Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Laili Restaurant in Santa Cruz

4.6 (199) 101 Cooper St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, United States

Categories

Mediterranean restaurant
Middle Eastern restaurant
Restaurant

Location on the map

Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, California, US

Phone: +1 831-423-4545
Site: http://lailirestaurant.com/

Opening hours

Monday:Closed
Tuesday:12–2:30 PM
Wednesday:12–2:30 PM
Thursday:12–2:30 PM
Friday:12–2:30 PM
Saturday:12–2:30 PM
Sunday:Closed

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.6

199 Reviews for Laili Restaurant 2024:

Review №1

2023-10-27 21:02:43

Good food, good service, decent vegetarian selection.We arrived at lunch time, around 12:30 pm. There were very few people sitting indoors. I didnt check how many people were sitting outside. Google traffic pattern shows it is far busier at dinner time than lunch.The waiter recommended all the high priced items as being really good, and we just went with the recommendations, and it worked out well.We had a lemon soda non alcoholic drink which was very good. They brought a complimentary naan bread with olive oil and herbs which was also good. Saffron Chicken Sandwich and cauliflower soups were also good.Pear gorgonzola flat bread was good, but the flavors could be balanced better. The cheese was very salty. To balance that, usually the pear is sweetened more, but it was just normal. So the dish overall has a lot more saltiness to it. The microgreens on it were also very less, Im used to seeing a lot more at other places.We took the cardamon creme brulee to-go. They dont have a good way of packing it. Though it didnt spill out leak, it didnt look very presentable at home. The cardamon flavor could barely be detected, but the creme brulee itself was very good.Overall, we liked the food and service and will visit again.

Review №2

2023-09-18 04:47:29

Really classy establishment. That includes the service and food. We had the spinach apitizer( dont know the exact name), the beat salad (knock out) and the beef kabobs (another home run). Wine beer and H2O. Everything was perfect Including the location.

Review №3

2023-12-09 08:18:45

Was really looking forward to eating here but was disappointed with the experience. The food was subpar and the ambiance was terrible. It was incredibly loud and chaotic, not the peaceful ambience from the pictures. We were looking for a nice restaurant experience but this was not it, except for the price. Partway through we were able to move to a table outside which was much better but still very loud. We had some young waiters who were very friendly and commiserated on the chaotic atmosphere. The food wasn’t awful, it just wasn’t great. I was excited to order the cilantro Caesar salad only to find it had no cilantro in it and tasted like an airport Caesar salad. The chicken dish was equally unmemorable. The apricot chicken flatbread was good but nothing that lives on in my head. I would not come back and was disappointed with both the food and the ambiance/experience. Friendly service though.

Review №4

2023-08-20 07:19:24

Have been here several times over the years, and the food is consistently wonderful with good portion sizes. The atmosphere is warm, relaxing, and welcoming. It is easy to make a reservation and they seat you quickly.In regard to service, we usually have excellent service. Tonight our waiter was quick to take our order and bring us a check. Otherwise, we hardly saw them throughout the meal, which was disappointing. We will be returning, but will request a different server.Overall, a wonderful restaurant that usually provides top-notch service. I recommend getting the Mediterranean plate and the Lamb Kabob.

Review №5

2023-06-04 21:56:14

We had a great experience at Laili.. we went for dinner on Sat evening and as vegetarians, we found ample options for us. We had the Mediterranean plate, pear flatbread, pomegranate eggplant, and arugula pesto pasta. All were great and enough portions for 4 of us. But a special mention for the service and hospitality: we found a piece of foil at the bottom of our pasta and were grossed out. But the manager was so prompt and responsive, he immediately took care of it. He offered us dessert on the house and also comped the pasta for us. Because of this gesture which reflects their commitment to quality and hospitality, Laili has a lifelong customer in us!!!

Review №6

2023-12-03 04:11:09

Absolutely amazing food, really fast and professional service! Loved the outdoor seating with the heaters. I would add that the price is actually really good for the quality and amount that you get.

Review №7

2022-11-13 04:37:24

A new favorite restaurant, family loved the meal, thankful to their kindness of making room for us at the bar on a very busy Saturday evening. Food was amazing, excellent customer service. Leek dumpling appetizer was awesome, so too the filet mignon kebab, lamb pasta, and pomegranate roasted saffron rice… delicious and great ambiance.

Review №8

2023-06-13 06:04:18

Fantastic lamb wrap. Unexpectedly good.Hubby ordered the Filet mignon kabob. Juicy meat. The sauce is just right.

Review №9

2022-01-23 08:26:45

The food was delicious. I enjoyed the lamb burger. They also served us a complimentary pita with a dip. Very good service. I would recommend reserving a table if you visit on a weekend.

Review №10

2022-11-22 11:27:02

Great ambience and loved the outdoor seating. The food was scrumptious and had good portions. The desserts were a bit pricy but tasted fresh, we got the baklava. I will definitely visit this place again.

Review №11

2023-10-11 05:50:58

From the minute I walked in, the architecture, colors and employees around you are totally a vibe. We sat down with a very close friend of ours tonight and enjoyed the complimentary Naan with herbs + the beet salad and the dumplings! The entrees were so intriguing photos were not taken. Wow what an experience of flavor from everything! People say the portions are small so I was kind of worried to try because I tend to eat for two people…but they hit every single note perfectly with vegetables, protein and grains or pasta which will fill you up quickly. I will definitely return…local of 20 years and I just now tried this place!! Hidden Gem 🎋

Review №12

2023-12-10 19:45:32

This place has one very important thing to figure out: portion size. I think folks don’t mind paying $16 for a beet salad, but considering the cost of ingredients it is insulting to get a tiny salad that not even two people could share. Same goes for their bolani and soup; soup portion was about right but one bolani? Come on… in East Bay when you order a dish of bolani you get like 8 or so pieces; in this restaurant you get one small bolani. Taste of the food was good but we left feeling like we got ripped off due to portion size. Service was the one redeeming factor of the meal, with Gillian being a very attentive and helpful waiter.

Review №13

2022-11-10 18:14:39

Food: 4 Stars - flavorful, the stake kabob plate was amazing.Service: our server was very friendly and attentive. But the host:Subtle racism: 5 stars. Made reservation and arrived early. We were seated by the host(a young man) to the furthest corner near the back kitchen and the busy pathway to the restroom when the entire dining room was almost empty. I asked for a seat change as my seat was almost obstructing the traffic of that pathway.Just echoing Annies review on NYCs One if by land two if by sea, it seems that some restaurants sticking their asian customers in the corner is not as uncommon.You do it, we call you out. Simple as that.

Review №14

2023-09-22 21:35:36

Overall, a delightful experience at Laili. The meats were sumptuous and on par with authentic dishes I’ve tasted during my travels in Northern Africa and parts of Europe. However, the rice left much to be desired in terms of flavor. On a brighter note, the naan starter was exceptional, and the appetizers we tried were outstanding.

Review №15

2019-01-30 06:36:28

Beautiful ambiance. Excellent service and great options for veggie lovers as well as g-free and dairy-free diners. Thank you for a lovely evening that was also tantalizing to the palate.We will definitely be back with guests since theres something for everyone on the menu. We can recommend the lamb kabob, the half chicken with pomegranate sauce and the Bolani appetizer. I requested extra sauce with my lamb kabob because the apricot and cilantro flavors were so wonderful. The rice had a rich flavor and the side of vegetables was grilled to perfection.Everything that passed by our table looked amazing, including some beautiful desserts which we lacked the room to try. Service was attentive without being intrusive. This is a great place to dine when one wants to enjoy a relaxed conversation over a beautiful meal.

Review №16

2022-03-26 04:16:33

Great wine, great service, beautiful patio, delicious food! We had the butternut squash appetizer (yum!) and the salmon pasta and roasted cauliflower. All scrumptious!

