Bavel Reviews

The restaurant was much too loud for conversation, and the food was quite ordinary. The only dish I would even try again was the farmer's cheese. The lamb chops were thin and tough; the shrimp were overly seasoned, and the pita seemed stale. The wine list was very limited as well. The wait staff were arrogant and dismissive. So disappointing.

Great place for family, friends or work dining. Rich menu celebrating Middle-east cuisine with unique chef's touch.

A family celebration of Father’s Day was highlighted by unique creative dishes. The Ocean Trout Crudo appetizer ($22) resembled Poke, with pungent spices. The Whole Te Mana Lamb Rack ($75) was a generous, perfectly cooked (rare-med. Rare) pile of seven ribs. The Slow Roasted Lamb Neck Shawarma ($45) was moist and succulent. A bottle of red wine from Croatia got high marks, courtesy of the knowledgeable sommelier and rounded out a memorable meal. Good COVID safety protocols. Highly recommended for a new "beyond Middle-East" food experience.

BAVEL - middle eastern cuisine, LA downtown - Michelin awarded - Vegetarian friendly, Vegan Options By the chance of this time visit to California, I could visit many good restaurants. But I would like to introduce several ones which were impressive for me. The first one is BAVEL which is middle eastern restaurant, located in downtown LA. You can meet the Chefs of Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis. I am allowed to take photos for the cooking spaces including his staffs. It has very joyful, lively vibe. The Heka and Havah are good, helpful cocktails for appetizing. Marinated Olives ($9) are also recommendable with them. Among the dishes, I really like grilled prawn ($34), harissa marinade. I also like braised Wagyu beef cheek Tagine ($48) which comes with the coconut rice. But if you do not like the braised or stewed beef, the grilled one will be good selection. Reservation is essential and Valet parking is available at $13. @sarah_kim_ Thanks for the reservation! 🙏 Staffs are very friendly and helplful.

My absolute new fav spot. At the bottom of the 4th street bridge, an area that used to be unsafe and industrial. It’s now a mid-century decorated location with a great atmosphere. It was hopping mid-week too. Fun vibe, artsy folks, post office folks, musicians, great mix. Try the flatbeds, and the spreads. Really one of the best I’ve had. Lamb shoulder, Dorade, also great. You need a reservation, the place was packed.

I really liked the atmosphere here- beautiful in the heart of the Art District. It's an expensive version of Middle East food which would be fine if the ingredients called for it. It's menu heavy on breads and spreads. I had a scallop crude dish which was tiny. The beef tagine was okay, weak on flavor. There just were not enough interesting veggie dishes on the menu to accompany the food and the waitress recommended 3 breads and dips which is not the way I like to eat...not healthy. Good music and pretty space. This was a one nighter for me. There are others that have opened recently with plenty of charm and less attitude that are better food and value. The staff also told us exactly how we "should" eat every dish. Wish was totally annoying. Like actually how to dip your bread in a spread and get all three flavors.

there are not enough time in my day to write how much I love this restaurant. By far best restaurant in LA and A MUST try if you come to LA. One of the few places where the food is as incredible as the service and the attitude is not stuffy just love love love

Every single dish that we ordered was just WOW ! We ordered a lot and I wish I had more space in my stomach to be able to eat more that’s how good everything was. We had hummus , duck hummus ( amazing ), moutabal ( sooo smoky it was very good ) , cauliflower (spicy but the white sauce with it made it all better), shrimps (yummy), mushrooms, lamb kebbab, scallops ( amazing) ... and my all time favorite on the menu: the chicken liver pâté. It was soooooo good it’s served with some sort of marmalade and It was just divine. Too bad I don’t live in LA otherwise I would eat there EVERY WEEK. The « nissim » cocktail was very very nice. Service on point, Nice ambiance, amazing food .. what else do you need in life !

Hip L.A. restaurant with excellent food in a somewhat sketchy neighborhood. Don’t be put off - there’s safe valet parking. I’ve been to many mediterranean style restaurants all over the world and this one stands out with the quality of preparation, service, and atmosphere. The pita bread alone is worth the price of admission (both baked and fried are excellent). Everything was great - our entrees (the rack of lamb and the beef cheek tagine) stood out as exceptional. Don’t miss this if you’re in the area.

We were lucky enough to score a table for 2 at Bavel ahead of a nearby event. We don't live anywhere near downtown so it's not an area we'd typically be dining in. Our experience at Bavel led me to the conclusion that it'd be worth heading downtown, just to eat here. It's a delicious destination with lots of options for vegetarians and an incredible amount of detail and artistry put into every dish. We were seated at the bar in front of one of the prep stations, so when I say that there's an incredible amount of detail and artistry put into the dishes...it's not just because of the gorgeously presented food that was served to us, it's because our eyes actually got to witness it being prepared a couple of feet away from us. It was impressive. My wife and I shared: Malawach - I'm a sucker for malawach...Something happens when that deep fried bread meets that fresh tomato puree. It's magic. Cherry Tomato - I wouldn't normally order a plate of tomatoes, but this dish was so beautiful and delicious. I'm a tomato convert. Let them be the stars! Hawaj Cauliflower - hearty and generous in portion size even for 2 people sharing with other dishes. More yum. Roasted Strawberry Pavlova - a dessert I just wanted to kiss it was so beautiful, and again really tasty. Everything we had here was amazing. Things change seasonally so there's a constant reinvention happening, and some of the things we got aren't on the menu anymore as a couple months have gone by. But we would eat here any time. We couldn't have been happier vegetarians at Bavel.

Four of us went to this middle eastern restaurant. It was fabulous. The plates are all to be shared. Everything was superb. Tremendous flavors. We had about 6 different items. All were superb. We had a great lamb flatbread, prawns, quail and duck. The hummus and bread was outstanding. Not to be missed. The service was great.

Its in the Arts district of Los Angeles and worth the trip. The bar is busy and although some of the drinks sound like Hangover # 1, they pull it off with imaginative mixtures of alcohol products you never heard of with mixes that just sound too complex to understand, but try them, they work. The food is as creative as the cocktails with humus, roasted veggies and an assortment of dishes from pork to beef that are prepared middle eastern AND with all the flavors. It a place that we would revisit.

Great place to eat. Friendly service. Servers explain the dishes and suggest how to eat them as per Chef's recommendation.

If you are into the above this is your place. There are many flavored hummus and spreads, great for sharing. We ordered Fois Gras Halva, a spread that was a bit too creamy and not enough fois gras, served with buckwheat toast that was very good. We also had the octopus appetizer that was dry and tough. There were only 5 entrees on the menu. Our first was the half duck and chicory salad. The duck breast was on a skewer, and it was very dry, but the duck leg confit was tender. The entire dish was a bit salty. The next entree was lamb neck schawarma that was tasty, but a bit dry. You flake the meat off the bone and serve it with the pita bread, and the condiments that came with the dish. For our dessert we had tapioca and pistachio with cardamom and fig leaf syrup, delicious. Not a favorite dining experience and menu was limited with a long list of hummus and spreads.

We had a wonderfully comfortable booth seat. Great food- enjoyed the shrimp, eggplant and the lamb. Service was great. Kind of loud inside but fun.

Bavel is located close to the Art District in a warehouse previously occupied by Evergreen Fresh Farms. This is owned by the same people from Bestia. It is one of the hottest restaurants at the moment. Reservation are very hard to come by. We got a 10 pm reservation on a Wednesday. They close at midnight and was packed. It has a very inviting atmosphere. A nice large patio with an indoor area nicely adorned with live greenery hanging down from the ceiling. For drinks we had the NEBUCHADNEZZAR - lamb fat bourbon, blue plum brandy, smoked ice & grapefruit. Their version of an Old Fashioned. We enjoyed it. We started with the DUCK 'NDUJA HUMMUS - creamy garbanzo beans, Jerusalem mix spice, herbs & pita. I could eat this all day and night. The pita a good 1/4" thick piece of soft fluffy bread, freshly made for your order. Spread the duck hummus and take a bite and you are in heaven. The next dish was the Lamb tartar accompanied with thin pieces of freshly baked pita bread. The pita and tartar were outstanding. Next ROASTED CAULIFLOWER - hawaij chile sauce, crème fraiche serrano dip, pistachios & dried flowers. Amazing flavors. We followed this with the GRILLED OCTOPUS - herbed yogurt, fried squid ink pita, capers, smoked paprika oil & turmeric pickled onions. The octopus melted in your mouth, it was that tender. The fried squid ink pita that was part of this dish was so so. Next the Lamb Flatbread - spicy fermented sausage, grated tomato, red onion, parsley, pine nuts, nigella seed, mint & sumac. We all did not like this dish. It was also heavy on the salt. In contrast the CHICKEN LIVER & MUSHROOM Flatbread - merguez spice, caramelized onions, sour sumac onions & fresh dill was very flavorful. For our Entree we had the WAGYU BEEF CHEEK TAGINE - braised cheeks, chiles, preserved lemon, turnips, green garbanzo & couscous. The couscous was made (rolled) in house and was outstanding. The beef cheeks were falling-apart tender and full of flavors. For dessert we had the VANILLA DATE CRÈME BRÛLÉE - soft candied orange peel shortbread, ROSE CLOVE CHOCOLATE DONUTS - bar au chocolat ganache, sherry diplomat cream & the COCONUT GINGER TAPIOCA - pistachio cardamom dukkah, fig leaf syrup, chicory pirouettes. All three were amazing. The service is outstanding. The prices are very reasonable. I am going to be a regular. They have $8 valet parking.

great food and customer service! made a reservation and arrived just on time and our table was ready. Everything was perfect and would happily come back again.

