Sagmani’s Restaurant

I have gotten to-​go orders twice from this restaurant. Both times the food was excellent. This time I called in an order to be ready by 5pm. I got there at 4:55pm and the gentleman in the kitchen said «I am putting it together now». He brought out the food at 5:01pm and said he was sorry for the wait. I wish everyone had this wonderful customer service. It would be nice if they took debit or credit cards because I rarley have cash in my purse. Other than that, this place has delicious food and it reminds me of my moms cooking.

Great restaurant! I’ve been here 3 times and kebabs are amazing. Everyone should try this kebabs. Last time we had a family dinner at this place, it was so delicious. Fantastic eastern kitchen. Highly recommended!

The best food in town awesome people great food great customer service never have seen this kind of people

Sagmani’s have the best beef kebab that I have ever tried hands down! It is very moist, and savory (if you eat it with ranch, it tastes 10x better!). I usually get the kebabs and yellow rice for cheap with a really large serving! (depending on the day I buy it, it can cost between $ 6-​$ 10) It is very small, and the interior might not appeal to everybody because it feels like you are eating at someone’s house. I guess, since its a family owned restaurant, it gives that vibe. The service is very fast, depending on what you ordered and the owner, Mr. Sagmani is always so nice and friendly! I like coming here once a week to have my fill of Arabic food and it is the perfect place! They have a deal going on Mondays and Tuesday (LUNCH ONLY!) that a kebab plate (2 kebabs of chicken or beef, salad, rice, and pita) and regular price for the rest of the week.

The food here is amazing! It’s authentic, homemade and the service is wonderful. Very reasonably priced, large portions, and the owner is very charasmatic and welcoming. Would highly recommend #5 (breaded chicken).

My boyfriend and I came here on a whim one night and it turned out to be such a great decision! The food was fantastic and authentic, the portions were generous, and the price was unbeatable! I would definitely go again!

Unilocal Elite on the loose trying all East County Restaurants!
Stopped by Sagmani’s Restaurant for dinner. We drove up to the parking lot and I was a little hesitant to eat here. There were people hanging out in the front and the restaurant seemed empty. We decided to take a chance due to the great Unilocal Reviews that I’ve read (thanks Unilocal REAL friends).
I don’t know the differences or dishes with Middle Eastern food other than the Kebab’s. The Kabab’s that I ordered were delicious and seasoned perfectly. SOOOO GOOD.
You must try the Beef Shish Kebab.
The service was absolutely great and the workers are very nice. The décor is outdated (70s) but the food is worth trying.

Stopped by accidentally and absolutely love this place, friendly service although they could use some fresh paint and new dinning tables and chairs. Hole in the wall family owned with excellent food and services. Price is fare, would highly recommend the chicken and beef kabob!

We came here based on reviews and the reviews are right. This place is AWESOME. This is quality food prepared by a very personable fellow that takes pride in his food.
We ordered takeout, 8 beef kabobs, hummus, house salad, and he also suggested we try some breaded chicken. All of this was around $ 20 for a huge amount of food enough for 4 people.
I was shocked how beautiful the food looked in my takeout boxes and the wonderful aroma of spices on the drive home was really hard on us. It was difficult not sneaking a bite at the red lights.
Not only does the food look beautiful, smell and taste incredibly delicious, but the owner is just a funny, warm, welcoming dude.
This place is what San Diego is all about. Neighborhoods.
I’m happy to have Unilocal user reviews to lead me to places I might not have discovered on my own. This place is a must try for you and a new favorite for us.

Delicious food and cheap prices!
Monday and Tuesday Two kabobs with rice and salad and tea for $ 6 !
Friendly family business and great service!
It’s a regular for us, it is so good!

Great place, friendly service, good food! I enjoyed the tea, the beef entrée, and pita bread. I was really full, it was a lot of food for me. The price was great as well. I felt like I was eating a home cooked meal. Funny feeling cause it was the first time I was trying such a dish. maybe it was the environment, it was warm and cozy.

I had the beef Kabob it was delicious and so tender. the water was not so good but it’s water from the tap so what should I expect! Lol. the chef came out and talked to us very friendly.

This place is always good to stop by if you are in the area. They have awesome middle eastern food.
This time me and my buddies stopped by for their sandwiches, so for around 5 bucks, you get an awesome sandwich on a delicious freshly baked roll. You get to pick your meats from kabobs to lamb or veggie. I ordered beef kabobs and it was great, although mine could of used more sauce and they didn’t leave out the onions like I asked but the sandwich was still great. Almost got another one.
If you like hummus their hummus appetizer is awesome, homemade with fresh pita bread to dip. It was gone in like minutes when my and my buddies got it.
My only word of caution is to bring CASH. It is a hole in the wall mom and pop place so they only take cash.