Review №17

2022-04-10 01:13:38

Great ambience and decent service. Reservations through website are recommended. Quality of the food was terrific. Quantity is sufficient, options are limited but items are heavenly. Definitely worth the money!

Review №18

2023-07-31 16:51:24

Atmosphere was delightful, the Bolani and pita appetizers were wonderful. The half chicken dish however was not my favorite. The chicken was dry in the middle and the pomegranate syrup sauce was sickly sweet. Our waitress seemed uninterested while the waitress taking care of the table next to us explained food in detail and gave personal recommendations. Would love to give this place another try.

Review №19

2023-06-05 04:56:24

Had a reservation, useful the night we were there. Seated immediately. Small menu of choice items. Great wine selection. Food was prepared exquisitely, though portions slightly on the small side. They were busy and possibly understaffed, so extra bread never came after 3 requests. (Maybe they knew we didnt -need- it.) Wholeheartedly recommend and cant wait to return!

Review №20

2023-10-17 01:56:49

Loved the food and the ambience! Service was a bit slow for the main course (probably because it was packed). Overall, it was one of the finest mediterranean restaurant in SC that I have visited :)

Review №21

2019-02-09 06:04:17

Great food for what it is. Very reasonable. Excellent service! Servers believe in what the chef serves. Place was packed and had a waiting. They allow to bring wines with $15 corkage

Review №22

2017-07-17 02:12:02

Finally got here. You better make a reservation. A pleasant place with intimate patio, quite music on the background. The dishes are nice looking and good tasting. More Afghan than Mediterranean. But very European interior. Enjoyed a dinner with my family. They have a kids menu. The servers are easygoing, responsible, with good memory and great smiles. The place is highly recommended.

Review №23

2023-10-08 03:03:04

Nice ambiance. Food was okay. The roast chicken was a miss for the price - it was dry and lacked flavor. Maybe I should have tried the kabobs as other reviews seemed positive.

Review №24

2023-09-28 21:07:19

Beautiful patio, delicious food, attentive staff. The owner made special accommodations to stay open late for our large party in from Canada. Unbeatable customer service. And the patio is gorgeous.

Review №25

2023-09-23 03:51:54

Very weird experience here tonight.. showed up around 7:10pm we saw people get sat without reservations before us, then the man told us after 5 minutes that he wouldn’t be able to seat us at all tonight without a reservation, we walked outside went on OpenTable and grabbed a reservation for 7:30, went in and said we had a reservation then he said he could seat us, but honestly thought it was weird so we left. Sad because we aren’t from California and heard this place is good.. just seemed weird we weren’t poorly dressed or anything not sure why they turned the two of us down.

Review №26

2023-10-11 04:26:10

We had a table on the patio, which was lovely. The food was delicious and the service was impeccable. We would recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting or living in the area.

Review №27

2021-01-19 23:36:22

Update on my past review. First i would like to let you know that my old review is still at the bottom of this update and you can read it if you would like to know what my thoughts were before this update about this place. We visited this place frequently since my last review, we felt that we had found the place that never drops the quality of service but( I know these is always a but) the last couple of time we had food there (to be fair take out only), as hard as it is for me to say, but it was not good. my meal was not to par to what I normally would expect from this place. The steak was watery on the inside and cut like an after thought, the food seemed very unappetizing. it was a rare feeling to say the least, as I always praised the place to my highest regards. So after deciding to visit Santa Cruz again, my wife and I decided to order take out again, this time ordering for my kids too. Once again I was let down by the way the food was presented and packaged, my kids pizzas, I can not even describe it but my kids did not eat them once they saw how they were packaged. Now my food was ok I decided to order something else but what got my a little upset was that the order was not complete and there were stuff missing on the bag. by the time i got back to my hotel, they were close and i just did not have the energy to make a big deal about it.Hope this does not comes as a negative review but an opportunity to hear from someone that has always love the place and love to experienced the food as it used be. Please know that, this is just my opinion, some may find their food to still be out there with the best, thats ok, i am just sharing my last couple of experiences at the restaurant.Thank you and i will see you around!We decided to visit this place and we were happy that we did. First of all, they allow dine in right now, one thing it is noticeable is that the first part of the experience may be a little frustrating because it get busy and trying to keep social distancing while waiting for your table can be a little difficult. Once we were able to sit down, things rapidly changed. The service was great but the food, Believe me it was great. I have not eaten middle easterners food like this before, it was great. For full discourse, we visit the same restaurant the very next day to see how consistent it was, and yes, we were not disappointed. I truly feel if you can over seem the little chaos at the entrance, you will find a place that will keep you having great food. Thanks you and I’ll see you around.

Review №28

2020-09-14 05:49:03

Wonderful tasty foods!! Filet Mignon kebab was tender and juicy. The kadoo burani with butternut squash was a great mixture of sweet and sour/salty yogurt. Cardamom Créme Brûleé and Cardamom pistachio ice cream are also highly recommended as dessert.

Review №29

2019-07-10 05:00:22

This place had awesome reviews on yelp so we decided to go in for dinner.There was about an hour wait, they text you a link and you can monitor the queue. We used that time to checkout the downtown. It was fun.We tried the honey cardamom iced coffee. It was good, though my girl friend found it a little too sweet and too strong so I ended up drinking it.Similarly the Afghan chai tea, it was on the sweet, maybe too sweet side.After youre seated they bring a large dosa bread with dipping.We ordered the lamb shank plate which comes with rice and veggies. It was good, though a little more meat would have been great!We also had the chicken plate with the pomegranate sauce, it was good.At last the Maush-awa soup was tasty too.

Review №30

2019-05-24 20:16:54

My boyfriend and I decided to dine here due to its amazing reviews, and it did not disappoint! We loved all the dishes that we got. The staff was really helpful and friendly, explaining all the different dishes since it was our first time. Amazing food and service! Highly recommend!

Review №31

2023-08-14 20:51:55

Super place with staff that is down to Earth. The presentation of each dish as well as the flavor is a home run. Overall I will be coming back here a more often, huge fan of this establishment

Review №32

2019-05-22 14:18:34

This is a great place to dine in Santa Cruz. Very nice ambience. Service was excellent. We ordered chicken kebab, pasta and flat bread. Each dish was very delicious. Kebab came with rice and three types of chutney. All of them were very tasty. Even the complimentary bread and dipping sauce were great too. Highly recommend this place.

Review №33

2018-10-22 04:07:50

Great food, service and atmosphere. Cuisine is Mediterranean with a Afghani flair. Good wine list by the glass or bottle including dessert wines, beer and non alcoholic options. I had an iced traditional Afghani sweet tea with milk and cardamon called Qay Maag Chai. Indoor and outdoor seating with great acoustics so you can easily have a conversation. Open kitchen setting. Service was stellar too.

Review №34

2023-07-20 19:53:50

Wonderful dinner last night! Filet mignon kebab and lamb kebab were superb. Served with lovely seasoned and grilled fresh vegetables and 3 delicious dipping sauces The spicy apricot sauce was an interesting novelty. The rice was very tasty, too. We will be returning.

Review №35

2023-08-06 19:58:15

Incredibly tasty food! Service was good but could have been a bit more personable. Definitely try the Pesto Arugula Pasta and the Roasted Cauliflower.

Review №36

2023-10-09 04:41:17

Food was great. Service was the best I have experienced in a while compared to many places. Will definitely be returning!

Review №37

2018-04-26 04:58:24

The baba ganoush and beet salad here are to die for! Quite a few vegan options on the menu, including the pomegranate eggplant and spiced cauliflower entrees, all delicious! Be sure to reserve a table outside in the vine covered terrace, complete with heat lamps :)

Review №38

2023-10-01 22:25:00

Delicious food prepared with love and served by friendly knowledgeable staff. Some of the best Mediterranean food Ive ever had.

Review №39

2023-07-10 03:51:42

Great date night or bring a Santa Cruz tourist restaurant. Upscale ambiance inside and a really sweet outdoor vibe. Attentive service from door to door.Great salad and dinner options with fresh and vibrant flavors.