You absolutely must book in advance and get there not matter what! Not a lot of places I urge you to try but this place I do. Now what to order. Malawach is a must. Don’t order extra sides of bread there’s plenty with your plates. The duck is ridiculous! So good. We were 4 people. 1 bottle of Greek wine of course. Hummus with duck grease bits. Babaganoush, fish, Cauliflower and 1 dessert to share this was plenty. It’s not cheap but not going to break the bank either. In the Arts District downtown. I can’t wait yo go back and try other dishes. Love love this place. Much more than Bestia

Right off the bat, we liked Mateo Bavel which is located in the heart of the downtown LA Arts District. The owners of now legendary hotspot Bestia had been working on building out this spot for over two years. It appears to have been worth their trouble. One thing we do not like about Bestia is they sometimes act like they're doing you a favor. We are not fond of this attitude and thankfully, this is not the case at Bavel. receptionist and servers are very friendly and quick to answer even basic questions about the cuisine, which is traditional mid-eastern applied with their own flair. For example, the hummus is actually a duck hummus which sounds sort of yucchy but it is beautifully executed in terms of texture and flavor, served with traditional warm pita bread. Other staples of Mid Eastern food including various twists on lamb, baba ganoush, interesting vegetable plates and chicken with herbs and spices are usually on the menu which changes regularly. The bar is also fun and you don't usually need a reservation to get a spot although you will often have to wait the seats seem to turn over fairly quickly. Bartenders are also friendly and attentive. They have a craft cocktail menu which offers some very well executed and interesting martinis. The beer list is limited but there are usually at least a couple offbeat choices for microbrew snobs such as us. The room is brand new, well lit, generally upscale decor although the bar stools are metal and not the most comfortable on the planet. There is a small parking lot but Rideshare is a better choice as parking can be very tight in the arts district. Kind of a crapshoot sometimes you'll easily find a space other times not a prayer and no way to predict. Pricing is certainly not an expensive but not excessive either compared with other new high-end spots for example Oficine Brera which is a stone's throw away from Bavel. Already a very tough reservation to get. Overall we highly recommend Bevelle for a fun and different restaurant experience. Clearly the owners of Bestia have taken a lot of the good they have learned from operating it and applied these best practices to Mateo Bavel.

excellent ambience, the food is delish, the presentation great, the wine list superb, No Middle Eastern restaurant surpasses Bavel

Believe the hype. This place is awesome. We travel a lot and this is one of the best meals we've had in a long time. Loved all the big flavors. Favorites were the roasted tomatoes, grilled shrimp, babaganoush, farm cheese, humus and the tamahawk steak. Our waiter, Josh was excellent, as were all of the employees. Can't wait to return.

I can't remember the last time I went to a restaurant, in the US, where every dish was amazing. I'd probably rank this restaurant in one of my top 5-10 of the year. I was in town and my colleague suggested Bavel. She's passionate about Turkish food and I - Italian. We both love Mediterranean. I had no idea of the aesthetic BEAUTY of the restaurant. It's definitely "insta-worthy." Beyond that, the food was delicious. We shared the garlic humus, carrots, quail, lamb shawarma, and strawberry pistachio dessert. Every single dish was great. Service was attentive but not "upselly." I had a cocktail and a glass of wine. My colleague stuck with water (by the way - love that they start with house sparkling water). The cocktail was ok - a bit of a light pour - but the wine was delicious. I trusted the server and wasn't disappointed with the Greek Rose. I will say the wine list is very unique and things you wont find elsewhere. I can't wait til return on my next trip to LA. I thought the price point was very fair. It's not cheap - but it's priced appropriately.

Located in the Arts District, Bavel is from the same team that opened Bestia. The menu is best described as modern Middle Eastern and contains a wide array of interesting and delicious food, and a full bar. It is easy to see why this is currently a hot spot in the thriving DTLA dining scene.

Very nice place . Very big Good atmosphere. Delicious food The problem it’s not kosher so for kosher people beside very few dishes there is nothing to eat Attentive service Prices are expensive

Came here for my son’s birthday on the recommendation of my daughter in law’s sister. Tge staff is very friendly and did not mind helping us with recommending dishes to order. Everything we had was delicious! The warm pita bread was the best I’ve ever had! It is pricey but worth every cent! I would go back again!

Well Ori Menashe of Bestia did it again.....he elevated middle eastern dishes to another level....His Duck Nduja Hummus and his baba Ghanoush are outstanding and very gourmet compared to other Middle Eastern restaurants in LA....The Foie Gras Halva is a must as well.....the various breads served with each dish was amazing as well. I did start with a cocktail-ZIVAH....fantastic and refrshing vodka based drink on the sweet side.... We shared also the Lamb flatbread, the grilled octopus and the half duck.....we have to go back, as they ran out of the lamb neck shwarma that other people raved about.... Finished with the delicious Paglava (kind of a combo babka and baklava....) and the chocolate donuts.. Great to go with another couple or two, as you can taste as many dishes as possible....it was ALL good!

The restaurant is beautiful with a hanging garden. A lively atmosphere. We had a reservation and were seated soon after arrival. Our waiter was enjoyable and helpful with wine and food recommendations. We shared our food, everything was delicious. We started with the baba ghanoush, my husband ordered oyster mushroom kebab, and our main dish was the lamb neck shawarma. When my husband ordered he and I thought it was a kebab with oysters and mushrooms. When it arrived my daughter was thrilled and my husband and I were looking for the oysters. Too funny, the mushrooms were amazing, if my husband had not made this mistake I don't think we would have ordered them, so glad we got to try it. The lamb was fabulous, tender and flavorful and plenty for the three of us. Hope to return soon, a wonderful dinner.

Have lived in LA for 4 years and this is my favorite restaurant I’ve eaten at. Make a reservation way in advance as it is super tough to get in but well worth it. The duck skewer was our favorite dish, comes on a sword, extremely fire.

We love to go often to Ori Menashe Bestia restaurant whenever we visit downtown LA, since we were never disappointed. Last week we made it into Bavel and experienced not only the great tasting food that we expected from Ori, we also had a great service by professional staff who were attentive and informed. Since we were only two people, we didn't order many dishes, but the ones we did were outstanding. We looooved the Hummus and Lam Neck Shawarma - they were magnificent!! The serving is generous and plentiful. We plan to be there again soon, with at least three couples and enjoy tasting many more creative dishes.

Since Covid and being in lock-down for the last two months, this was our last take out date night ... hopefully now for the duration of this pandemic as frankly I don't understand why in SoCal we can't help out our restaurants in keeping their outdoor dining open as protocols are adhered to. YUM! Our several courses were delightfully tasty and made our pallets and our conversation and our wine that much better! Worth take out for a delicious meal and we're looking forward to returning for patio dining. The pita was probably the best either one of us have enjoyed ... light and the hummus with just a smidgen of boba ghanoush was pure happiness in every bite. I am a fresh greens person and the very simple salad did not interfere but enhanced with the crunchiness and natural flavor of the lettuce. The chicken was in a textured sauce of olives, lemon and aus jus and the meat so tenderly fell off the bone. The side of carrots and rice were accompanied the dish well. I am not a huge filler fan and I ate every bite. The dessert was a vanilla custard ... well, I'm a custard fan so could not go wrong with me there.

This was one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. Every dish was amazing and the service was excellent. The food is from Jewish tradition and the middle east. Very distinctive and delicious. We started with the best hummus I've ever tasted. Word has it that the chef/owner spent six months perfecting the recipe. It shows. That was followed by a wonderful dip called ikra. You won't be sorry for ordering it. The mushroom skewer, roasted cauliflower, and lettuce salad were all fresh, new, and delicious. From there was had a flat bread with butternut squash and honey. Again, delicious. And don't leave without ordering the lamb neck shawarma. The lamb was tender and shredded with a fork. Also order a couple of additional breads. You'll need them to finish off the dips and the sauce from some of the dishes. Of course we had room for desert. The licorice bon bon was the favorite for the table. We also had a wonderful strawberry tart and the donuts. We left happy.

Completely let down on this one - I was so excited to plan for a date night at Bavel during our vacation to LA! We arrived for our reservation for two on a Saturday evening, the restaurant interior looked stunning. To my surprise, the host seated us in their outdoor overflow area - fantastic great view of their tarp plastic windows and back entry. When I asked to be seated inside, I was told there would be no way to estimate how long it would take to seat us. Felt this was pretty unreasonable, but since we had another reservation elsewhere for drinks, we decided to stay and deal with the overflow area seating. Once seated, we had three different staff approach our table to ask for dietary preferences and give the “intro” speech. Felt like since we were a small table instead of a group, we kept getting passed to different servers. When I shared we were dairy-free, the server crossed out most of the menu (lol). The only plant-based options I had were appetizers - cauliflower and hummus. Both were good, but it was pretty surprising that there was nothing else that could accommodate dietary options (especially for this cuisine, which usually has options with vegetables, lentils, etc.). We asked for the cauliflower to be brought out the same time as the entree my spouse ordered, and were told it couldn’t be accommodated. Again, just kept feeling like you only received quality service if you had a large group tab. My spouse had visited earlier in the month with a group and had RAVED about the incredible service and ambience at this restaurant — so I know that there is a completely different experience available here. Paid the same price tag though. Ugh - such a bummer, wish I had known!

