Almarah Grill Mediterranean Cuisine

This is the best restaurant in the state. We came for a school project and the staff were so nice. The owner answered all of our questions and our waiter Hakeem was so nice. They even gave us free dessert and made our drinks on the house. The food was by far the best middle eastern food I’ve ever had. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone that is hungry.

Great experience at Almarah!Cozy ambiance and authentic Mediterranean food. I tried the mixed grill platter, and an amazing $12.99 deal with beef or gyro chicken, fries or salad, and a drink. Also loved the hummus, baba ghanoush, falafel, and the refreshing mint margarita. Desserts baklava and kunafa were delicious. Definitely recommend!

Almarah Mediterranean Cuisine is a true gem in Austin! From the moment we walked in, we felt welcomed like family. Our servers, Karim and Mohamed, went above and beyond with their warm hospitality, knowledge of the menu, and genuine care for our experience—they made the evening feel special. The food was absolutely outstanding. The clay pot dish was deeply flavorful, full of rich spices and slow-cooked perfection. The mezza grill offered a wonderful variety—every bite was fresh, vibrant, and perfectly seasoned. And the desserts? The baklava was the perfect finale: flaky, nutty, and just the right balance of sweet. It’s rare to find a place where every dish feels made with love and every detail—from the fresh, steaming pita to the attentive service—comes together so seamlessly. Almarah captures the spirit of Mediterranean dining and brings it to Austin beautifully. We can’t wait to return!

I’m super excited to share my experience for lunch here. They exceeded my expectations. I’ve been in the Middle East and I haven’t really found the proper baba ghanoush—-too sour from others. Here I could taste the eggplant—-fresh and more savory like I wanted it! The liver appetizer was bomb! Quality was good and cooked just right, tender and flavorful, perfect with the bread! I had the lamb chops, excellent portion and I thought I was going to save for work the next day but I finished the whole thing in two meals! The clay pot set the tone as finale for us! Mohammed was very professional, accommodating and knows the food he serves! We got free baklava for kicks and it was yummy. This place brought me back to one of the best Mediterranean/Middle East places I’ve been since 2009! They give military discount! Must try and to die for!

Hakim was so kind and attentive. The food was absolutely delicious. I would drive from San Antonio to come here again. I don’t know how we never found this place before. Wonderful Arabic food. I would love to try the whole menu.

Great service and great food. We went in with a big party and we were able to get seated immediately! Our server was so kind and nice and also very attentive to the table. The food came out in a timely manner and we did not once feel rushed while eating or even after we were all done eating!

Had a great meal last night. We had the kebab mix, salads, spanakopita, felafel. All were really good. Great prices and great service.

Really good food. Very clean. Comfortable and spacious. All dinner items were good. Salads , main dishes, desserts and the breath taking very refreshing their Lemon mint smoothie. The place is family and kids friendly. Prices are reasonable. I recommend the place without hesitation. Will be ther again soon. The servers are very polite, and efficient but will benefit from an additional polishing. Thank you

The food is amazing. It was delivered to my work hot and fresh. The pita bread and hummus are my favorites!

My brother and I were craving some Mediterranean fare and we decided to go back to this place. I have to say today the food was even better than the last time I was here. We ordered a lot of food, falafel, baba ghanoush, Kennan, tahini, fattoush, mixed grill, I mean the table was full. Everything was absolutely delicious, actually exceptional! Then the dessert, konafa with cheese, cookies and the nest, we also had delectable mint tea. Really great experience. They also updated the place and the chairs are so comfortable and the ambiance with the music softly playing in the background is very nice. I really like this place and plan to go back.

