Reviews - D'yar
Reviews summary
Tucked into Northside, this no-frills Mediterranean spot delivers huge, well-priced plates—shawarma, lamb, kofta and falafel—that are flavorful when executed well. Service is usually quick and friendly, making it a takeout favorite for students and lunch crowds, though peak hours can get busy. Quality and presentation vary by cook, so sauces, seasoning and portion consistency can fluctuate. Expect casual seating, generous portions and solid value—bring patience during rushes and you’ll likely leave satisfied.
Reviews from various users
Last update : 24.11.2023
Dyar is a hidden gem in the north side of Berkeley. This place serves high quality food at an incredibly fast past. The food is delicious and the staff is super friendly. I had the lamb kebab with French fries. The meat was so tender and the hummus was one of the most authentic I've tasted in the bay. Overall, Highly recommend if your just trying to grab a quick lunch in Berkeley or simply taste the authentic flavors of the Middle East.
Super nice people, the best local food and good prices. Love this spot
Don’t go here if you have somewhere to be- they took 25 min to make a salad to go
We used to order here a lot and the food was great. We haven't ordered in about a year or so. We ordered our favorite plate yesterday: the Chicken Shawarma Snack (description from the menu: Roasted chicken with creamy garlic sauce, onion, and pickles. Served with a side of fries). I'm not sure what happened, but the sandwich didn't have any garlic sauce or onions, just chicken. The bread was soaked in oil, it's like they made the sandwich and then dipped it in oil. The fries were ok, but didn't have any salt (so essentially tasteless). The sandwich itself was much smaller than usual, but I would have been ok with that if it was made properly. The meal was extremely disappointing to say the least. The usual employees we were used to seeing weren't there. I'm not sure if that means that management changed or what. But if your employees didn't read the menu they're supposed to be serving, you have a huge problem.
Honestly, the money itself wasn't a huge issue; had they offered to refund me, I would have simply added it to the tip I had already left in their tip jar. However, they did not offer any compensation, and the entire situation felt dishonest. The chef and the cashier both reviewed the receipt several times but did not attempt to resolve the surcharge problem. The cashier did say she would consult her manager, but there was no manager present. Most customers don’t closely examine their receipts, so I felt it was important to share this warning with anyone considering dining here. Overall, my experience felt quite dishonest. Additionally, when I placed my order, they informed me that they were out of salad ingredients before noon and suggested I order a plate instead. However, when I returned to pick up my order, I saw them preparing the very salad for another customer with a later order number. I had been told there were no salads available before I paid, so it seemed unrelated to the payment issue, but seeing someone else receive that salad was definitely disappointing. The chicken shawarma was overly salty and greasy, but I think it could have been enjoyable on top of a salad if I had been given that option!
Last update : 17.07.2023
Fresh, tasty, authentic, reasonably priced. Good value. Speedy service. Not fancy. It's healthy fast food. Great lunch spot.
Decent middle eastern food for a reasonable price. Usually pretty fast, but sometimes at peak lunch time they get overrun with orders so I would try to avoid 12:30-1:00.
Came here almost every day for lunch for the past 2 years, and plan to continue for the forseeable future. Portions are huge for what you pay and the food is great. Perhaps not the best mediterranean food but consistently good, which is most important to me. Its pretty much a guarantee you will leave happy with your meal if you generally like mediterranean food. My favorite dish is the chicken shawarma plate/wrap/salad, can't go wrong with it.
This is one of my top go to places. I have been here MANY time. The food is so good! Not cheap though. Chicken or beef shawarma plates are my favorite. The hummus that comes with it made me like hummus.
I ordered the Pesto Falafel Wrap and had to wait around 10-15 minutes since it was lunchtime and the place was quite busy. However, it was absolutely delicious and very satisfying. I would definitely come back more often!
