Pita Kabob — Restaurant in Visalia

I'm not generally one to write poor reviews, but after I saw the extremely unprofessional responses from the business owner to several reviews that were already posted, I decided to add my own. COVID has changed our expectations of restaurants when it comes to wait times and social interaction with the restaurant staff; however, common curtesy remains unchanged. If the pandemic has shown us anything, it has been an increase in common curtesy, but such was not the case here. Upon arrival we asked if there was availability for our large party, and were told there was room on the patio that would be available shortly. There was no wait time given and we were seated as soon as the tables could be pushed together and cleared. The hostess was polite and friendly. There was no mention of any problems with the kitchen being backed up or running behind. After being seating, we were given water and our orders taken, and there the service ended. We waited for over an hour without any member of the staff providing an update on our order or coming with refills on our water. Being summer, and over 104 degrees outside on the patio, the waters were quickly gone. Our waitress was seen several times on the patio clearing tables or seating new customers, but never returned to our table. We were able to flag down a different member of the staff to request an update and get a few extra paper towels. Unfortunately, this staff member was only able to offer that "this is a problem we are having." Eventually, our waitress returned (without offering water or if there was any way to make us more comfortable) and after being questioned, she stated "there are 2 or 3 pickup orders ahead of your ticket." She did not offer an approximate arrival time for our food. We did ask to speak with a manager regarding our lack of service at this point and our waitress returned to inform us there is nothing she can do about the wait. There are still orders ahead of us and it will be another 20 minutes minimum for our food. Much of my career has been spent in customer service, and while I am well aware that there are things outside of the restaurant's control, the staffs attitude is not one of them. There were 4 tables filled on the patio (less than half of the space was occupied) and if this was too much for the staff on hand, the tables should not have been seated. We were told there were pickup orders ahead of our in person order, but why did they wait so long to explain this? We chose this restaurant based on its online reviews, so we agreed to sit out on the patio and we waited patiently for an hour and a half. We were not demanding, rude or disrespectful to the staff. An hour and a half is much too long of a wait without even a refill on drinks- even amid the COVID pandemic. Social distancing is the new norm, but there is a difference between social distancing and inattentiveness. I cannot rate the food, as even after all the time we waited, ours never came and according to the waitress our order hadn't even been started. As our ticket hadn't been started and we had only had our glasses of water, we decided to remove our food request and let the next table in line have a chance at getting their food. The service did not live up to any previous good reviews. And after looking at some of the responses from the business owner, I understand why. We really shouldn't expect professionalism and common curtesy from the staff if it isn't displayed by the business owner. If a mistake was made, own it, learn from it and move on, don't waste everyone's time trying to explain why it wasn't your fault...

Like many of the most recent reviews over the last 12 months; customer service was unacceptable during my visit.

I been coming to this place since 2018 and this has been the only time where I felt the owners really need to take a look in the mirror.

I showed up today to order my food to go and specifically order the vegan bacon western cheeseburger the worker who took the order seemed very confused and overwhelmed.

Well sure enough I get home and realize she put the order in for the regular PK western bacon cheeseburger. I actually wasn’t even upset because I’ve owned a restaurant in Visalia (juice bar) and I get we all make mistakes.

So I return back to let her know and of course she apologizes. However, a couple minutes later while I’m waiting in the deli area she walks up and ask me to pay the difference!

I bust out laughing because why in the restaurant business would you ever make your customer pay for your ordering mistake?

This is when I became disappointed because she went back and forth with me trying to convince me to pay the difference of $1.80.

Now get this I support local businesses that even though it was take out order I left a $3 tip. So I mentioned to her to just take it from the tip.

And to add on they wanted us all to stop sitting in the deli area. Is the deli area separate sure it is but as customers when there is over 13 people in the waiting area which can only sit 4 people it’s natural for customers to got to the deli. The outside area was packed as well.

Maybe a solution would be to install a door to the deli just my .2 cents.

To wrap up this review I’ll say this.

Is the food amazing YES. Is it great that they are expanding YES. Are they a business that is seriously overwhelmed and understaffed right now Absolutely.

However customer service is the number one thing that you will always be remembered for. No matter how good the food is a bad experience will always take precedence.

Also when you put bad energy out there you get it back in so many different ways. If they plan on having a huge vision for this company I would hope customer service is at the top of the list.

Whats interesting is that nobody is asking for this company to be perfect we expect professional communication and the moments when you guys fall short take responsibility and help the customer.

My message for the owners is keep doing the best job you can. Keep working hard but make sure your culture is growing along with...

Great hummus, lively vibes, and filling portions—but keep an eye on the service and pita.

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Food: We tried a solid spread of dishes that showed potential, with a few hits and minor misses.

• The Cilantro Jalapeño Hummus was the highlight—creamy, flavorful, and well-balanced with just the right kick. Unfortunately, the pita bread fell short; it lacked the softness you’d expect and turned chewy and dry, making it hard to enjoy as a scoop.

• The Spicy Wrap was satisfying and packed well, though it didn’t quite deliver on the “spicy” promise. Flavor-wise, it was good, but could benefit from a bit more seasoning to make it stand out.

• The Vegetarian Bowl was a win—filling and well-portioned, with the flavorful pilaf acting as the hero of the plate. The falafels were crisp, and the salad and fried pita chips added freshness and crunch. • The fries were nicely seasoned, and served fresh and hot, great as a side.

Service: Service was average—not terrible, but not seamless either. We didn’t receive plates until we were nearly done with the appetizers, and the ones we eventually got were wet, which was unexpected for a restaurant of this caliber. Other than that, the staff were pleasant and the food arrived in good time.

Ambience: The outdoor seating area is beautifully done—string lights, warm wood, and ambient music made it an ideal spot for a relaxed evening dinner. The space strikes a great balance between casual and cozy, and it’s well-maintained both indoors and out.

Pricing: Pricing was reasonable and worth it for the portion sizes. You can expect a hearty meal that doesn’t break the bank, especially considering the quality of most items.

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Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)

Pita Kabob is a great casual dinner pick with strong Mediterranean flavors, generous portions, and a fun outdoor vibe. Some small tweaks in service and pita texture would take the experience from...