Shawarma House is a family-owned Iraqi-Mediterranean restaurant at 4884 Newport Ave in Ocean Beach, San Diego. We use halal-sourced meats. Chicken and beef shawarma are slow-roasted on a vertical spit and hand-shaved to order; kebabs are grilled, and plates are built to order with yellow basmati rice, hummus, salad and warm pita. Our menu also includes gyro, Cream Chop, falafel and a full vegan menu.

Iraqi-Mediterranean spread at Shawarma House in Ocean Beach, San Diego
Plates, salads, hummus and pita from our Ocean Beach kitchen.

The Iraqi & Middle Eastern angle

Middle Eastern food spans many traditions. Shawarma House’s menu is rooted in Iraqi cooking and shaped by Levantine and Mediterranean staples. Our family recipes were carried from Iraq. We slow-roast chicken and beef shawarma on a vertical spit, hand-shave it to order, grill beef kebab and shish tawook, and make toum, tahini and hot sauce in-house daily.

For more context on the food and its roots, read our Iraqi-Mediterranean food primer.

Shawarma, shaved to order

Chicken and beef shawarma roast on vertical spits and are hand-shaved when ordered.

Kebabs, grilled

Beef kebab and shish tawook are grilled rather than cooked on the shawarma spit.

Vegan choices

Falafel, vegan shawarma, Vegan Cream Chop, hummus, fattoush and tabouli are available.

Signature dishes to try

  • Chicken Shawarma Plate — slow-roasted, hand-shaved and served over rice.
  • Combo Plate — beef and chicken shawarma plus gyro; the best first order if you want to try more than one protein.
  • Cream Chop — our signature chopped-chicken plate with a creamy garlic sauce; Vegan Cream Chop is also available.
  • Beef Kebab and Shish Tawook — grilled beef and chicken skewers.
  • Salads — Iraqi salad, Greek salad, fattoush and tabouli.
  • Plant-based sides and sauces — falafel, hummus, yellow rice and house-made toum, tahini and hot sauce.
Beef shawarma plate with yellow rice, salad, hummus and pita at Shawarma House
Beef shawarma, hand-shaved from the vertical spit.
Falafel plate with yellow rice, salad, hummus and pita at Shawarma House
A plant-based falafel plate with rice, salad, hummus and pita.

Made to order with halal-sourced meats

We use halal-sourced meats. Chicken and beef shawarma are hand-shaved from the vertical spit when ordered, and each plate is assembled fresh. Kebabs and shish tawook are grilled. The menu also includes falafel, Vegan Cream Chop, vegan shawarma, hummus, fattoush and tabouli.

Gluten-free-friendly choices are available, but gyro and Cream Chop are not gluten-free. Our shared kitchen handles gluten, so we cannot guarantee against cross-contact for guests with celiac disease. Ask us about a specific item before ordering.

Visit, order or cater

Visit Shawarma House at 4884 Newport Ave in Ocean Beach. We are open daily from 11 AM to 8 PM for dine-in, pickup, delivery and direct online ordering.

Feeding a group? We offer shared trays and individually boxed lunches across San Diego. See current service details and use the direct quote form on our catering page.

Family Tray with shawarma, gyro, yellow rice, salads, hummus and pita; feeds 4–7
The Family Tray feeds 4–7. See current tray details and order options.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an Iraqi restaurant in San Diego?

Yes. Shawarma House is a family-owned Iraqi-Mediterranean restaurant at 4884 Newport Ave in Ocean Beach. We serve chicken and beef shawarma, beef kebab, shish tawook, Cream Chop, Iraqi salad, falafel and a full vegan menu.

What Iraqi dishes do you serve?

Start with our signature Cream Chop, Iraqi salad, Chicken Shawarma Plate or Combo Plate. Our menu also includes beef shawarma, beef kebab, shish tawook, yellow rice, falafel, hummus and house-made sauces.

Is your Middle Eastern food halal?

We use halal-sourced meats. We also offer a full vegan menu, including falafel, vegan shawarma, Vegan Cream Chop and hummus.

Do you cater Iraqi & Middle Eastern food?

Yes. We cater Iraqi-Mediterranean food with halal-sourced meats, shared trays and individually boxed lunches across San Diego. Use our catering page to request a quote.