This place is right around the corner from my house, with nice prices, and friendly people. And the Chicken Tekka sandwich, I couldn’t put it down!!! Super yum! And I LOVE veggies they are not shy with that! I will be back :)

If it weren’t for a cheap food article published in the San Diego Reader newspaper, I wouldn’t have found out that traditional Iraqi breakfast is served at Sagmani. This restaurant is located in an isolated and unassuming strip mall with «Mediterranean cuisine» and «Best kabobs in town» posters decorating the storefront. Sagmani is an ethnic hole in the wall, the type that’s open for breakfast but with no morning menu provided. All of the early bird customers were Middle Eastern.
When I entered the establishment, I asked the server about my options for breakfast. She mentioned something about an «Iraqi omelete». I read that staples of Iraqi breakfast include eggs and bread in a dip, but I wanted something slightly different. I told her that I wanted to eat ful, or fava beans, which is one of my favorite Middle Eastern breakfast dishes. Perhaps she was cautious not to offend a foreigner, so she went into the kitchen to get someone who could help me out. A minute later, I was greeted by Mr. Sagmani himself, the chef and owner. He asked how I typically eat my breakfast and explained how he would cook it. Then off to the kitchen he went.
Chef Sagmani personally brought out my order and beamed with pleasure as he witnessed a foreigner about to eat breakfast cooked the same way as it is at his hometown in Iraq. The dish he presented was called «tishrib baghela bdehan», which consists of a thick slice of fried egg covering a bed of whole fava beans and mixed with torn pieces of Iraqi flatbread. On the side, the condiment plate was just as big as the main course, filled with olives, white onions, lime, and some type of mustard-​like relish.
Out of all the Middle Eastern dishes I’ve eaten before, this breakfast combo was probably the least approachable. Not to say that Sagmani’s cooking was horrible, the presentation and freshness of ingredients were to high standards, but the dish just had an acquired taste for a Western palate. It was very tangy and bitter since the beans and thick bread were soaked with strong olive oil. There was hardly any salt added, and the dish composed of many sharp and sour flavors that took a while to get used to. The flavors seemed to be closer to the food from Turkey than Iran, the two neighbors of Iraq.
Although most ingredients in «tishrib baghela bdehan» were familiar, it was the first time they were assembled into this unique combination. Each element tasted fine when eaten individually, but I couldn’t imagine how I could stuff down large beans, egg, softened bread, ripe olives, and onions in the same bite. The complimentary black tea that Iraqis drink for breakfast helped wash down the sourness of the olive oil and my bad breathe thanks to the onions. Overall, this Iraqi breakfast was rich on the carbs and protein, so it’s the heavy type that you’d want to eat when you need energy later.
On the way out, I noticed that Mr. Sagmani also specializes in grilling kabobs. Beef or chicken kabobs are available for $ 1.25 a piece, and it includes a small side salad. I wonder if Mr. Sagmani makes much profit from selling this! I also realized that other customers were ordering the lentil soup, which is another Iraqi breakfast favorite. I would try that next time instead, since it’s significantly lighter.

Sagmani Restaurant offers an extraordinary Middle Eastern food that delivers the best tasting Chaldean experience.
This is the only place I will order baba ghanoush, mashed eggplant mixed with olive oil, various seasonings, topped with olives and served with warm pita bread.
I really like their chicken shish kebab. Each order comes with 2 skewer, saffron rice and fresh salad. It’s a complete meal for $ 8 (on a regular day) and only $ 6 on Mondays and Tuesday. They offer catering too!
This restaurant is family owned and operated. Kamal (owners cousin) was really good at making sure we are enjoying our meal and have everything we need. He even brought us tea after our bountiful meal.
The restaurant is located behind a gas station and if you’re not from that area it seems like a long drive, But it’s so worth the find and the trip.

An authentic middle eastern cuisine restaurant in El Cajon. We were hungry for some lunch and made a stop here. The staff were friendly and welcoming. Food was quickly served and the waitress we had was friendly even though her English was not the best. I would recommend coming here even though it may look like it’s in a seedy area of town! Good food, check out my photos.

This place is legit. The prices are more than reasonable. The flavor of the kabobs are great. It seems somewhat ghetto on the outside (and the inside).
If you’re afraid to try it based on the appearance, get yourself a gun, and give this place a chance. You won’t need your gun, but you WILL need cash. $ 20 will get you a ton of food.

The tea is a courtesy, the food incredible, the mark this place left on me is indelible.
Best chicken kabob I’ve ever had. Fantastic owner that really cares about your experience there.

Simple little Middle Eastern eatery in a tricky-​to-​find location just off the main drag in El Cajon; definitely wouldn’t have stumbled upon this place, but for Unilocal.But, glad I did.
Was warmly greeted by the owner, Steve Sagmani himself. He pointed out the fresh, marinated chicken tekka cooking on the grill, and I went with his recommendation. You can get it a la carte for just $ 3, or as a plate w/​rice, pita and tasty salad for $ 8. I opted for the plate, and it was generous, with very tender and flavorful chicken.
It was early, and the rice wasn’t quite ready, so he gave me some soup instead — a mild, smooth, yellow lentil soup. Enjoyed a hot cup of Chai Tea, too, while I was waiting. Worth a visit if you’re in the area!