“ Delicious Mediterranean food. Excellent service, clean and feels like home. The owner is always there. They make everything fresh in the restaurant. I can't not go there at least 1x a week ”

“ Great Halal food here. If you're looking for a good Mediterranean food, this is a great spot great portions, and even better flavor. ”

“ Downtown Phoenix is not a monolith. It's not only Roosevelt Row, or the sports district, or the Capitol. There's a wide range of neighborhoods, each with their own distinct character. Today, looking for an early dinner spot, I came upon Baiz Market. A small Middle Eastern grocery store with a sit down restaurant inside called Al-Hana. There's actually three Baiz Markets here in town, but the original is tucked away just east of the Garfield neighborhood on the eastern fringe of Downtown. I've had some great Middle Eastern fare here in town from the likes of places such as Middle Eastern Bakery and Haji Baba. But Arizona Republic food columnist Dominic Armato has said Al-Hana is one of his top 100 go to spots in the valley. So on a Thursday afternoon, off I went. You'll find Al-Hana inside the original Baiz Market on the southeast corner of 20th Street and Fillmore. There are also Baiz Markets in west Phoenix and now in west Mesa, each with their own Al-Hana restaurants. But this one is the original. Adnan Baiz and his family run this local chain which is open to all, but catering particularly to the valley's growing Middle Eastern community. In the time I spent inside Baiz today, there was a kaleidoscope of customers coming in and out. From Downtown college kids, to Muslim families, to Latino workers stopping in for a meal, and even a few African American grandmothers just grabbing some grocery items. Clearly I'm not the only one in the area who knows about this place. But how good is the food at Al-Hana? Step up to the counter in back, gaze at the menu above (or at the display case below) and make your choices. I ordered an app and an entree for my first go around. First, a small cheese pie. A mix of feta and mozzarella cheeses on house made dough which is crimped to make sure none of that cheesy goodness escapes. Heated in the oven and served warm. For my entree, I went for a Chicken Shawarma entree. Basmati rice, veggies, pickles, garlic sauce, and a pair of large pita bread slices. Oh and of course the chicken, seasoned and sliced off the spinning grill right in front of you. Total cost for everything including tax? About $11. Food came out to me in a little less than 5 minutes. You can also get it to go if you want, but I dined in the small seating area next to the kitchen this go around. First, the cheese pie. And I now get why Yelpers and Armato hype this up. The dough is the best part. Crunchy on the outside, but soft, chewy, and hearty on the inside. And the cheese mix is perfect. And for just $1 its a perfect starter snack for pretty much any meal. How about the shawarma plate? The chicken was excellent. Seasoned perfectly with just a hint of char. The sides? Meh. The basmati rice was actually a big disappoint to be honest. Super dry and almost flavorless. The pita bread was fine, though I've had better on that front as well. All things considered though, a pretty decent meal (and portion) and a solid value for the price. Next time I'm here I'll probably opt for the kabobs, or perhaps grab a meat pie. Given the uniqueness of the groceries available here, the fully halal restaurant menu, and the mixed neighborhood it resides in, I can understand why Baiz endures in Downtown's ever changing landscape. We're much more spoiled for choice on Middle Eastern cuisine in the valley today than when Baiz originally opened in 2004. And there are many other Middle Eastern restaurants that can match or top Al-Hana's food at this point. But much the way Ranch Markets offer a unique way to shop for the valley's Latino communities, Baiz is giving the valley's Middle Eastern residents something with them in mind. If ever there was an establishment in the valley proving that Phoenix is becoming an international food destination, its Baiz. ”

“ This wonderful restaurant inside of Baiz Market hit a home run today! I catered a full dinner with appetizers for 35 people for an extremely reasonable price. The food was fresh and delicious. All of my guests raved about the food quality. It was truly extraordinary! Peace be upon this wonderful establishment. I am very impressed! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ”

“ Awesome market for everything middle eastern (spices and cuts of lamb and such) and an awesome lunch counter for pita sandwiches and various middle eastern plates of food. Cheese pies and kafta plates are my go-to but it's all good, and cheap! ”

“ We came across this place on yelp on a search for Mediterranean dinner. We ordered the chicken shawarma plate, Iraqi kabab, and grape leaves. Very flavorful and a lot of food! Each meal came with a side of rice and 2 breads, shawarma with a garlic sauce and pickles, tomatoes and lettuce and the Iraqi plate had hummus and onions, tomatoes and pickles. The employees were very polite and helpful with questions. There is a $10 minimum for card which the employee forgot to add the naan bread to our order so thankfully I had cash. Overall, we'd be back. ”

“ Al Hana has been given a bum rap because it is in what reportedly is a "bad neighborhood" There are no people wandering the streets. For all the times there, I've never seen a police car. The neighborhood is austere. It isn't "bad". If you park in their lot you will be isolated from the environs. They have some of the best cooked to your order Middle Eastern Food. On this visit I had a Chicken Shawarma Sandwich, which was very flavorful in and of itself, but it was enlivened with pickles The market surrounding the restaurant also sells breads including Injera. If you walk around you will see that you can buy Teff, and meat, all the way in the back of the store. The prices are good, and you can get cuts you can't find anywhere else. Try it. ”

“ The City of Angles, Los Angles, has to be one of my favorite foodie destinations. Pretty much every food trend over the past 5 years or so has its epicenter in LA. From Korean style frozen yogurt to cupcakes and now food trucks, the people of LA know a good thing when they taste it. While all of these trends have some how made their way to the Valley of the Sun, there's one thing that I've never been able to find here, garlic sauce like the one that's served at the LA institution Zankou Chicken. If you've heard of Zankou and its amazing Lebanese chicken and tangy fluffy garlic sauce you know exactly what I mean when I say it's ethereal. For those who've never tried it either pack an overnight bag and head to LA or drive down to 20th Street and Van Buren to Al-Hana inside of Baiz market, its the closest thing to Zankou Chicken in Phoenix and its close location makes it even better. The area located around Baiz Market might seem a little rough around the edges but the market itself is clean, well lit and packed with all sorts of interesting Middle Eastern grocery items from dairy and fresh produce to meat and hookah paraphernalia. Tucked in the corner of the market is Al-Hana, a postage stamp sized restaurant specializing in, you guessed it Middle Eastern cooking. While the offerings might seem typical the flavors are bold and shouldn't be missed. The creamy roasted eggplant dip Babaghannuj ($4.49) had a smokiness usually not found in many other places. Al-Hana leaves their version thick and chunky with just the right amount of olive oil drizzled over the top. Ordering the Falafel Plate ($5.99) will get you 6 deep fried cumin scented pucks of ground chickpeas and fava beans. Pile a couple of these onto a freshly baked pita, slather with tahini and enjoy the crunch. Id also highly recommend the Labneh Pie ($2.99) which is filled with labneh, a Lebanese cream cheese, onions and tomatoes all baked in a light tender crust. The main dish for me was of course the Whole Roasted Chicken ($9.99). It comes with pita, pickles and garlic sauce. The chicken itself is so well seasoned and juicy it would seem like a crime to adorn it with anything until you get some garlic sauce on it. The texture is light and fluffy, almost like a garlicky mayonnaise. After one taste you might ask them for another container, seriously delicious. After a wonderful meal you'd think there wouldn't be enough room left for desert, but my rule is there's always room. With that I sauntered to the back of Baiz Market where their in store bakery is located, most of the case filled delights are around $2 each including a flaky syrup soaked baklava. While I love LA, knowing that I don't have to drive 300 miles to get my garlic sauce fix makes the drive across town all the tastier. Al-Hana inside Baiz Market Open Daily ”