Alibaba Mediterranean Cuisine — Restaurant in Long Beach

This one really hurts because I’ve always enjoyed the food here, especially the lunch specials. However, after a concerning incident during my last visit, I won’t be returning.

While placing my order, I witnessed an uncomfortable exchange between two staff members. One worker interrupted the order process to show a piece of burnt foil she had found while cleaning the bathroom. Instead of handling this issue privately, she discussed it in front of customers and proceeded to discard the foil. What disturbed me most was that after handling this item, the staff member did not wash her hands and immediately handed me two water cups.

This raises serious concerns about the hygiene practices at this establishment. Whether cleaning the bathroom or handling any items in a food service environment, employees should be following proper sanitation protocols, including washing their hands thoroughly. This incident made me question how often hygiene standards are overlooked.

I initially tried reaching out to the restaurant directly via their website to address the issue, but after waiting nearly a month without a response, I felt compelled to leave this review. The food is great, but food safety practices are equally important. I hope the management will take this feedback seriously and ensure that their staff follows proper health and hygiene procedures for the safety of their customers.

tldr; food is great, but you might be getting a little more than sumac...

Been past this place hundreds of times, finally ordered out and I am glad I did! Compared to any other Mediterranean grill this is the best! Everything was seasoned to perfection, full of flavor, and filling. We got the Shwarma mix plate and the Kabob Mix plate, that way we were able to try the chicken and beef. The kabobs : amazing, the beef was perfectly grilled and seasoned. The chicken was garlicky and char grilled but not burnt. The beef shwarma was full of flavor as well as the chicken. I'm typically not the biggest hummus fan as I've had a lot that have been pasty or gritty, lacked flavor or too oily. This hummus was great! I tried it thinking meh I'll probably let my husband have it bit after the first bite I devoured it with the pita. Oh the rice! Wow! It was buttery and tasted like it was cooked in a broth. I went in not expecting to be so pleased with our meal and by the time we finished everything, we were satisfied and know know where to grab amazing Mediterranean food whenever we crave it. It was about $20 per plate per person but the quality of the food, the taste and the portion is...

Update: went down from 3 to 1 star because that's the minimum I could give the reply to my previous review. So rude! We already know where drinks are but when we pay for them with combos your cashiers are supposed to say "please choose your drink that comes with the combo". Also, shawerma is not Mexican food so default should be pita. Still up to you but you are still supposed to learn customer service that tells you to always give additional options to customers so they feel more comfortable choosing. It seems like the owner needs to learn customer service first then teach it to his employees 😂 Previous review: Ordered take-out 3 shawermas, one of them was a combo. Food was good but I was disappointed of the service. The person who took the order over the phone did not offer options of tortilla or pita bread for the wraps, didn't offer drink options, did not even give me the drink with my combo!! How would I not get something I paid for? Service should be a little better because the food is good at this place! Just more friendly and professional...