Best Middle Eastern Restaurants in Pasadena

This place is absolutely my favorite restaurant in LA! Every dish on the menu is delicious. You just can’t go wrong with anything!! My favorites are hummus with pita, king oyster mushroom kebab, grilled prawns, and whole lamb rack. The pita bread is freshly baked and it’s so soft that I want to scream when I dip it in the hummus! The mushroom kebab has a good balance between the smoky flavor and fresh lemon zest on top. The avocado sauce on the bottom also has a refreshing touch to it. And the whole lamb rack - you need to order this. Period. Unfortunately, they don’t have the braised beef cheek with coconut rice anymore… But they now have pomegranate sauced ox tail, which I need to try next time I go. Service is good. My server always checks to make sure everything is good. Every dish is introduced and explained when they are presented to the table. The atmosphere is great as well. The patio seating has heaters on so you don’t get cold at night. I absolutely enjoy every single bit of my dinner at this place every time! Not to mention I really like their hand soap… I need to get those for my own place.

Perfect for a first experience. The food was amazing the portion size was perfect. And the potatoes 🥰 I’m definitely coming back for more. Great environment the waiters and waitress were very attentive. I definitely recommend Laya ❤️❤️❤️❤️

The mezza without kabobs was quite filling and definitely delicious. A couple people in our party ordered entrees as well and the lamb kabob was cooked perfectly. Carousel is always a special treat!

I've now been here two times and the food has been excellent overall. I could personally do without the frequent use of chili slices. Other than that, the flavors and textures are marvelous. The brioche bread and hummus are delectable. I feel like every dish is a slam dunk - too bad there isn't a sampler platter! The decor is lovely, a few discreet fabric panels might help with the noise as its a bit hard to hear the people across from you - the sound bounces around the cavernous space. The crowd seems very chic, a bit eccentric in a fun way and more adult - that's probably the price point keeping out the under 30 crowd.