The restaurant setting and atmosphere was great in lighting and some ancient Egyptian figures and images. The cuisine is more modern Mediterranean rather than ancient Egypt with recipes often seen in other Mediterranean restaurants. On the weekend night that we attended, the chef (owner and dance teacher) operated alone with one waitress who doubled as the belly dancer who entertained us during the meal. It was a very fun experience with the dancer recruiting all the diners to join her! Food was very good, but I suspect if the patron volume increases, the wait times for meals would correspondingly increase. The dining was a great evening experience for a location one doesn't normally associate with Mid-Eastern dining. read more

A real Egyptian restaurant. The sights, the colors and the music! Friendly greeting, and an amazing menu. Loving this cuisine and this place delivers. Excellent service, attentive and helpful. Their hummus is the best I've had in SF. Such delicious food. The koshary is enough for 2, absolutely wonderful! Enjoy! read more

Al Masri - Koshary - Egyptian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This is the home of Bitchin Baklava, and I will not eat baklava from anywhere else. I have never liked baklava until I've had it from here. Store bought, forget it. My friend's, they try. Mom's, I'll take a bite. This is my source for baklava from now on. With so many flavors to choose from, it's hard to just get one or two. I usually leave with a tray. A flakey top layer that's not too crispy or dried out, nor is it drenched in syrup. The inside has the perfect amount of filling, texture, and flavor. Doesn't matter if it's pecan, walnut, pistachio, chocolate, whatever, they're all my favorite. If you're a fan of baklava, or want to try it for the first time, get it right and get some Bitchin Baklava from Al Masri in San Francisco. read more

What a wonderful place to stumble upon while walking aimlessly toward Ocean Beach on a foggy July night in the Outer Richmond. The warm light seeping out onto the street and the sound of live Oud and Darbuk playing lured me in, and soon enough I was drinking wine, eating delicious Prawns, and watching the fantastic musicians egg on the surprise Belly dancers that I had no clue would be making an appearance. Will be back soon enough, and often! read more

Delicious food with enchanting music and belly dancing on Saturday nights. The waitress was incredibly accommodating. We especially loved the falafel and fish. A fun (warmly kitschy) place to celebrate a birthday! read more

I had just gotten back from Egypt and was missing everything about it. Well I'm so glad I found this place!!! The food was excellent and beautifully presented, my favorites were the kushari (koshary) and the falafel, but everything was absolutely delicious! Amar and Sausan were incredibly gracious hosts. We had a great time and will definitely be back soon! Support this little SF gem!!! There's nowhere else like it! Feels like being in a really nice place in Egypt with friends and family. It's a very special place with so much love poured into every detail. (Literally the best falafel in the US, and the ONLY place to get real authentic Egyptian food in SF!) Also be sure to grab one of the special sesame cookies by Dancing Cookies there's nothing else like it. Great baklava too. I could go on and on about all the things I liked here. The decor is awesome!! So cozy too. Incredibly eclectic fun vibe. Check this place out and support local woman owned restaurant! Thanks again to everyone here. read more

The reception of the guests they have is excellent. I just hope that it will be a special taste in making your food. There are Shortage dishes in the chicken seasoning. read more

Went on a Sunday night with friends and were welcomed by server , who also performed two dances. Food was tasteless and looked like leftovers. Ambiance was unique but could use refreshing. Perhaps Saturday night and ordering off the menu would be better. Not a great option, would try something else next time. read more

My friend wanted to come here for her birthday celebration, since she enjoys doing belly dancing. My friend made a reservation. We came when it opened at 5:30pm on a Saturday, and ended up staying the whole night. I tried Egyptian food for the first time. The menu had like 5 options for around $27-30 each. The food included complimentary hummus, pita bread, and an olive oil with spices dip. They also sell Turkish coffee, chocolate, and other flavor cookies. I tried the Turkish coffee cookie and baklava, $3 each. Both is yummy but I liked the baklava more. I ordered the chicken kabab plate and my friend ordered the fish plate, both comes with rice and salad. Service was really good, with one of the waitress also being one of the belly dancers at the end. There were 3 dancers that night and they danced throughout the evening. Be prepared for a long evening if you want to watch everything. My friend really enjoyed the audience participation and danced with others during certain segments. Very beautiful restaurant and decorations, even the bathrooms are decorated! read more

