Review Bavel - Los Angeles

Soro Wellness

Unexpectedly amazing. This place was very unexpected. At first when you look at the menu, it seems a bit overwhelming because of all the flavors they have. But don’t let that turn you off to the flavors. It was actually unexpectedly amazing! We started out with the pomegranate lemonade. It was delicious! Our server told us the celery root was a sleeper hit. It was fantastic. I really enjoyed the oyster mushroom kebab. We ordered the following dishes: Celery root Apple desert Buttermilk gem lettuce salad w feta Mushroom oyster Lamb shawarma Hummus Farms cheese Pomegranate lemonade My favorites were the buttermilk gem salad, the oyster mushroom, and the apple dessert. The desert was amazing honestly and probably my top favorite. The apples were fresh and had a very unique distinct taste. Also this place is a scene. A nice little LA vibe for dinner. Make sure to get a rez! Valet is $12

Ms. Pasadena Real Estate

One of our favorite restaurants, especially in the Downtown Los Angeles area. Food is always so yummy. Even if you have tried hummus a million times, this place makes it just a little bit better. Our kids love the lamb and always gobble up the pita. Some of our other favorites are the grilled prawns and oyster mushroom kebabs. Cocktails are just lovely too. Service is wonderful and decor still looks good after all these years. If possible don’t sit by the windows when the sun is going down or you’re gonna get blinded, and the flies will be hovering over your table. Overall expect a really amazing dinner.

Wesley Cheng Erickson

This used to be my favorite, favorite, FAVORITE restaurant in LA for many years since opening in 2018, and have been at least a dozen times, but this last experience was just okay. Food wise, first 5-6 plates that came out still hit home, but lamb flatbread and grilled dorade didn't hit the same. It's possible that our palettes were just overwhelmed by the first few dishes and our server seemed to be having a off night. Music was incredibly loud, which made everyone talk even louder, so it was hard to make conversations at the table even with an intimate party. Not sure if I'll be back for a while, but Bavel will always have a special place in my heart and I'll always speak passionately about this spot because of the owner/Exec chef/pastry chef, the consistency of the food/beverage quality, service and training from a hospitality perspective. 5 stars for basically everything and 2 stars for ambiance due to the music/noise volumes. I will always have so much respect and love for Bavel!

Jasmine Sabio

Walked in late on a Tuesday night & had bar seating. Was helped by Sarah all night who was extremely friendly & was advising us on how to order the right combination of plates for the appetite we had. Everything was fresh, high quality, & perfectly seasoned. Enjoyed every bite of food & walked out with a good kind of full (not a 'having overeaten' kind of full). Ambiance & atmosphere was airy & charming. Great spot for date night or group meal.

Rick Lupert

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.

Jacqueline

I loved Bavel so much that I bought their cook book. Amazing flavours! We were a group of 8 so we got to share a lot of the dishes. The stand outs for me were the cauliflower, mushroom kebab, lamb rack, octopus and Malawach. We shared 4 desserts and all were delicious and unique in their own way. I would skip the lamb flatbread and quail next time.

Sherbano Dossa

This is one of the best meals I’ve had in LA! Middle eastern food with an innovative twist and yet so so delicious. The baba ganoush was light and airy, the oyster mushroom kebab was so good and I love the char on it, the grilled prawns were finger licking good and I think the mains were the star of the show. The ox tail tagine and lamb shoulder shawerma, the meat was so tender it literally melt in your mouth. The ambience was fun but ofc the restaurant can be very loud!

Jonathan Liu

Very fresh and high quality ingredients. Pita bread was made to order, and thus hot and fresh. Lamb chop was perfectly done.

Nicole Crawford

This is one of the greats of LA. Hadn’t been in a while, and it’s still absolutely fabulous! Highly recommend the Malawach - trust me on this. The vegetarian hummus is exactly how it should be, and the cauliflower is amazing. You must try the orange cake with sweet potato ice cream- their Old Fashioned recipe ties it all together.

