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Categories: Greek, Burgers, Mediterranean
3900 San Pablo AveMon-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Wally's is the type of place you're grateful to have nearby - it ain't trendy, stuffy, or expensive - just great food by a nice staff. It's also the type of place you're torn to review. On one hand, you want to Yelp for the sake of the business, and on the other, you want it to be your best kept secret.
I wish there were some way out of writing an in-depth and glowing, 5 star review - like perhaps if I just told my friends that some how, some way, while typing out this review my internet got discon
It's a good thing I eventually found the place after doing so many U-turns on San Pablo it was making my head spin. Because Wally's is one of those places that became an instant favorite on the first try, and hasn't let me down since.
I definitely have a thing for lentil soup...so when I sit down and I get a huge portion of steaming hot soup in those Chinese bowls that are so familiar to me, it really feels like I am somehow at home. And what do you do when your mom makes something you like? You ask for more! That's exactly what I do at Wally's, and they are always glad to provide.
I usually order the gyro here, because I know it's about all that I can finish on my own. This thing is stuffed to the brim with meat and veggies, and on the side you get tsatsiki and garlic sauces. A combo plate with salad and sides of rice and hummus could feed me for at least two meals.
To top it off, Wally usually gives each guest a piece or two of most delicious, succulent baklava at the end of the meal. The textured layers play against each other and then melt away in your mouth. Yum. Keep commenting on how good it is, and watch him reach for another piece to put on your dessert plate!
If there's one thing I appreciate about a business it's an honest desire to make people happy. Wally's has a great, hospitable vibe, and you feel like they're going to take care of you like your momma would (and it shows in many ways). Its unpretentious location and unlikely partnership with the adjoining business just adds to the charm (though the bar seating is minimal, I've never had to wait). And that's why Wally's Cafe has my heart!
I ate here today per Yelp's high ratings and I was skeptical as I walked by the big trash dumpster at the entrance to the hole in the wall cafe behind the bar.
OMG- the lentil soup was Amazing! The home made baklava is the BEST I have ever had. I would drive back here just to get some baklava to-go. Wally was very nice too.
Perhaps if they get more patrons and money, they can move to a place without the trash entrance.
Really good mediterranean food!!! Everything I've had from Wally's has been good. First off, the soup that Wally gives you as a FREE appetizer is really good. My 3 year old son absolutely LOVES it! He ate 2 bowls of it the last time we were there. So I've had the gyro, steak burrito, hummus and baklava. The baklava is to die for! So delicious! Best of it, Wally's is really reasonable and the portions are big enough that you can share a meal. Highly recommend!
Phenomenal Mediterranean food, mega portions, low low prices. Every visit starts with some perfect lentil soup and ends with a chunk of homemade baklava. Almost the definition of a diamond in the rough. Park in the Safeway lot and jaywalk your way to a full belly.
OMG this place is sooo amazing! My cousins boyfriend took me here one night and I have never been the same since!! Then lentil soup is sooo good and the shwerma is outstanding! It is in a sketchy area and is a complete hole in the wall but it is so worth it. If you are a girl don't go there alone at night though. I would recommend having a guy with you because it is in a bad neighborhood and there is a kinda sketchy bar next door. I am giving it 5 starts based solely on food and service, I was close to knocking it down to four for location but the food is just too good to do that. Wally the owner is super nice and amazing though and he cooks the food.
Keep in mind the lady and I visit Wally's frequently. Like ridiculously frequent.
How does Wally make me like his restaurant even more? Try the potato cream soup. It's utterly, riDONKulous! So good to the point where I can't decide if I like that or his lentil soup more!
Tried different stuff, believe it or not (I've ordered chicken pomegranate 10 times in a row):
*Kafta
- Didn't enjoy the patty of meat n' spices; consistency didn't mix well
*Lamb kabob
- I don't normally eat lamb but the meat in general tastes funky to
me
*Beef kabob
+ Steak folks would love this; ask for him not to cook it too well
*Shrimp kabob
+ Interesting sauce; it's cleaned and if it retains its firmness, YUM!
*Baklava
+ I'm so glad he only gives me one of these things - they're buttery
and pistachio-ey divine!
*Tabbouleh
++ Zesty, fresh and no overkill on the lemon
*Potato Cream Soup
+++ Chilled/warm soup, not too heavy on the cream, can taste the
celery chunks (gives it an interesting aroma)
Not only is the food ridiculously good, they have great personnel to deliver it. Difficult to believe that Wally and Angelica are retired and that this amazing food is just their past-time.
