The food is very good and the portions are very large. Highly recommended I like the indoorand outdoor seating although you're really not outdoors
Gideon A.
Training training training, need to train your people and stop hiring all these high school kids . They are ok at fast food places , but you sell $30.00 plates . Also phone orders , God help you , no one knows what's going on . Luckily the food is good . So if you can accept the lack of service and lack of professionalism and pay the prices , then I guess you are in the right place . G.
Winn H.
TLDR: Tasty Mediterranean cuisine, excellent food even for the foreigner. Service and communication could use improvement but easily forgotten after tasting the food. The overall ambiance is calm and relaxed, cozy in the winter and a breeze in the summer. ------ I discovered Hummus Bar & Grill via Yelp and wasn't surprised that it was located on Venture Blvd. Parking here is quite tight and limited to 30 minutes, but there is underground parking available. Entering was an awkward experience; there are 4-5 people at the bars and a handful of servers but no real designated entrance or obvious check-in location. Hummus is a large restaurant that has an cozy, well-lit outdoor patio and modern, minimalist interior that boasts mirrors and rectangular shapes - an aesthetically clean combo. My server spoke English, but there were areas where communication was difficult. This wasn't my first time having Mediterranean food, but it is not a cuisine I frequent. I spent a good 10 minutes switching between skimming the menu and Yelp photos, eventually settling on a Lamb Skewer with Hummus and Laffa and a side of their Veggie Rice. I also ordered a side of hot water since it was chilly outside, but they brought room temperature water. I was unsure if this was a communication issue. There is a complimentary starter of pickled vegetables in addition to pickles and olives. I'm not one for either, since sour isn't a flavor I like, but I ended up finishing both, so that was a surprise. I started the meal with the Veggie Rice. To the uneducated foreigner, I would say this compares most to a mushroom and sweet onion flavored rice with chickpeas that gave off a "refried beans" taste. This description doesn't do it justice, but the rice was nothing short of pure deliciousness. The lamb skewers were especially meaty with little fat. My only dislike was that it was a little on the drier side, possibly overcooked. Fortunately, it was still tender. The exterior was juicy and flavorful, but the interior was dry and tough, only tasting of unmarinated meat. The onion that came along it was nicely carmelized and sweet - a nice condiment. The roasted jalapeno on the other hand sent me straight to the water. The seeds were quite spicy, so I ended up leaving it aside. I tried the laffa and hummus last - a little backwards - because it came out fresh and piping hot. The laffa was a doughy, soft, chewy pita bread. I was reminded of freshly baked bread, tender and luscious. Their hummus was quite light and savory, tasting of ground nuts - freshly prepared - and it the perfect pair. I finished the night with a Malabi, a dessert that I saw on Yelp, and I wasn't quite sure how to describe it. I guess my best description is it's similar to flan and the red sauce is a sweet strawberry syrup with hints of cinnamon. There are some light toppings on it as well, but I would suggest sharing this with 2-4 people... it's quite a bit to eat alone. I ended up taking the Malabi and my dinner to go, since I was only able to finish half of it. Overall, this was an exceptionally great place to dine at. I think service and communication could use some work, and I was quite disappointed for the first portion of my visit. However, the food was outstanding and each bite delivered a taste of joy.
Zach S.
This place is really extraordinary and I'm so glad I ate there! Everything tastes very fresh, wholesome, and high quality. I hope it's half as good the next time I come.
Mitch P.
I've been here a few times and here's an updated review. We came here with good friends because they love this restaurant so we thought we'd try it again and the food was much better than last time! I had one chicken breast skewer, which was delicious and more than enough along with fries and a little rice. The ladies split a skewer of chicken and a salad and some made it home. And as a note, Shani was an excellent server, being patient when being asked questions and being available and checking in on us during our meal.
Caroline s.