Review №40

2018-01-11 03:38:54

Cozy and lovely, great ambiance. Local with high ceiling and huge elegant windows. Food was tasty. Portion was generous. We ordered lamb shank, trout, pomegranate chicken that came with saffron rice and salad. All were very tasty. Their flat bread with gorgonzola and baked pear was simply delicious. Services were quick, kind and attentive.

Review №41

2023-09-20 03:47:37

Laili sucks! We did not have a reservation. The restaurant was not closing anytime soon. It’s not that they do not accept walk-ins. Two groups without any reservations who had queued right before were seated in the waiting area. But when it came to us - they denied (lied) and said they are ‘full’ and suggested trying them some other day. They didn’t even offer to put our names or phone number or apologized.Well, I wasn’t surprised because I already knew from their body language that they are up to something and most likely going to deny us. The host (a white female) almost had a premeditated callous flat response; she had no intention of hearing us whatsoever - that there exposes the covert casual racism towards non-white people.Like another reviewer mentioned - you do it we call you out ✌🏻

Review №42

2020-11-12 06:32:05

The food is truly an excellent experience! A must try. You definitely want to make a reservation. Before your meal they serve you a fresh pita bread which is perfectly soft & crispy along with a lovely olive oil dipping sauce with fresh essences of Mediterranean flavors, lemon, tomato & herb. And oh am I so glad I had the cauliflower soup on special! It was as smooth as silk, not a hint of texture with notes of mustard & even horseradish. Truly Devine. My pictures did not do it justice. Then came the entre ..... I had the trout. Talk about the most perfectly crispy skin all the way through! It was so tender & flavorful topped with a beautiful sauce along with their very unique signature sauces, jalapeno walnut &a lemon herb yogurt sauce. I enjoyed every bite. My 1 complaint & note.... they had the door wide open ( in the fall) making it extremely cold & drafty.And, the service was lacking some. Host was not very personable. Nice decor & design, just needs more of a warm comfortable atmosphere & service.

Review №43

2018-07-03 06:38:46

The food here is delicious!! The steak kabob is my favourite. I also had the rehearsal dinner for my wedding here and it was great. The outdoor patio is such a beautiful spot and everyone was raving about the food! The service is great, too.

Review №44

2023-05-04 17:35:09

What a find!! I had the most delicious meal in recent memory at Laili. Eggplant with pomegranate sauce. Service was excellent. Our wait person was extremely attentive. Lovely atmosphere. Hope to return ♥️

Review №45

2023-09-28 11:59:01

Best Greek Mediterranean cuisine I have ever had in my life. If you are visiting Santa Cruz you eat here. !!!!

Review №46

2017-08-27 06:38:27

We tried a soup and pasta, each with braised lamb. So good. The apricot chicken flatbread -- so good. Excellent use of dates. The pistachio cardamom ice cream with baklava? So good.

Review №47

2023-05-11 02:33:19

The patio (when its available) is super dog friendly and a lovely classy, romantic atmosphere in a quaint courtyard. I love the lamb pasta. Also love the non-alcoholic options such as a hand made ginger lime drink.

Review №48

2019-10-21 16:15:55

This is a middle eastern Restrant, more like Pakistani food and afgan,The guy waiter was kind of rude to me. I wish I had some other waiter, so I asked the weather question and he answered me like I said!! As if he is repeating to me, He should took the time to show me the menu and tell what is recommend I thought that’s pretty rude, beside that the food good

Review №49

2020-09-08 20:23:11

The food was superior, service was okay... I asked for a cup of ice like a hundred times, but the waitress finally got it right...Highly recommend it...

Review №50

2023-05-14 05:22:44

A great spot for special occasions, especially the courtyard. The service is prompt, and the menu is refreshingly nice for town.

Review №51

2022-12-10 18:56:28

We made early reservations and were able to pick any table since the restaurant was empty. It filled up quickly which excited us because we thought the food would be great. However we were unimpressed. Their food lacked flavor completely. The saffron rice was bland, beef skewers were dry and barely seasoned. Even the chicken was terrible. We were shocked as it was all the positive food reviews that led us here. Guess we went on an off day, and this restaurant is expensive!! If youve never tried Mediterranean food before, dont start here. On a positive note, we had a great table with plenty leg room, the service was wonderful and looked like you could bring your dog and sit outside.

Review №52

2017-07-17 02:12:06

This place has goargios inside patio. Go to patio. At busy time no walk in, reservation only. Food is tasty. Afgan-midle East keatchen. No so miditarian. Ordered miditarian plate, chiken kebab, and eggplants.

Review №53

2017-12-08 22:53:17

Great Mediterranean food with a bit of a twist. The sauce selection with the different meals was unique and delicious! Had the pomegranate chicken as well as the chicken kebabs.... perfectly prepared.

Review №54

2023-09-01 01:05:24

This has a very nice outdoor seating with heaters wonderful place we had a great group of us went and we had a very nice time together outside and the food was great

Review №55

2018-04-09 02:05:29

Good food, few but delicious vegetarian options. I’d enjoyed the dessert as well.And reasonably priced.

Review №56

2018-05-13 05:01:46

Great, great food and the service is EXCELLENT! Super friendly, polite and helpful staff. Recommend! And can’t wait to come back.

Review №57

2023-09-11 00:37:49

Great, friendly wait staff. Food was good. Id go back for sure.

Review №58

2019-05-29 04:01:29

Excellent Afghani restaurant with a beautiful patio. Were had the lamb soup with the beet salad and the cauliflower entree but the highlight was the rose meringue with strawberries and pistachio.

Review №59

2023-11-22 04:07:05

Very good Mediterranean food. Nice mix of entrees

Review №60

2023-06-11 02:47:04

Very nice, great food and service.

Review №61

2018-08-21 14:13:16

Excellent Mediterranean food. Nice outdoor seating. Courteous staff.

Review №62

2022-09-18 02:32:04

Food is amazing.make sure you get reservations, they are busy. Great vegan options too!

Review №63

2018-10-28 01:56:17

Came for a quick lunch - flavors were amazing. Sit outside in the garden if you can!

Review №64

2017-03-20 00:25:32

Amazing food and service! The waitress was very friendly and even though the menu was pretty small, everything I ordered tasted brilliant!

Review №65

2018-02-26 05:54:19

Amazing Food. The Mediterranean Plate as starter.. Chicken kebob, Rosted Cauliflower entree were delicious... Pistachio Cardamon Icecream topped with Baklava was mindblowing.. Definitely recommend this place for mediterranean food lovers..

Review №66

2022-10-10 21:20:19

A beautiful, tucked away restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz. The garden in back is a gem, very quiet and tranquil. The food was generally pretty good, and while I think you could probably get more flavorful and better quality Medeterranean food in San Jose (for less money), this is some of the best available in Santa Cruz. Service was fine, no big complaints.

Review №67

2020-05-25 02:46:13

I didn’t like the chicken kabob ..Eggplant and parmesan on flatbread is recommended ..Great service .. A bit expensive .. Crowded ..

Review №68

2023-11-26 03:05:46

Atmosphere was very nice but meat was very tough.

Review №69

2018-08-18 05:27:27

Great food and ambiance. Service is good but a tad slow

Review №70

2019-02-09 02:38:04

Awesome food. Romantic ambiance. Just perfect for a special occasion.

Review №71

2023-04-21 02:18:35

What a delicious restaurant. Great service, lovely ambience, and such well balanced food. I can’t imagine someone not loving this place!

