Ariana

RUDE! The absolute worst customer service ever! Short staffed & male dominated, dingy restaurant. The ambiance sucked and one point they opened the back door, so the cross breeze filled the dingy place with cigarette smoke. Evidently, the only waiter was on a constant break and not once came by to fill up my hot water. The food was OK.
I’m never going to eat at this place again.

Food is good but is the wait really worth it. Great owner but I think he doesn’t know what this restaurant is really capable of. Takes way to long to get the food, and it’s never what they estimate it to be. Sometimes it’s a hit or miss with how amazing it could taste. I have been disappointed before. They better step up their game FIRE WINGS opened up and I’m curious how fresh that taste.

Great flavor! Slow, but really good. Chicken was too spicy for my kids, but I went back and bought a plate of meat only for $ 5.99 and they tore it up. We also had plenty of leftovers.
All in all, great value.
What was weird: there are like 20 people in the kitchen and one gal on the floor. Otherwise, I have no issues with it, great meals.

RUDE! No customer service at all! Walked in and waited 10 minutes in a stuffy dingy restaurant before being acknowledged and than was told they were to busy to serve us. Obviously I was shocked and ask if I can order to go instead of dine in and was told NO again! Ugh seriously they weren’t even set to close for a few more hours.
Its ok I won’t be wasting my time or money here ever!

My boss and I came here for a quick lunch after a client recommended it to us as «the best meal he’s had all year.» It was September at the time, so he had about 9 months worth of meals and this is THE BEST, he said. We were intrigued. It was SO GOOD. We ordered the garlic fries and an order of the Gyro bowl each. We weren’t sure if we wanted feta cheese as it was our first time, so the server gave it to us for free to try! We also got pita bread. It’s so much food that I was full after only eating half of it. Tender and juicy meat, soft and warm pita, and friendly service. It’s in the same plaza as United Artist, 24 Hour Fitness, and Quickly.
Was it the best meal I’ve had all year? I don’t know. But it’s CLOSE. My boss and I thought about it after and we decided it was good. Weeks after, we were thinking about it again and reconsidered: Hmmm, maybe it IS the best meal we had all year!

Two thumbs up!!!
I’m picky when it comes to food… but this place is on point! Spicy Beef/​Lamb Gyro with a side salad w/​feta. When perspiring while eating is a great sign. I WILL BE BACK!!!

This place is GOOD; however I had to give it 3 stars for the service. My boyfriend always gets the beef/​lamb gyro that comes with fries. It’s delicious and I honestly don’t feel fat after eating it. Haha. I often get the chicken wrap which is basically the same ingredients inside the gyro and I love it. Most recently I tried the beef dumplings, Mantoo and I was very surprised at how much I liked it. It was very flavorful. The portion sizes are pretty big and fulfilling.
It takes a very long time for the food to come out. If I’m in a rush I call it in first. The place is not as clean. Tables are left unattended for a long time since they do not have a lot of workers. The staffs are nice folks though.

So at this point I’ve eaten and Ariana’s at least twenty times. Their food is very good! I’ve tried many different things. Such as the gyros, fires, meat plates, nachos and the gyro bowls! The bowls are delicious and HUGE! So filling. All the portion sizes here are excellent. You walk in and take a seat and they will bring you menus, or you can go up to the front and order… It’s a little unorganized but it works. I really enjoy the food here and that always keeps me coming back. My only issue is that the service here is slow. Very friendly, but slow.

I’ve been trying to expand my food horizons, and decided to check this place out. I’ve never had Afghan cuisine before and was really looking forward to trying some authentic Afghan food. Unfortunately, some of the dishes, including the one I had my eye on, were not being served because the owner said he refused to serve anything that was not up to his standards. I appreciated his honesty and completely understood his decision. I wound up ordering a lamb/​beef gyro bowl ($ 7.99) and added feta cheese ($ 0.50), and my bf ordered a lamb/​beef gyro. My gyro bowl was served with basmati rice, which I absolutely loved. They did not skimp on the meat either. I found myself wanting more rice but all I had was meat! My bf enjoyed his gyro too, and the fries that accompanied it were crispy and delicious. We also had plenty of leftovers to take home.
Service was a bit slow because there was only one person working the front. The food came out in a timely fashion, however; and the interaction that we did have with the owner/​front end guy was always pleasant.
I do plan on returning to try the Afghan dishes! But the gyro bowls here are definitely a good choice (:

I’ve come here maybe 3 or 4 times now. I’m so hooked. It’s over in the plaza where 24 hour fitness and United Artist are. So good and lots of parking!
I get the same thing every time I come here, but I’ve had bites of my friends foods. I always get a number 8, the lamb/​beef gyro wrap, medium. It’s to die for. The meat is so tender and the sauce is amazing.
I’ve also tried the chicken kabobs, the pita bread with hummus (YUM!), and the dumplings (YUM!).
One of these days I’m going to get cheese fries here just for the heck of it.
Love the food though and service is always decent, never had a bad experience! Give it a shot if you like greek/​afghan food!