There are way too many menu options that it feels kind of overwhelming . I would definitely suggest getting the unlimited side salads with your entree order . The egg salad in that series was my favorite . My actual favorite dish was the kale salad . I would come back just for that and add a protein to the salad . The peanut vinaigrette in the salad is delicious. Ophir was the kindest and most attentive waiter. He really did a good job of checking in and accommodating our requests.
Lola R.
This is my 4th time at the Hummus Bar in Tarzana. I don't know what exactly happened, all other times food was pretty good. I had the chicken shawarma and it was not even close to other times; the meat was kinda dry, the taste was not great. Mashed potatoes were awful and when I asked for butter the very serious waiter replied " we have no butter here" but never gave another choice of condiment. The "israeli salad side" was just cucumbers and tomatoes without any seasoning. Management was not nice or empathetic, tried to explain the the " real israeli salad" comes when you pay for the a la carte one, which makes no sense. Even the pickles tasted weird. The bread was great, except when we ordered another one with zatar it came on the burnt side. At that time I decided to just call it a day.
Karen C.
We made our reservation about two hours before we wanted to go there. When we arrived, there weren't too many tables full, and we thought that's great for a Friday night, and we figured because of the rain that evening people might have canceled last minute. To my surprise though, the service was horrible. We ordered our food. It came pretty quickly which was good. We asked for extra tahini sauce and extra pita bread for our meal and the waitress said she will be right back with it. She never returned. She never came to check on us, she or no one else came to ask if we needed more drinks, or napkins or anything. I decided to ask for the manager since I just wanted him to be aware of the situation. He didn't even care. He said "okay you know that I am short staffed, I have too many tables and no help and if she didn't come to you then it is what it is at this point". I was floored I asked for my check and a box to take the rest of the food home. He sent over another waiter and he said "the manager said he will give you a free dessert because you were inconvenienced". I told him no thank you I just wanted the to go boxes (which I was waiting for already for about 15 mins) and the check so I could just pay and leave.I have frequented this restaurant many times before in the past, this was by far the WORST service ALL AROUND that I have encountered. I will not go back there again.The management needs customer service training asap. This is why his crew was horrible as well.
Dutch J.
TWICE! I've tried twice to give this place a shot. 1st time was mid afternoon, after waiting 15 minutes for someone to help me, I walked out. Tonight, at 6pm, I sat at the bar hoping to get a beer and some food. I've been dying for some good hummus. I sat there for 10 minutes. No one approached me, like ever to say hi or f*** off! I really want to try this place, but no more. I walked out. Maybe I need to change my accent?! Service=0! Food= who the f*** knows!!
Really good, fresh Israeli (Mediterranean) food. Starting with the fresh fresh fresh giant pita - so good and so plentiful! They have the best hummus options, including my all tie favorite (and often go-to) mushroom hummus. So good! Every salad I've ordered has been fresh, high quality, and flavorful. I've had fish entrees here, and each has been very tasty. The staff are attentive and informed - some aren't as personable, but that's OK. The pricing is fair, and the outdoor seating is A+. It can get 'sceney' at times, but that's fun. Easy and free parking in their lot. It's a nice Tarzana restaurant worth visiting. I happen to frequent it.
Donna D.
Some of the best humus you can get outside of the Middle East. Like, you probably buy your humus at Whole Foods and think it's yummy. You'll never want store bought humus again once you eat here. I love ordering the humus with mushrooms. It's just perfect. Come here to ruin yourself for all other humus.
Shantel W.
I come here all the time for takeout and the food is BOMBB! They don't cheap out on the spices if you know what I mean ;) always get great taste here, the price is just right, and you even get a little of that middle eastern spice in interacting with the waiters too
Shelly Y.
It was great we was so hungry and they bring a lot of appetiser on the start The hummus was good And the lafha was hot and fresh
Adir A.
Great food ! I got the Falafel pita, the fried cauliflower and the hummus plate with the garbanzo beans. It was fantastic I just think that the cauliflower was boring a little. The best part was the malabi, very tasty! Nice waiter was very nice and funny .