We were around the area and craving Mediterranean cuisine and landed at Almarah. We came for lunch on a Saturday and at around 2pm, the restaurant was pretty empty which was nice because we got seated right away. Yes, the chairs are comfy! The location is in shared plaza area, parking was accessible but the spots seemed a bit tight for those of yall with large vehicles. I ordered the Beef & Lamb Shawarma Sandwich my husband the Beef & Lamb Shawarma plate with a salad. When his salad was brought, pita bread came with it as well and I grabbed some pita right away. That pita bread..I wanted to bring a fresh order home with me, so good! Freshly made and delicious, but something was missing. The hummus! So we ordered the small order of the regular garbanzo hummus and when it came out it was like everything had come together. What a great way to start a meal! My sandwich (aka wrap) was HUGE, I couldn't finish it because I was so stuffed by the bread of course but I enjoyed it except I wished there were more fillings besides the meat and couple of tomatoes. It almost felt like I was just eating a wrap of meat. Don't get me wrong, the meat was packed with flavor, but it could've been enhanced with some rice and/or other veggies and sauce? So why a 3/5 stars? Mostly the service. It wasn't terrible, but we weren't approached much throughout the course of our meal, and I think that's important. Is the food okay? Do you need more water? What about dessert? Here are some more napkins. She was very nice but even when we asked for recommendations, she didn't really have much to say, just said it was all good. I'm not an expert in Mediterranean cuisine so it would've been nice to get some insight on her top menu items or what people usually order / prefer. All in all, it hit the spot and I'd still come back and enjoy some more pita bread!

Food is good. I love the rice and fresh pita bread. You receive large portions if you eat in. Take out gives you lunch portions for dinner. Weekend service is excellent. Weekday service sucks. I have walked out several times due to the wait person sitting at a table on her phone. Also she doesn't take your order before cleaning off tables.

Love this place for late night food! It's open late and the food is great. There's always plenty of space for seating. We really love the pizzas here and the wings. The mint lemonade is amazing. They have a huge selection of desserts and pastries too. The service is pretty fast and i love how you can see them cooking everything right up at the counter.

We were in Austin area and wanted to get some authentic mediterranean food. Found this place on Yelp and saw the great reviews so we decided to give it a try. We orderedordered the Mazza platter and also beef Shawarma sandwich. Both items were delicious, planning to go again today and try some other items.

Friendly staff checked on us several times. Refilled water without asking, checked if we needed anything else. Loved how big the place was and the chairs were comfortable. You can eat outside as well. Food was fast and flavorful. Wished the tzatziki sauce wasn't as liquidy and the rice had more flavor. However, portions were a good amount, service was great, and place was clean.

We picked up to go and they were very nice and brought the food outside for us versus making us go inside (immunocompromised) We have dined at Almarah for years but this is the first time we have gotten to go. The portions were very small. I don't remember thinking that during dine in so maybe it was a limitation of their containers, but it was absolutely noticeable. I give the meal 3 stars and the service 5 stars so rounding the overall experience to 4.

I totally agree with Brisa's review ... however I will give them four stars for food and pricing. Service is downright weird and robotic. It made me wonder what type of atmosphere it is to work in there. I recall going there in the past and very similar experience.

HUGE portions for the price on appetizers. They brought the salad and appetizers together first and then went back and brought the entrees out at the same time. I was okay with it but it is something to note, as I would probably prefer salad first and then the appetizers with entrees. The table was full and it made it hard to eat. We ordered the kofta, roasted chicken and a chicken skewer for entrees. The kofta was very good and had a lot of spices/herbs so flavorful. The chicken wasn't great and there was no sauce on it so the lemon flavors were not there. Just tasted like a normal roasted chicken. If I went back I would get kofta or try the kibbeh instead.

Very good food and friendly service. We thought that the tea was good also. It led us to go to the grocery store 2 doors over and pick up some of that for home as well as extra.