Soyoung Chon

Delicious food and outstanding service. The meals are family-style to share, so the two of us got one spread, two apps, and one entree which was enough. Cocktails are well made. Recommend dishes: hummus duck, oyster mushroom kebabs, grilled prawns (deliciously seasoned), and the wagyu beef (soft like butter). The waitstaff et al were really great, efficient, and super friendly. Decor was beautiful and very picturesque. Parking: side streets or $12 valet.

Megan Sal

The atmosphere—immaculate. And the servers—beautiful and prompt. The food—DIVINE. We came as a group of 6 so this was ordered family style. For apps we got the baba ganoush and hummus duck ’nduja. We got the marinated olives, but I recommend opting out, it’s nothing special. If you’re ordering the dips, get more bread for the table as they serve only 2. The oyster mushroom kebabs are AHMAZING order them. Then the lamb flatbread came which was not as impressive compared to the whole lumina lamb rack which was tasty. I will say this once, and once only— order the malawach!! This bread is unlike any bread I have ever tasted. It was amazing dipping it in the sauces but just as amazing by itself. Finally the wagyu oxtail tagine which is approved by the Caribbean gyals at the table. Mark my words this will be your favorite spot in LA, it most definitely is mine and I can’t wait to come back.

Matt Brady

From start to finish: Very long wait on arrival, 35 minutes to be seated with reservation. Friendly service, where the staff actually makes eye contact. Clean bathrooms. Sat on the patio, left with 5 bug bites. Hummus and baba ganoush sides are excellent but really made unique by the pita. Ordered the malawach, ocean trout, scallop, and mushroom kebab - and enjoyed them from most to least in that order. Double charged on iced tea. No alcoholic drinks ordered but the bill passed $200 and we ordered no mains. Overall a delicious, savory, expensive dining experience where all the food is heavy, filling, and unique.

Imaan

Easily one of my favorite restaurants in LA. The setting is beautiful, the crowd is always cool, the service is consistent and good. The food is what we keep coming back for. Everything is so thoughtful, from the fresh baked breads to the sauces made specifically for each dish. You MUST order the harissa prawns. They are game changers!!!!

Jeff McLean

Some of the best plated food on the west coast. Everyone wants to be in this room sharing plates and soaking up the atmosphere in a very well managed dining room. There’s not a dish we haven’t enjoyed fully. Don’t hesitate

Jacob Heyman

Wow, only thing holding this back from being top 3 in la and closer to top 5-10, is the fact that you can barely hear the person next to you talk.. its super loud, like I wish it was more like their sister restaurant bestia in that regard. But the food was outstanding, everything we had was phenomenal, the chicken liver pate was mind blowing, tasted like a raspberry mouse, and the breads were all delicious, both the hummus and the baba ganoush was supreme, some of the best I’ve ever had outside of Israel. The lamb shawarma fell of the bone it was so tender, the ocean trout crudo was an explosion of flavors. I wasn’t crazy about the cauliflower, but I’m not really a big fan of that ever. The lamb rack was the meat version of dessert, the perfect finishing touch to the meal, amazing!!

Luca Slerca

Great experience! Staff was very friendly and helpful. The sommelier helped us a lot. Food was amazing! Really good take on some traditional middle eastern dishes. Will be back next time I'm in LA!

Sheida Noroozi

We tried out Bavel for the first time during our most recent trip to Los Angeles. It was our first time at an Israeli restaurant. The space was vibrant and busy - I would recommend making reservations. The hummus duck 'nduja was incredible - the best hummus we've ever had. We also tried the malawach which consists of an ancient grain crispy layered bread (comes out steaming hot!), with grated tomato, dill creme fraiche, soft egg and strawberry zhoug. I highly recommend trying this one. It was unlike anything we've ever had! As an aside, malawach is a traditional Yemenite Jewish dish. We tried a number of other dishes that were also good but none came close to these first two. Also, we opted for the valet parking which is probably your best bet given the restaurant's location. Service was friendly and prompt.

Elodie Bouneau

Exceptional! We had the trout crudo, wagu tagine, and pear cake. Truly excellent food and lovely decor and service. We just want to go back for more!