Today we’d like to introduce you to Wahib Wahby.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My wife and I were born in Beirut, Lebanon. In Beirut, I opened and owned a downtown restaurant called Wahib’s Union. In 1979 we immigrated from Lebanon to California and opened the original Wahib’s Middle East Restaurant in Alhambra in 1982. Our goal was to bring an authentic Middle Eastern cuisine to California for everyone to enjoy. At the time we only had four tables and could seat 20 customers at a time.
In 1990, we moved the restaurant 2 blocks east to our current location to accommodate a higher demand of customers. In 1996, we expanded Wahib’s by building a new kitchen which then lead to us building out our banquet room. We now deliver, host and cater events such as weddings, birthday parties, and much more and have the ability to serve over 500 people.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There were many struggles along the way after the inception of Wahib’s Middle Eastern Restaurant. One being that we were the only Middle Eastern restaurant in town, so we were introducing a new type of cuisine in 1982. Then during 9/11 there was a drop in the economy, but we survived through it. We believe that people came to know and love our dining, because we made our homemade, and authentic food with fresh ingredients. Those values allowed us to thrive and push through the struggles, and here we are 35 years later, still serving the same vision and values.
Wahib’s Middle East Restaurant – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Wahib’s is an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant which brings Lebanese cuisine with many different dishes from the Middle East. We specialize in a variety of homemade dishes from kebabs, lamb chops to falafels and many different vegetarian plates, using Wahibs original recipes. We are also known for our all day buffet, where we have a variety of choices for the people who want to indulge in a bit of everything! On top of that we server flavorful hookahs in our outdoor patio for your smoking pleasure. Catering is also what we are known for. Being able to cater up to 1000 people is something that we take pride in.
We believe that what sets us apart is the authenticity and freshness of our food along with the time, care and passion that we put in to it.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
We believe there will be many big shifts and changes but if you stay true to quality, authenticity, and a great experience nothing will hinder your success.
Pricing:
- Daily Buffet Monday – Thursday…Lunch $11.95 (From 11am to 3pm) Dinner $13.95 (3pm to 9pm)
- Friday Dinner Buffet – $15.95 Saturday and Sunday All Day Buffet $15.95
- Senior Buffet Price – Monday – Thursday $11.95…Saturday & Sunday $13.95
Contact Info:
- Address: 910 E Main st, Alhambra, CA 91801
- Website: www.wahibmiddleeast.com
- Phone: 6262811006
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wahibsmiddleeast/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wahibs-middle-east-restaurant-alhambra
