Bavel

Name: Bavel
Address: 500 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA, United States, 90013-2222
Telephone: (213) 232-4966
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.8

4.8

3113 Reviews

$31 to $50

Middle Eastern

Top Tags:

A Middle Eastern restaurant in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 28, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

8:00 PM

Booked 139 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(213) 232-4966

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Middle Eastern
Hours of operation
Daily 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
Phone number
(213) 232-4966
Website
http://baveldtla.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis
Catering
Please email events@baveldtla.com for more information.
Private party facilities
Please email events@baveldtla.com for more information.

Location
500 Mateo St Los Angeles, CA 90013-2222
Neighborhood
Downtown
Cross street
Santa Fe
Parking details
Street parking also available
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Popular dishes

Hummus Masabacha$13.00
creamy & chunky garbanzo bean purée, lemon, garlic, green zhoug, pita
Hummus Duck 'Nduja$14.00
tahini, parsley, cilantro, sumac, pita
Baba Ghanoush$14.00
tunisian eggplant salad, pine nuts, herbs, fried pita, kashmiri lemon salt
Farm Cheese$16.00
fig za'atar, marjoram, olive oil, black sesame buckwheat toast
Pork & Lamb Rillette$22.00
saffron mustard, pickles, black sesame buckwheat toast
Additional Bread$4.00
blistered pita, fried pita, black sesame buckwheat loaf, or laffa

Appetizers

Marinated Olives$9.00
cinnamon, citrus, sheep's milk feta
Ocean Trout Crudo$25.00
pomegranate reduction, citrus, blueberry, urfa chili oil, sesame, sprouting cilantro
Heirloom Lettuce Salad$16.00
green tahini vinaigrette, cilantro, black sesame, rose petals
Cherry Tomato$18.00
gaviota strawberries, whipped feta, burnt harissa, sprouting cilantro
Grilled Prawns$28.00
harissa marinade, cured zucchini & cucumber tzatziki, fresh herbs, lime
Sprouting Cauliflower$18.00
hawaij spice, tahini amba, nigella, aleppo, lime, cilantro
Oyster Mushroom Kebab$23.00
lovage & avocado purée, sumac, meyer lemon, cilantro
Fried Quail$19.00
date & cardamom sauce, labneh, pickled celery, thai basil, green onion, rose petals
Lamb Flatbread$22.00
spicy lamb & pork sausage, tomato, red onion, pine nuts, nigella seed, mint, sumac, sesame paste
Malawach$21.00
ancient grain crispy layered bread, grated tomato, dill crème fraîche, soft egg, strawberry zhoug

ENTREES

Grilled Dorade$42.00
smoked whole seed chermoula, cilantro, lime, turnips
Wagyu Oxtail Tagine$45.00
cherry reduction, cinnamon, cardamom, coconut rice, soft herbs
Slow Roasted Lamb Neck Shawarma$46.00
tahini, ajika, pickled vegetables, laffa
Whole Te Mana Rack of Lamb$75.00
green amba spiced, yogurt, tomatoes, purple daikon, tarragon
32 oz Grilled Westholme Wagyu Ribeye$160.00
australian wagyu beef, fermented mushroom cream, marinated cucumbers, dill

DESSERTS

Peach Cobbler$13.00
sauteed peaches, almond cake, farm cheese ice cream, baharat spice dust
Strawberry Sumac & Sweet Cheese Pastry$13.00
pistachio ice cream, sheep's milk ricotta, cured sumac
Ice Cream Terrine$14.00
cherry orange blossom sherbet, chamomile ice cream, black currant meringue.
Spiced Caramel Ice Cream$13.00
cream, pour over Turkish coffee, chocolate & vanilla checkerboard cookie.
Rose Clove Chocolate Donuts$14.00
bar au chocolat ganache, sherry diplomat cream
Kirsch & Tahitian Vanilla Bean Custard$14.00
roasted huckleberries, coconut langues de chat

COCKTAILS

Heka$14.00
Spritz! – white kina l'aero d'or, manzanilla sherry, dry prosecco, lemon oil, dried citrus
Hani$16.00
Arak Colada – coconut, pineapple, lime, cardamom, nutmeg, arak, rhum blanc
Tamar$15.00
Sour – tequila, fennel, reduced lager, lemon, mint, turmeric
Rabi$16.00
Sour – mezcal, weichsel cherry, citrus, amaro, lemongrass
Alma$16.00
Boulevardier – bourbon, rye, nocino, bitter, mirto vermouth, candied black walnut
Tierra$17.00
Martini – old tom gin or fruit & grain vodka, golden beet bianco vermouth
Nebuchadnezzar$17.00
House Old Fashioned – lamb fat bourbon, blue plum brandy, smoked ice, grapefruit