I wanted to try something new for my birthday and we all know the dining scene in LA is never lacking. Bestia has had its run as one of the top places to eat in this part of town so having heard of its sister restaurant serving up Mediterranean food, I figured why not. Enter Bavel. We kindly refused the table they gave us at the covered patio as it was cold and seemed too casual for the occasion. They were nice enough to get us a better seating inside where we were right under the hanging plants which was the focal point of the interior. A beautiful bar and lively open kitchen were also visible from where we sat. Our lovely server took good care of us that night. She suggested the Amalia cocktail ($14) for me with whiskey, amaro, cacao, sumac, cinnamon, lime, and egg white. It was the perfect winter drink. With only two of us dining, we decided to get several small plates. The Marinated Olives ($7) though not pitted, were very addicting. Next came the rich and heavenly Foie Gras Halva ($21) which you dare not miss. Not as fatty as I hoped it would be, the Grilled Lamb Belly ($18) was a good alternative vs the large meat dishes from the Entrees. And my, my, my...the Grilled Prawns ($24) were perfectly charred, with the meat so sweet and delicious. Finally, for the piece de resistance, Oyster Mushroom Kebab ($20), fellas.The smoked flavor from the grill was astounding. You could've fooled me into thinking I was eating meat. A stellar dish. Getting a reservation was not as crazy as Bestia but it seems to be heading in that direction. You'll also be pleased that street parking is easy here which is quite rare in LA.

Delicious and upbeat. Great place to share a variety of dishes. The hummus is multidimensional with flavors and the pita bread was amazing. Not one bad dish. Fish was lovely and the lamb. I can go on and on. Very loud and lively. Cocktails are aromatic and a pleasure.

Bavel has to be one of my top dining experiences in all of LA. My cousins made reservations weeks in advance. When we arrived there was a line out the door. The ambiance is great inside. They have a ton of greenery hanging from the ceiling inside. Theres a large outdoor dining patio. Noise level wise its pretty loud here. If you want a quiet place Bavel is not it. If you're on Tiktok this has to be one of the hottest restaurants in the area right now. We ordered the following: Appetizers: BABA GHANOUSH HUMMUS MASABACHA YELLOWTAIL CRUDO TABOULEH GRILLED PRAWNS LAMB FLATBREAD CHARRED OCTOPUS Entrees: GRILLED DORADE SLOW ROASTED LAMB NECK SHAWARMA All of the spreads are must orders. The crudo, flatbreads and prawns were delicious as well. The prawns definitely stood out. There was a spicy harissa marinade and the addition of the cured zucchini & cucumber tzatziki were amazing. Both of the entrees were perfect. By the time we got to them with all of the appetizers some of us were almost full. Between the 8 of us these 2 entrees were perfect. The fish was marinated and cooked perfectly. I loved the lamb. The meat was so tender and flavors were on point. Our experience here was definitely 5 stars. We were in a rush to go to an event and our service team was so accommodating. All of the reviews raving about Bavel got it right. It was my cousins 3rd time going here the last 6 months. I will definitely be back to try some of their other appetizers.

We ate at Bavel twice and both time it was an unbelievable experience. For people who ate meals at some of the best restaurants in the world cooked by famous chefs, we are hard to impress. At first glance, the menu is very simple, but when you try the food the burst of flavors is unparalleled. Chef Mike is an artist of his trade. Everything we tried from hummus, baba ghanoush, shrimp, mushrooms, carrots, pickles, lamb, etc to tomahawk steak was great. Also, I must mention Aidan, the barman. The drinks he makes are out of this world. Bavel is lucky to have two creative artists working side by side.

The best quality and most amazing mediterranean food I have ever tasted. We went with a party of 10 for my cousin's birthday and were able to try almost everything on the menu and you cant go wrong. Every dish has the best quality ingredients and full of flavor. The home made breads are mouth watering, never had better dips, and the quality of the veggies and meats were out of this world. The service was impeccable and cocktails were delicious as well. I can honestly say it is the best restaurant we have ever been to.

Loved it. Beautiful restaurant and amazing food. I am no expert on Middle Eastern cuisine but I found Bavel to be an extraordinary discovery and a welcome addition to the food scene in LA. My husband and I enjoyed all our dishes: hummus, cauliflower, octopus & pork tajine. All with lots of flavours, perfect seasoning. The pace was also perfect, enough time to enjoy each plate and not too much time in between. Pita breads were so yummy. Although I was full, I had to try a dessert to see if the quality was at the same level and I was not disappointed. The cardamom apple prune cake was delicious and reminded me of my beloved sticky toffee pudding (maybe that’s why I would have loved some clotted cream with it). Service was ok, nothing bad but nothing exceptional either. My only complaint is like with many restaurants nowadays the noise level is really loud. Prices are not cheap but are the same as many places in LA and are totally worth the quality of the food.

The new restaurant from the team behind the highly successful Bestia. This restaurant is always packed and getting rave reviews and rightly so. The food is excellent and the decor and service is top notch. We could only get counter seating but we got to see the chef at work. The food is as authentic as you can get. Definitely try all the breads and the hummus and Baba ganoush. The flatbread is also highly recommended. A gem in the resurgent arts district.

We went with friends to this new restaurant in Los Angeles. The ambience is beautiful...maybe a bit noisy for some but fun, lively and wonderfully set. We ordered the hummus, oyster mushroom kebabs, malawach, cauliflower, duck, shawarma, licorice bonbons and cardamon cake. Usually when sharing appetizers and entrees at a great restaurant we rank them - which we loved, which were good, and which we wouldn't order again. Here, every single thing we ordered was divine - a spectacularly tasty unique twist on a dish that was unforgettably delicious. Maybe 40 years ago, when we stumbled across a brand new restaurant in Virginia that would become one of the country's most revered restaurants, that was the one other meal that I would put in the same category of most unforgettable dinners of our lives. But, after decades of many wonderful restaurant discoveries, that would be the only other one in the same category as Bavel. An endless, spectacular discovery from beginning to end. Simply phenomenal.

This is a difficult review to write because the food at this trendy LA Mediterranean bistro was really delicious and the service staff was well trained, friendly, and attentive. The good...as a party of four, we were seated immediately on arrival with our Saturday night reservation. Space was ample and design,allowed for easy conversation even though the vibe was loud. Our meal of shared Babagnoush, Farm Cheese, Cucumber and Artichoke Salad, Lamb "Schwarma" and Whole Fish accompanied by a bottle of wine recommended by the "wine guy" left us more than satisfied and stuffed. Each dish was well prepare and both the Lamb and fish were truly outstanding. We really had a good meal. Service, except as noted below was attentive and not rushed. The not so good... First off, our waitress recommended we order way too much food. She tried unsuccessfully to recommend that we order 8 dishes instead of 5, overselling to the point that we would have been sick if we had actually ordered and eaten what she wanted us to. Second, a charge for water from the tap with the claim that we were making a charitable contribution (tax deductible receipt...not), and third, when the bill came there was a "kitchen charge" of 4% (in tiny print on the menu which I asked to see again) that they claim is to provide insurance for the kitchen staff and when challenged about they removed as it was "voluntary". To summarize, despite a really good meal, I felt "nickled and dimed" and this inappropriate service design should not be rewarded. Don't oversell and don't make the guest feel that it is their decision whether or not the kitchen staff gets proper benefits when it is ownership's responsibility (there was no suggestion that the kitchen charge was a kitchen tip pool which would have actually been just fine). This pretentiousness made it so very uncomfortable for me as the host that I will not return here.

From the creators of Bestia comes another well anticipated masterpiece that is Bavel. Located in downtown LA, on the corner of a very industrial neighborhood, Bavel stands out to the crowd with it's long line and lit up entrance. Unfortunately, the dishes and service did not light up our night. We were very excited as we read the menu and the description. Myself, a Mediterranean food junkie, wanted to order everything on the menu. So we decided to order family style and share. To start, we ordered the duck hummus which had great flavor and a little curry kick to it. next came the mixed meat platter. This was very ordinary and exactly what we had thought it would be. next came the Malawach, which was also excellent with the dip it sat next to and the egg that was cooked perfectly. The absolute highlight of the night for me which came out next was the grilled prawns. Deliciously marinated with a nice dip that goes along with the tangy-ness. This was where i drew the line for all the positives at Bavel Now to get to the "not so goods" of the night. Along with our appetizers, we started the night with a glass of old fashioned. Our table were all confused with the flavor of the whiskey they had put in the drink. We all thought it was tequila since it had an awkward flavor to it mixed with the bitters. Not impressed, as we are very big on our whiskey. Next, the main entrees came out, along with our last appetizer of the night, our cauliflower. If only they tasted as good as they look, they would've gotten an extra star maybe 2. But the main entree choice of the beef cheek was disappointing and drowned in its own sauce without any flavor of beef left. The lamb shawarma was decent in size and a better pick. the cauliflower was pretty in color, but the flavors of the dip was decent. The last star of the night taken away was from the servers forgetting that we had told them specifically it was one of our friend's birthdays that night and that this was a celebration dinner. We didn't mention anything because at this point, they had already brought out the check. All in all, this was really a 2.5 star review. But the nice interior and decor of the place swayed me to round my review up to a 3 star.

