Ultimate Halal Food Guide for Southern California (Los Angeles, Irvine, Anaheim, Santa Monica + more)
6 min readAug 27, 2019
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New to Southern California? Don’t know your way around the halal food scene? Scroll down to see a list of some of my favorite food spots in the area.
- 👀 Want more? Check out a frequently updated collection of 100+ halal spots in Southern California here.
- 😋 Check out my newest ultimate halal guide on hot chicken here!
- 📬 Subscribe to email updates on new halal restaurants here.
🍜 Oh and want some vegan ramen that’s healthier? Use SIMAL for $5 off on immieats.com!
| LOS ANGELES |
Dave’s Hot Chicken🐔
- Some of the best halal fried chicken you can have.
- The line is INSANE at times. Be prepared to wait.
- You can choose your spice levels. Medium is not too hot but enough to feel the pain 🙂.
- You can also sign a waiver to opt for the ‘reaper’ level. I don’t make the rules…it’s to ensure you don’t sue the establishment for destroying your tastebuds!!
- What’s good: Tenders and sliders. French fries are fire too.
Big Al’s 🔥
- Halal pizzeria with unique pizzas, fire wings, amazing beef brisket, and homemade sauces.
- Selected as Yelp’s Top 100 places to eat in the U.S. in 2015 and 2018.
- Seating is limited and it often gets really crowded. It’s 100% worth the wait though.
- What’s good: Literally everything. But, some tops are the BBQ Brisket Sub(smoked for 16 hours!!), Red Dragon Wings, BBQ Chicken Pizza, Lebanese Garlic Chicken Pizza, and Carne Asada Pizza.
Paratta 🦚
- Super unique and artsy Pakistani food truck in Downtown Los Angeles.
- First and only desi spot that uses halal wagyu beef!
- All art and design is done in-house by the founders.
- Usually in the Arts District but check their IG for location.
- What’s good: Reshma Roll with halal wagyu beef, jalebi sundae made with Jeni’s ice cream, Basanti Lassi.
Simpang Asia 🍜
- Authentic Indonesian spot with awesome interior design.
- Ask for their seasonal menu for really unique items!
- Complimentary valet parking.
- What’s good: Mie Tek Tek, Tumeric Fried Chicken, Nasi Bungkus, Beef Rendang Beef.
Fatima’s Grill 🌮
- Halal Lebanese-Mexican Fusion Joint.
- The owner, Ali Elreda, is extremely friendly and hospitable. His story of going from serving 7.5 years in jail to running one of LA’s most popular spots is inspiring.
- Check out their viral video on FoodBeast.
- What’s good: BBQ Brisket Fries, Shawarma Fries, Califusion Quesadilla, Triple Threat Tacos (pictured).
Urban Skillet 🍳
- Trendy fusion spot in the Noho Arts District.
- Lots of seating and a cool communal table in the middle.
- Recently got new management and a fresh new menu!
- What’s good: Southern BBQ Burger, Slow-cooked brisket burger.
NY Chicken + Gyro 🗽
- It’s like halal guys but actually good.
- 1500+ reviews with a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ average!
- What’s good: Chicken platter, beef platter, White sauce
| SOUTH LOS ANGELES |
Pura Vida Mexican Food 🌯
- Authentic halal Mexican taqueria
- What’s good: California Burrito, Carne Asada burrito/taco/fries, Chorizo omelet.
Nomad 🐉
- Legendary halal Chinese joint
- Perfect for the whole family. Lots of seating inside and outside
- What’s good: Orange Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Short Ribs, Sesame shallot bread, Chow mein
Stix and Straws 🍢
- Halal meats on sticks with 12+ sauces to dip them into 😯
- Recently got a new Muslim owner so everything is halal now
- They also serve waffles, burgers, acai, smoothies, and Boba
- Located right next to LAX and has plenty of seating
- What’s good: Grilled Chicken, Crispy Chicken, Grilled Beef
| ORANGE COUNTY |
I Can Barbeque 🤯
- HALAL. KOREAN. BBQ. Yes, you read that right. Just go. Seriously. Do I need to say more??
- (Make sure to ask for the halal menu)
- Lunch and dinner prices vary
- What’s good: Bulgogi, Brisket
Utopia European Cafe ☕
- Aesthetic European cafe that serves all halal meat
- Solid for brunch or lunch dates
- Cakes are flown in from Turkey!✈️ 🇹🇷
- What’s good: Utopian Latte, Housemade Orange Juice, Housemade Manti
Desert Moon Grill 🇵🇸
- Authentic Palestinian/Syrian food
- My absolute favorite middle eastern spot in the US. If you’re going to get middle eastern, this is the place to go
- What’s good: $100 Family Platter (pictured), Toshka with chicken
Port of Peri Peri 🍗
- Halal Portuguese Chicken similar to Nando’s
- Their chicken is all-natural, veg-fed, never frozen and marinated for a minimum of 24 hours
- What’s good: Family Platter, Perimayo Corn
Partially halal spots
Halal Beef
- 🍟 Burger Boss(Creekstone): All locations
- 🍔 HiHo Cheeseburger(First Light): Santa Monica| West LA
Halal Chicken
- 🥖 Ike’s Sandwiches: Multiple Locations
- 🍗 Wingstop(specifically ask for halal chicken): La Brea| Long Beach
Middle Eastern/South Asian Dessert Spots
- 🍧 K C Paan and Chaat House
- 🍨 Le Mirage: Ask for Booza (Middle eastern ice cream)
- 🍦 Saffron and Rose
- 🍭 Saffron Spot
- 🧁 Smallcakes: Cupcakery and Creamery
Yelp collection of 100+ halal spots:
Halal hot chicken guide for Southern California:
Halal food in the San Francisco Bay Area:
Halal food in the Sacramento Area:
Disclaimer: Everything on this list has been verified to be halal unless otherwise stated. Owners and suppliers can change every so often. I advise you to always check in with the employees/owner at the restaurant in person or on the phone to confirm halal status.