Definitely an East Bay/Bay Area jewel!
Wally's Cafe is hella good! If you find the place (situated behind a bar, entry way through there or… Read more »
I only wanted Wally's for my birthday dinner with my ex girlfriend. It's the place we first ate together, and I have a lot of really good memories of the time we had. The food's always so well prepared and served by Wally, who is just a cool guy who cares about his work. The little touches, like lentil soup from scratch and a little piece of baklava with every meal, just makes it feel kind of homey.
But the best part about having a birthday dinner at Wally's I could sit at the counter and not have to sit across the table making awkward conversation with my ex girlfriend. Bullet dodged.
Have you ever walked into a place with great expectations and got exactly what you were hoping for.
1. Wally knows what he is doing in the kitchen.
2. You folks who yelped know what your talking about too.
3. I'm smart enough to ignore my better judgement and walk past the dumpster for tasty lamb kabob.
Good N'Plenty, I felt like sated with fresh and delicious food.
I'm planning on going later this weekend. Will you be there?
The garlic spread they have is really strong, almost stinging. NICE.
The hype is true, at least for me. 5 stars. Why? I tasted everything that was recommended (of what I had in cash), and I was completely satisfied (and more) for the price I paid.
Free Lentil Soup: Solid. Lots of cumin and pepper. A nice free starter!
Fatoush Salad: Best iteration of this I've had yet. Fried pita, mixed greens, some tomatoes. I got a half order for $3.50 and it was huge. Enough for one person mos definitely. I'd recommend getting this.
Chicken Shawarma Wrap: Wraps here are pretty large like a burrito. They keep it simple here with lettuce, tomato, garlic, and yogurt. LOTS OF GARLIC, BY THE WAY.
Hummus Dip: Had to see what this was about, and I'm eating right now for leftovers. For all the packaged hummus eaters, this has the same consistency, but stronger flavor.
I tried my friend's lamb kabob plate and that was pretty good. Kabobs maybe slightly on the dry side, but flavor was there. Other friend got chicken shawarma plate so it was the same as my wrap. The portions are huge - enough for two people I'd say or one really hungry person like me.
At the end, the man in charge (Wally?) gave us 3 mini pieces of baklava! I feel like we got table service even though this place is located behind a dumpster and next to a bar.... and has bar seating.
I decided to buy 2 pieces of big baklava from him because it was so good (these have lots of nuts, no flaky crap layers honey goo!), which were usually $1.50 each. I gave him $3, but he gave me $1 back! SO NICE.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE.
I left with my friends and got into my car, realizing I left my bag at Wally's with my laptop and everything. FUUUUUUUUUU!@#! When I ran back to Wally's, I caught him putting my bag behind the counter to keep it safe - awwwww. He was glad to see me and said he chased me out the door to try to catch me, but I was gone. AWWWWWWWWWWW.
I may be biased about what happened to me here, but I still enjoyed the food alot because of the value and taste. Good ole' casual food that will satisfy. Friendly people, good service, and tasty food.
I love Wally! He's the greatest. When you walk in you're greeted with a delicious bowl of warm lentil soup. On the menu you'll find all the traditional lebanese food plus some american classics like burgers and fries.
The ambiance is mediocre at best but Wally personally makes up for it.
FYI: the food is very garlicky.
SERVICE = Wally and friends.. wow, now that's what I call service. Wally and the other guys were amiable and friendly. They weren't in your face. Just the right touch of them being warm and accommodating.
FOOD = I had hummus that came with pita bread. You get a lot! It was yummy! I also ordered the Two Combo Kebab with chicken. It came with a Greek salad and rice. I am a Filipina so I love me some rice--that was some dang GOOD rice! Almost like mom's home-made fried rice. Not heavy--perfect. There was also some garlic sauce/dip that was good but you get the strong garlic aftertaste. Plus, Wally gave us a piece of Baklava split in half.. on the house :)
PAYMENT/PRICING = The hummus with pita was under $5. The two combo kebab was $14.99. Now, you may think it's expensive, but compare it to the single kebab orders--ranging from $11.99 to $13.99. You might as well get the two kebabs.
PARKING = Thankfully, you don't have to worry about meters. We just parked across the street in the Pak-N-Save lot. Wally's is located at the back of the Bank Club. Walk in through the side (gate).