We enjoyed our tasty dinner of hummus with interesting pita bread (blistered), heirloom tomato salad, delicious juicy fried quail, grilled octopus, and spicy grilled prawns- also had "malawah" a layered crispy bread. Good service and nice setting.

This uniquely chic restaurant offers a wide variety of Mediterranean food. This is not your typical Mediterranean restaurant. They offer different flavors of hummus, flatbreads, and meats. We ordered several appetizers and one entree to share. What stands out about this restaurant is the service. It was not overwhelmingly “in your face” service- just incredibly attentive and refreshingly nice.

Pros: the food- The four of us shared numerous appetizers and a lamb entree. All were excellent. Service was prompt but not rushed. We were seated at the time of our reservation. Fun, casual ambiance with open kitchen.? Cons: noise level very high. The sommelier recommended a bottle of Italian red not on the wine list. It was quaffable, but priced at $125 it was nearly 7 times retail. That is IMO an inappropriate ripoff. Tables were a bit tightly packed. I would gladly return but would be very wary of wine recommendations.

The start of the evening came with this statement from the bartender. I’m 51, Asian w grey hair and did not quite look like his “Bro” and all we wanted were drinks while we waited for a 10pm table at a very full venue. My Wife complained to the maitre D and then the service came with the appropriate smiles and courtesy you would expect from such an establishment....drinks came promptly w a request for a sommelier. Dishes to focus on : hummus w minced duck, grilled octopus, even the light lettuce salad was refreshing. The lamb flat bread was perfect without excess oils from the lamb. The shawarma lamb was cooked well and quite a popular option. I would say the grilled dorade was a bit meatless and wasn’t worth the money. The last dish of fried quail came late (and comped) was a great ending with a sweet tangy glaze that was a lovely twist. Worth coming back, food was very good bar the set back with the “Bro”.

Oh my god I can’t tell you how delicious the food was here it really blew us away, we are from Australia and had heard about this place from friends of ours who live in LA. The prawns were fiery and delicious, the hummus superb kind of light and airy with a denser chunk And presented like art on a plate. The deserts were like nothing I’ve ever tasted before and I’m not a big desert eater but I highly recommend you get a couple and share them. There were plants hanging from the ceiling which I thought was a really nice touch. So is the exposed brick, plus all of the diners on our visit were well-dressed I didn’t see any sneakers. This is a trendy little establishment and well worth a visit.

Bavel leaves up to the hype. Cool space in the Arts District. Lots of energy. Difficult to snag a table even on a Monday! Food-wise, the cooks master Middle Eastern cusine, with a modern, high-end twist on mediterranean classics. Most dishes have been largely commented, but for sure don’t miss the duck hummus... we ordered it twice!

It had been a long Covid imposed hiatus for us dining out. We finally went out to have a celebratory meal with friends at Bavel! We ordered cocktails: my wife got the Tierra – vodka martini with golden beet bianco vermouth – I got a sip and it was delish! I got the Haya – gin collins with grapefruit, swedish aquavit, dill, lime, salt, and tonic! Tasty! Based on our excellent waitperson’s recommendations – we decided to do family style meals, reducing our entrees to 3, increasing out appetizers/spreads to 4, and sharing 1 dessert. To start off we had the Hummus Duck ‘Nduja – Italian for spreadable salumi – tahini, parsley, cilantro, sumac with two warm pitas! The pitas are Chef Oreshe’s specialty – reminded me of our visit to Shaya in New Orleans. The hummus was superb – we sopped it up hungrily with the warm pita… we can reproduce the hummus at home, but not that pita. The other ladt special ordered 2 fried pitas, which reminded them of the Indian kulchas. I noticed on the menu that they also offer a black sesame buckwheat pita! From the appetizer section we ordered the Oyster Mushroom kebabs – the OUTSTANDING dish of the night – a long skewer of thickly sliced oyster mushrooms, grilled to perfection over woodfire, with some spice mixture that reminded me of tandoori flavor, served on a bed of lovage and avocado puree, with sumac and meyer lemon and cilantro. I would volunteer free in the kitchen to learn how to cook this! We also got a so-so lamb flatbread – spicy lamb & pork sausage, tomato, red onion, pine nuts, nigella seed, mint, sumac, and sesame paste. We ate it without noticing much of the flavor! From their entree section, the first to arrive was the Slow Roasted Lamb Neck Shawarma – served on a laffa with tahini, ajika (eastern European spice mix), and pickled vegetables. This was superb – the wood grilled lamb necks were fall off the bone tender, and packaged in chunks of torn-off laffa with the ajika and pickled veggies was perfect bite! after bite! Our next entree was the Wagyu Oxtail Tagine with cherry reduction, cinnamon, cardamom, coconut rice, soft herbs. Take one spoon of rice, add some of the oxtail meat, and the cherry reduction, and it was lovely. Our final entree was again a winner – grilled dorade (sea bream) – flattened out, central bone removed, grilled skin on – with smoked whole seed chermoule (a north African spice mix, especially used with fish), cilantro, lime, and turnips. One of our friends expressed some consternation about turnips – she thought they were radish. But turnips do differ from radish which are more pungent. The fish was superbly grilled, moist, and the chermoula made one standup and notice the flavors! To end up we went with our waitperson’s recommendation – Almond blossom honey nougat glace with candied kumquat, and minted citrus salad. This came with one candle for my wife and her friend to blow – since we were celebrating their 2021 December and November birthdays. The dessert was superb – one of the best – the almond nougatine is another dish I would apprentice for! Here’s to coming out of covid, and meeting up with good friends.

I have been blessed to eat food in many of the top food cities around the world. Bavel ranks among my best meals ever. If you are visiting Los Angeles, I highly recommend this restaurant. The menu is highly executed Middle Eastern cuisine. I was surprised by the incredible flavor Chef Ori delivered with every dish. To add to the amazing food, the restaurant space is enchanting. Hurry to this restaurant before something changes. It will absolutely be a night to remember.

It’s a go-to spot whenever a friend is visiting because the atmosphere is laidback but hip, the service is attentive, and the food is tasty. I particularly enjoy the lamb neck and the hummus with pita bread. Additionally, our group of three got an extra order of pita bread, Moroccan carrots, and the peach cobbler for dessert. That was a good amount of food for us (it’s family-style). I would strongly recommend making a reservation as the restaurant is popular, otherwise, they do accept walk-ins. Even though we had a reservation, we were seated 20 minutes past our expected time. Valet parking is available or you can find street parking. They recommended not parking on the bridge as there had been a number of car breakin’s.

Mediterranean food is hot right now and I have visited the top restaurants around the country in this theme - Shaya, Zahav, etc. Bavel has the requisite food - fresh made charred pita, hummus, schwarma but misses the mark for a complete experience. To charge $48 for lamb schwarma with nothing more than the meat and pita is a crime. We had to send the mushroom flatbread back because the fermented item on it overpowered the dish. Our waitress actually tried to talk us out of ordering some dishes because she thought we would be too full. Never had I experienced a waitstaff talk me out of ordering food at a restaurant. They also rushed us through the dining experience by removing plates before we had finished eating. They make you order everything at once and they control the pace but it was not the pace we wanted. Overall not a great experience for the price.

After reading so many favorable reviews...our experience was quite the opposite. The food was mediocre at best, and the service was poor (server never checked back- food was delivered by several different food runners). Started with lamb flat bread- basically bread topped with sauce- no lamb. Roasted cauliflower was just ok. The main dish of roasted lamb neck shawarma was absolutely so greasy- almost inedible. The grilled prawns were the best- but certainly over priced. Restaurant is beautiful, and outdoor patio very pretty- but food and service totally lacking.

Quality Middle Eastern restaurant. The appetizers were outstanding, especially the Hummos, cheese, and dates. I found the main courses not quite as good. They felt oversalted. The dessert was outstanding.

The food is wonderful!! Food is served family style, so I had the opportunity to sample everything ordered but the breads (I can't eat gluten). Everything we had was delicious. I especially enjoyed the roasted cauliflower and the oyster mushroom kabob. Veggies are often not a strong point in restaurants but they were not only delightful but also plentiful here. We also had the lamb shawarma (so tender and tasty!), the dorado (perfectly cooked), and several spreads, all of which were excellent. The service was great and our server directed me to a wine that complemented the meal. My only reason for giving four instead of 5 stars is the noise level. There were 6 of us and it was hard to hear across the table, and impossible to hear those at the other end.

Atmosphere 8.5/10 Staff 9/10 Sommelier 10/10 All the hype might be why we were disappointed in the food. It’s good not great. Maybe over time all the dishes will deliver. Try it - say you got in. Likely you will not be back anytime soon.

The food was tasty. Hummus and bread to die for. Yes all the naughty things but worth it. Cocktails moorish. Only let down and maybe we lucked out but the waitress did not listen to our orders which resulted in not getting what we ordered.

Service is snappy and the interior of the restaurant is very instagram friendly, but the food is just alright. If you are desperate to eat middle eastern cuisine this is a decent place but too expensive for the quality of dishes they serve. If you just want a fun time, want to shoot some pictures for your online friends and don't care about money this place could be for you.

Babel offers a very unique dining experience with very knowledgeable servers. Small plates can be shared, main courses as well. The very best use of middle eastern spices, herbs , produce, meats. Light, homemade pita, very tasty lamb hummus, prawns, tomato dish, lamb shawarma. Very tasty specialized cocktails and decent wine list. I’m a critical diner and don’t understand why anyone would give this place anything but 5 stars.