Since I was already running errands on this side of town l, I decided to stop by one my old go-toos when I lived in NW Austin. My favorite dish to order is the lamb shank. There aren't many places in Austin that serves lamb shanks and this place serves a decent one. The meat falls off the bone and it was hard to restrain myself from my caveman tendencies since I was eating out in public but I managed. The rice pilaf was fine, cooked a little al dente. The shank also came with the braising liquid as well. I found the braising liquid to be a tad under seasoned and not as much jus from the shank but my guess is because I got this during lunch so the flavor wasn't as amplified as it could be. You also get some bread to soak up the sauce too. The starter was a nice green salad that was very refreshing. I got the tea which had real mint leaves though a little pricey at $3. The shank was about 23$ which is in line with most places in Austin. As for service it's a little confusing and I wasn't sure even when I was seated if I had to go up and order. It's table service and the staff were friendly but definitely was a little slower like the other reviews. If you're in the area and craving lamb shanks this is an option.

Darn tasty place. Great pizza. Pitas are fresh. The lunch specials are really good. I wish they had a cup of soup option.

Had the labneh appetizer and the Almarah mezza plate. The labneh was a tad bit bland but the pita was excellent. The mezza plate is a great way to try out the menu highlights - a few types of shawarma, baba ghanouj, hummus, tabouleh. Desserts looked great but we didn't get them this time. Service and ambience were good but the place does have a slight smokey hookah smell inside, which may be nauseating for some.

It's kind of tucked away in a strip mall but don't let that stop you. They have fast service, great healthy selections, and the desserts are visible in the shelving in the front for window shopping. Our waiter was great and kept everything refilled before we could even ask. He was very kind making recommendations- he explained that it was a family restaurant and you can tell they take pride in their food quality. The pita bread and hummus was amazing, the salad was super fresh with the perfect amount of dressing, and the entrees were large with great protein and yummy rice. Definitely two meals for the price of one as we ate it again for lunch the next day.

Don't want to give 5 stars because more people will come to this hidden gem:) But really one of the best places I have been to in austin for mediterranean type food Actually it's prob the best even compared to some high end ones downtown

RAYIE! What an enjoyable meal. My wife and I were looking for shawarma and Almarah did not disappoint. The restaurant is a comfortable size and not overly decorated. We were seated quick & took our time reading the many choices on the menu. I settled on the Beef and Lamb Shawarma platter and she the Almarah Meza platter. My beef & lamb was nicely (but not overly)seasoned. Gave me the ability to enjoy the lamb/beef flavor. The rice was also seasoned well (although, I would prefer a little more) and they weren't shy on the portion. The salad that accompanied my platter was FRESH and had a delicious vinaigrette. Her Meza platter was perfect. She throughly enjoyed the baba ghanouj,hummus & tabbouleh that complemented her beef/chicken shawarma. The Pitas were warm and definitely freshly made bringing our meal full circle. Unfortunately we were so full we were unable to try the desserts. Solid 4's with a definite return trip in the future.

We love Almarah and try to send as many people here as we can. My husband loves the gyro sandwich and I always get the gyro plate. The plates come with plenty of food for the price. We also usually order hummus which is also a huge portion. The only thing I don't like is how well done the falafel always is but maybe that's just the way they do it here. It's not enough to keep me away! My friend recently got chicken shawarma and said it was amazing.

Delicious! Huge portions. I ordered it for delivery and it came quick, hot and in great to-go containers. The falafel is moist inside and perfect on outside. The pita is nice and thick and perfectly made! I got also got the gyro plate, yummy and tender! The hummus was delicious and the perfect amount of oil and spice. The kebeh was good too- never had it before so nothing to compare to but will order all of this again!

It is ridiculous how good the gyro is. Why is it so much better than everyone else's? Gyro salad? Sounds crazy. Tastes amazing! Check it out, you'll be glad you did,

I've gotten to go from here and dined in a few different times. Never ever have had a bad experience here! Everything is very authentic and delicious. The hummus and pita is a great starter. The gyro is so delicious as a meal too. Their tzatziki is decent, but slightly watery for my taste. The ambiance is so traditional and cute-- it's a great place to try really good mediterranean food in Austin.