Al Masri - Egyptian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We all need a little pick me up as we shelter in place and Al Masri delivers -- literally. Order directly from the restaurant to get the best deal on delectable Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes. The hubs and I loved the spinach stuffed spanikopita and basteela, a sweet and savory Moroccan delicacy filled with chicken inside a flaky phyllo crust. It was delivered fresh and hot and safely -- social distancing and mask protocol was on point. Wonderful business run by a phenomenal owner who really cares about the community. Treat yourself and keep an amazing local restaurant alive through this crisis! read more

Al Masri - Basteela - Egyptian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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If you want to have " Egyptian experience " This is the place to be. The ambiance is very warm and relax, very happy place.. music and belly dancers. Food is amazingly delicious, dessert Baklava soo yummy best baklava that ever had. Everyone there is so nice and polite the chef and owner very pleasant person. Everyone there is nice and everyone knows each other lots of regulars .. .. live music! Outstanding!! Everything everyone there is so worth to visit over and over again. read more

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This restaurant has excellent food, service and music and dancing! I had the chicken kebab plate and they even had a nice vegan option for my wife. She often has a hard time finding good vegan food so it was really nice to have such a great choice of food available. The dish was a sort of tomato sauce mix vegetable plate with some nice rice and salad. She loved it! Food is delicious and made with care! The decoration of the restaurant is very nice; it really feels like you are in a proper Egyptian restaurant in Cairo. When we came there was also belly dancing and music (Arabic music?) which made the experience a definite 10/10 Would highly recommend! read more

Even 1 star is a lot for this place. These people call themselves Al Masri. But we ordered from a place named falafel fix and picked it up from this place "Al Masri" This restaurant is fraud. We ordered 3 items and we didn't receive half of the order. I'm not even talking about the taste. It's not even edible. Everything went to trash. We ordered Chicken gyro and received some chicken kabap, no chicken gyro. We ordered grill plate combination and received one beef and one chicken kebab and rice. No gyro no kafta kebap. We ordered veggie's platter We received some veggies and rice. No falafel no grape leaves. Shame on this business. With this quality they can't go far. (I hope pictures are explaining everything.) read more

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Everything we needed and more! San Francisco is in lockdown and "Shelter in Place". And we are unable to visit the restaurants we love. Fortunately, Al Masri is open for business and also delivery! We arranged for our family dinner four hours early and at 7pm our dinner was delivered and it was delicious. We ordered 5 or 6 dishes. Everything from an Eggplant and spiced beef dish to Lamb Shank to baked Cilantro Chicken..... and salad too. Finishing off with my favorite Baklava in San Francisco. Actually, the best Baklava I've ever eaten. Support our local small businesses. read more

Al Masri - The best Baklava in San Francisco. - Egyptian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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21.11.20 First Visit Performance ------------------ 5 Decor ----------------------------- 4.5 Food ------------------------------ 3.5 to 4 depending on item Service --------------------------- 5 single female wait staff! For all the tables occupied by several mid to large groups. She did a stellar job! It took longer due to short staffed (C19)! 30+ people! Fish - ok They were swamped within ... 15-25 minutes overwhelmed the kitchen. Therefore a raw review on this item. Hummus - pretty good The entertainment was fun. Fun to see customers getting into groove! Some are pretty damn good doing it. I have to revisit to finalize my food review ... Picture 20-30+ orders swamping the kitchen within 15-30 mins! They, especially the waitress, did a excellent job at taking order, bringing out food, and maintained her upbeat and humorous attitude read more