Review №72

2023-05-03 13:46:06

Delicious food and a very attractive atmosphere. The service was great and quick. Definitely will be coming back

Review №73

2022-03-02 16:15:24

The food is fantastic, the patio atmosphere is lovely, but I think we had a new server and we didnt get validated parking.We were seated immediately on the beautiful patio as requested in our reservation. Thankfully patio heaters were turned on as the sun set over our delicious appetizer and wine selections. Table spacing offered comfort and relative conversational privacy (even after it got busy) if speaking in low tones. I enjoyed that the water didnt come with any ice. The patio space was beautiful enough to accommodate an event such as a reception, or even an intimate wedding.Our server seemed to have forgotten our order, we sat awkwardly with our 2nd naan & empty appetizer plate for over 30 minutes waiting. The food was fantastic when it came, but seemed as if it had been sitting under a warmer for quite some time as the top layer was slightly dried out.Several times it took 5-10m to get our servers attention. At one point we simply got up to find them, and were offered assistance by another server instead. Several staff seemed to be assisting our servers other tables, so were unsure why they were so scarce. Since our food had come so late, we were still eating 2hrs after arrival. But when we expressed concern of going beyond the 2hr parking pass (advertised on the website & confirmed by the parking atrendant), our server explained that they are currently not validating parking anyway because the city hasnt sent the cards yet.

Review №74

2018-09-02 04:26:14

Pretty good food, nice decor, friendly staff.

Review №75

2023-04-15 18:42:14

Had out company dinner and they did an excellent job with the food and service. We pushed the closing time to the limit but they remained hospitable and awesome through out the night.

Review №76

2021-07-12 14:25:55

Outstanding Mediterranean food. Currently seating is only outdoors on the patio, but it was lovely. A beautiful evening enhanced by a very attentive wait staff. We had the lamb kabob and the chicken pomegranate, both were excellent!

Review №77

2022-05-10 04:52:43

I came here with a group of about 20 people. There were some bumps in service, but they were very kind and accommodating. The food was top notch and the decor and outdoor patio are such a treat. Would definitely go again for dinner.

Review №78

2023-09-22 02:02:14

So good; a brilliant find on our drive down the coast.

Review №79

2018-09-16 03:38:13

Lamb shank kebabs and the beef kebabs were delicious! Such a lovely atmosphere and excellent service.

Review №80

2020-11-01 16:01:43

Service is pretty bad here, we had a reservation, got there 10 min early, and ended up waiting an extra 15 minutes past our reservation time while we watched the host seat a couple who had arrived after us without a res. Patio was nice and they have heaters. Food was good but flavors dont quite work together for everything, like the lamb pasta was just strange and the pomegranate eggplant was overly sweet. But the service was very lacking. Waitress came over once to take our entire order (not drinks first, or apps, but we had to order our drinks, appetizers and entrees all at once) and then one more time. Didnt get more drinks because we couldnt order them. Food is definitely unique but for such a fancy place we expected more.

Review №81

2022-05-11 20:50:55

Delicious cuisine and intimate seating. Friendly and accommodating. Priced above average, but in line with area and offerings. Try the Black Currant Rose Cider. Wonderful for a fancy date or anniversary.

Review №82

2019-08-10 02:40:53

Middle Eastern, slightly spendy and pretentious, but good food and friendly waiting staff.

Review №83

2020-02-15 05:30:49

Just finished a Valentine’s Day dinner here and it was wonderful! The restaurant was very busy but our waiter was perfect—there when needed and absent when not. The food was amazing, very flavorful and reasonably priced. We sat outside—cute but cool. They have lots of heaters which help, but glad to have dressed warmly. Definitely worth a try! We will be back!

Review №84

2023-01-18 17:42:48

The was so delicious and its definitely my favorite restaurant downtown but when its crowded and you cant sit inside it makes it hard to hear the person next to you

Review №85

2023-07-02 02:52:51

The person in the front desk was very very rude he even laughed when I said that i want to get a table and refused to even let me leave my name in the waiting list never would i even approach a place like this again

Review №86

2019-03-15 12:02:55

We were surprised, on this, our first visit to Laili, how good it all was. The decor is charming, especially on a clear and temperate day in the garden. The service was friendly and prompt, and the food was an excellent fusion of middle eastern and California styles. I think that the meringue dessert was the best dessert I have ever had. The prices are a bit higher than competitors, but the experience warranted the prices.

Review №87

2022-02-12 03:08:43

Laili is my favorite restaurant in Santa Cruz and I always get the same thing because it is so incredibly delicious and unique. The pomegranate eggplant has always been cooked to perfection and is very light and clean.

Review №88

2021-09-06 01:42:06

Been here and ordered take out many times. Their sauces are amazing, quality is impeccable. The soup and salads are my favorite - I hope they reopen soon because I’m missing them. They have made a couple mistakes when ordering takeout but they always make it up to me if I tell them about any complaints. I love this place.

Review №89

2015-08-15 06:28:34

Absolutely love this place! We ate there once and fell in love with their food so we decided to have our rehearsal dinner there. We went back several times to taste more things and every time our experience was great! Great food, great service, super friendly staff. For our rehearsal dinner (28) they were great! All the food was great and came out hot and together. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. The price was also very reasonable. We had several people in our group with allergies and they were able to modify dishes for them to make sure that everyone had something they loved. Weve heard nothing but awesome things from our guests about the food as well. Id highly recommend them!

Review №90

2019-01-27 19:48:56

Make a reservation! We managed to get seated without one but it seemed pretty busy otherwise. The food was good and decently priced.

Review №91

2020-10-29 00:41:04

I really enjoy the food here, quite unusual and unique and yet satisfying and flavorful. The space is graceful and the patio a true gem. My only disappoinment is in the culture of the service. Not that the service isnt qualitative, but just that there lacks a culture of presence which is readily available in Santa Cruz. I suspect the management doesnt value authenticity and so it trickles down. Oh well, forewarned is forearmed, now go enjoy yourself!

Review №92

2018-09-26 16:07:21

This restaurant is one of my favorites. I always get the chicken kabobs and they are consistently good. The staff is well trained and very attentive. We popped in at five on a Sunday without a reservation and were seated right away but the tables filled quickly, so reservations recommended for sure. Bonus for me, many dishes are naturally gluten free, having Celiac Ive never had a problem here.

Review №93

2017-07-10 04:06:43

Pomegranate chicken kebob for lunch. Nice ambiance, quick and polite service. Great tasting food.

Review №94

2019-09-27 18:09:49

Food here is always delicious and fresh, great recipes, beautifully presented. Ambience is pleasant though at times noisy in the indoor dining room. Outside patio dining is great in mild weather. Nice decor, excellent service. On the expensive side but in this case you get quality worthy of the price.

Review №95

2023-05-11 01:48:30

Casual, but a little upscale, they say silk road cuisine but its mostly California-fied Middle Eastern/Mediterranean cuisine (I think of the silk road as including India and China too, right?). Whatever cuisine it is, the food is excellent! Great wine selection and appetizers. It gets very busy, so I recommend making a reservation.

Review №96

2017-10-14 05:09:43

The food is authentic and delicious, prepared with verve and attention to detail. The service is gracious too. Book ahead at busy times! Very impressive, and I say that as a European. Wine list excellent also and some interesting craft beers too.

Review №97

2021-04-22 07:04:38

Its a really pleasant place to eat. The outdoor garden is like being in another country. The food selection is very good and well done. The only reason its a 4 and not 5 is the portion size is a bit smaller than I think their price justifies.

Review №98

2019-06-12 05:00:05

I enjoyed the Mediterranean cuisine. We were a large group of 15 and the service was a little spotty. However I would definitely go back even though they were out of 2 of the 8 or so reds on the wine list. Food is good and prices are reasonable.

Review №99

2017-12-01 19:14:05

I live in San Jose but come over the hill at least once a month to grab the lamb wrap. The restaurant is spacious and very welcoming. All the servers and hosts have been nothing but helpful. When coming here for lunch its usually not as packed. I would get reservations for dinner as it might be a wait. It is very family friendly.

Review №100

2019-03-23 23:15:47

Absolutely delicious! Their braised lamb pasta is a must have, It’s the only thing I get now!