Phenomenal falafel which even as someone who likes falafel I never thought I would say as it's not the sort of thing you usually think of as a stand out dish but they truly nare phenomenal here. Their tabbouleh is also solid and received rave reviews from one of my dinner companions who noted he had never thought much of tabbouleh in the past. Their dolmas and gyro meat are also very good. Among other things I never thought I'd say about food, I think their portions are too generous. I found the mesa plates and the gyro plate to have far too much food for one meal but not really enough to take home for leftovers. The large dishes has also meant that as intriguing as their desserts are, by the time I had eaten I couldn't even imagine eating dessert. I personally would prefer they reduce the portion sizes and the cost of their plates as I for one would be more inclined to go there more often and indulge in dessert if they did. The restaurant has had a bit of a makeover and most of the inside photos seem to be from beforehand. I like the gray seating they have now but they do not have any booth seating which they appeared to have had previously which I would prefer. Both times I have been to date they have had several large groups and they seemed to handle both well in terms of having the space and appearing to provide them good service while maintaining good service levels for their smaller tables which I appreciated. The large parties did make for a louder restaurant which should be noted by anyone with sensory issues.

The food is fabulous! Well done and prepared quickly . Service is friendly . The music and atmosphere is enjoyable . Kuddos to the staff. I flaked out and forgot my purse. The staff chased down our vehicle! So very sweet! Thank you so much!

Geat mix of foods from different countries in this region of the world. Great food from Lebanon, Persia, Syria, Turkey, Armenia, Jordan... I had a wonderfuly grilled combo plate with 3 different meats. All seasoned to perfection. I look forward to coming back and trying a few different items, but, I might order the same thing. Because it was great! Service was very attentive.

Almarah Grill Mediterranean is excellent! They recently renovated the restaurant and it looks great. You. Need. To. Visit! All the food is incredible. I love the pita and have found myself ordering a pizza because the dough is the same as the pita. The kebabs are great as are the falafels. Get some tea while you're there and save room for baklava! Almarah, you know I'll be back!

We were excited to find a place with good reviews and not in downtown, but sadly won't be returning. Food was meh. Mediterranean food is about bold flavors and that lacked here. While it wasn't bad, it wasn't anything special either. Kebabs lacked the punch, rice was more like home cooked simple rice. Falafel and pita were decent. Service was quite slow and ambiance was again very meh...

Hummus was great, salads were good, tilapia was ok. Service was standard and ambience was casual. This spot is BYOB!

$62+tip. Two dishes + appetizer hummus. The food was okay. Nothing particularly amazing or bad. We ordered appetizer hummus and it was decent. It arrived with 4 pieces of hot pita bread. One order of chicken kabab and one order of lamb kabab. Two salads were served and were fair. The meals came and they were hot and the basmati rice was good. The plates were large and the pieces of meat were small and along with the rice took up less than half the plate. It all just looked odd. We asked about the bread that the meals state they come with which you can clearly see on any of their menus states: "...and freshly baked pita bread". She said "that bread was for the table. Whatever that means. So either the meals don't come with the bread or the hummus doesn't come with the bread (which I find even more odd, but maybe it doesn't). There was only one server, as we arrived at 4pm on a Monday. She was running around getting to-go orders and helping the other few customers. We really didn't see her much. She was mostly polite when we asked for to-go boxes, but didn't have much to say and wasn't overly helpful otherwise. After the two meals and the appetizer the bill was $62. There is NO way I could personally justify that level of food for the price. I feel like these two entrees could have been $12.99 each at most and appetizer at $4.99. Again, nothing wrong with the food, but this was not $62 worth of food or service or experience. It just wasn't.

Very good food and amazing staff! Love the late open hours , very convenient cause in Austin restaurants close way too early!