*EXPERIENCE* = Refreshing--The guys and Wally treat you right. We sat outside and they checked on us every once in awhile to make sure we were okay. It's not a huge establishment so Wally is waiting on you himself most of the time. Overall, the food, service, experience and feeling you get when you leave were on point. Lindsay, thanks for introducing me to this place! Oh--there are regulars. Wally's has been around for about 3 1/2 yrs and as my friend and I left, one of the regulars asked us if we had a good experience. We happily answered positively and he said something along the lines of, "It's Emeryville's best kept secret"
Oh gawd...this place is getting too popular, but it's not surprising considering that the food here is like a little slice of lebanon! The prices are very fair and all the produce they use is bought the morning of the shift. The portions they give you are GINORMOUS!
I had the chicken kabob plate here and the chicken was juicy and full of spices. The rice they gave us was also very good and was a mix between med and mexican. It came with a side salad that was light but delicious. They also gave us free lentil soup as appetizers, free turkish coffee, and free baklava! It was a 3 course meal with coffee for the price of one item! We also got a chance to sample their hummus and babagonoush - both delicious! BTW - the Baklava is lebanon style and not greek so it's more savory and sweet as opposed to pure sweetness which I find sooooo much better at Wallys because i can eat a bunch and not feel sick!
The 5 stars goes out to Wally's wife tho. She is absolutely charming and loves her work here. she gave us a history of the restaurant, life in lebanon, and how they prepare the food. We chatted for over an hour with her while we ate! Her husband and herself are both retired. Wally was a dentist and she use to be a nurse. Nice to see people retiring early to pursue their passion for food!
If you like Med food you HAVE to come here. I personally think it's the best in the bay.
Left Wally's about 30 minutes ago and needed to get on this update right away, while the memory lasts on my taste buds and brain.
Wally was in his casual Saturday best with a Wall-E t-shirt, which put a grin on my face and set the mood for the rest of our lunch. We got the usual earnest smile followed up with the lentil soup. I don't know what it is that Wally's put in this bowl of wonder, but I swear, I get a little more addicted each time. That ain't crack that you sprinkle in there, riiiight Wally?
Gail N. and I shared the Chicken Kebab plate - two skewers of nicely marinated, tender chicken over rice w/ a salad [I absolutely loved the large chunks of tomatoes], garlic spread [garlic was cuh-razy, but shit it was good] and yogurt sauce. We also ordered a side of crinkle-cut fries and I don't know what the hell it is about them, but they were good too. Probably dusted with that same crack from the lentil soup. Though, when everything came out, Wally brought an additional order of onion rings, on the house. It's possible that he overheard us talking about our previous trip that included onion rings, but dammit, Wally, with this attentiveness, you make it hard not to love you!
He's got a great smile and the warmest heart I've met in a while. Gail and I were talking about how if you have great food with poor service, you've got nothing. But, if you have mediocre food with great service, you'll still have people coming back. Wally's Cafe has exceptional food with exceptional service and got us all coming back for a little more of that crack.
I'm a fiend and Wally is my supplier.
So, I'm usually pretty neutral when it comes to Mediterranean food, but damn. Wally's? Damn. DAMN.… Read more »
Wow just wow!
Warm, friendly service, kickass fresh gyros and fatoush, succulent chicken kabobs over delicately spiced rice ... and a baklava that has a little bit of LOVE tucked under every nut.
My 4-year-old said it best: "I love you, Wally!"
p.s. Don't forget to try that fatoush.
Wally's is one of these cool spots that seems to be extremely popular but I honestly have to say it is just an average spot. The food is decent but not nearly the best I've had but then again not the worse.
The staff is really cool and it is a nice place to eat at; a bit small but it is cool.
Overall I just think average joint with nice sized servings!
What can I say about this place that hadn't been said before me?! I guess that I have to repeat - the food at Wally's is amazing!
Shawarma, felafel, gyro, kebab, hummus dip, tzatziki, tabouleh...-take your pick, you're not going to make a mistake ordering any of the things offered in the menu. Just do yourself a favour, don't go there and order burger, wings and fries, because that's like going to a nice Italian restaurant and ordering tequila!;) And I should definitely not forget the soup and baklava that's on the house.
Maybe the ambient is not to rich and fancy, but the staff, taste and huge portions of food that you can barely finish in one attempt, makes me gives this place all five stars, and I think that's going to be my choice for the lunch today!:) Enjoy!
