09/11/09

horrendous service and meal

by SWYGUH

back in the day, gaby's used to be a great place to have dinner and chill. however, the service these days is ridiculously crappy. it took half an hour to get our drink and appetizer order in...another 20 minutes passed before drinks came. side dishes came with appetizers 25 minutes before the actual entrees; these weren't any better as they were cold and overcooked. never returning to this poor excuse of a restaurant.

• Pros: being outdoors in nice weather
• Cons: service and food

07/23/09

Delicious. But are they all the same?

by BBELA

Here are my views on “Mediterranean” food. Prepare to be astounded.

I enjoy Mediterranean food immensely. I just don’t see how one place is any different than the other.

The Kabob Express is just like the Falafel Emporium which is just like the House of Hummus.

Rarely do I see a fluctuation in a menu. Perhaps the shwarma at one place is a bit juicier, or the falafel might be a bit drier but they all seem to have the same recipes and the same dishes. They are all quite uniform and there doesn’t seem to be such a thing as Mediterranean Fusion.

Which I’m totally fine with. I love all that stuff, and when I crave it, I don’t want to wonder what I’m getting.

Which brings me to Gaby’s, located on a nondescript section of Venice blvd…actually .isn’t all of Venice blvd nondescript??

I just deleted a whole paragraph of boring description of the place. Who cares? The food is good, you’re not coming here for the ambience.

I ordered the Vegetarian special, I got a little hummus, baba ghanoush, tabouli, dolmas, falafel, garlic sauce and pita. What, what? Yum, yum.

I’m amused that these places exotically call themselves “Mediterranean” to steer the customers against what they really are: Middle Eastern joints.

You walk in and you aren’t quite sure where you’re supposed to be. Are those faded photos in bad frames of Greece? Is the olive skinned waitress from Spain? Those are places in the Mediterranean.

No. You are most likely in a Lebanese restaurant that thinks you will not come to a Middle Eastern food establishment. And sadly, in the case of some folks, they’re probably right.

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BUN BOY EATS LA

08/05/08

Great food

by sedagive

I've been coming to Gaby's for about 5 or 6 years now and I've never been disappointed. When Gaby is working, he always comes over to say hi and gives me a hug. He's a very nice man. The food is wonderful. The hummus is the best I've ever had and they will bring you as much pita as you want at no extra charge. My favorite dish is the lemon chicken and I order it almost every time I visit. The salad that comes with the chicken is delicious. Yes, the service is very slow, but I think it's more of a cultural thing than anything else. The Middle Eastern people who eat here tend to stay for hours, playing backgammon and smoking hookahs. No one seems to be in a hurry and I kind of like it. Meals should be relaxed, not rushed. This place is nothing fancy, just great food and friendly employees. I keep telling Gaby he should raise his prices, but he won't hear of it. He's just that kind of guy. I can't say enough good things about Gaby's. It's one of my favorite places and I drive from South Orange County (about 50 miles each way) just for the food.

• Pros: Food, friendly staff
• Cons: Too far away from my home