ON TAP

1903 Lager, Half
Craftsman Brewing / Pasadena, California
- half$6.00
1903 Lager, Full
Craftsman Brewing / Pasadena, California
- full$10.00
'Hello LA' West Coast IPA, Half
Highland Park Brewery / Downtown LA, California
- half$6.00
'Hello LA' West Coast IPA, Full
Highland Park Brewery / Downtown LA, California
- full$10.00
Boont Amber Ale, Half
Anderson Valley Brewery / Boonville, California
- half$6.00
Boont Amber Ale, Full
Anderson Valley Brewery / Boonville, California
- full$10.00
Saison Dupont, Half$7.00
Brewery Dupont / Hainaut, Belgium
Saison Dupont, Full$12.00
Brewery Dupont / Hainaut, Belgium

BOTTLES

Agnus Dei Copper Ale$55.00
Domaine de l'Ecu / Loire Valley, France 473ml
Hitachino Anbai "Salty Plum" Ale$16.00
Kiuchi Brewery/ Tokyo, Japan 11.2oz

WINE

The wine list at Bavel changes daily.
It focuses primarily on producers from geographies that dot the Mediterranean coasts, while also showcasing kindred Californian wine . The wines range from classical and known to vanguard and emerging. We forgo wines that are solely commercial and strive for a balance that aptly supplies something for everyone, while remaining dedicated to enhancing your experience here as a whole. We would be happy to forward you today's wine list. Please send requests to info@baveldtla.com
Corkage
A $50 corkage fee applies per 750 ml or less (2 bottle limit). A $100 fee applies per bottle larger than 750 ml (1 bottle limit).

NON-ALCOHOLIC

Soda$4.00
diet coke
Soda$4.00
coke
Soda$6.00
house ginger beer
Soda$6.00
bavel ginger ale
Bismark$6.00
classic lemonade with date syrup / flat or sparkling
Saffron$6.00
pink lemonade with pomegranate & cinnamon / flat or sparkling
Iced Tea$4.50
august uncommon. burnt apple & oolong
Hot Tea$5.00
august uncommon. metropolitan black or fig & chamomile herbal / jing. whole leaf peppermint
Coffee$5.00
verve. regular or decaf drip
Espresso$4.50
verve. single shot
Espresso$6.00
verve. cappuccino or latte

What 3,113 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.9Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Downtown / South and East LA
Best Overall
Downtown / South and East LA
Best Food
Downtown / South and East LA
Fit for Foodies
Downtown / South and East LA
Healthy
Downtown / South and East LA
Hot Spot
Downtown / South and East LA
Notable Wine List
Downtown / South and East LA
Most Booked