A delicious little gem in a place one might not expect to find good food. Lebanese, Mexican, and American all in one place...sweet. The soup is excellent, the plates are huge, and it is cheap. Best Dolmas in East Bay. The lady at the counter is super sweet and she really enjoys serving up a delicious meal. If you like spicy, ask for her special hot sauce.
I am so disappointed in Wally's. I came here expecting delicious amazing food with a group of friends and family but after tasting my own dish and those around me, I find that Wally's Cafe is A-OK.
This pretty much sums up the experience:
1. Chicken Shawerma was dry and lacked flavor.
2. Falafels tasted weird.
3. Baba Ganoush was alright.
4. Shrimp Kabob was overspiced.
5. Beef dishes were generally better. The cheeseteak was the best thing I had but even that lacked flavor and it's a CHEESEsteak. The beef in the gyro was delicious but as a whole, the gyro was mediocre.
6. I LOVED the BAKLAVA. But here is what everyone else thought: undefinable weird taste and traipsing on the side of too sweet.
Things to know if you're going to try this place out:
1. Cash only.
2. Seating is limited to two picnic tables outside and 12-15 bar seats inside.
3. Entrance is through the side of the building or through the corner bar.
4. Parking can be found in the back of the building complex where Miyozen customers park on Adeline south of 40th St.
Despite the generous servings and excellent service, Wally's cafe was an alright place to go and I would probably only return for baklava. For that, it only gets 3 stars.
My first/last visit here was over six months ago, because I want my bad reviews to be fair.
I got the falafel pita, Greek salad, and an Italian soda. The Italian soda was about 75% syrup, but I think the guy who made it was new. Not a big deal.
The free lentil soup was pretty good, and vegetarian.
The Greek salad was amazing, one of the best I've had in a long time. They didn't have combos, so I had to purchase everything separately and my total was pretty high. The salad was worth whatever I paid for it, though.
The falafel was the worst I've had in my life. I love falafel. I eat it pretty often. I can't even pinpoint what went wrong. It had a weird, gamey taste. I inspected it, and it looked fine. It was hot and seemed fresh. I was able to get some of it down w/ extra, extra tahini sauce. It didn't make me sick. The other reviews of it seem favorable. It may have been a one-time thing or an accident or a bad mix, but I'll go someplace that's more careful about these things.
The service was pretty friendly. I was dining alone and there was a group of four next to me (there were only two outside tables then), and at the end of the other table's meal, the server brought out free bakalava for everyone. I just got a check. That was pretty sh*tty. That or the awful falafel alone would be reasons for me not to return.
The street parking is pretty easy. It sounds like they have better menu combinations now to save money, because I paid almost $12 for my three items. Only one thing was edible/drinkable.
I must remember to remember to keep in mind that this place is really worth remembering. I went to Wally's for the second time last night and damn was it deeeeeelicious! There was so much hype about this place that it made me want to stay away. Never again!
This time I got the gyros. It had a nice blend of meat and crisp vegetables heaped into a nicely grilled flatbread. JUICY!
The fries were the crinkle cut style and oddly sprinkled with pepper, though it really worked. I'm not a big soup fan, but the soup that they dish out gratis was so satisfying that i nearly licked the bowl clean.
I've also tasted the insanely tasty pomegranate chicken plate that will leave you with a nice portion for a leftover meal. Also noteworthy is the falafel and creamy hummus. Carnivores and vegetarians will both be licking their lips. AND everything is reasonably priced.
There's something really magical about sitting at the old time diner style counter enjoying amazing food and listening to the characters in the adjacent bar whoopwhoop it up.
You will never be able to find this place without Yelp. I mean...NEVER. I live only a few blocks from this place and never saw this place after 6 months in this neighborhood.
In fact, I had to enter the address into my navigation system in order to find it! Even pulling up after following the navigation systems direction I still didn't see the place till I was virtually in front of the door!
Past the garbage dumpster, past the frying pan full of cigarette butts, will you finally find the front door of this establishment.
But once found, the food is actually not bad at all. I've had their gyro plate and shawerma plate. I didn't care for their lentil soup that much, but their gyro plate was good. A little salty to be honest, but not bad at all. Shawerma plate was...ehhh, so, so.
Baklava was great, not too sweet as others make it.
