Chicken kebabs, shawarma wraps, baklava: Mediterranean restaurant opens in Kansas City

Brothers Fouad and Firas Haha have operated a popular Westport spot, Haha’s Pizza Hub, since 2016 and wanted to expand the menu.

But they just didn’t have the room in the tiny space at 3834 Main St.

Now they have opened Haha’s Kebabs and Shawarma nearby at 204 W. 39th St.

The Mediterranean restaurant offers Haha’s Plates including chicken kebabs (grilled marinated chicken tenderloin), chicken shawarma kebabs (ground chicken) and kofta kebabs (grilled seasoned ground beef) for $11.99. The grilled veggies plate is $9.99. Plates are served with a choice of rice and grilled tomato, Haha’s salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley and olive oil) or Greek salad.

It also has wraps and sandwiches (including beef shawarma wraps and vegetarian falafel with hummus wrap or on a pita), appetizers and baklava, using family recipes.

The brothers were raised in Jordan until they were teenagers and then relocated to Kansas City, where they have family. Their uncle owns Jerusalem Cafe in Westport.

“We’re a big family so my mom cooks a lot. Our food, the way we season it and cook it, it has a special flavor,” Fouad Haha said.

The new restaurant, which opened Wednesday, seats about a dozen people.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

Haha’s Pizza Hub will temporarily close for a remodeling in mid-to-late April and it will reopen a month later with its former pizzas and gyros along with new items — wings, hamburgers and Philly cheesesteaks. It has seating for only four people but relies on to-go business, especially the late night bar crowd.

This story was originally published March 24, 2022 at 5:00 AM.