The change appears cosmetic rather than structural. An employee confirmed that the transition does not involve new ownership, new management, or a new culinary direction.
“I’m a long time employee from Aladdin...It’s just a rebranding,” the employee stated. “Same owners, same employees, same food, same menu, just different name and new beautiful new decor.”
Founded in 1998, Aladdin in Hillcrest became a staple of Vermont Street dining. According to the restaurant’s historical description, the Hillcrest location was purchased in August 2004 by Camille Bsaibes, a native of Zahle, Lebanon, a region known for its mezze traditions. The original owner retained the separate Aladdin restaurant in Clairemont, creating two similarly branded but independently operated establishments.
Under Bsaibes, the Hillcrest restaurant expanded in 2006 after strong early success. The family-run business emphasized traditional Lebanese cooking, with Bsaibes’ parents-in-law in the kitchen and his wife Eva contributing recipes rooted in their shared regional heritage. The restaurant maintained its Middle Eastern decor and positioned itself as casual dining presented in a fine-dining atmosphere.
That dual-location naming structure became relevant in spring 2025, when the Clairemont Aladdin Mediterranean Café was linked to a salmonella outbreak that ultimately resulted in 37 confirmed and probable infections and at least nine hospitalizations. Lawsuits followed, and the restaurant temporarily closed during a county health investigation before eventually reopening after officials said they were unable to determine a definitive source of contamination.
During that period, the Hillcrest restaurant publicly stated on its website that it had “no connection” to the salmonella cases tied to the Clairemont location. County officials confirmed the outbreak investigation was limited to the Clairemont branch.
Still, shared branding created confusion among diners. Now, less than a year later, the Hillcrest location has dropped the Aladdin name entirely. No formal statement explaining the rebrand has been issued.
Public records do not indicate any ownership transfer associated with the Hillcrest restaurant. Operations, according to staff, remain unchanged. The menu continues to feature shawarma, kebabs, falafel, mezze plates, garlic sauce, and other Lebanese staples that have defined the restaurant for more than two decades.
Whether the shift to Maisa Lebanese Cuisine represents a strategic modernization, an effort to eliminate long-standing brand overlap, or a move to permanently separate the Hillcrest identity from the Clairemont controversy is not yet clear. What is clear is that a name that has been part of Hillcrest’s dining landscape since the late 1990s has been retired.
Maisa Lebanese Cuisine now operates at the former Aladdin Hillcrest location at 1220 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 101, in San Diego's Hillcrest community. For more information, visit aladdinhillcrest.com.
Originally published on February 17, 2026.