I'm from LA where there is a huge Middle East population on the westside, and personally I would pick about a dozen places in LA ahead of this place.
holy moly it is good....plus you can't beat a free lentil soup to start and a free baklava (from heaven) to finish. it makes me feel good about leaving a bigger tip than usual. the behind-the-dumpster alleyway location is confounding at first, but the food makes you forget about it : ).....he will do well wherever he opens up shop next (and you KNOW there will be another location soon...) ..mmmm
This place offered me the first taste I have had of hummus. I know cray cray huh. This place is all kinds of class. They are quick and give you a lot of bang for your buck. I would probably be the worst person to give an educated critque of this place. Mainly because I am about as white as Dick Cheney triying to dunk but take it for what it is. I dont eat this kind of food and it tasted real good.
Love this place!! I'm bummed that I didn't know about it back when I used to work in Emeryville. But still, I'm only a few miles away so I can still make it over there on evenings or weekends...
Anyway, I adore the people working here, they are genuinely friendly, helpful and gracious. I enjoyed everything I ate, from the complimentary appetizer lentil & rice soup, to the hummus, falafel, side salad (huge!!) and half-order salad with deep-fried pita chips as croutons. They even give you a yummy little piece of baklava with your check.
Along with tons of leftovers (did I mention the portions are huge??) I brought home a to-go order of the chicken kebab plate for my boyfriend and though I didn't get to taste the chicken (he scarfed it down in seconds), I did very much enjoy the taste of the yogurt sauce and the whipped fresh garlic paste that came on the side.
Walking out through the bar was kind of funny. There were some old school Oaklanders in there, who seemed to appreciate my callipgyian attributes...
It's a little bit hard to find; people were right about that. You basically head down a narrow alleyway filled with picnic tables that have an unnerving number of plastic ashtrays with cigarette butts in them. Not being a fan of smoking, to put it lightly, this was a bit unnerving.
Walked inside. Saw that it was basically a diner setup with about 18 wooden swivel seats mounted on poles around an old linoleum countertop. Not my usual setting. Actually hesitated and looked to see if my dining companion would be comfortable staying. He looked a bit nervous. But in we went.
Wally, the owner, was working and instantly greeted us with a warm smile and a few laminated menus. We ordered the baba ganoush, a gyro, and a steak burrito.
The baba was amazing. One of the best I've had. Same for the gyro. It was strong, one of the best I've had since moving to the Bay Area. My boy's burrito was decent; not a homerun... but who orders a burrito in a Mediterranean restaurant, really? Hey, I'm not with him for his brains... hehe...
Finishing up, Wally was topping off the baklava with honey. It looked amazing, but I'm on a diet. Which makes me an idiot considering my previously described order, but, well, you know how it is.
Went to the men's room, and Wally had comped us a free baklava. Awesome. And... shit... It was the best I've had at a restaurant. Second only to my mother's. Very awesome. Almost got some to bring home, but decided to be good.
We're definitely going back; already told a few friends.
Finally made it to Wally's after 2 previous attempts -- first time couldn't find the place and ravenous dining companion couldn't bear to circle the block yet again -- second time finally found it using the helpful restaurant-tracking tips from fellow yelpers, but -- doh! -- they're closed on Sunday.
Friday eve with two hungry kids on our way to Sports Authority, thought it was the perfect time to try again. Yay! Open! And my overly-sensitive children lived through walking through the colorful-character rich bar in front...
I love Mediterranean food. No, I don't just love it -- I salivate at the thought of it, I plan vacations based on whether I can get some, I want to die with olives in my mouth. I am Mediterranean food's bitch. But I didn't go with my usual kabob-y, eggplant-y type dishes.
I went for a chicken liver sandwich. Why the heck not.? I'm not sure I'll have it again, mostly because I just like the other stuff too much (chicken pomegranate is next), but it was very flavorful and totally hit the spot. Actually, 1/2 of it hit the spot and the rest is lunch today.
You see, I had used a lot of room for eating my son's french fries. I'm not a french fry lover, but I am very clear on what I like in a fry. It has to be just a bit crispy on the outside and the inside can be neither greasy or mealy. Very few places manage to get that balance. Wally's nailed it. I succumbed big time to fry temptation.
Also, my sandwich came with a delicious bowl of lentil soup -- nice bold broth with a little bit of spicy heat. Killer. No wonder I was so full...
The service was fast and super friendly. No, it's not fine dining -- counter service on wooden swivel chairs and tiny napkins from a dispenser -- but that's about all I can ding 'em on. That and having to climb over the drunk smokers on the patio to get in and out.