Review №101

2020-11-14 16:47:24

Best food Ive had in a long time. We started with the butternut bolani. The sauces served with it were perfect compliments to the savory, flaky pastry.Dinner was anar chicken and koubideh kabob. Both excellent.The courtyard we were seated in was very nicely done. Even though there were other tables around us, it felt private. The heaters kept us nice and comfortable on the chilly evening.I would definitely go back to Laili on our next trip through Santa Cruz.

Review №102

2019-12-31 20:49:00

Spending time with my girlfriend makes me feel like stars and eating at this restaurant makes it feel like 10 stars! The food was amazing! Even down to the fresh pitas bread, the pesto arugula pasta was a savory selection. Will def visit here again in the future

Review №103

2021-04-22 16:17:33

Service was decent unlike the food. Maybe the dishwasher was cooking the night I was there. Atmosphere was perfect but definitely will not be going back. Even the beans in our appetizer were al dente at best! House Red they brought was decent but I am shocked at how blah ALL the sauces and “dips” were. The orange sauce on the side of the file mignon kabob tasted like it came out of a jar of baby food. Lamb kabob was also less than so so. Rice tasted like it was made yesterday and since our reservation was at 5, it may very well have been!Again, I won’t be back!

Review №104

2018-04-19 19:20:10

Everyone raves about this place, but I dont really think its all that great. Ive eaten here with my friends twice & they really liked it so maybe its just me. They do have some good meat dishes, but Im more on the vegetarian side of things. I think my friends said the lamb was really tasty. I dont even remember what I had!

Review №105

2020-02-23 04:03:42

If I could give it 10 stars I would. It was so delicious. I had the pomegranate chicken and it was the best thing I have ever eaten. It melted in your mouth and the naan bread was fire. Completely recommend but get a reservation to get a good table.

Review №106

2018-10-24 22:48:10

Service was awesome. I was a little skeptical about a Mediterranean place, but was invited to go with a party of 14. The food was awesome. I had the lamb shank. Others had the pasta with shrimp or chicken. Still others had the lamb kabob or the filet kabob. For appetizers we had one of each and honestly.....everything was cooked to perfection and very good 😋. Sorry no pictures.

Review №107

2020-08-19 22:31:47

I happened to be in Santa Cruz for business and decided to try this restaurant. I had a pomegranate eggplant entree which was absolutely delicious. The sweet eggplant contrasted with steamed yet still crunchy swiss chard, a dolop of yogurt and lovely cooked rice as well as bread that was soft and elastic and flowery all at the same time ..a delightful meal when Im back in the area i will return.

Review №108

2017-06-25 01:33:04

Great dining experience, for lunch with a friend or special dinner. Love the outdoor patio (heaters, so still comfy if chilly out). Fresh, yummy food; friendly, helpful service. Have enjoyed all dishes ordered; Moroccan Beet salad, Pomegranate Chicken Kabob (or Pomegranate Eggplants great, too, for vegetarian preference) are a couple of faves; servers are good at offering guidance/recommendations, too. On the menu, desserts are listed as Indulge. They are--and worth it!

Review №109

2016-11-22 16:15:27

Service was a little slow but the food was great. They serve a flatbread with oil as a starter and it was delicious. We ordered the arugula pesto pasta and cauliflower dish. The cauliflower dish was excellent. The portions are large so we had plenty to take home.

Review №110

2019-12-29 19:52:22

Food is good. We took filet mignon kabob. They are really good. Meat is very tender and juicy. Service was fantastic. Overall, a good experience. Food is a bit on the sweeter side for us, but not a big deal compared to the flavors.

Review №111

2020-01-18 03:24:05

Omg. First I went to this restaurant)Got there for lunch. WAs greeted right away and taken to a table quickly )The decor is delightful was a surprise from the looks of the outside )Our waiter was great and all the waiters and bus folks were very helpful and courteous ). Now the food ? Yummy !We ordered the appetizer with different spreads and wonderful Nan bread put it on )) I ordered the Lamb burger and my friend ordered saffron chicken wrapWe both loved everything ! They also have a nice wine selection )).We are going back to try other entrees )Loved it

Review №112

2017-08-29 15:02:30

This place is amazing! The patio outside is like walking into a restaurant in Europe. The service is usually very good and the food is outstanding. They pour a generous glass of wine with a very good selection. You need to schedule a table a few days in advance for a table outside.

Review №113

2019-04-03 07:10:07

Food was better than expected even though I expected it to be good..both staff and food excelled my expectations..the lamb dish was so good I dont think Ive ever eaten such great tasting lamb. You can tell this restaurant pays attention to detail..when the waitress said the lamb infused with saffron is a popular dish I can see why. I walked in not realizing reservations were needed this week day but instead of waiting 30 to 40 minutes as I was told, it was only 20 minutes which showed me the staff makes an effort to accommodate guests as best as they can. Beata the waitress who served us made the experience here more pleasurable by her attentiveness and attention to detail. I highly appreciate the extra steps she took in explaining several food items and her very friendly attitude. Many times food may be excellent but staff condescending or rude which ruins the pleasure of returning. Not here. If the food was just good Id still return because of the friendly staff and warm welcome. But both staff and food are more than just good. Several of the appetizers are not just fusions but theyre what youd find in Afghanistan like the Kadoo boranee appetizer..never had anything like this garlic infused butternut squash dish. Was seeking something beyond good midditeranean or middle eastern cuisine. Never expected to find it here in Santa Cruz.

Review №114

2019-08-29 04:58:03

Terrific food and great service!Me and some friends decided to have a very nice meal at the end of our road trip to celebrate our university graduation. We were all very satisfied with fast and pleasant service as well as fantastic food. If you want a great meal, give this place a shot!

Review №115

2020-02-18 22:18:18

Love every meal here, the menu is so good! We tried the Lamb pasta and shank. Both were very good, cooked tender and in tasty sauces. We also had the large salad which was enough to split across 4 of us.

Review №116

2020-06-23 02:35:30

Enjoyed the meal.Got the hummus sampler which was good. Liked the sauces.The bolani was deep fried and the spinach filling was good but not the squash (too sweet).Enjoyed the trout and the sauce.The beef kabob was average and the cauliflower was okay.Liked the cardamom creme brulee.Pistachio ice cream was nothing special.Overall would come here again for the vegetarian appetizers.

Review №117

2017-03-02 20:20:30

Its hard to find a good restaurant with nice atmosphere in Santa Cruz and while youll have to pay for the privilege Laili delivers.Service can suffer in some aspects but compared to the surrounding restaurants it seems like more of a county wide problem.5 stars for the food, I have yet to have a dish I didnt like here.

Review №118

2019-09-27 13:00:00

Omg... Best food ever... Everything was delicious. From the appetizer to the dessert. I cannot wait to go back to Santa Cruz and eat here again. Service was wonderful. And the restaurants patio - peaceful and gorgeous, full of beautiful plants.

Review №119

2017-01-16 19:57:06

I had not been to Lali for a few years, and I am sorry I took so long to remember how great this local restaurant is. I like everything about this place and I always have. I guess I just dont get out often enough to get back around to this one. I will not let that happen again, because this place is too good to forget, and I think its in the top two or three restaurants in Santa Cruz, and I sure would not argue if someone claimed it was the best.Our most recent experience was a busy Saturday night, and though we arrived 10 minutes early for our reservation, they were so gracious and sat us almost immediately even though they were full and had folks waiting for tables. Our service was almost perfect, we were served drinks and wine quickly and we all ordered the same fabulous entree, the Filet kabobs. I knew from previous visits that this was not to be missed and my guests took my lead, so all four of usordered the same thing. I know, not adventurous, but still a great choice as we all raved about how great the whole entree dish was presented and the fabulously tasty and tender steak. The steak is served with saffron rice with black currants and it was a great compliment to the steak and the three dipping sauces that come with it. Even the steamed vegetable were cooked perfectly and looked fresh and appetizingThe only glitch was that one of our appetizers didnt make it to the order. The waitress was so awesome about the mistake, and even though we said it was ok, the other appetizers were great, so we didnt miss it, she still had it brought to our table so we could taste it anyway with our entrees, and we were not charged for it. Nice recovery! She also brought us a taste of the pistachio ice cream to taste too. She just went out of her way all through the dinner to make usfeel special. Just really great service from start to finish, and that is so nice to complement great food.So, this place has earned a well deserved five stars from me and I will return much sooner.