This place deserves more than 3 stars. It has a nice atmosphere with an Egyptian themed decor. It makes you forget that you are in the outer richmond district. There are very few Egyptian restaurants in San Francisco. If you want to try Egyptian food, this is a good place to go to. Customer service is very good and friendly. Based on my previous visits, the Sunday All You Can Eat Buffet is a good deal. They do have belly dance performances after 7:30 pm. The food was pretty good. I especially like the Musa ah Bil Lahma (beef and eggplant casserole). The other items such as the rice pilaf, salad, baked chicken Taggen Firakh, baked fish Taggen Samak also were good. They have a regular menu on the other days of the week. They do have belly dancing performances on those days. However, the portions of the food they serve are pretty large. It is best to come in a large group. If you are a small group, you are better off doing the buffet on Sunday. I tried the Kushari (Egyptian national dish which consists of noodles, rice, lentils, fried onions). It was good, and the serving was huge. The Basterma appetizer was also good. read more

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I came here to see a belly dancing show performed by students and their teachers. The food was served buffet style and was announced at each step. I believe this place is only open for dinner. The atmosphere is detailed. I'm not sure how authentic it is being as I have never been to Egypt. The owner announced that it is the only egyptian restaurant in Northern California which seems unlikely but who knows! She isn't totally egyptian herself and claims to have some egyptian heritage "back there somewhere" She definitely did a good job decorating with ancient Egyptian theme. It is very colorful and clean. The bathrooms are a work of art! Huge individual rest rooms with a lot of space and decorations that fit the theme. There is a really adorable stage area for the belly dancers with a curtain. Totally cute. I really enjoyed the show. I wouldn't exactly come here for the food. The rice (a-roni) was rather mushy and the chicken was over boiled. Good experience, over priced, only worth it if you are going with a large group. Seating is quite cozy so get ready to make some new friends! read more

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We happened to be around a night they were open, and it was a treat. Good food and excellent live music. The interior replicates a plaza or courtyard. There was a belly dancer. In general it was a fun experience. read more

Walked in here to grab dessert after a long day exploring SF. My friends and I were met with very unwelcoming staff. When we expressed our concern with how we were being treated the server threw her towel, walked away and said someone else can help you. We requested a manager and then ended up deciding to leave without purchasing anything or speaking to anyone. and while waiting for our uber outside for 10 minutes, the owner emerges asking us to calm down while we were minding our business on the sidewalk. When we told her about our experience she said "well it's a busy night' as though all busy businesses treat their patrons like unwelcome guests. to wrap it up she said "sorry you feel that way". can't expect much more from a woman appropriating a culture and running a lackluster business on her fetishized view of the middle east. read more

Deliciously subtle flavors and my first Egyptian dinner - absolutely real food! And convient to Ocean Beach and Lands End. read more

Al Masri - Paio - Egyptian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food was good, but the ambience and welcoming feeling was amazing! A small group of people dancing together. I have never been to a restaurant that made me feel like we were friends!!! read more

This place has so much personal meaning to me. I used to come here back in the 80's when I was a kid with my grandparents, whom have now passed away, when it was called the Grape Leaf. I remember Chef Sausan bringing me up to belly dance with her and being completely mesmerized by her dancing and costumes. When I was thinking of a special place to celebrate my milestone 40th birthday, this was the first place that came to mind. Needless to say, I was beyond thrilled to find out she was still the owner of this awesome establishment. I cannot say enough good things about Chef Sausan and her restaurant! From minute I reached out to her to let her know my plans, she went above and beyond to welcome me and accommodate my large party. Chef Sausan and her staff did everything they could to ensure I felt so special on my big day and that my party was absolutely PERFECT! From the food, to the belly dancing, to the staff, to the ambiance, to the music, absolutely EVERYTHING was incredible! This place is one of a kind and I will always be grateful to Chef Sausan! P.S. The "Bitchin Baklava" is the bomb!! Highly recommend!! read more