I’ve gone to this plaza so many without ever noticing Ariana! I’m so glad I did this time around and I bound to be back soon.
The Gyro Bowl is everything you would expect from the gyro plus basmati rice! It’s a huge serving, maybe enough to share between two people if you
aren’t too hungry or if you want tot try another small dish! We got the eggplant dish as well and it was super creamy and delicious. I wish it had more flavor but my boyfriend liked it as is.
I am definitely coming back to try the bolani and so much more of their menu!

Came back with my sister and went a little crazy ordering. We got the hummus appetizer with three different types of hummus, half order of potato bolani with the cilantro lime sauce, mantoo dumplings and a gyro kid’s plate for my niece. Our eyes were definitely hungrier than our mouths.
The hummus appetizers were off the hook! Their pitas were slightly fried making them crispy on the outside but light and bready on the inside. The bolani was light and not heavy at all, considering that they were potato filled. The cilantro lime sauce was so good, I wanted to do shots of it. LOL However, the star of the show, for me, was the mantoo. These were delicate dumplings stuffed with beef and lamb and topped with diced chickpeas, squash and yogurt sauce. I have never had anything like it before with such a wonderful flavor combination. I KNOW I will be back again and often just for this dish alone.

I discovered Ariana’s about 6 months ago and 3 visits and a full stomach later I’m ready to give them a review. The place is small but they do have a lot of seating which is great but if it’s a packed house it can be hard to maneuver past the big table in the center.
On to the food. The first time I went I got a kabob plate which was very much like any other place as far as taste. My second and third time I got the Beef & Lamb Gyro. This is the best thing on their menu in my opinion. I love spicy food so I ordered the extra spicy version and it is delicious! What puts Ariana’s over the top is the portions. The gyro is packed full of delicious meat and is literally overflowing! You are given the option of fries, rice, salad, or garlic fries on the side. The salad that you get is fresh and big for a side. The garlic fries are topped with fresh garlic and herbs and is not oily like other places. I have also tried their bolani and eggplant dish which are very tasty!
The reason I am giving 4 stars is because service can be rushed and the atmosphere itself is more tense than welcoming but the food is very good. Dined in once and each other time I ordered take out.
The location is good too, in the same plaza as United Artist Theater and 24hr Fitness.
Cash is preferred here but they also accept card for a small fee.

May not look much on the outside so don’t let that fool you. Ariana has some great food and that’s what counts. I ordered the beef/​lamb gyro wrap and the spicy chicken wings. The gyro wrap was TASTY! Came with rice, veges, and your choice of meat. On the side it came with a green colored sauce but it goes well with the wrap. The size of this thing is huge and they pack it in with all the ingredients so you can easily save half. The chicken wings we great too and the «spicy» had the right amount of kick for me. Came with two sauces a ranch and maybe a blue cheese? Service is average here but the guy was friendly and nice.
Ariana is definitely worth a try!

How come I search up falafel on Unilocal and this place pops up but when I came there, there was no falafel on the menu? Ended up getting a lamb gyro while the bf got the carrot raisin rice over lamb dish. The gyro was alright but I’ve had better before from a food truck! Reason is, the meat was tough and dry and overly salted. It left a strange aftertaste. The bf chose an interesting dish but I wouldn’t buy that particular one again because it was a bit bland and flavorless. Dessert was the homemade ice cream with clear noodles on top. That was the best out of them all. Tasted very creamy and cheesy. Overall, first impressions aren’t very strong. Average at best.