Chicken livers and onions were the Best!
The food is very good and the portions are very large. Highly recommended I like the indoorand outdoor seating although you're really not outdoors
Training training training, need to train your people and stop hiring all these high school kids . They are ok at fast food places , but you sell $30.00 plates . Also phone orders , God help you , no one knows what's going on . Luckily the food is good . So if you can accept the lack of service and lack of professionalism and pay the prices , then I guess you are in the right place . G.
TLDR: Tasty Mediterranean cuisine, excellent food even for the foreigner. Service and communication could use improvement but easily forgotten after tasting the food. The overall ambiance is calm and relaxed, cozy in the winter and a breeze in the summer. ------ I discovered Hummus Bar & Grill via Yelp and wasn't surprised that it was located on Venture Blvd. Parking here is quite tight and limited to 30 minutes, but there is underground parking available. Entering was an awkward experience; there are 4-5 people at the bars and a handful of servers but no real designated entrance or obvious check-in location. Hummus is a large restaurant that has an cozy, well-lit outdoor patio and modern, minimalist interior that boasts mirrors and rectangular shapes - an aesthetically clean combo. My server spoke English, but there were areas where communication was difficult. This wasn't my first time having Mediterranean food, but it is not a cuisine I frequent. I spent a good 10 minutes switching between skimming the menu and Yelp photos, eventually settling on a Lamb Skewer with Hummus and Laffa and a side of their Veggie Rice. I also ordered a side of hot water since it was chilly outside, but they brought room temperature water. I was unsure if this was a communication issue. There is a complimentary starter of pickled vegetables in addition to pickles and olives. I'm not one for either, since sour isn't a flavor I like, but I ended up finishing both, so that was a surprise. I started the meal with the Veggie Rice. To the uneducated foreigner, I would say this compares most to a mushroom and sweet onion flavored rice with chickpeas that gave off a "refried beans" taste. This description doesn't do it justice, but the rice was nothing short of pure deliciousness. The lamb skewers were especially meaty with little fat. My only dislike was that it was a little on the drier side, possibly overcooked. Fortunately, it was still tender. The exterior was juicy and flavorful, but the interior was dry and tough, only tasting of unmarinated meat. The onion that came along it was nicely carmelized and sweet - a nice condiment. The roasted jalapeno on the other hand sent me straight to the water. The seeds were quite spicy, so I ended up leaving it aside. I tried the laffa and hummus last - a little backwards - because it came out fresh and piping hot. The laffa was a doughy, soft, chewy pita bread. I was reminded of freshly baked bread, tender and luscious. Their hummus was quite light and savory, tasting of ground nuts - freshly prepared - and it the perfect pair. I finished the night with a Malabi, a dessert that I saw on Yelp, and I wasn't quite sure how to describe it. I guess my best description is it's similar to flan and the red sauce is a sweet strawberry syrup with hints of cinnamon. There are some light toppings on it as well, but I would suggest sharing this with 2-4 people... it's quite a bit to eat alone. I ended up taking the Malabi and my dinner to go, since I was only able to finish half of it. Overall, this was an exceptionally great place to dine at. I think service and communication could use some work, and I was quite disappointed for the first portion of my visit. However, the food was outstanding and each bite delivered a taste of joy.
This place is really extraordinary and I'm so glad I ate there! Everything tastes very fresh, wholesome, and high quality. I hope it's half as good the next time I come.
I've been here a few times and here's an updated review. We came here with good friends because they love this restaurant so we thought we'd try it again and the food was much better than last time! I had one chicken breast skewer, which was delicious and more than enough along with fries and a little rice. The ladies split a skewer of chicken and a salad and some made it home. And as a note, Shani was an excellent server, being patient when being asked questions and being available and checking in on us during our meal.
