Kabob Republic

Until 2022, Costa Mesa had a particularly beautiful Mediterranean restaurant, Kabob Republic, in an otherwise somewhat challenging strip mall – home to Fill Bakeshop (since closed), Toast Kitchen, and others, the narrow plaza has a similarly narrow parking lot.

The small space was decorated with blue artifacts that evoked the Aegean Sea and Santorini, instantly captivating guests from the moment they entered. While the decor was memorable, the Turkish food we ordered (including lamb gyros and grape leaves) was pretty good – not enough to make us return for a second visit, but competent.

Unfortunately, the beautiful restaurant went through a particularly ugly closing, as the space began to physically fall apart, taking a toll on the chef/owner, who turned Kabob Republic’s website into an extended explanation of “why we closed.” The closure is a shame, and should serve as a reminder to everyone that the realities of running a restaurant are far more complex than simply cooking good food and serving good drinks.