Bavel is new and it was our first time there. It is small dishes served one after the other. We all picked 3 dishes so we had a wonderful variety. The service was amazing. The staff is so incredibly attentive. Every dish we had was over the top. It is a bit noisy, so we wished we had sat outside, but the only time slot we could get was at 5:30 and there were a lot of large groups. One of the best meals I've ever had.

So many delicious dishes to choose from. In hindsight, since I make great versions of these two dishes, I would not get the lamb schwarma or the grilled dorado with chermoula sauce---but if you don't make these yourself, these are worth getting. Also highly recommend the duck hummus, marinated asian pear & cucumber, fried quail, and Malawach. Hard to go wrong. All of the bread is great. For dessert the licorice root ice cream bon bon was outstanding, as was the cardamom apple prune cake. Writing this is making me want to return. Just know that it will be noisy.

With the ongoing success of Bestia Chef Ori Menashe had little to prove when he began planning Bavel, but from the stunning space to bold flavors that take Middle Eastern food in unexpected directions he has once again struck gold, reservations going fast and fashionistas lining up for walk-in seats while both local and national press sing the Restaurant’s praises. Located in a converted warehouse downtown, the nearby 4th Street Bridge and chain-link fences indicative of an area that does not look to have been all that inviting in the recent past, it was moments prior to 5pm that a party of seven arrived to the sounds of staff chanting rhythmically behind closed doors, a lone hostess soon emerging and proceeding with the disorganized seating process that sees those with and without reservations slowly moving forward until all seats are filled both indoors and out. Predictably loud even by Los Angeles standards, the high ceilings lined with innumerable air plants ricocheting voices elevated by Cocktails and Wine, guests outdoors are thankfully spared some volume in favor of blasting heaters that many will wish to have turned off, the staff not only accommodating but surprisingly well-informed regarding techniques and Ingredients used in the kitchen. Broad scope but not over-reaching in terms of menu, Menashe and Pastry Chef Genevieve Gergis possessing a distinct style that makes Bavel more “theirs” than actually “Middle Eastern,” it is with Mezze including airy Hummus centered by housemade ‘Duck ‘Nduja’ that most tables get started, the Pita inflated and yeasty while toasted Buckwheat Bread presented alongside a photogenic smear of Foie Gras with dots of Date Puree also attests to a technically proficient Baker. Not a cheap Restaurant, $15 for what amounts to two medium-sized Tomatoes amidst creamy Cheese and not much else likely to raise some eyebrows, it is in much more appropriate that tender Octopus arrives amidst Tomatoes of its own for $21, the citrusy Yogurt beneath cleverly juxtaposed against dehydrated Peppers and a variety of Herbs. Showing off another style of Bread with “Malawach,” crispy strips cut and intended to be smeared with what amounts to a Century Egg and tangy Crème Fraiche infused with Yemeni Hot Sauce, it was after this that share plates were reset in anticipation of Entrees, the signature Lamb Neck Shawarma an undeniable stunner whether eaten as Protein on its own or with accoutrements atop yet another Middle-Eastern loaf called Laffa while the $38 Duck actually feels like a bargain considering the quality of both confit Leg and roasted Breast served on a sword atop Chicories. Amused to see all kitchen staff clad in Menashe’s famous bandana, the open space teaming with action and more than capable of turning out a four course meal in ninety minutes, it was with nothing but a few Duck Bones returning to the back that Chef Gergis took center stage, her “Rose Clove Chocolate Donuts” airy like Beignets and exemplary whether dipped in Chocolate or Sherry Diplomat Cream while a baked pocket of Strawberry and Cream Cheese ate much like an Empanada, the far more interesting finisher described as Cardamom Apple Prune Cake essentially Sticky Toffee Pudding with bold aromatics and plenty of Cream to offset exceedingly sweet Date Caramel.

Duck hummus (super flavorful), marinated okra with whipped feta and radish (the combination was delicious and great texture) and slow roasted lamb neck shawarma (fell off the bone good). This place is AMAZING. Favorite Middle Eastern restaurant in LA!!! I highly highly recommend this place.

We have been to Bavel several times, so disappointed tonight. We went with another couple for my wife’s birthday. No one told us there was limit on the amount of time we could spend at our table until it was time for dessert. When we ordered dessert and after dinner drinks we then got some attitude and were informed we were basically taking too long. We tried to enjoy dessert and champagne and were rushed out of the restaurant. At first we were told it was due to county guidelines due to Covid that we had overstayed our 90 minute limit as well as our welcome apparently. When I asked if there was someone waiting for the table we were told no. Later when my wife was trying to finish her $25.00 glass of champagne we were rushed again and then told that supposedly someone was waiting for our table which I am not sure I really believe. Unfortunately we really like Bavel and have always had a good experience and the food is great. That being said we just spent about $550 for dinner for 4 and we will not be going back. There are many great restaurants in LA that would welcome us in I believe so we will not be rushing back to Bavel any time soon, if ever. If you go just be prepared that you will be rushed out and the attitude to go with it.

When it comes to dining out, I have always relied more on the kindness of strangers, namely restaurant critics, than on word of mouth from ordinary folk like myself (Yelpers and what not). Chefs/spouses Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis have 3 restaurants in the LA Times' Top 101, with Bavel the highest-rated (Bestia and Saffy's are the others). Until now I had tried none, despite their longevity. Bavel is a Middle Eastern restaurant in the Arts District, perhaps LA's most concentrated epicentre of acclaimed eateries. Bestia, their Italian place, is a few blocks south. Bavel is a bright and airy space with indoor and patio seating. The noise level inside can be quite high. Reservations are strongly advised. I was seated at their long bar, which serves the full menu and is great for couples or solo diners. The menu is divided into Spreads, Appetizers, Entrees and Desserts. Per the LA TImes' critic, I ordered the hummus duck 'nduja, slow roasted lamb neck shawarma and, for dessert, the strawberry sumac and sweet cheese pastry. For an appetizer, my waiter recommended the dry aged trout crudo, and he was spot-on--it was fresh, bright and tangy. The hummus was brilliant, so light and airy, as if whipped; the accompanying pita was also weightless. The waiter had recommended the chicken liver pate as a spread, which I must try in the future. The shawarma was decent, but very rich, fatty and unctuous, served over laffa which much-needed pickled veggies, tahini and spicy ajika served alongside. It was a huge portion and not boneless; as someone who took anatomy in college, I recognized a cervical vertebra on the plate. My waiter had recommended the whole lamb rack (lamb chops), and I should have taken his advice over the Times' critic, even though they cost over $30 more. The leaf-shaped pastry was great, served with pistachio ice cream. I would certainly return to Bavel, but will probably try Bestia and/or Saffy's first.

You have to experience this restaurant by ordering a number of dishes. We had tried 9 between 4 people. Portions are small, tapas style, but it was more than enough. Good service.

After eating at Bestia, my sister told me about Bavel being their sister restaurant. Mediterranean is one of my faves so I couldn't wait! Upon arriving, our service wasn't that great, we waited quite a while to even get a water. We ordered our drinks and our meals and we didn't get the drinks until minutes after the appetizer which was very odd. Took one star off for that. We tried almost everything on the menu: - Duck Hummus** delicious! - Scallop Crudo** probably the best raw scallop dish I have had in a while - Heirloom lettuce salad** yummy - Oyster Mushroom** MY FAVE - Roasted Cauliflower was sooooo good! - Grilled Prawns** So good, a bit spicy but I loved it - Half Duck** This was absolutely amazing - Grilled Tomahawk** we got the last one in the house 40oz no bone all meat delicious I am sure we got a few more, but I was basically in a food coma so I am naming just a few. Definitely going to come back for more.

After several fine meals, quite a downturn. The deep-fried okra and fermented sauce was simply a poor dish. The lamb chops were small and thin and greasy (with some smokey flavor) but otherwise accompanied by a routine arugula salad. Also highly priced at $39. This was a real step back from prior, excellent lamb preparations. Otherwise, the salad was bland. The service was also lackluster, without checking in on how the meat was or was not cooked to order. I hope the chef if not becoming complacent with his success. The restaurant should also drop dishonest menu pricing with its surcharges.

Wonderful Mediterranean food in la What I was surprised with was the flavor of the food The duck hummus and baba gnoush is s must eat , unbelievable with fresh pita bread baked at the site The chicken leg confit and lamb neck shawarma was just awesome and u need to leave room for date and cardamom cake one of the best desserts I have had

Just excellent on all dimensions, from a carefully curated and described menu (thanks to our server), with varied options, to lovely presentations. All-round just a terrific dining experience if you enjoy sharing plates and trying creative cuisine prepared for the eye and palate. Good wine list, full bar. Very much enjoyed dinner here. Hard to get a reservation at an early time, first had a 9:30,then found an 8:30 and that was with a few weeks out. Hot spot. Worth the visit.

We didn’t have a reservation, so we just walked in, waited for 30 minutes, and they sat us at the bar. The service was amazing as well as the food. We ordered baba ganoush, grilled prawns, and the fish. My friend is GF, so they accommodate us pretty well with GF option. We will def recommend this place.

We enjoyed great hummus and pita, cauliflower, fish and other dishes, and followed the advice of the helpful sommelier.

Fantastic beautifully prepared food with an Israeli twist. Beautiful restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating. Be sure to make a reservation.