The food was amazing, our server was kind but didn't fully seem to understand our order (no problem the food was good, I had just asked for a substitution but it may have been the way I asked?). It took over 30 minutes of waiting for our bill after asking for a box to go, the server cleaned the entire floor and sat on their phone before we had to ask for the check. Our food came out at the same time as our appetizer, which seemed odd. I also didn't realize the appetizer had an ingredient I am allergic to (totally my fault). Great atmosphere, I may try and revisit and just be more vocal about wanting the check and ingredients.

We'll definitely coming back soon! The food was delicious. The hummus and pita were so good, maybe the best I've ever had. Not too salty, flavorful, and authentic. The tabouli was fresh and the meat plate was perfectly cooked, juicy and tender. On the way out, the friendly man at the counter even gave my kids some dessert to try out. Such a kind gesture. My kids were thrilled.

Ordered for the first time from this restaurant. Delivery was good, food was still warm. Ordered a variety but unfortunately it all wasn't as good as I was hoping. Pizza and wings were just okay. The roasted chicken was terrible - no flavor. Thought since it was marinated, it'd be great so that was a bummer. I ordered the vegetarian meza plate. The tabbouleh was over lemony. I've never had such lemony tabbouleh. It was the overpowering flavor. Same for the side of lentil soup I had, too. The baba ghanouj was seasoned differently from what I've had before, and I didn't care for it. The fattoush was ok. Loved the hummus, the pita bread, the dolmas, and the falafels. I would eat those from here again. I may try those in the restaurant next time.

Food is not good but people seem to have a nice time. Have gone several times hoping for better food but meat is tough and flavorless. Would not recommend.

This place is so delicious! I really enjoyed the food, everything tastes very fresh right off the grill. Food: - We had the family style dinner (for 3) which was a very generous serving of meats/rice/appetizers, we had leftovers (and family of 5 eating) - almarah plate - lamb chops are very good but I think I'd stick to the family plate again - baklava - wish I had more to eat! We ate at the restaurant but the AC wasn't working, which made it way too hot. Our server was great and very sweet about our ice water requests. Either way, I will definitely be back and hopefully in AC!

Oh my.... We were looking for a new restaurant and my daughter, who is crazy about Mediterranean food, mentioned this restaurant. I have to confess that although I had checked the yelp reviews (as always!!!), I wasn't expecting much, but boy was I wrong!!! First of all, it a lot, but A LOT of food, so easy on the apps! We didn't know that and we were hungry so we ordered 3 apps for the table and each one got their plates. We got back home with 3 boxes!!! Just saying... food was amazing. So fresh, it was very well seasoned and tasted homemade. Seriously, i had to force myself to put my fork down, cause it is so good, I did not want to stop. Here's what we ordered: Apps: Falafel: we got six of them with hummus. Even my husband who is picky and says he doesn't like falafel ate 2 of these. That says a lot!! It wasn't dry or too tough. Kibbeh: I can't have it as I'm gluten free, but the family fell in love with it. They said it was perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside while very soft on the inside. Fatoush: one can think it is just salad, but the creaminess of the feta cheese with the saltiness of the olives and the acidity of the onions is an explosion of flavors in your mouth. Very refreshing! Entrées: Gyro plate: hubby and daughter said it was delicious. The gyro was very flavorful and it was a very generous portion! Beef kebab: the other daughter loved it. The beef was charbroiled with some onions and bell peppers which brings this amazing charred flavor on the outside, while the beef is still soft and moist on the inside. Sample platter: I decided to try it all, chicken and beef with babaganoush and hummus with a side salad. It was all very good and flavorful. I just missed a bit of salt, but that is just my preference. Food was very fresh and I couldn't get to half of it! Oh the family also went crazy with the fresh pita bread that got to the table while still hot! Can't wait to be back and try more of it!!

I finally tried their pizza it was steamy hot and really great! The only thing the Greek pizza is missing is jalapeños, but the melty cheesy goodness was worth it because they didn't skimp on the toppings. Don't forget the baba ghanouj, I highly recommend the vegetarian meza platter as a shareable item. It's got variety and goes really well with the meat dishes.

