Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine

I love the chocolate cake at Ya Hala, the kabobs are fantastic, especially on the fragrant bed of rice. This is one of my favorite places in SE. Always good, and very affordable. Pros: affordable Cons: sometimes theres a wait, not open very late more

I have been a regular at Ya Hala since moving to Portland 9 years ago. Agree with all the comments about the service ...its pretty dire at the best of times. I've noticed also that in the last six months the food quality has really slipped. A couple of times recently I've noticed that the Babaganoush tastes processed, exactly like the tinned stuff in the store which is attached to the restaurant. And the Fatoush is not consistent....the last time we were there it had no fresh mint, over ripe tasteless toms and what tasted like low quality olive oil. And way too much crispy pita in there......like they had run out of other ingredients maybe? Pros: Reasonable prices Cons: Terrible service and inconsistent food quality more

I've been going to Ya Hala for 4 years. For the first 2, service was average to above average, but the last 2 years it has gone horribly down hill. On several occasions, I've had to walk to the kitchen, and ask where my entree was, because the waitress never brought it and didn't come over when I flagged her. They rarely bring your bill out, and you're forced to track down a waitress and get it, or just leave the money. Tables are often uncleaned. Pros: The cost, and taste Cons: Limited parking, horrible service, not terribly clean more

Went here with a big group of people and we all shared food. Half the food I didn't care for at all, and... more

Went here with a big group of people and we all shared food. Half the food I didn't care for at all, and the other half I couldn't get enough of, b... more

We used to go here alot and loved it. We tried it again recently for takeout and were very disappointed to find how bad the food has gotten. Pros: outdoor seating Cons: food, noisy, more

I tried out Ya Hala on Saturday night. Although the restaurant was consistently full while I was there, there was never a long wait for a table. The service was slow, which is to be expected during peak mealtimes, but I was still a little disappointed. My food was served warm, not hot, so I knew it had been sitting around for a while. Pros: predictably good food, decent prices Cons: slow service more

I am a huge fan of Mediterranean food and Ya Hala is hands-down my favorite place in the area to get it. The menu includes explanations of the dishes for those who are unfamiliar and the prices are reasonable. Newcomers should try the appetizer platter, which is a great introduction to the fantastic flavors. Pros: to-die-for food Cons: slow service more

I love the food here. I grew up eating lebanese food and this is obviously the real thing. I have not had better since my childhood. Not to mention that there is much for vegetarians and vegans to choose from. The portions are generous and the prices are extremely reasonable. This is a great place to go if you want to feel like you are spending more than you actually can afford. Pros: amazing, authentic food. Cons: service more

The service and food are good and overall nice dining experience - avoid the grocery store next door for browsing while waiting or upon leaving. Mom behind the counter sports a very LARGE CROSS and the street door entrance/exit bears a beautiful picture of Christ symbolic of the family's Christian values OR Pros: FOOD Cons: display of Personal on-verbal messages - grocery section more

I've been going to this restaurant since the nineties, and the only time I was disappointed was when it was too crowded to get a table. The food is all fantastic, from appetizers to desserts (on the rare occasions I've been able to save room for dessert!). Order with confidence--it's all great. Pros: Great food, affordable Cons: gets crowded -- go early! more

I love going to this restaurant. I cannot believe how much food you get for such reasonable prices. The last time we were there it was incredibly busy (on a Tuesday night)!. If you are prone to blood-sugar attacks when hungry, there's a grocery store next door where you can buy a small snack to tide you over. We finally got our table, and proceeded to be astounded by the platters of food served to us. It was amazing and delicious. Our server was very friendly, but was busier than 10 people. I noted some of the previous reviews criticized the service. I think the place gets busier than it can handle. Our server was also bussing, hostessing, answering the phone and helping with takeout orders all with a full section of tables. They could stand to hire more help. But the food is what we go there for and it is wonderful. If you haven't been there before the vegetarian mezza is a great way to try many different things. But the specialty entrees are the true gems, although they take a long time. I recommend the eggplants stuffed with beef or the lamb shank dinner. If you are there for lunch, try a calzone (not on the dinner menu, bummer). In all, the food is stupendous, service friendly but overworked, atmosphere authentic, I will continue to be a regular customer. Don't go if you are the impatient type. Pros: friendly atmosphere, delicious food Cons: always busy more

Wow! In a city with so many Lebanese restaurants, it is hard to find one that stands out. Ya Hala is one of those standouts. Pros: excellent babaganush, stuffed grape leaves, ahi, lamb, and friendly service Cons: long waits on the weekends, sometimes the kitchen is slow more

We love this place. The food is excellent and very reasonably priced. The first time i went i couldnt believe how amzing the resturant was. I try to go once a week. i have gone to other labanese resturants but nothing compares to this one the humus, baba, chicken, lamb, tabuli, and vegi. kibbeh are my favorite! Everyone should try some of amazing dishes they have at ya hala! :) Pros: GREAT FOOD Cons: parking more

Yes, the food is good. Are there similar or better in Portland, probably. I've been to many. What I can't get over is the long long waits. An hour and a half for a party of 6 after seeing many many tables of the same number who came in after us seated before us. The hostess continued to lie about the wait and which tables were opening. She even went as far to ""take our order"" while we were waiting so the food would be ready when we sat down. Nice right? Wrong. The order wasn't put in until we actually sat down. I have no idea why she continued to lie to us as the night went on. When we asked to speak to the manager one of the teenagers who works there came to speak with us. We asked for a manager, not her daughter. Pros: decent food Cons: long lines, lousy service more

Our family comes to town on average once a month. They are particular with their food preferences and we usually settle on lebanese food or something vegetarian. The food here is amazing. It is very reasonably priced and the portions are very generous. There is a plethora of options to choose from and the deserts they have is the perfect topper for a delicious meal. Great place for family or as a date night for you and someone special. Check it out - you won't regret it! Pros: Good variety and great value for the money Cons: Not in the greatest part of town more

I haven't been here in a while, but when I go, I am always blown away. Fast all day so I can gorge here. Go on off-peak times otherwise you'll have a wait. But if you wait, it's totally worth it!! Pros: Amazing food, very friendly service Cons: parking, no reservations accepted, no waiting room more

Ya Hala is a step up in atmosphere for a Portland middle east restaurant. The food is rich, with full and strong flavors. The price is $10 per person with enough to take home for a sack lunch tomorrow. The one setback was that the service was friendly, but inattentive, resulting in not getting some extras like condiments, or not getting the check without going up to the server and asking for it. Regardless of the service flaw, minor, but annoying, Ya Hala will return to the top of my list of favorite neighborhood restaurants. Pros: Excellent feasting for a great price Cons: annoying service from friendly, but overworked staff more

Best baba in Portland and the veggie kibbeh is TDF. Did I mention that they catered our wedding reception last December? Top notch. Everyone is super friendly. Don't forget the attached store where you can buy all the ajvar you can stuff into your pantry. more

I love this resturant! Best food in portland! I had great service. I fell in love with all the food. I would recommend the lamb shawarma! Pros: food and service Cons: parking more