire.  And really, nothing goes better with falafel than divey bar goodness.

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Elite '09

58

66

Kendall C.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
5/10/2009

I agree with the other reviews. The food is of course 80% of the review, but the atmosphere of the cafe-style restaurant, where there was a guy in the corner playing guitar for customers and taking tips, make the other 20% for this restaurant. There are paintings and pictures hanging on the walls.

I like mediterranean-style food in general, and while I wanted a wrap, I also wanted hummus so I went with the "Makanek Wrap" which has Lebanese beef sausage, hummus, and some vegetables in the pita. The pita of the wrap was just right -- not too crispy and not too soft. The Makanek didn't stand out too much for me though it was my first time tasting it, but it went well with the rest of the sandwich and the hummus.

I also ordered the pistachio and the walnut baklava. They aren't made in the restaurant, but they were were a nice sweet ending note for the meal.

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19

47

Sara K.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
7/30/2009

This place is great for vegetarians and meat-lovers!

My favorite dish is a vegetarian one: MANAKEESH ULTIMATE, which I'll do my best to explain... is a lebanese flatbread rubbed with a black paste of herbs and spices, sesame seeds and grilled on a dome-shaped grill. Wrapped inside is fresh mint, tomatos, olives, lettuce, and a yogurt-cream-cheese mixture. Fresh garlic paste is always a good addition and the vinegary hot sauce is very good. Around $3.50. I always order the mango juice, because I love the hot sauce so much and need a way to cool down afterward.

The meat pie is spiced wonderfully. It's a mix of beef and lamb wrapped in that wonderful lebanese flatbread and grilled.

The meat plate is great! Probably enough for three people for under ten dollars.

Chicken shwarma is delicious too!

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0

14

Alison H.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
9/30/2009

I love Mama's!  It is serious flavor and quantity for a good price.  I live for the chicken shwarma and Manakeesh Ultimate.  My friends and I go and order half the menu to share because everything is so good.  The Manakeesh is this amazing flat bread they bake in a special oven with a ton of herbs and olive oil.  The food is fresh and amazing.  It is pretty much a tiny kitchen with a covered outdoor patio, so be prepared for patio furniture and casual seating.

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