Review №120

2017-08-24 02:06:13

One of the best local places in town, great atmosphere, great service, food is exceptional, overall great experience

Review №121

2017-12-29 04:55:33

Best in town, cilantro Caesar, bean soup with lamb, vinho verde yum, basmati, and a rollup for take home.

Review №122

2015-07-07 00:11:20

The food at Laili is delicious across the board, and the portions were well-sized -- I had the lamb shank (which was a dead ringer for my Indian familys lamb curry) and my boyfriend had the trout. We ate outside in the heated patio area and loved it. My only complaint would be that the wait staff is a bit slow.

Review №123

2016-11-02 22:34:01

The chef has a nice touch for taking classic dishes and giving them a modern twist. Try the mixed plates and basically everything is tasty. The place is somewhat over-hyped and the atmosphere is not that inviting, but the great food and the efficient service make it a good choice. Do reserve in advance.

Review №124

2019-04-24 16:13:04

Very nice place. Only criticism I had was their naan was very thin, but you get all you want, so who cares? Excellent ground beef and chicken breast kabobs. I loved my lamb burger.

Review №125

2016-10-09 14:17:00

Went for lunch with my friend and husband. The naan was delicious but the meals werent anything to race about. I had the chicken skewers with pomegranate seeds sauce(?) But the chicken was dry breast meat and the pomegranate seemed out of place flavor-wise. I wouldnt order it again. My friend had a salad and my husband had the steak skewers, which when I tried a piece was very chewy.Atmosphere, was great! Outside seating on the patio was beautiful. The side was nice and open and beautifully decorated. It is in downtown Santa Cruz so parking can be on the street or parking garage close by.

Review №126

2019-10-25 05:27:47

Laili was delicious and an experience. It was a meal that we wanted to linger over. It was difficult to choose off the menu, as so much sounded delicious. The lamb shank and eggplant with pomegranate were cooked to perfection and so flavorful. Laili was a treat!

Review №127

2020-11-28 06:07:37

We had Mediterranean plate for appetizer and lamb wrap for lunch here and ordered hamburger to go for dinner. The lamb meat for both orders tasted very bad and unhealthy. And the water bottle at our table was dirty. But the Mediterranean plate was delicious. Overall, I wil not come back here.

Review №128

2016-10-20 14:29:35

Its got a simple food made well thing going for it, with a good atmosphere. A lot of dishes were just something plus the same sauces, none of which will blow your mind or push your boundaries. Not an especially risky or foreign menu, but yes great execution with perfectly cooked dishes and solid service.

Review №129

2020-03-16 03:36:55

Had the lamb pasta and pomegranate eggplant and both were terrific. The lamb pastas sauce was creamy and flavorful, and the pomegranate eggplants dressing was sweet and unique. Not to mention the bread provided went really well with both dishes.

Review №130

2019-12-29 03:07:24

Persian and Afgan food in downtown Santa Cruz...we liked our meals!

Review №131

2020-07-08 05:35:12

I really want to like this meal. I love Mediterranean food. I used Uber Eats and got 3 delay updates and when I got my food, it was room temperature. I also ordered the Mediterranean platter, I got no pita bread, the chicken was dry. Also the flourless cake was very small and not very appetizing. Not a good value.

Review №132

2017-10-27 06:30:20

All dishes we ordered looked and tasted amazing. I ordered the lamb kabob, my companion ordered the roasted cauliflower. We shared two appetizers of 3 bean with lamb soup and spinach Bolani. The 3 dipping sauces complimented the Bolani very well. I particularly loved the apricot sauce. For desert, I ordered an excellent chocolate mouse. It was light and airy, like a good mouse should be. My companion had the rose meringue with balsamic strawberries, Chantilly creme, pistachio crumbles and mint. The chef really has a flair for combining flavors that make for an amazing dining experience. The wait staff was very attentive, polite and friendly. The seating on this warm day was in the outdoor patio, but they have a very spacious indoor dining room as well. Both are very pleasant settings. The patio was filled with lots of broad-leafed ferns and trees shading the entire area. If it gets cold, there are also heaters. One wall of the patio is covered with a climbing vine that was displaying its glorious Fall colors. It was a fabulous dining experience and I cant recommend Laili highly enough. As we were leaving someone entering the restaurant asked how we liked our meals, he said he heard it was the best restaurant in Santa Cruz. Well, as for me, it was most definitely the best meal Ive enjoyed in Santa Cruz. The prices are very reasonable, especially considering the quality of the meal. Do yourself a favor and give it a try. It is a popular dining location, so reservations are recommended.

Review №133

2020-03-09 18:50:10

I cant speak for the meat dishes, but the vegetarian dishes are amazing! We had both the pomegranate eggplant and the cauliflower dishes. They were both perfection. The greens that accompanied the eggplant dish were delicious, as was the salad that came with the cauliflower dish. Service here is above and beyond.

Review №134

2021-05-14 08:26:16

Food was excellent and service was too notch. Definitely need to get reservations if you want to eat here though. I reserved almost a week out and it was hard to get a time I wanted. Their outdoor patio is quite small and I think it only allowed for about 10 groups.

Review №135

2018-03-08 16:44:27

Great food! The atmosphere and energy was awesome. And beautiful art!

Review №136

2019-01-16 06:49:36

They need to vary the menu every ten years but the food, ambience and service are excellent. The inside is a bit jarring and echoey. The best thing to do is reserve a table in the garden, if you like quiet. Good food. Nice pink chai. It tastes like the milk at the bottom of a bowl of froot loops cereal. Super yummy squash. Wonderful beet salad. Yum. Great stuff. Never seems to change. Luckily, its yummy

Review №137

2022-03-03 07:42:47

TLDR: Good service and bad food

Review №138

2022-07-19 05:02:15

Just WOW! Every bite was scrumptious and incredibly flavorful! The service was excellent and friendly. Thank you for a fantastic meal.

Review №139

2019-09-14 21:28:50

Best pasta I ever had. Hopefully will be back soon for more. Definitely worth it.

Review №140

2019-02-16 01:13:18

Went in here on a whim, was just looking for something new and this place is actually amazing. There wasnt a single thing I ate that wasnt good. Everything was flavorful and delicious. The service was lackluster but Ill give it a pass because I just came out of a workout and was in a baggy sweater and sweatpants and probably looked terrible, I mistakenly thought it was a casual walk in spot. The atmosphere is nice, and very chic. It was so good we went to a nice dinner the next day which was almost 3x the price, and was just constantly comparing it to how it was not as good as laili was. The price is also very good considering how delicious it is, Ive eaten at applebees for about the same price and applebees sucks.

Review №141

2017-06-14 05:07:44

Food is consistently good, menu really hits the good spots of my taste. Try for outdoor seating -- its VERY noisy inside, while the environment outdoors is lovely. Dont even think of ordering a hot drink here (coffee, tea) -- they dont know how to boil water, or to warm the cups they serve it in. There are a few nice beers on tap -- I especially like a local Belgian-style dark ale. Siamese Twin (?) or something like that. Theyre quite popular, so count on a wait without a reservation. This would be 5 stars if not for the cold hot beverages and high noise level.

Review №142

2021-06-10 02:45:01

Amazing food.. but were made to feel like we werent rich enough to eat there. Weird rules. We hadnt been there before so we wanted to try a bunch of different things. I guess it looked like we were being cheap because we didnt want to order 2 of everything. 10% to split plates??