By no means the best halal that I have ever tasted because NYC just creates a different breed of food, but it was delicious and open late! We had the chicken kebab platter, a Greek salad, and a gyro. They season and marinate the chicken The rice is fluffy and flavorful. The salad was well...the oil and lemon was a nice touch Pitfalls Needs better produce- sad tomatoes and iceberg lettuce ‍ They forgot the tzatziki for the gyro. I would give them another try because there are a few. Menu options that I have never tried. It is a sit down restaurant and their kitchen stays open until midnight. Check it out!

Good food was our fist time tried everything was Up to bar will recon and the mixed grill plate salad fresh and tasty

Love the food and the people. They are always friendly and the food is delicious. I love the dessert balvaria cream!

Wow, the flavor was amazing. Chicken was perfect. Had great spice and tender and juicy. Hummus had a unique flavor, was excellent. I think the waitress said tahini was the added spice. Whatever it is, some of the best hummus I have ever had. Ordered the lunch special and delivered very quickly so that I didn't feel rushed at all to eat. Will definitely go back to eat again. The desserts were also delicious. Great place with very reasonable prices.

Just had the most delicious Gyro Salad!! I'm not sure I even realized that was a thing, but the Gyro Plate ($13.99) seemed like too much for lunch and they didn't offer gyro as a sandwich except for the weekday lunch menu (I was here on a Saturday). To be fair, I didn't ask -- so, maybe they'd have indulged me. Regardless, the salad (I ordered without cucumbers or olives; I know, I'm a weirdo) was so big and so fresh!! There's the perfect spritz of oil and lemon dressing the lettuce underneath, topped with thinly sliced red onion, tomato, green pepper, a few pepperoncini, and a fantastic amount of herbed feta. Then all of that is topped with an extraordinary amount of tender, crispy-edged gyro meat. Superior!! The salad is served with a side of creamy, delicious tzatziki dressing, but I hardly used any of it because the ingredients were so flavorful that I didn't want to miss any of them! Couldn't resist a half-order of hummus: again, very creamy and perfectly oiled, alongside two hot, freshly baked pitas. And then, because Everything else was so good, I tried a cream-filled baklava. Light, crispy outside; not-too-sweet, creamy-luscious inside. And just a tiny honey drizzle. Perfection!! The unassuming strip center entrance belies the warmth and friendliness inside. I wish Ahmarah wasn't so far from my home! But I will certainly make excuses to come back to this side of town to eat up more of the menu!!

Great Turkish food. Gyro plate + hummus + tabouleh for the adults and some grilled shrimp for the kiddo. This place is clearly not getting the credit it deserves. Good food quality. The tabouleh was fresh and even my 5 yr old loved it. The hummus was creamy. The pita was fresh baked. So good.

I cannot recommend enough, this is by far the best Mediterranean restaurant in Austin, TX! If you haven't tried it- you're missing out. We had the hummus, falafels, pizza, fattoush salad (amazing!), lamb chops, chicken and all. The Turkish coffee at the end was a hit as well, the taste was out of this world. Very authentic! I would give more stars if I could. Also, the deserts are delicious, I could not stop eating. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. Great music, keeps the Mediterranean vibes going. 100% recommend!!!

Pita was freshly baked and tasted amazing! I had a chicken shawarma which was juicy and yumm! My husband ordered fish which he wasn't a fan of and we ordered a veggie pizza for my mom who loved it. Overall, it was good food and we will come back.

The food was just okay and nothing to brag about and the salad was really sad looking. The service was pretty terrible and slow! We couldn't find the server when we needed something. The serving staff looked miserable and unhappy and that reflected on the service they provided or attempted to! This was the first and last time.

