Review by Philicia Tonangoye
May 16, 2026 (San Diego’s East County) –On the corner of Avocado and Chase Ave in El Cajon, Al Awael is a new family-owned Mediterranean restaurant that offers a wide range of flavorful and affordable Middle Eastern food options for individual diners or family occasions.
Al Awael, meaning “the first,” holds special significance for the owner. When leaving Iraq for Jordan, he chose to name the restaurant “the first Iraqi restaurant” to mark this milestone before moving to the United States.
The menu has a variety of dishes from appetizers, salads, Al Awael cookies, sandwiches/ wraps, entrees, fries plates, and fish options. Prices range from $11 to $30 for single plates and combos and from $54 to $159 for catering/ larger options.
We ordered a Mediterranean Fatoush salad for $10.99 and two cheese burek ($4 each) as appetizers, and a lentil soup is offered to every customer dining in before placing their order. The salad was good and fresh, well-seasoned but a bit heavy on balsamic vinegar, the cheese burek was also delicious; I recommend eating it when warm.
Next, we ordered an Iraqi Kebab entree ($17.99) and a Qouzi Laham entree ($28.99); both plates were served with rice, salad, and the Qouzi had a curry stew on the side. Portions are reasonable, the food tastes very good, and is totally worth the price.
I personally appreciate the plates’ presentation; there’s incredible work that goes into dressing up the plates when dining in. We were offered tea at the end of our dinner.
The restaurant itself has a charming and warm atmosphere overall, the dining area is well-maintained, and the service is fast with a friendly staff.
I returned a few days ago and had a take-out of Iraqi kebab entree, cheese burek, and gave a try to chicken burek. The amount of food is the same as dining in, reasonable portions, and the same nice service.