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Interior - Bavel, Los Angeles, CA
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Bavel

$31 to $50
Middle Eastern
500 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90013-2222

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A photo of Bavel restaurant

Bavel

4.8
$31 to $50
Middle Eastern
Downtown

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 129 times today

About this restaurant

  • Lively
  • Good for special occasions
  • Hot spot
A Middle Eastern restaurant in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles.

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202620252024

From the OpenTable editors: Bavel, with its bright, cavernous space outfitted with tons of greenery and stunning Middle Eastern fare from Ori and Genevieve Menashe of Bestia, is an escape in the heart of the Arts District. Dredge blistered housemade pitas through spreads like duck ‘nduja-topped hummus and baba ganoush made with eggplant and beets before moving on to beef cheek tagines, and you won't be disappointed.

Executive chef: Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Middle Eastern
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Please email events@baveldtla.com for more information.
  • Private party facilities
    Parties of 9 to 26 can be accommodate as semi-private events either in our main dining room, or on our heated and covered patio. Please email events@baveldtla.com for more information.
  • Private party contact
    Events At Bavel: (213) 232-4966
  • Award-winning
    1. OpenTable Icons 2026
    2. OpenTable Icons 2025
    3. OpenTable Icons 2024
  • Area
    Downtown
  • Cross street
    Santa Fe
  • Parking Details
    Street parking also available
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Private dining

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Bavel.

4.8

4.8
(5717)
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Downtown

    Best Overall

  • Downtown

    Best Food

  • Downtown

    Hot spot

  • Downtown

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Bavel offers an extraordinary dining experience with "magnificent food" and "excellent service." Highlights include innovative Mediterranean dishes like duck hummus and lamb shawarma. The vibrant atmosphere and attentive staff make it "one of the best dinners" in LA. While it can be "pricey," guests consistently find the experience remarkable and worth revisiting.
5,717 Reviews
  1. Maryann Gold

    Columbus91 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It is a really cool place. The food is very good but they use a tad too much cilantro. So many items would be even better without the cilantro. It is a pricey menu but with very unique menu choices. We had duck, quail & lamb neck and appetizers of oyster mushrooms, hummus with a different twist and a flatbread that was out of this world! It was a great experience and so glad we went!

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  2. Robin

    Los Angeles1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 30 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food is magnificent and service is excellent. Can be pricy but I can curtail that some by not ordering so much lol. My favorite place to dine.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Chris

    Orange County1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 29 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Bavel never disappoints. All 5 of my guests I brought agreed it was their best meal of the year. The service is impeccable. The staff is all very knowledgeable as is the sommelier. The drinks were perfectly crafted with some unique twists. The food is amazing, simple dishes that are prepared to perfection, as well as some more complex dishes with unique spices to some. Great music as well. I cant recommend Bavel enough.

    Is this helpful?

  4. OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 28 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our experience was excellent. The restaurant is beautiful and the staff is so dialed - really impressive. Every dish and beverage was incredible - you cannot pass up the mushroom kebab or the prawns! 11/10!

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  5. John

    Atlanta25 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 26 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Staff and server, amazing! Food amazing! The restaurant is very loud with a boisterous cooking crew

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  6. Anna

    Greater Boston3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 26 October 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Two of the three dishes we ordered were delicious. The sweet potato flatbread was average. The service is very attentive. The ambiance in the main dining room is warm and inviting but a little loud. The covered patio setting is not particularly attractive but preferable if you prefer a quieter surroundings. While waiting we ordered a cocktail - Bavel’s version of a Negroni - we enjoyed the flavor but it tasted more like a mocktail. At $20++ we expected a little more.

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  7. Erica

    Philadelphia County4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 26 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A great place to go for special occasions. We got 1 spread, 3 small plates & 1 dessert and that was perfect for 2 people. The babaganoush, sweet potato flatbread & pear cake were standouts. Pita is unbelievably soft & pillowy. Service was great and we enjoyed sitting at the counter watching the chefs at work & dishes come out. Definitely pricy, but we enjoyed our experience. Note it is quite loud inside due to the large open space - book the patio if you want a quieter table.

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  8. Eddie Gold

    Los Angeles8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 25 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Best Mediterranean food in town hands down! Everything on the menu is perfectly made. Best date spot for me!

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  9. Paolo

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 25 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of the best dinners we’ve ever had. Duck hummus was the highlight while the mushroom kabobs were the biggest surprise.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Victor

    Los Angeles1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 25 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our waitress was amazing! She went above & beyond.

    Is this helpful?

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Middle Eastern
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Please email events@baveldtla.com for more information.
  • Private party facilities
    Parties of 9 to 26 can be accommodate as semi-private events either in our main dining room, or on our heated and covered patio. Please email events@baveldtla.com for more information.
  • Private party contact
    Events At Bavel: (213) 232-4966
  • Award-winning
    1. OpenTable Icons 2026
    2. OpenTable Icons 2025
    3. OpenTable Icons 2024
  • Area
    Downtown
  • Cross street
    Santa Fe
  • Parking Details
    Street parking also available
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine

FAQs

Several guests highlight weeknights, notably Monday and Thursday evenings, as great times to visit, with reviewers describing memorable Monday and Thursday dinners.

Yes, Bavel welcomes private parties and can host private gatherings for groups.

Portions are designed to be shared, guests frequently note the slow-roasted lamb neck shawarma and prawn plates are substantial enough for sharing among the table.

Yes, many guests choose Bavel for anniversaries and special evenings, praising the food, atmosphere, and thoughtful wine and cocktail service.

Yes, Bavel has outdoor seating: guests describe dining on the patio or outer patio and praise the restaurant’s pleasant outdoor setting.

The Slow Roasted Lamb Neck Shawarma is a recurring favorite, it appears on the current menu and is praised by multiple guests.

Bavel feels beautiful and energetic, an open kitchen, high ceilings, hanging greenery and warm lighting create a striking, social dining room that can be quite loud at peak times.

Casual dress is the guide, comfortable, neat clothing is appropriate and nothing formal is required.

Bavel is nicest early, aim for around its 5:00 pm opening for a quieter visit; later evening seatings tend to be much busier and louder.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Los Angeles
  4. Downtown
  5. Downtown

Make a booking

A photo of Bavel restaurant

Bavel

4.8
$31 to $50
Middle Eastern
Downtown

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 129 times today
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