Review №143

2021-04-13 20:37:43

This used to be our favorite restaurant, but the quality of food has seem to declined over the past few years. We always get their signature Bolani and the last time it was disappointing: smaller size, flavoreless yogurt mint sauce. The same was true for the roasted cauliflower. Sad to say, we will not be coming back anytime soon.

Review №144

2015-12-22 21:34:27

My favorite restaurant in Santa Cruz!!! The inside is nice looking, but the backyard is gorgeous. The food is breath of fresh air after eating nothing but burritos when going out in Santa Cruz. Its pretty pricey (for me), but if you feel like treating yourself, this is the place to go.

Review №145

2017-06-23 19:38:11

We went there on Saturday at 5pm. We were disappointed that there was no table available even though they just opened. I could see the whole restaurant was empty but no tables available at 5pm. We ended up trying another restaurant that night. Following day we made reservations for lunch. We sat outside in the patio which was nice and relaxing. The patio has umbrella. They give free naan and sauce which is delicious.I ordered chicken kabobs. I would say the food portion are small. It was delicious. My husband had beef Kabob which he loved it. He had Santa Cruz wine but it tasted as if it was opened for long time. He complained and they replaced with another glass.Overall the food is good here.

Review №146

2017-07-22 02:49:30

Excellent filet mignon kabobs, and even had broccoli I willingly ate (this is very rare). Service was great, they seated us right away at 7 oclock on a Friday - with a one hour time limit, but that was more than enough time. Highly recommend.

Review №147

2016-04-04 02:50:52

One of the best meals Ive had in a long time. We had the butternut squash appetizer, greek salad, chicken flat bread, and chicken skewers. The flavors were all incredible. Great ambience and friendly service.

Review №148

2018-12-25 17:05:55

We had dinner here one evening and the food and the service was so good that we drove 50 miles to come back for lunch the next day

Review №149

2018-12-27 22:07:53

A bit disappointed with our experience (please read to the end, because there are some very good aspects to this restaurant). My lamb burger was a bit more gamey than I was expecting. (I think it was exentuated by the bitterness of the swiss cheese). However, I can see the appeal for it and I believe others may like that dish more than I did and this may just be a personal taste issue.The water glasses also had a bit of a smell to them that led me to believe that they werent thoroughly washed through heavy usage which was unfortunate.The saving grace, however, was the lime and garlic filet kabob as well as the various sauces on the Mediterranean platter. Those were all very well done and are worth the trip.

Review №150

2020-08-03 16:50:45

Stumbled on this restaurant by chance and had an amazing meal. We had the Kadoo Boranee appetizer (one of my favorite Afghan dishes) and the Lamb burger. Both were amazing; I will definitely return to Laili

Review №151

2019-11-13 15:42:25

To begin the food is prepared so beautifully it made me wonder if I should eat it or take pictures. But alas I succumbed and dug in. The service was excellent, the ambiance just right, the food delicious, so there you have it one of my favorite places to eat.

Review №152

2018-08-25 15:17:24

Tasty food, prices are good. They have healty kids options. We all enjoyed the lamb, vegetarian, and chicken dishes. However, the service was extremely extremely slow and frustrating. It took over 10 minutes for the waiter to return to us.

Review №153

2019-06-30 17:55:19

My fiancee and I stopped for lunch in Santa Cruz while driving the Pacific Coast Highway from LA to SF, and were we ever pleased to find this gem of an establishment. We shared a dish of perfectly roasted butternut squash with a delicious yogurt dressing spiced with mint, turmeric and other Afghan spices. We left none of this yummy dish, making good use of the light, fluffy naan for scooping and scraping purposes. We also had a roasted cauliflower entree with a tomato based sauce that was as scrumptious and it was unique - so amazing! The only disappointing part of our experience was the eventual realization that we dont have any of this high quality Afghan food anywhere near us. Oh well, now we have more reasons to visit California in general, and the lovely town of Santa Cruz, more often in the not too distant future!

Review №154

2020-03-11 15:27:27

What really impressed me was their naan and hummus plate. It was very delicious and fresh. The entree I got (chicken wrap) was okay, not as impressive as I expected after having the appetizer plate. Overall, though, great food! Very fresh.

Review №155

2023-03-31 15:22:13

Wonderful dinner. Warm, friendly service. Attractive, relaxing decor inside.

Review №156

2015-12-02 00:03:18

One of the best places to eat in Santa Cruz. Sure, the prices are high but the quality of ingredients and presentation makes it worth it. Love all of the different Mediterranean options available. Vegetarians will like it here too.

Review №157

2019-09-02 05:44:42

Kabobs were amazing. Salad was uneventful. 3-Bean Soup? Delicious. It was a very busy night and not enough staff were on hand to serve. Sunday nite of Labor day weekend should also have the same hours as Saturday and Friday nite. The hostess was actually sprinting around the restaurant trying to make up for managements failure to properly staff the restaurant. Props to her. Not so much to the manager.

Review №158

2016-12-14 10:38:31

Very very tiny menu, but the dish i had was amazing. Ravioli with scallops. Delicious!

Review №159

2017-08-19 04:02:58

Really good, perfect actually. We loved the food, and it didnt take long at all. The wine was awesome. The server was really really good and we are for sure coming back! We had a grest time. Just perfect. If we could give everything 10 stars we would. PERFECT

Review №160

2022-04-03 03:23:37

It was a great meal, from the beet salad to the pomegranate chicken. The staff was awesome, and we appreciate their patience with our late seating. Many thanks!

Review №161

2018-09-28 05:09:13

Got the food to go. Although the quality was fine, it was quite over priced. We got the lamb shank and pomegranate chicken. The pomegranate chicken was basically roasted chicken with some watery sauce on it. I was hoping for chicken cooked with pomegranate sauce as it is supposed to. The lamb was basic but good.

Review №162

2016-08-15 06:55:58

We have had slope service at times in thee past but this can be an excellent date night. 5 stars is contingent on getting a reservation for a good patio table. When we cant get the patio we just skip because the interior is a near opposite in ambiance. We like the squash bolani, lamb soup, apricot flat bread, chai, and the strawberry-fennel salad. Until you figure out how to order for your self expect the food to seem overpriced.

Review №163

2019-06-17 17:58:51

Our server was attentive and professional. They were very friendly, helpful, and accommodating to special dietary needs.Went here for a late lunch/early dinner with a large group of family and friends. Good food and good service.

Review №164

2017-05-30 21:53:35

Came here for brunch while my fiancé and I are taking a first time road trip along the west coast. The food was phenomenal. We had the Spanish salad with candied walnuts, the Mediterranean plate, the lamb wrap, and the trout (yes we eat a lot). The saffron basmati rice was fluffy and flavorful and complemented the trout and its accompanying sauces perfectly. The trout was tender and the skin was crispy. Highly highly recommend

Review №165

2016-07-26 05:17:11

Nice departure from the typical menus. Great appetizers and soups. Good vegetarian options. The eggplant dish and the chickpea dish are great. Nice patio. Professional service and nice atmosphere.

Review №166

2018-09-02 16:23:58

Silk road inspired/fusion place downtown. Good food, pleasant staff. Can get a bit noisy inside, but does have an outside seating area as well, which does not suffer from the same short coming.

Review №167

2017-03-05 21:27:49

Everything was super delicious. Would come back any time...

Review №168

2018-05-22 20:18:17

Food is delicious! It can get somewhat noisy inside when its full, and thus hard to talk to each other when in a big group. Ask for outdoor seating, which is lovely.

Review №169

2017-07-04 21:26:09

Awesome food. Completely loved it... Most of us were vegetarians and we totally enjoyed everything... Coudnt eat chicken for some reasons, but I could see it on our neighboring table... Would definitely want to come here again...

Review №170

2019-04-20 05:25:46

Food was delish, anar chicken, salmon fettuccine, braised lamb pasta, and lamb shank was what our group had. Appetizer beef dumplings and another one that was deep fried stuffed with butternut squash. The reason it wasnt 5 stars was that even after the 2 additional people got there in our party, it was still a while before the waitress returned to the table to tell us the specials or get our order.