First good kunafa I've found in Austin! Super tasty and not just sweet but had the right flavors. The entrees we had were really good as well - I had the lamb with had a really nice exterior sear. And overall really good service and really chill vibe. FYI the outdoor area for Almarah is shared with the Hookak bar (for which I assume the owners are the same). There's plenty of room and tables are spaced nicely, and it's all covered.

Where to begin? Hubby and I were casting about for some Greek take-out options on this fine Sunday, so, per usual, we scoured the Yelp reviews, and we happened upon this gem of a place! We pulled up the old take-out menu on here, and we started throwing things into our proverbial cart! Here's what we got, and here are our thoughts: The Gyro Plate: OH. MY. GAWD. Such incredible goodness, y'all! The gyro meat was seriously sublime, and I can say that with complete sincerity because gyro meat is my JAM, and this was, hands-down, my favorite in Austin (with Niko Niko's still being my favorite in Houston)! The rice was a perfectly flavorful counter-balance, and, after throwing some of that rice, the gyro meat, some tzatziki, and some feta and tomato from the accompanying Greek salad into a pillowy-soft and still-warm-from-the-oven pita bread, I was SOLD! And what an awesome portion-size, too, especially since COVID has left so many local restaurants hurting! This will be my new go-to, and hubby approved, as well! I had to swat his hand off of my meal more than once! Kidding, of course! We're absolutely the food-sharing sort! Almarah Meza Platter: The hubs chose this one, and it included Baba Ghanouj, Hummus, Tabbouleh, Chicken, and Lamb and Beef Shawarma. First of all, this is our new-favorite hummus in town! It had an earthy intensity that was just SO yummy! I'm not a huge fan of Baba Ghanouj, in general, but he absolutely loved it! He also loved the lemony-freshness of the Tabbouleh, and he made several pita pockets full of the flavorful meats with all different combinations of that goodness! Baklava: When we pulled in to pick up our to go, hubs went in to get it, and, when he came out, he was carrying a small styrofoam box, along with the big to-go bag! "Don't hate me", said he, "but the owner was so proud of his huge wall of pastries made in-house, and I just had to get us each a mini-one!" FAAAR from hating him, I was more than willing to do triple the work outs to burn those delicious calories! Rich, nutty, buttery, and sweet, they were just the right ending to this incredible meal! Thank you, Almarah Mediterranean Cuisine! We will DEFINITELY be back soon!

Order --------- Gyro plate -- Rice is hard Chicken plate -- Same rice as above , not cooked properly Baba Ghanouzh -- Good Falafal -- Good Pita bread & Salad -- Good & Fresh Pros: ------- Quick Service Friendly & Attentive staff Ample Free space Free parking Hookah next door where they serve the food from here on patio Other food options in the strip Complimentary dessert for Yelp check in Cons: ------- Food slightly has to get better 4-star rating is for our host who was very sweet and attentive. 4-star

My first time here but I won't be coming back. Some of the absolute WORST service I've ever gotten at a restaurant. And all the waitresses were rude, curt, and stood around playing on their phones making it very difficult to get their attention. The table next to us said they were regulars but wouldn't be coming back either because of how terrible the waitresses were. They brought out parts of our dishes at inconsistent times and forgot to bring out things unless reminded. And at the end, they brought a credit card machine and pointed at a single number until I asked if I could please have a receipt. Just very bad service all around. This restaurant needs to get new wait staff pronto!

Read some reviews here and shook my head. Maybe some of those "reviewers" need to go travel through Mediterranean to understand, that it is a huge region and food is not the same from place to place. If you expect to find turkish "Mediterranean" food - this is a wrong place, however if you tried eating in, let's say, city if Acre in Israel, then this is exactly what you going to find. Food was as good as you can hope to find in Austin today. Baba Ghanouzh was great. Falafal - I gave up on really good falafal in Austin and yet this one was actually okay. Pita bread was soft and felt fresh, salad was freshly cut. Baklava and kunafa - I really liked it. Staff was freindly, service was fast, place was clean. I will be back.