Umm…$ 7 for a delicious euro packed with TONS of well seasoned meat, fresh produce, house made taziki sauce AND a side of fries?! Yes please! You have the option of making it mild, medium, spicy, or hot. I got medium at it was perfect– added just the right amount of zing. Also, you can upgrade your fries for a $ 1 to garlic or chili cheese fries. Do it.
The restaurant itself is a pretty casual grab a quick bite to eat kind of place. Standard tables & booths cast with florescent lighting in your standard commercial suburban building-​nothing fancy. But what I really like is that it stays open until 10 pm everyday which is a rarity in the area. Most places close at 9. I love being able to grab a quick & fresh late night dinner & supporting a local family business while doing it!

Update!
Still a big fan of this restaurant for a number of reasons. Probably number one is that it’s so close to my house. Number two, the food is still delicious and wonderful. Even though orders can take some time to prepare, the service is still really good. They’re really friendly and make sure you’re taken care of. They still give me extra chutney knowing I could probably drink it on it’s own…(I know… gross…)
Bolani: This is one my staples when I eat at Afghan restaurants. It’s mashed potato and onions mixed together between two thin naan breads. On it’s own, the dish has a bit of flavor but still a pretty safe dish for first-​timers/​picky eaters. But… dip the Bolani in chutney (cilantro, garlic and vinegar dip) and the dish just becomes fantastic and bursting with flavor. The cilantro is not overpowering but gives it the spice it needs while the garlic and vinegar compliment the potato and onion! THIS is why I always ask for extra chutney.
Chicken kabob: I prefer kabobs and rice over gyros at this restaurant. The chicken is very flavorful considering chicken can easily be bland without the right spices. I like how the chicken is not dry here and can be eaten on it’s own or dipped into (again!) chutney or their yogurt. The long grain brown rice is one of my favorite sides. Someone once explained to me that the rice is cooked with onions or onion flavor, therefore the rice is brown. You do notice a hint of onion flavor that just makes the whole dish great. Besides the heaping portion of rice, they give you a huge side of salad to balance out the meal and make you feel a tad healthy.
Prices are still pretty fair considering they give you very large portions of food. I ordered a half-​order of Bolani and it’s still a lot for one person. My total for Bolani and chicken kabob was $ 17.50. But these two dishes could feed me for about two days!

Awesome little place with the best gyros I’ve tasted in Elk Grove. I always get the beef/​lamb gyro which comes with regular French fries but I always upgrade to their garlic fries. The meat is always SO TASTY. There’s different source levels to choose from and if you can eat spicy pretty well, I recommend getting spicy. Their spice scale is slightly higher than normal so I recommend going with the lowest spice level or mild first for your first time.
One downside are the fried cheese sticks that we got for appetizers. For $ 3.99, you get 5 small sticks which isn’t a very good portion for the piece in my opinion. I wouldn’t get it again.
Also, because it’s a family owned business, the service and food may take kind of long. So if you’re in a rush, I recommend ordering Togo and then picking it up. Service is so awesome though, the owners are very nice, friendly, and helpful!
Aside from all this, we will always come back for the gyros! YUM.

I’ve been on a 15 year quest for an inexpensive high quality Gyro which reminds me of the delicious and juicy Gyro I had as a working teen. I’d run out during my lunch breaks and spend my hard earned minimum wage money on spiced up lamb/​beef wrap. I can safely say «mission accomplished».
I tried the Beef/​Lamb Gyro wrap which came with the option of spicy level (mild, med, hot). Not only was the meal exceptionally fresh and balanced with the right amount of ingredients but I felt that I received more than my Money’s Worth. I spent $ 8.99 for a full meal of Gyro, Garlic Fries, and a Soda!!!
Also try the Gyro Beef/​Lamb Nachos, it’s a fresh change to Taco Bell’s Nacho Grande but with no beans or avocado.
Room for improvement: the bathrooms are equal to a gas station. Don’t ruin your appetite by going in there.

Ok, so a little bit of back story: I was introduced to gyros many years ago as a teen, the place was a little dive, but the meat was always cooked to perfection, produce was fresh and mouthwateringly good!
So after these guys shut down, I was on a mission to find a new gyro place. Each and every single one an epic fail! The gyro would be too greasy, or the gyro flavoring would be off.
My fiancé asked me about this place, and I said, ok. The place is very clean, in the eating area. I got the gyro nachos and my better half got the traditional gyro. I bit into the nachos and the meat was flavorful and tasty, not greasy! There was plenty of cheese, meat, and everything was well spread out! The veggies were fresh! I tried a few bites of the gyro and I was taken back to the old shop where I covered the wonderful food!
I will return!