Mazra, the Bay Area Middle Eastern hot spot that blew up during the pandemic, quietly swung its San Bruno doors back open today after roughly two years dark. The Makableh brothers are once again turning out charcoal-kissed kebabs, backed by a big, plant-filled patio that Peninsula regulars have long treated as part of their weekly rotation.
Homegrown look, bigger patio
The revamped San Bruno space leans hard into the indoor-outdoor vibe, with long communal tables and dense greenery wrapping around both the dining room and the patio. Much of the cooking has shifted indoors, but the refresh still keeps that breezy, plant-draped look locals know, as reported by The Almanac.
A big grill and a familiar menu
Inside, Mazra has installed a custom 20-foot charcoal grill for mesquite-fired kebabs and reopened a dining room that now fits about 177 guests, with roughly 70 seats outside. The menu sticks to the hits: shareable plates and statement dishes like wraps stuffed with meat, tzatziki, pickles and fries ($16), fattoush ($14), kebab plates with basmati rice, pita and toum ($26), and a whole roasted cauliflower finished with lemon tahini ($14). The owners also say they plan to roll out breakfast service and start baking their own bread from the larger San Bruno kitchen by summer, according to San Francisco Chronicle.
More openings and quick eats on the map
The Makableh brothers have not limited their ambitions to San Bruno. They opened a second Mazra in Redwood City in 2024 and are preparing a Levantine cafe and bakery called Zörek, also in San Bruno, as reported by the Redwood City Pulse. A shawarma stand called Dawar 7 is also on deck for this summer at a Mission District gas station at 3400 Mission St., per Mission Local, a project the brothers say is modeled on the fast, hawker-style stands they grew up with.
Why locals keep lining up
Mazra first shot to prominence after landing on Yelp’s Top 100 list and later drew James Beard attention, and the San Bruno comeback plays like a return to the stripped-down formula of char, spice and crowd-pleasing platters. The restaurant has kept its neighborhood personality intact, including a wall mosaic and the painted slogan “take it easy, habibi,” small details that nod to its casual, local roots, per the San Francisco Chronicle.