Seriously no words. You walk up to this place and you are WOW-Ed! The scenery is stunning! The service is impeccable. And the food is out of this world. We were a party of four and shared about 6 plates and 3 desserts. My favorites were the baba ganoush, the butternut squash flat bread, and the HUMMUS! The pitas are to die for. Melt in your mouth. Seriously one of the top 3 food experiences ever!

There were four of us. Two were vegetarian and the other two had a fish and meat dish. Absolutely everything we ordered was incredible from the hummus, farm cheese, the scallop crudo, cauliflower, prawns, and lamb chops. I kept hearing "this is the best meal I've eaten in years" from the table. Great wines, too. Highly recommend.

We went in for dinner on a Sunday evening and waited for a spot at the bar. My husband has a dairy allergy, and the bartender returned with a menu marked up with everything he could order. It was a little thing, but really made a difference. The food was absolutely delicious! The baba ganoush was truly the best I've ever had. My husband had the lamb chops which he loved (even though they didn't want to cook them to his specified temperature). The entire service team was friendly, relaxed, and attentive -- and with a restaurant that was this packed, that was no small feat. The manager checked on us twice and was also delightful. Truly a wonderful experience!

I grew up in Israel eating Middle Eastern food, so I have a pretty high standard for this type of cuisine. I was BLOWN away when I tried Bavel. I have never had anything like it. The dips are insanely tasting, the pita bread is worth splurging on (I usually dont eat Gluten, but at Bavel its worth it)! The Mushroom skewers take the mushroom game to a whole other level and the sea bream is the best fish I ever had. Other must have dishes: The Cauliflower, Grilled Octopus, the Licorish Bon Bon. Try it for the best and most innovative middle eastern food you will ever have!

Worth the hype? It’s much more ig worthy than its sister Bestia, vines hang from the ceiling, and it’s much more spacious! We made a reservation a month in advance on a Tuesday night and still got put on a high top communal table in the bar area, go figure. Next, to the important stuff.....their wine list is all international, may be great for some, but makes it a little hard for me to navigate something that I like. However, they have specialty cocktail drinks that many seemed to be enjoying. Their is a full bar to the left upon entering and tables inside and out. The food is served family style, the restaurant is set up to try multiple things, though the portions are small, and would be difficult to do larger parties, or parties of 4-5, since you would be double ordering everything you ordered so everyone could taste it. The baba ganoush and fried pita is excellent, so are the prawns, but be aware, they have a major kick of spice and if you don’t like spicy, you won’t be able to stomach this, something our server didn’t warn us about. The quail comes fried, the scallop crisp was amazing (vinegar/tangy/raspberry/strawberry sauce)! The server suggested the duck, we ordered the wagyu beef cheeks and were not disappointed. They come with turmeric crystals that you sprinkle on top. Last, but not least, the desert menu was the highlight to me, we ordered peach cobbler, coconut tapioca, and the donuts. They were all delicious, the peach cobbler as pictured, is not traditional or what you would expect, but comes more as a cake with peaches and ice cream on the side. Although, it was great to try, extremely lively scene, music was phenomenal (Snoop dog, easy e), I don’t need to go back.

Solid restaurant all around. Mediterranean cuisine with some international flavors. Lamb was great, fish was perfectly cooked, delicious hummus and friendly service from the bartenders to the busboy. Will be back!

We really enjoyed our meal recently at Bavel. We went on Halloween night and we got to see all of waiters and waitresses dressed up. Our very fun and friendly waiter recommend a lot of the dishes for us and really enjoyed each one. .We started with the duck 'njuda hummus, baba ghanoush and grilled prawns, my personal favorite. They were all really tasty. For our main dishes we had butternut squash flatbread, so delicious, slow roasted lamb neck shawarma, both were out of this world. We also enjoyed their cocktails and later some lovely red wine recommended by their sommelier. We will definitely be going back to this awesome restaurant.

This place is uber popular and almost impossible to get a reservation. Try to walk in after 8:30 or 9 PM on weekdays. The food is to die for. The chef is usually present and cooking. The drink menu is extensive but pricey. Highly recommend for a night out especially if you are in the DTLA area.

Really good but not amazing. I go to lots of restaurants and felt compelled to right about this one. The service was excellent, the stools at the counter ok - not that comfy. So busy , a bit noisy - great buzz but not intimate. More of being at a posh bar than a restaurant. Food was good, a few things let it down. The tangine in traditional pot ; pot was like warm- so pot all for show; tangine decanted into it and then rapidly cooled it. That’s quite poor. We had asparagus- in the U.K. we have English asparagus season the quality is outstanding ; this asparagus was just ordinary. However it was spiced! So take a delicately flavoured veg and hide the flavour with something punchy - it was a bit odd. The baba Hannah was excellent- subtle Smokey flavour sublime. The sweet potatoe flat bread alittle sickly - but I think that’s what US market like. Would I rush back - no , but overall enjoyed

From the moment you enter the restaurant, you can feel the energy! The ambiance with its' lush green vines streaming from the ceiling, the roaring hearth, the rustic wood gives Bavel a hip, but warm vibe. After some fabulous cocktails at the bar, we sat down to some amazing warm puffs of bread which we dipped in various and totally delicious hummus. Absolutely everything we ordered was first-rate... all the Middle Eastern flavors were so unique and totally delicious. We loved the roasted cauliflower, the grilled prawns, the Lamb Sharwma, the Middle Eastern Cured Meats, the Aged Half Duck. We will definitely be heading back to Bavel next time we're in town!

this is the perfect out of the way place for a date downtown with or without a show. the space is an indoor outdoor restaurant just east of downtown in the arts district. the food is really awesome especially the small plates. in fact, the small plates were so incredible that we never made it to the big plates. the different bread served with many of the dishes was tasty and very unique. just be careful not to eat too much of it or you miss the best parts of the menu. the service is really great except at the end of the meal where they left all of the dirty serving plates on the table for 20 mins while several servers walked by with empty hands. the wine is very interesting and the sommelier was quite knowledgeable but he lacks a little polish. he wore an old cheap t - shirt and jeans while the servers are quite causal his dress seemed a little out of place. he was very knowledgable though. the wine list is quite pricey too. most wine by the glass are $18 or more with a couple of exceptions. this is also the younger sister of bestia which is about .75 miles away. we will be back again and again because we hardly sampled the menu. our favorites were: the duck hummus, baba ghanoush, lamb flatbread, marinated tomato, scallop crudo, grilled prawns and fried quail.

If it were for the fact Bavel churns out good food the place would be a bit of a showplace! I have never seen so many wait staff. In fact when one dish is delivered to a table, at least two or three waitstaff are present. We thought for perhaps for training... but no it’s part of the show! We tried several dishes all quite well portioned. The humus is excellent, the cauliflower spicy and dorado roasted to perfection and accompanied by a wonderful chermoula. The lamb was succulent but the Malawach was my pick. We sampled two desserts, doughnuts with white chocolate and cardoman prune and apple a bit like a sticky date pudding and not a cake at all! The desserts need more work as they seem like after thoughts when compared to the rest of an interesting menu PS Fix the mezuzah!!!!

lovely restaurant in downtown LA. When you walk in, the dangling plants fr the ceiling is spectacular. The echo in the restaurant is bad, so it is not a place for intimate conversation. Good for big grip parties.

I love food and I love LA, and this place just shot to the top of my list! We went for a belated birthday dinner, suggested by my parents, and it DID NOT disappoint. Early reservation at 5:30pm was perfect, at it gets crowded and loud, even on a Wednesday night. Our waitress Jesse was great with menu suggestions and spacing out all the dishes. It's a family style sharing dishes, so about 2 per person should do if you're hungry. The smoked eggplant baba ghanoush which had incredible flavors was one of my favorite dishes. Also the grilled prawns, sounds so simple yet the flavors explode in your mouth and is paired with a milder tzaziki sauce. The slow roasted lamb neck stole the show, literally falls off the bone. Gaining in popularity you should plan ahead with your reservations, mom took care of this one for me. We opted for inside seating with the nice planters hanging overhead, although the patio seating looked very nice as well. Lastly can't forget the Nebuchadnezzar cocktail for all you bourbon drinkers. The bourbon is poured over lamb fat for extra flavor and texture, one of my favorite cocktails in the city for sure. Cheers, and happy eating!

They serving Arabic food and they are claiming that it’s Israeli. Food and culture appropriation at its worst form. not good.

My wife and I had dinner here last night. WE booked an early dinner for 6.15. The place was almost full but we were seated immediatley. The restaurant is vibrant and lively. The courses are delivered with an explanation of exactly what you're getting and sthe staff are happy to interact and anser your questions. The meal really was first class. Every dish was excellent but the stand outs for us were the sea trout crudo and the quail. Would definitley go again next time we are in LA

We were glad we made reservations as even on a Tuesday night the waiting area was full. We shared a number of dishes including the olives, lamb flat bread, baba ghanoush, fried quail and braised wagYu beef cheek tagine. Dessert was the licorice root ice cream bon bon and spiced pear cake. Every dish was excellent but our favorites were the tagine and licorice root ice cream. The atmosphere was open and vibrant as the kitchen stoked the fires for all of the delicious smoked food. Our waiter Júlio was attentive and helpful with pairings and the timing of dishes was well orchestrated. We would have stayed longer but wanted to let others try this great restaurant.

