LAReview

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Mini Kabob image
8.4

Mini Kabob

ArmenianMediterranean

Glendale

$$$$Perfect For:Serious Take-Out OperationLunch
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It’s no hyperbole to say you can smell kabobs pretty much anywhere you go in Glendale. The city is home to the largest Armenian community in the US, making the task of finding excellent skewers an easy one. There are crowded, big group spots like Raffi’s and Carousel, lule specialists such as Moon Mart and Adana, and more spots for grilled meat on lavash than there are parking spots at The Americana. 

But if you want the best of the best, an LA classic that epitomizes kabob perfection, the choice is simple: Go to Mini Kabob.

The menu here revolves entirely around giant combination plates. There are 12 in total, including lamb chops, beef lule, pork shish kabob, and falafel. They’re all tremendous, but whether you’re at Mini Kabob for your first time or your 50th time, no meal is complete without a chicken cutlet. This signature dish is technically a chicken lule kabob that’s been hand-shaped to resemble a giant baked potato. The interior is sweet and juicy with a golden-seared exterior similar to what you’d find on a great Maryland crab cake. But the meat isn’t the only reason Mini Kabob needs to be on your Glendale bucket list. 

Mini Kabob image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Mini Kabob image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Mini Kabob image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Mini Kabob image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Mini Kabob image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Mini Kabob image
Mini Kabob image
Mini Kabob image
Mini Kabob image
Mini Kabob image

Even great kabob shops tend to have a few throwaway items included in their combo plates. Not Mini Kabob. A charred pork tenderloin kabob might be the star of the show, but then you start eating the buttery, plump long grain rice underneath and realize this is a shared stage. Blistered, fire-roasted jalapenos and tomatoes aren’t only there for decoration, they enhance the innate smoky sweetness of the beef lule, chicken thigh, and lamb chops. The creamy, lemon-drizzled hummus has just a pinch of heat from the Aleppo pepper. And whatever you do, load up on as many housemade garlic sauce packets as you can fit in the bag. The pungent spread tastes good on literally everything—including lunch today, leftovers tomorrow, and whatever you’re cooking three days from now.

Mini Kabob’s dime-sized shop is located in a small building on a residential side street south of downtown Glendale. This is usually when we’d mention it’s a little tricky to find, but as long as your nose works, you’ll be fine—the fragrant wafts of grilled meat hit you before you even get out of the car. Follow the savory plumes and you’ll end up at an open door frame with a table in it. This is where the ordering goes down, or for most people, where you’ll scurry to grab a bag full of food that you ordered online. There’s no shame in that game (even prior to the pandemic, Mini Kabob was mostly a to-go operation), but if you have a minute to spare, take a seat on the sidewalk picnic table. It’s shady and peaceful, and you’ll get a front-row view of the eccentric family that runs the place (mother, father, and son) all cooking together and lovingly harassing each other in the kitchen. It’s the ideal environment to soak in the complete sensory experience that is Mini Kabob.

Food Rundown

Mini Kabob image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Chicken Cutlet Plate

For Mini Kabob first-timers, there’ll be a moment while staring at the combo plates, when you ask to no one in particular, “Ok, but which one?” Answer: This one. It’s Mini Kabob’s most famous dish and one of the best kabobs we’ve ever eaten. The large, oval-shaped cutlets (each plate comes with two) are made with sweet juicy ground chicken that’s been seared to a crisp golden-brown. The $24 combo also comes with a heap of buttery rice, hummus, and roasted vegetables on the side, so this is definitely a two-meal situation.

Mini Kabob image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Eggplant Caviar

Mini Kabob’s combo plates might be massive, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a few sides to round things out. The eggplant caviar is a particular standout. It’s made with roasted red peppers and eggplant pureed into a smooth, smokey sauce ideal for dipping lavash, meats, or anything else on the end of your fork.

Mini Kabob image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Combo Plate

If you want to try as many things as possible in one sitting (a good strategy), the combo plate literally named “combo plate” is the obvious move. It comes with one chicken lule kabob, a pork tenderloin kabob, and a particularly smoky chicken thigh kabob. Don’t ask us to pick our favorite—OK, it’s the chicken thigh.

Mini Kabob image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Beef Lule Plate

Yep, every bit as good as the chicken one.

Mini Kabob image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Falafel

Nobody’s coming to Mini Kabob to solely eat falafel, but if you’ve got a craving, you won’t be disappointed. They’re about the size of hockey pucks with a nice crunchy outside and a moist interior. Ask for them as a side if you don’t want the whole combo plate.

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FOOD RUNDOWN

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