Sort by

Filters

HV
HVExpress
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined today
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great service, was seated on time for my date, waiter gave good food tips, food was delicious and looked amazing! The ambiance was perfect, but it can be very loud.
EE
ElenaE
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was amazing! The hummus was sensational as well as the farm cheese.
h
hungry
New York Area
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
We sent out four adult kids (plus a fiancé and a girlfriend) to celebrate our youngest daughter’s 24th birthday; my wife and I could not attend due to catching Covid. We were returning to the scene of the crime, as we also celebrated Carly’s graduation from USC last year at Bavel. Awesome!!!
P
Paul
Orange County
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Amazing food!
S
Shintani
Los Angeles
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall4food5service3ambience5
Usually super great all around but service was just slow in general. 20 min waiting for the ressie seating. Didn’t get waters or waiter for 10 min. Didn’t get offered another round after initial ordering until i flagged someone down. A little rough for what’s usually superb. Will still always go back tho.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Everything was absolutely delicious. Our server was super sweet and attentive. We loved that they greeted us with a little Prosecco to get our date started. The tomato and mushroom dish was our top two favorites and the cocktails were yummy.
AG
AnnetteG
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was beyond delicious. The place is gorgeous. A bit loud but we got used to it.
MA
MichelleA
Los Angeles
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall4food5service5ambience3
were more tables added? it felt so crammed as if you were maximizing every sq. inch of the place. lost a lot of the intimacy in dining when you are on top of another table.
EM
EddieMac
Philadelphia
42 reviews
vip
5.0
42 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
This is not a restaurant, it’s a mind bending culinary experience. Tastes, textures, flavors and service are simply worthy of awe and admiration. Everyone is still talking about the meal . . . Almost a week later.
AB
AndrewB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Absolutely delicious! Anthony our server was the best, i have been here once before so i knew the menu but the guidance he gave crafted a really incredible experience. The sommelier on duty (I forget his name, earring and brown hair) was really fun too and gave us a unique dessert experience. The whole experience was truly perfect!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall4food5service4ambience5
Food was great, and we loved the ambience. Service can use a little work! Seems like they were training though.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of our favorite spots in LA!
A
A123
Los Angeles
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall2food3service1ambience3
Average food and not a good service. We were very disappointed.
j
jamesy
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall4food5service4ambience4
music was a tad bit loud. food was really good! service as well
NW
NinaW
New York Area
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food is outstanding and the experience was great. Very friendly staff, good atmosphere. Recommend!
S
Steph
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and great service!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Perfection!
E
Eatnice
Los Angeles
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and ambiance, loved it!
G
Gabsriela
Los Angeles
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Truly one of the best restaurants in LA! Amazing service, even better food. The deep fried pitas are a must. The baba ganoush, trout crudo, and mushrooms are some of the yummiest items, but you can’t go wrong!
C
Caldafron
Chicago
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on May 21, 2022
overall5food5service4ambience4
I have been to hundreds of Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants as well a to Greece and Turkey multiple times. Bavel was by far and away the most innovative of them all. We tasted 6 dishes and all were totally successful. I highly recommend the sea trout crudo, the roasted shrimp and fried quail. Alas, I cannot recall the name of the dessert, but it was a rolled baklava with apricot; an excellent way to end a dining experience. The wine list was mostly European and very eclectic. There were plenty of great options. How odd to be in an LA eatery and not be bombarded with an all Californian list. Bordeaux was also largely ignored.
JW
JohnW
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 21, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great service, lively crowd, delicious food
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
18 reviews
5.0
18 reviews
Dined on May 21, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of the best meals I’ve had since moving to LA. The service, the food and the vibe were all outstanding! I highly recommend Bavel!
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 20, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Good food, service and ambience!
D
Davis
Los Angeles
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 20, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing cocktails and great setting. Babaghanoush (get a side of fried pita) and lamb pizza are a must. Also loved the lamb shawarma!
D
Drstrongman
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 20, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Clementine was truly amazing. Our table had someone with food allergies and Clementine went out of her way to mark a menu for the items not to order. So personable and great service!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Brought sister in for first time visit. Everything was better than the last visit; I didn’t think that was possible. I’ll continue to tell and bring as many people to Bavel as I can!
ST
STSmith
Los Angeles
10 reviews
vip
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on May 19, 2022
overall4food5service5ambience5
We always enjoy Bavel. Nice to see them back at work, crowded and doing the same great work for which they're known. We continue to return and always enjoy it.
g
grinko
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 19, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was outstanding and the service was wonderful and very helpful. The staff and guests all seemed to be genuinely having fun, enjoying the experience of preparing/ serving/ savoring the food, and enjoying each other and the overall vibrancy of the place. I would have returned again and again alas it was sadly my last night visiting LA.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 17, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Everything was amazing! 10/10!
t
talina
Los Angeles
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 17, 2022
overall3food5service2ambience3
Food is good, vibe is pretentious. Wait staff and management interrupted my groups conversation what felt like 100 times, and walked by and made eye contact every 30 seconds as our 90 minute sit down time was approaching. We were asked about dessert 10 minutes after the main course was placed on our table. Get in, then get out of their way, unless you order expensive bottles of wine, then stay as long as you please.
VD
VictorD
Los Angeles
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 17, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing service, amazing food. Favorite restaurant in Los Ángeles. Thank you! O
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 16, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious food, great ambience and warm thoughtful service. Had such a lovely evening!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 16, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
This date was perfect. Music was a VIBE. Food was stellar. Rachel gave us the best drink recommendations. I was all about it. Thank you!
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 16, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic - incredible food quality, service, and overall experience!
R
Ruth
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 16, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing and delicious meal. Can't wait to return for another meal.
A
Alonzo
St. Louis
4 reviews
vip
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 16, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience5
Atmosphere was great. They're very busy, so def make a reservation. I was seated at the very end of the bar near the service station for drinks. It's a weird spot because the bartender has to come around to talk to you. I only had the iced tea to drink, very unique flavor and relatively inexpensive compared to the other non-alcoholic beverage options. Shrimp are killer and a must order. Bursting with flavor. Oxtail missed the mark with me. A bit too sweet and was expecting the sauce to be more reduced and pack more flavor. Portion size was great. Coconut rice also was very bland. Would have enjoyed more as a pilaf style maybe with ghee, onion and herbs. Overall, a decent spot. It's LA, so hard to say I'd come back with so many decent restaurant options.
BP
BadPotatoes
Los Angeles
4 reviews
2.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 16, 2022
overall2food5service2ambience5
One of the staff knocked over our water with one of the plates and broke glass all around us. Glass wasn’t completely cleaned up and kind of disregarded. No apologies were made regarding the mishap as the the same guy who broke the water bottle at our table casually cleaned our table with a dirty rag and left more crumbs on there prior to him cleaning it. Also during the glass breaking mess, someone on their staff took one of our bags which was a gift from my sister. We had no idea where it went since we didn’t see anyone take it. When we asked our waiter about it, someone else brought it out and said it was kept in a safe place…the trash? I’m so confused on why no one told us they took it. Also host while twirling her thumbs as we walked out, no “thanks for coming” or smile on her face as we left the restaurant. Love the food but service has gone down significantly. We always come here to celebrate birthdays and love the food. You would think cause of the large price point the service would also be on par
LK
LKAK
Los Angeles
16 reviews
4.0
16 reviews
Dined on May 16, 2022
overall4food4service3ambience4
I thought the food was delicious. Our server was knowledgable and helped us choose great items for our widely diverse group of eaters. The only part of the service that was not great was the wine service. We brought an expensive bottle to enjoy for a birthday celebration and the sommelier never came back and poured again after she opened the wine. A corkage fee should come with some service. Also, decanting in a used magnum instead of a decanter? We've never seen that and don't think it's really appropriate.
KP
KatieP
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 16, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience3
We had a wonderful experience overall. My only complaint would be that the music was too loud and we had trouble hearing one another. The food made up for that by far.
AS
ASant
Los Angeles
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 16, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Simply phenomenal, every single time