Thanks, Wally's! We'll be back!
Really good hummus, the owner and people who work here are very nice and generous. not to mention the free lentil soup to start out with, so yummy. i had a half size side order of tabbouleh and it was big enough to feed 3 people. however, i am not a fan of their chicken shawarma, it had a little bit too strong of a garlic spread and the chicken was a bit dry. their gyros was delicious and i loved the tsatsiki sauce! owner threw in a few pieces of baklava with the check - nice!~
By no means have I not tried Mediterranean food but I have to admit I am still an amateur when it comes to this territory. Even so, I highly doubt I will find a place better than Wally's Cafe.
We sat down to 2 bowls of warm, hearty and spicy lentil soup. We ordered the gyros as well as the beef kabob and chicken pomegranate combo. The Greek salad accompanying the combo is dressed in a flavorful vinaigrette. The chicken is made with the most palatable pomegranate sauce and incredibly juicy. Rice is not a vocabulary in my dietary dictionary but I ate that rice pilaf one bite after another. And the garlicky yogurt dipping sauce? I can eat that with everything. I mean EVERYTHING!
We finished off the meal with the scrumptious baklava. One of the extremely friendly and helpful staff gave us each an extra half piece. We both had our halves and brought the remaining home along with half of the enormous portion of the combo plate.
This is one Mediterranean meal I will not soon forget, especially not with the lingering garlic breath.
My new favorite place in the east bay.
The location is totally awesome, the guy behind the counter who I can only assume is Wally is super nice and helpful, and the food totally rocks.
Found this place after my motorcycle died and I was walking around cooling off, totally fixed my mood.
Awesome stuff, I almost don't want to recommend it because I don't want it to become super popular and loose its awesome charm.
Had the falafel wrap, which was the right mix of greasy crispness and healthy veggieness with very tasty tahini on top - yum yum!
This hard to find, but even harder to resist place is a must if you like authentic Middle East food of the Lebanese variety. Despite its appearance, more akin to a 50s diner than an ethnic restaurant, it has a truly split identity: part Lebanese street food, part burger joint. But the real attraction is the middle east food -- although the burgers looked amazing.
Being someone who was raised on the stuff, I can assure you the hummus, falafel, chicken kebabs, baklava (made on premises), and fatoush are as good as any upscale restaurant. But unlike the upscale places, the service is always reliably friendly and prompt, without the attitude. They also do real turkish coffee.
The only negative, if you can call it that, is that it shares a door with a fairly noisy bar. On the plus side, you can buy a drink there and enjoy it at Wallys.
Just left this spot.. the Gyro there was really good. The lentil soup they bring out as a starter is delicious as well and the backlava is a great way to end your meal there.
They forgot to bring out fries with our meals and when I mentioned it to the lady working there, she brought them out asap and didn't charge us for it.
=-)
Excellent food!
The lentil soup is a great appetizer, and the homemade baklava rounds the meal up perfectly.
My favorite is the Chicken Shawarma + Fries (for $1 extra). Their plates are also excellent but a bit heartier - better for dinner.
The only problem I have with Wallys - they don't take credit card. So bring cash, unless you want to pay ATM fess.
I know, I know, there's plenty of reviews.
But the quality and the preparation of the food here far surpasses and negatives I could think of.
Yes, its behind a bar with open door to it. Yes, it has counter seating only on the indoors, yes you do get to it along the side of a building where the outdoor tables have ashtrays, and yes the bathroom isn't plated in gold.
BUT I have yet to find in my southern and northern Californian quest, a softer, taster falafel. Compared to the freeze-dried or from powder versions, this one is warm and fresh, a tad spiced, and perfect.
The hummus was ... wow-fully spiced and oiled. And the dolmas came warm and mild like the comfort food is supposed to be.
I won't go into the delicate beauty of the baklava as there's plenty of people on here who have.
The service is sweet and friendly, quick and efficient. The menu offers enough options for those new to Mediterranean foods as well as those who grew up with it.
I could go on and on. I fell in love with my lunch and have enough left-overs for 2 more meals.
It is all worth the hike or the wait or the bar shouts besides it. If you love Mediterranean food, go.
Holy crap on a cracker, I have been anticipating this for over half a year. My last bite into falafel goodness was in August when I was in Denmark (which surprisingly, has a lot of cheap swarma eats). You can imagine my excitement when my friend chose to dine here.