As a Bestia fan, I had huge expectations with Bavel and I have to say that they have exceeded my expectations. The space is STUNNING. The food is INSANE and the service is GREAT. So far I have been there 5 times and my favorites are: The Halva Fois Gras, The Grilled Octopus, The Prawns, The Kobe Beef Tajine, The strawberry tart and the Non bon. The Hummus is like no other and the pita bread is basically like eating a cloud. I could go on and on but I will let you check it out yourself!

We arrived at Bavel early for a drink then dinner. Bar tenders were excellent. They told us to tell the hostess to have the bar bill transferred to our dinner tab. Although I forgot they did it anyway without hesitating. Everything we ordered was delicious. The hummus was the best I have ever had. The lamb neck schwarma was the best lamb dish ever;Falling off the bone jucy lamb with everything needed to wrap it up. Everything we had was extraordinary, and the service was exemplary. The bus boys were the best trained I have ever experienced. Although it can be noisy the wood burning over and stove make for a beautiful restaurant and show.

Amazing, amazing , amazing from the service, to the cocktail menu , to the ambience, and NOW THE FOOD. OK let me start with i am from Mississippi and LOVE LOVE LOVE a steak but i must say there wood fired mushrooms are just as good if not better than any juicy steak i have ever had. This may sound boring oh mushrooms when there is so many other interesting things to try on the menu . Please do your mouth a favor and order these shrooms! OK then the homemade pita and the dips. The duck hummus is so good my husband was secretly trying to lick the bowl clean. we also had the baba ghanoush that was not as good as the hummus but still great!for the main we split the lamb neck shwarma and could not finish it because we were to full but had lunch the next day lamb fell off the bone , it was mouthwatering look this place is amazing and it stinks that it takes a month to get a reservation but believe the hype it is great!

Man, where to start... We were seated at the best table in the entire restaurant: Right next to the kitchen and fire pit. It was busy, loud, and freaking fantastic! For appetizers, we started with the fois gras halva with the buckwheat loaf. It was incredibly rich, with a nice nutty flavor, and that's by itself! On the bread, it was even better. Next were the marinated tomatoes, scallop crudo, and grilled octopus. The octopus was perfectly balanced with acid, smoke, and a little bit of tang from the yogurt. The scallops were also well balanced, but the start of the show was the marinated tomatoes. I don't have the words to properly describe how good these were. The tomatoes were so fresh and acidic, the whipped feta was a perfect, light counterbalance to the acid and slightly savory, but the surprise was the smoked eggplant powder. It threw me for a loop as I'd never really had anything like it. Amazing! For the mains, we got the slow roasted lamb neck shawarma and braised wagyu beef cheek tagine. I couldn't stop eating the neck. Who knew?! It was fall-off-the-bone tender and (as my girlfriend said) unctuous. I hate that word, but it is quite accurate. 10/10 - Would eat again.

Every time I go, I enjoy the food and solid service. This time was no exception. My friend from out of town had a blast and most importantly loved the food! The shrimp and malawach and mushrooms outstanding. Nothing on menu is below average. Love recommending this place.

I've found lately that restaurant reputations are often just a lot of hype--the food turns out to be good, but in no way remarkable. Bavel is a stunning exception. There were 4 of us, and since the idea is shared plates, we all tasted lots of dishes. Across the menu there wasn't a single dish that wasn't fantastic, and I'm not a pushover as a restaurant reviewer. In my experience, any diner should confidently order anything on that menu. The desserts were also just incredible--every one was like nothing I'd ever tasted before, creative and just intensely delicious. The decor is wonderful--probably the most pleasant restaurant I've been in for a very long time. The music is on the loud side, but the tables are so generously spaced that it doesn't seem that way. No having to deal with conversation at the next table, even though the next table over was a large party. It's really casual and the service was friendly and excellent throughout. I just can't recommend it more highly.

This place is one of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles. Reasonably priced and cocktails were pretty good. You have to get the octopus here and the lamb... so darn good. Make sure you reserve in advance.

Bavel is one of those new trendy restaurants in the Arts section of Downtown LA. It takes a bit to get a reservation as well as to be seated once there. Finally we got our table (outside) and the whole vibe is happening. Inside is even better. The menu is creative and designed for foodies and for sharing. Overall no complaints there. We especially liked the lamb sharma. Unfortunately the whole night we felt like we were at a bus station and our bus was coming to get us. The servers were rushing us along as there were people waiting to be seated at 10:00. It was not a relaxing atmosphere at all. I suppose that is a byproduct of being new and popular, but for my dollar, it kind of spoiled the night. My advise, go on a Tuesday.

This is a busy and beautiful restaurant! The food was spectacular with standouts being the Baba Ghanoush, Butter Lettuce, Grilled Octopus (special), and the Roasted Lamb Shawarma. The restaurant is open with a direct sightline to the kitchen, which was fun to watch. While the room can be loud, we still found it to be amenable to conversation. Overall, a great night and amazing food!

Delicious food, excellent music and party atmosphere, good sommelier. Nice open kitchen. We enjoyed everything.

Family inspired Middle Eastern cuisine from the duo behind Bestia, the restaurant is located in the Arts District in downtown LA. Went with friends on a busy Friday night and had a really wonderful time. A very beautiful space with beautiful food and drinks to match! Highlights include: Nduja Hummus, Foie Gras Halva, Okra, Lamb Flatbread, Duck, and the Nebuchadnezzar. Service could use a touch of help, but was expected for the style and busyness of the place.

My son booked this place for dinner with the family .At 8.30 pm it was a big rush waiting there. Best part of simple decor is long plants hanging from the ceiling, all natural. Food , starters like breads seem inspired by my own country India, like Bhatura and roti. Prawns were tastiest ever I have eaten , so was bone bared neck of lamb perfectly cooked. Mushroom shawarma was most smoky cooked on open fire. Overall good memorable experience.

Awesome place with great vibe. Flavors are out of this world and food was excellent. Get the duck hummus, the flatbreads are awesome! Everything was perfect, fast and efficient service.

You never know what you're going to get when a higher end spot is cooking the dishes you grew up with. Bavel, however, not only gets it right, but does an outstanding job. The babaganoush is sooo smoky and flavorful. The pitas are little pillows of perfection. The tagine was simpler and smaller, which in this case, worked nicely so that we could sample more of the menu without getting overly full. And the deserts my party tried were all phenomenal. The nicest part of our meal was talking with the sommelier, who was funny and suggested some truly amazing wines.

Came here one evening and didn’t even order too much but upon reading good reviews on the internet decided to come. The food tasted fine with distinct flavours but really was nothing out of this world; however for the price I paid I certainly expected more. We spent around $50 including tips per person for a total of 2 small plates and a main as we weren’t very hungry. I guess I paid for the decor and service - great place for a date but not for mind-blowing food at an appropriate price

Quite simply the best place we are in LA. The theme here is cooking on a fire with mostly North African Arabic influence. Everything is amazing but my favourites: Duck Nduja hummus Lamb chops Flame grilled mushrooms Flatbreads Could go on really. Great venue and atmosphere.

Bavel was incredible, I’d recommend it to anyone. The chef is brilliant, combining flavors that really complement and blend well. I can’t wait to try the sister restaurant, Bestia, next time I’m in town. A great experience all the way around.

Great Mediterranean food! Dishes are meant to be shared. Loved the ambience. Will definitely be back!

The hummus was the best I've ever tried, the red & green flavors had the right amount of spice. The Heirloom salad was amazing with the garlic and mint. The octopus was great, soft and not overly chewy, but the cold grain and pomegranate underneath was an unexpected contrast. The Coconut tapioca desert was amazing. Great service. I walked in at 5pm opening and ate at the bar.

My son took me to this place because he had been before and wanted me to experience one of the best meals he had ever had. The place did not disappoint. We started with the hummus appetizer which came with the most delicious warm pita bread. We then split the heirloom salad which was also very good and fresh.( No limp lettuce here) We then had the lamb shawarma. The waiter advised us to order 2-3 dishes per person because they were small plates. I don’t think I could have walked out of there had we done that. This is a sister restaurant to Beastie which is located not far from this location. The proprietors have another gem.

A beautiful discovery in Los Angeles. The Middle Eastern food was delicious as were the cocktails. The place is very nice and the prices are high but average for LA. Super recommended!

Excellent food. Excellent service. But for us the level of noise was too high to have a pleasant visit with our friends.

Delicious food, pretty patio, AND it’s open during covid still? I’m so glad. Came here to celebrate a birthday (max of 6 people in a party) and they’re still doling out special occasion Mediterranean food. Seven dishes plus dessert for five people left us feeling stuffed. We got a lot of the dips, but lowkey you can make a meal of just dips if you add extra bread ($4 each). It’s pricey, but worth it! Hummus Masabacha - the hummus is silky smooth and the pita bread is like a cloud. Standard, but high quality. Baba Ghanoush - this wasn’t my favorite, but the fried pita that came with it was a crowd pleaser. You could skip this. Farm cheese - I had low expectations but was pleasantly surprised by the subtle saltiness of the cheese and how well it went with the thick cut toast. Oyster mushroom kebab - deep flavor with a meatiness to the mushroom; the sauce it came with was nice Malawach - a bit avant- garde; could be a hit or miss depending on the group. The bread is like a crepe and the sauce had sweet, spicy, and salty all in one. You’re supposed to slide the bread through all three and top it off with a bite of egg. Roasted cauliflower - lots of tumeric; good for a side but not necessary. Lamb neck: definitely get this - it’s on the saltier side but the meat is suuuuper tender and you can make little sandwiches with the bread and acidic veggies on the side. Strawberry Rosewater Creme Brûlée: a good palate cleanser after the heaviness of the lamb, but if you want a more substantial dessert, just go to the pie hole or a nearby dessert shop in little Tokyo. Masks are required and your entire party needs to be there before you’re seated. There’s a 15 min grace period for reservations and once you’re seated, you can’t add any additional people to your party. Valet for $9 is available or you can check fourth st for street parking.