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Bavel offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (213) 232-4966.

Bavel is rated 4.8 stars by 3113 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 28, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

8:00 PM

Booked 139 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(213) 232-4966

500 Mateo St Los Angeles, CA 90013-2222

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Santa Fe
Neighborhood
Downtown
Hours of operation
Daily 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
Cuisines
Middle Eastern
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street parking also available
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Executive chef
Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://baveldtla.com/
Phone number
(213) 232-4966
Catering
Please email events@baveldtla.com for more information.
Private party facilities
Please email events@baveldtla.com for more information.

Bavel

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

50 Los Angeles Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Award-winning Restaurants in Los Angeles

Favorite Local Restaurants in Los Angeles

Oyster Mushroom Kebab

Grilled Prawns

Hummus Duck 'Nduja

SPREADS

Hummus Masabacha$13.00

Hummus Duck 'Nduja$14.00

Baba Ghanoush$14.00

Farm Cheese$16.00

Pork & Lamb Rillette$22.00

Additional Bread$4.00

Appetizers

Marinated Olives$9.00

Ocean Trout Crudo$25.00

Heirloom Lettuce Salad$16.00

Cherry Tomato$18.00

Grilled Prawns$28.00

Sprouting Cauliflower$18.00

Oyster Mushroom Kebab$23.00

Fried Quail$19.00

Lamb Flatbread$22.00

Malawach$21.00

ENTREES

Grilled Dorade$42.00

Wagyu Oxtail Tagine$45.00

Slow Roasted Lamb Neck Shawarma$46.00

Whole Te Mana Rack of Lamb$75.00

32 oz Grilled Westholme Wagyu Ribeye$160.00

DESSERTS

Peach Cobbler$13.00

Strawberry Sumac & Sweet Cheese Pastry$13.00

Ice Cream Terrine$14.00

Spiced Caramel Ice Cream$13.00

Rose Clove Chocolate Donuts$14.00

Kirsch & Tahitian Vanilla Bean Custard$14.00

COCKTAILS

Heka$14.00

Hani$16.00

Tamar$15.00

Rabi$16.00

Alma$16.00

Tierra$17.00

Nebuchadnezzar$17.00

ON TAP

1903 Lager, Half

1903 Lager, Full

'Hello LA' West Coast IPA, Half

'Hello LA' West Coast IPA, Full

Boont Amber Ale, Half

Boont Amber Ale, Full

Saison Dupont, Half$7.00

Saison Dupont, Full$12.00

BOTTLES

Agnus Dei Copper Ale$55.00

Hitachino Anbai "Salty Plum" Ale$16.00

WINE

The wine list at Bavel changes daily.

Corkage

NON-ALCOHOLIC

Soda$4.00

Soda$4.00

Soda$6.00

Soda$6.00

Bismark$6.00

Saffron$6.00

Iced Tea$4.50

Hot Tea$5.00

Coffee$5.00

Espresso$4.50

Espresso$6.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For