There are way too many menu options that it feels kind of overwhelming . I would definitely suggest getting the unlimited side salads with your entree order . The egg salad in that series was my favorite . My actual favorite dish was the kale salad . I would come back just for that and add a protein to the salad . The peanut vinaigrette in the salad is delicious. Ophir was the kindest and most attentive waiter. He really did a good job of checking in and accommodating our requests.
This is my 4th time at the Hummus Bar in Tarzana. I don't know what exactly happened, all other times food was pretty good. I had the chicken shawarma and it was not even close to other times; the meat was kinda dry, the taste was not great. Mashed potatoes were awful and when I asked for butter the very serious waiter replied " we have no butter here" but never gave another choice of condiment. The "israeli salad side" was just cucumbers and tomatoes without any seasoning. Management was not nice or empathetic, tried to explain the the " real israeli salad" comes when you pay for the a la carte one, which makes no sense. Even the pickles tasted weird. The bread was great, except when we ordered another one with zatar it came on the burnt side. At that time I decided to just call it a day.
We made our reservation about two hours before we wanted to go there. When we arrived, there weren't too many tables full, and we thought that's great for a Friday night, and we figured because of the rain that evening people might have canceled last minute. To my surprise though, the service was horrible. We ordered our food. It came pretty quickly which was good. We asked for extra tahini sauce and extra pita bread for our meal and the waitress said she will be right back with it. She never returned. She never came to check on us, she or no one else came to ask if we needed more drinks, or napkins or anything. I decided to ask for the manager since I just wanted him to be aware of the situation. He didn't even care. He said "okay you know that I am short staffed, I have too many tables and no help and if she didn't come to you then it is what it is at this point". I was floored I asked for my check and a box to take the rest of the food home. He sent over another waiter and he said "the manager said he will give you a free dessert because you were inconvenienced". I told him no thank you I just wanted the to go boxes (which I was waiting for already for about 15 mins) and the check so I could just pay and leave.I have frequented this restaurant many times before in the past, this was by far the WORST service ALL AROUND that I have encountered. I will not go back there again.The management needs customer service training asap. This is why his crew was horrible as well.
TWICE! I've tried twice to give this place a shot. 1st time was mid afternoon, after waiting 15 minutes for someone to help me, I walked out. Tonight, at 6pm, I sat at the bar hoping to get a beer and some food. I've been dying for some good hummus. I sat there for 10 minutes. No one approached me, like ever to say hi or f*** off! I really want to try this place, but no more. I walked out. Maybe I need to change my accent?! Service=0! Food= who the f*** knows!!
Restaurantji Recommends
Really good, fresh Israeli (Mediterranean) food. Starting with the fresh fresh fresh giant pita - so good and so plentiful! They have the best hummus options, including my all tie favorite (and often go-to) mushroom hummus. So good! Every salad I've ordered has been fresh, high quality, and flavorful. I've had fish entrees here, and each has been very tasty. The staff are attentive and informed - some aren't as personable, but that's OK. The pricing is fair, and the outdoor seating is A+. It can get 'sceney' at times, but that's fun. Easy and free parking in their lot. It's a nice Tarzana restaurant worth visiting. I happen to frequent it.
Some of the best humus you can get outside of the Middle East. Like, you probably buy your humus at Whole Foods and think it's yummy. You'll never want store bought humus again once you eat here. I love ordering the humus with mushrooms. It's just perfect. Come here to ruin yourself for all other humus.
I come here all the time for takeout and the food is BOMBB! They don't cheap out on the spices if you know what I mean ;) always get great taste here, the price is just right, and you even get a little of that middle eastern spice in interacting with the waiters too
It was great we was so hungry and they bring a lot of appetiser on the start The hummus was good And the lafha was hot and fresh
Great food ! I got the Falafel pita, the fried cauliflower and the hummus plate with the garbanzo beans. It was fantastic I just think that the cauliflower was boring a little. The best part was the malabi, very tasty! Nice waiter was very nice and funny .