My husband, brother, and I visited Bavel for dinner this past Monday night, and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We started with the duck 'nduja hummus. I didn't really get much duck 'nduja flavor, but the hummus had that perfect, creamy texture, and the pita was TO DIE FOR (so fluffy and airy). From the appetizers, we tried the endive & date salad with goat & sheep's milk cheese, meyer lemon, toasted red walnuts, dills, and sesame oil, which was a great light, bright starter. After that - the roasted cauliflower with hawaij chile sauce and lime leaf served with a creme fraiche serrano dip with pistachios and dried flowers. Cauliflower is on a LOT of menus right now, so sometimes I can find a restaurant's cauliflower offering a little boring? Not at Bavel. This cauliflower dish was great - spicy but cooled down with the great creme fraiche dipping sauce. And the cauliflower was cooked beautifully - cooked through but still had a bite to it. For our entrees, we decided to share both the slow roasted lamb neck shawarma and the braised wagyu beef cheek tagine. There were debates about these dishes - not because we weren't sure if we liked him but because we argued over which was better. Personally, I was and continue to be IN LOVE with the wagyu tagine (with dried fruit, ras el hanout, cilantro, serrano, couscous, and cashews). The meat was CRAZY TENDER. And the couscous was a SPONGE for the delicious sauce. I LOVED THIS DISH. My husband and my brother both thought the wagyu tagine was very good but thought the lamb neck shawarma (served with tahini, green amba, pickled vegetables, fermented cabbage, and laffa bread) was even better. The lamb was AMAZING. So tender, so well cooked. It fell off the bone. It was great with the sauces and the bread. We didn't leave a scrap on meat on that bone. It was a great dish. When a meal is this good, you get dessert. We agreed (there was a negotiation) to share the strawberry sumac & sweet cheese pastry with pistachio ice cream, labne, and cured sumac. STRAWBERRY AND SUMAC. I will want this all the time now. Perfect combination. We scarfed up this whole dessert in about 2 minutes flat. We also had a few drinks. My husband really enjoyed their play on a Manhattan (Joya - mezcal, sweet vermouth, green herbs, mole bitters), and I enjoyed a glass of red wine (all wines available by the glass are marked by an * - there were a lot of options). The restaurant is gorgeous. When we arrived, we were asked if we preferred to sit outside or inside (outside is a patio), and we chose inside because the interior of the restaurant is gorgeous and we were able to sit just by the kitchen where we could see the food being prepped. The restaurant is very large. We had a reservation, which I recommend. Our meal was a Monday night at 6pm - and Bavel was still VERY busy! It's definitely popular. We were able to find street parking very nearby at this time of day. The service was also spectacular. Our waiter was great. Other staff that brought dishes to the table always made sure to mention how they prefer to eat the dish they were bringing to the table (such as pouring the creme fraiche sauce over the cauliflower rather than dipping). Our waters were refilled constantly. Empty plates were cleared before I knew they were empty. It was just perfect service really - felt like a seamless team effort. All in all, we LOVED our meal at Bavel. We were in LA for 4 days/3 nights, and I knew Bavel had to be one of our dinners. NO REGRETS. I'd eat this entire meal again. I'd also try anything else on the menu based on the quality of the dishes we were able to try on this visit. And the service was perfect as well. Simply a wonderful meal. I'll remember it.

The food at this middle eastern spot is really, really good which is why we’ve been there three times in the last two months and would probably have been even more if it weren’t geographically difficult for us to go except on a Sat or Sunday pm. There are a couple of things that I find annoying which do not impact the quality of the food: 1) The wine list is way too expensive and most of the selections are completely unknown to my uneducated palette. 2) Seating on the concrete patio is not comfortable. I love eating outdoors on a balmy summer evening but not if it’s painful. 3) The noise level inside makes conversation difficult. If the food wasn’t so good, I wouldn’t be going back!

Stayed downtown and visited this arts district restaurant first night. It was not bettered in our 7 day trip. Fantastic room with great atmosphere. Casual in everything. Food quality outstanding. It’s Middle East/North Africa meets LA. A superb example of how good California is the best at fusion. I give you: duck Nduja hummus (one of the best things I’ve ever eaten). Char grilled oyster mushrooms. Lamb rack. Char grilled octopus. Perfection.

Bavel is such a hidden gem in the Arts District, definitely not a tourist trap. The vibe is amazing great music, good energy, and the kind of place that feels special the second you walk in. We weren’t sure what to order, but the hostess guided us through their top dishes and she was honestly so sweet. This ended up being one of the best Middle Eastern fusion spots I’ve ever tried. We started with the Duck ’Nduja Hummus and the Baba Ghanoush. The baba ghanoush had that perfect smoky eggplant flavor, and the duck hummus was easily a 10/10. The bread that comes with the dips was so good we kept asking for more. For mains, we had the Slow Roasted Lamb Neck Shawarma and the Grilled Dorade. Both were such a fresh twist on traditional flavors. We also tried the Oyster Mushroom Kebab and the Grilled Prawns, and then the Malawach which is this crispy flatbread with egg and zhoug that ended up being one of the highlights of the night. It’s the perfect spot to go with friends since everything is sharable. Bavel isn’t just dinner, it’s an experience low key and seriously delicious.

Lives up to the hype. I came because I’ve seen multiple outlets recommend this place, and given that I had an outstanding experience at Bestia (the sister restaurant), I made a reservation for 5pm on a Sunday to celebrate my new gig. There were already people who were waiting when we arrived and most had reservations, although given that it’s early you could certainly try your hand at waking in. There’s paid valet parking but you could also park on the bridge around the corner for free and it’s a quick walk. The greenery inside is super pretty and a good backdrop for photos. The waiter we had was very helpful and the people who brought out the food made sure to describe each one, which I appreciated. It’s family style; for four of us, we got a spread, two appetizers, and two entrees. Our waiter decided the order of how the food would come out and it was a good pacing, although between our lamb neck and the beef cheek wagyu tangine, it took 40 min to get it (dad did get a free beer on the waiter to make up for the long wait). It got really busy around 6pm and it was full both inside and outside. Scallop crudo - such fresh scallops and a really interesting sauce. There was a variety of flavors, with the tartness of the pomegranate being contrasted with the heat of the serrano oil and toastiness of black sesame. It’s avant-garde so it may not be for everyone but I really liked it. Fried quail - a safe choice. It came in two pieces and had a subtle kick. It reminds me of Chinese fried chicken wings. Duck nduja hummus - get this. The pita bread ($4 for each one if you want more) so pillowy and warm and went so well with the creaminess of the hummus. Lamb neck - get this. We had the one at Bestia so we were eager to try Bavel’s version. It so sooooo succulent and tender. The meat fell right off the bone. You tear pieces of the laffa bread which is underneath and then build your own little sandwich. You can take bites of the pickled vegetables in between so that the acidity resets your palate. Wagyu Beef cheek tangine - solid choice but the cashews in the couscous were the best part. They were very buttery and I never knew cashews could taste that good. You eat the tangine separate from the cous cous. Note this may have a very long cooking time (40+ min). Bathrooms are available in the back left of the restaurant and there’s communal seating at the chefs area. They do take credit card and there’s no WiFi. Overall I would come here for a special occasion.

Bavel , a Mediterranean/ Middle Eastern dining extravaganza, was a unique delight. While not the prettiest or quietest of venues, it pays to reserve for a good size group and taste as many things as possible. Combinations of hummus never even heard of such as pickles and herbs with hummus, an eggplant Appetizer that was so delicate and flavorful I wanted to lick the plate, was just the beginning. Fried quail with a yogurt dipping sauce, lamb shawarma and the delicious pitas both fried and not, were amazing. Save room for desert as some of the evening specials will make you think of major flavor magic... in short, this is a definite wonderful and may it, in all its popularity, stay that way.

The food is good, the service is not. The waiter was timely but had an attitude and was actually unpleasant. We had a group of four foodies and ordered a lot of dishes. I'd recommend the hummus, babaganoush, fish and Lamb. Pass on the flat breads - good but not special. Overall very "fine" evening. Worth a visit but we are on the westside so not likely to return as the drive is long and there is very little in the area to pair with the dinner.

Although we had to make a reservation 2 months out this restaurant was worth the wait. Food is exceptional and service was spot on. We felt like Robert only had one table, ours! Ordered the duck hummus, Dorade and 40 oz. steak. Great flavors. Desserts were not your everyday desserts and they were yummy. My only complaint would be the coffee-espresso was very bitter and not hot. Cappuccino was luke warm. However this would not stop me from coming back and trying more dishes.

Went to Bavel for the first time.. honestly, food was good but not what people make of it. Heard that this place was one of the top restaurants in L.A... didn't live up to the standard. I preferred Bestia much better (same honers)