Review №171

2019-03-26 21:28:45

The food was very good, but the service was terrible. We had reservations for 19.30. It was quite busy. Our waiter forgot our drinks and I had to remind him after 30 minutes of waiting. The food took forever too. We received our appetizers only after 45 minutes. However the table next to us got their food much quicker even though they arrived later than we did. The waiter never checked on us nor did he asked if you would like to get more drinks.

Review №172

2017-03-16 06:22:23

Excellent once again. We just had the beef roulade and the beef mantu. Yum! No pics but trust me it was great! Sesame seeds in the roulade made it extra good. And the mantis was light and delicate and delicious.A first timer came in behind us and got the custard French toast at 7pm. I did not know you could do that - have had it for brunch but nice to know I can get it at night.This is such a great and reliable place. Small and cozy and authentic. Fabulous attentive service.

Review №173

2020-12-24 16:17:11

Excellent food. Great service. Beautiful outdoor patio seating. Bolani and Mediterranean plate were outstanding. Pomegranate chicken kabob was moist and flavorful.

Review №174

2023-11-07 21:54:31

Great vibe and feel good upscale

Review №175

2019-05-25 05:04:51

The server forgot about our table of 9. It was my sisters graduation, so needless to say it was a special evening. It took 1 hour and 45 mins to get our meal. They forgot our appetizers. Horrible experience. Food was ok.. Ive had better!

Review №176

2017-12-01 17:57:07

Great food and service. Wonderful place. Would be nice if the bartender would let you transfer your tab to the table that youre going to eat at. Wouldnt let me leave the bar without paying him first, while headed to a table to rack up a $140 food tab....

Review №177

2019-05-26 18:55:12

An authentic Mediterranean restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz. Babaganoush and hummus are great. All of the lamb dishes are really good. The Afghani effect makes everything a bit different and better. They use saffron which is so pricey but it doesnt make their prices higher. Its also delicious, alot of restaurants do not use saffron because of the cost.

Review №178

2021-06-29 02:51:42

Food is always good here very consistent. I have eating here many times. Both my wife and I get excited when we are visiting Santa Cruz because we get to come to Laili for dinner.

Review №179

2017-03-03 03:56:20

Service was a little slow to start however we were not rushed, the food was fantastic (lamb shank fell off the bone), they had a good local wine selection and nice atmosphere. I highly recommend it to anyone coming into town!

Review №180

2017-05-31 14:37:08

We ordered a variety of dishes for lunch including drinks and dessert and everything was outstanding. We both ordered things that included ingredients that we dont usually care for and the dishes couldnt have been better. Service and ambience were excellent.

Review №181

2018-10-09 01:36:48

My both halves liked it. Were strict Vegetarians and there are good options.Service is only ok. More training and higher service level expectations would seriously show deeper sense of hospitality. You will the efforts though. Thank you.

Review №182

2018-10-26 17:41:18

One of the best high end places Ive been to in santa cruz. Service was great, food amazing. Price is up there $$-$$$ but good portions. Not like soliare where it makes you feel like you need to snack before you go. I eat at the greek festival often but food was more authentic here and flavors were richer. The big sample platter with all the dips is a must for groups.

Review №183

2014-07-23 07:12:23

A group of us grabbed a bite here, it was no problem getting a walk-in table for 5 at around 6:30 on a weeknight. The food was wonderful, the restaurant is beautiful inside and out. The service was attentive, friendly, and knowledgable. Portion sizes are very generous. What more could you ask for when visiting Santa Cruz?Bolani Combo - 5/5Chicken Kebab - 4/5Lamb Kebab - 4/5Chicken Apricot Pita - 4/5Special Peach Salad - 5/5Trout - 4/5Pitcher of Sangria - 5/5** Not really an Afghani restaurant, more a Mediterranean restaurant. **

Review №184

2022-03-29 02:18:37

The appetizers and desserts were not bad. The service was good. The pomegeranet chicken was the worst meal ever I had in my life.

Review №185

2020-11-25 05:27:11

I am glad we found Laili, you can taste the quality of its ingredients in evey dish. Well curated sauces that come togeher with each dish and endless flavours in every option! The butternut Bolani end the Eggplant Entrèe were superb!! Staff friendly. Recommended!

Review №186

2016-12-13 18:35:53

I walked in on a rainy Saturday just after 2 p.m. and was greeted by the hostess Kate. She informed me about the closing time (2:30 p.m.) and carefully described how many people were ahead of me and the fact that I may be waiting until after closing time when she could no longer seat me. I chose to wait and she checked in with me at least three times to update me. Wow! Someone who really cared about my experience here! I was served by Amil who was very friendly, informative and patiently repeated herself as I have a hearing issue. The food was excellent! However, it was the kindness and competence of the staff that made my time at Lailis extraordinary. Thank you!!

Review №187

2018-11-01 04:26:01

Comfortable and casual atmosphere. Very good food with excellent selections. Easy to talk with my party during the meal. I enjoyed being able to watch the chefs cook.

Review №188

2019-05-28 15:51:56

Great food, awesome lunch menu. Inside can get noisy. Outside is very nice when its good weather. Expect a wait if you dont get a reservation.

Review №189

2018-10-10 02:31:41

Not all their staff is bad, but it is very noticeable most of their employees dont have great customer service. Theyre very fake. Their prices are acceptable and the amount is satisfactory, but the food tastes well. The ambiance is pleasant. Its okay.

Review №190

2016-08-01 18:47:25

Very good restaurant. Good food options. Ask for the potion size since you may be ordering a small quantity. Good vegetarian options. Good service but long delays to get the check. Good overall atmosphere

Review №191

2018-05-27 22:11:02

Wonderful, warm Naan bread, with the delicious requisite olive oil dip served when you arrive.The atmosphere is open, high-ceilings, with a simple Mediterranean, but warm, atmosphere.They boast a beautiful outdoor courtyard, with heatlamps, for dinning in a green, lush garden of green and calm.The lamb-kabob is always cooked perfectly, and the filet mignon is good, cooked to order.There is a fine variety of tasty hummus to choose from....the greens were all fresh and tasty in our salads.

Review №192

2019-10-06 04:37:34

Lailis is one of my favorite restaurants in Santa Cruz. The food is tasty, the service is excellent, and the ambiance is lovely, especially if you manage to get a table on their leafy patio.

Review №193

2017-05-26 05:31:05

4 stars for the food its not best Mediterranean food, but its better than others around it. Hummus was missing the tahini flavor. Service was great, meat was cooked just right.

Review №194

2019-06-15 17:50:56

Food average, atmosphere ok, service slow, I asked the water for more bread 3 times, he said ok 3 times, BUT I got nothing very disappointing, my sandwich was lacking flavor, yuk portions small, over priced . I DONT RECOMMEND THIS Place . Also reatrooms flithy dirty smells terrible. Disappointed.

Review №195

2017-07-12 14:53:12

Excellent food but our entrees spent half an hour under the heat lamps. They did comp the meal when I asked if that was normal so they get another chance. Will update rating after I do.

Review №196

2022-11-15 01:53:48

LOVE their courtyard! Super food (lamb shank and lamb kabob). Everything delicious!

Review №197

2017-10-12 03:24:05

My boyfriend and I stop here everytime we’re in Santa Cruz. Great atmosphere. The food is amazing. My favorites are the Kadoo Boranee, the eggplant parmesan flatbread, and the beet salad. This is my favorite restaraunt in all of Santa Cruz, if not all time.

Review №198

2017-10-06 22:53:19

Food quality is consistent and delicious. Service is usually prompt. Make reservations whenever you can. There is usually a wait. One of the more expensive restaurants down town, but also some of the best tasting food.

Review №199

2018-06-24 07:03:51

Overall is good, however I expected more delicious kebab and it was cold. The salmon pasta was great. Nice location, good to walk around after dinner.