Parking was easy on a Saturday evening. You'll have to park on the back side of the block and walk around, but it's perfect for after the meal to walk off the over stuffed stomach.
Like other reviewers have said, you have to either walk through the bar or through the side alley to get to the restaurant. We were greeted by Wally and sat around the U shaped counter.
We were first presented with a complimentary large helping of lentil soup. I had to refrain myself from finishing off the bowl to save room for the rumored huge servings. Our side order of Falafel came out and all feelings of dansk came rushing back into my soul as i bit through the crunchy shell and stuffed some fresh veggies in simultaneously (multi-tasker here). Absolutely delicious, cant imagine what a wrapped falafel would be like. MmMm...
Then the $7 beef and lamb gryo was set in front of my glistening eyes. This thing was bigger than both my fists. I had to sit for a few minutes to form a strategic plan of attack to devour the whole thing without letting a single piece fall. It all required proper hand placement, finger/grip pressure, balance and bite size, and needless to say, mission COMPLETE.
The meat was soft, great proportion of fresh lettuce and tomatoes, also some other stuff in there, and lots of yogurt. Dont take the foil out when you're eating! It catches all the extra yogurt when its tilted, so unless you want to eat your yogurt covered hand too, leave it.
Just as I took my last bite, we were given a piece of baklava. I've seen and heard of baklava, but I never got a chance to try it and am I glad I had it here. It was DELICIOUSLY sweet, and the crusty parts were so good.
That did it. This place has definitely made it onto my "to whore" list. I will be back.
This is going to be short, because I'm about to head out to Wally's. Yes, it's 5:35pm, but my hotel is 2 miles away and I can hardly wait.
I'm pretty sure the 2-item combo can feed a family of 4. Here's what you get:
- lentil soup
- side Greek salad (with great dressing and ridiculously crunchy lettuce)
- your choice of any 2 meats (the chicken pomegrenate is juicy and marinated in this amazing sauce; I cannot stop ordering it)
- yogurt and garlic sauce
- rice pilaf (not too chewy/hard, just the right texture)
- complementary baklava (always fresh and crispy)
I eat all of it every single time. By myself. And it always leads to prolonged food coma and me having to wake up at 4am the following morning to catch up on work that I didn't do because I fell asleep.
Wally, you're evil. See you in 10 mins!
Well... It's kind of difficult to find Middle Eastern spots that have a good authentic taste to it - especially since this is the food that I grew up on!
Wally's Cafe I would have to say is the closest to authentic that I have found in the East Bay. The rice was fluffy and amazingly spiced, the meat was moist and again great spice, the baklawa was perfectly sweetened - not like those places that load on the sugar water so you can't actually taste it.
All in all - I will be going back! I love Wally!
i thought daphnes was good, but...
Wallys is b-b-b-bomb! tonight was my first time trying this place after reading the yelp reviews, and they were right! SO GOOD!
Pros:
*amazing food! got the gyro pita wrap and it was so good
*authentic
*huge portions
*friendly friendly staff!!!
Cons:
*hard to find! it's behind a bar
*street parking
i'm definitely coming back to this place! :D they give you free lentil soup and we got free dessert but i don't know if they always do that. but it was pretty awesome!! :) can't wait to go back again and try their hummus!
The place has been reviewed enough times. Food was great - portions, taste, quality, freshness, hotness, goodnes, price, soup, entree and dessert for $8. get outta here..... enough said.
just a couple other notes:
* hard to find.
* scary to go other than in broad day light
* bathroom is a bit antiquated and not sure how clean...
* not a large dining space inside. maybe you and another friend.
* outside you got a few picnic tables.
* wish they had a larger selection of sodas/drinks. but that's just 'cuz i was thirsty today.
would i go there again? for sure. would i use the restroom again...maybe not.
Be warned: This review is not original. You will learn nothing here you will not read in most every other reviewer's five-star rave.
However, I felt I owed it to Wally to throw in my two lentils. You feel as though you are eating in this man's living room, because basically you are. His hospitality shines through from the lentil-soup appetizer to the complementary baklava to top off a perfect meal. I've never strayed from the falafel with fries, and heaven help me, I probably never will.
The Bank Club coughs up consistently interesting -- and consistently cordial -- folk. Run, don't walk, to Wally's.
Emeryville, CA
Category: Afghan
Emeryville, CA
Category: Restaurants
Emeryville, CA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Elmwood
Category: Middle Eastern
Emeryville, CA
Category: American (New)
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