D'yar - Berkeley

The restaurant has a sign on the wall stating that paying with cash provides a discount, so I opted to pay cash. While they initially offered a 3.5% cash discount, they then added a 4% credit card surcharge at the end, despite the fact that I didn't use a credit card. I pointed out that this practice misleads customers regarding the discount, making it seem like we’re getting a better deal than the final total reflects. The staff claimed that this is how their system is set up. If that’s the case, why not offer a larger discount—like 5% or more—so that after applying the surcharge on a cash payment, customers would still enjoy a real discount instead of an unexpected extra charge? Honestly, the money itself wasn't a huge deal; if they had offered to refund me, I would have just added it to the tip I had already left in their tip jar. Instead, they didn’t offer any compensation, and the whole practice feels dishonest. The chef and the girl at the register both reviewed the receipt multiple times but didn't make an effort to rectify the surcharge. The girl mentioned she would ask her manager, but there was no manager around. Most people don’t check their receipts closely, so I felt it was important to share this with anyone considering dining here. Overall, it felt like a dishonest experience. Additionally, when I placed my order, they informed me they were out of salad ingredients before noon and advised me to order a plate instead. However, when I went to pick up my order, I saw that they had prepared the very same salad for another customer who had a later order number. I was denied the salad option before I paid, so it was clearly unrelated to the payment issue, but witnessing the salad being served to someone else was certainly disappointing. The chicken shawarma was salty and oily, but it could have been enjoyable atop a salad if I had been given that option!

I stopped by one evening to grab takeout. The service was fast, and I really enjoyed my lamb rice bowl. Next time, I'll have to try their gyro plate. Since I arrived after the dinner rush, I was fortunate to find a parking spot right on the street nearby.

The smaller portion sizes affected my rating... it must be due to inflation.

Good food and fast service.Vegetarian options: Lots of vegetarian options.Parking: Metered street parking.

Don't let the austere surroundings scare you off. A hidden gem with delicious food. Popped in here for a quick take out to go home. Ordered the kofta (ground lamb mixed spices) kebab plate with fries. The 3 large Kofta were perfectly seasoned and cooked and not dry. The plate came with a very fresh salad and hummus and pita. A fun assortment. The lamb rice bowl was generous with lots of delicious lamb meat. Everything was delicious and well seasoned.