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We visited on a Sunday evening which includes a buffet dinner and entertainment (live music, individual performances by belly dancers). The food is set up by 5:30 PM in time for when the restaurants opens for dinner. The entertainment starts between 7 and 7:30 PM. Above all, the service was superb. The chef / owner and Bobby were genuine, friendly, receptive, attentive, and kind. I had rice, chicken, and two of the veggie options. Overall, the food was ok. The serving dishes / spoons make for a messy combination since the lids push the spoons onto the food. Bobby made me a mango mimosa and it was delicious. The live music - singing and instruments - was great! We watched only the first 3 of 6 dancers since we had to leave by 9 PM. If not for the next day being a work day, we would have stayed for the duration. read more

We went to Al-Masri on Sunday. The ambiance was great with Egyptian decor. The Sunday buffet consisted of a series of vegetable, meat and fish dishes. The food was very good. Bread and hummus appetizer was served on the tables. The show was wonderful! Although a different band came because of the CA fires, they gave a great performance with rhythmic music. The dancers were great, too. The room was relatively small, so we could watch the performance from pretty near. Each dancer was in distinguished costume with charm. The customers also could join to dance for the last piece, so we could enjoy dancing, too. The staff was very friendly. Usually, a lot of a lot of buffet places don't take dirty plates soon, but they were good about it. Overall, we had a great time there. Next time we are definitely going to bring further friends. read more

I have to admit I'm quite surprised that this place has an average three star rating. The only reason I didn't give this place a five star rating ("As good as it gets!") is that I have never tried any other Egyptian restaurant, nor have I been to Egypt, so I cannot make a fair comparison on whether what I ate was authentic and as good as it gets. What I DO know is that everything was DELICIOUS. With that said... My friend and I arrived at 5:45PM on a Thursday evening (admittedly an early dinner), with a $40 off coupon I had bought on Amazon Local. At 5:45PM we were the first ones in the place, and the only ones there until about 6:30PM, and our server was most attentive and sweet. It's a very small place, somewhat dimly lit but with fun, interesting Egyptian-esque decor. The place felt very warm and inviting - I think it's a family run establishment, and it felt very personal to be there. On the exterior, despite the bright blue sign, the restaurant is easy to miss, sort of stuffed between two dull residential buildings, and without windows you almost question what exactly is going on in there... We started with two appetizers: the Hummus Bil Tahina and the Zabadi Bil Toom. Entrees ordered were the chicken kebab, Kebab Firakh (my friend's) and the layered eggplant with ground beef, Musa'ah Bil Lahma (mine). My entree in particular was HUGE and as much as I wanted to, I could not finish it and had to bring it home. This did not stop me from ordering dessert, however. Desserts vary each day but last night's order was of a honey cake and a plate of coconut covered, doughnut hole looking things ("fingers" they were called), that were both wonderful. As we arrived at 5:45PM and had a leisurely dinner, we got to enjoy the short belly dancing show that began at 7:30PM. Per the restaurant, the shows are at 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30PM. It was a fun way to savor our dessert and enjoy a little entertainment. I took a quick look at the complaints people made (you can't please everyone!) and some of them are a bit ridiculous. Overpriced? With three glasses of wine between us, the bill after sales tax came to about $94. Apps average about $5-8, entrees $20-25, desserts $4-5. This is SAN FRANCISCO and this is NORMAL. The menu not having much variety? It's a small establishment, probably seats about 50 total, and I feel like the lack of variety is overshadowed by the quality of the food. Yes there are only 9 entree options on the menu (and maybe one daily special) - if you can't make a choice among 10 items, maybe you're better off going to TGI Fridays! Overall, a great experience and I highly recommend the place to anyone looking to try something a little different. read more

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This is one restaurant I have been dying to try, and left disappointed. The ambiance was great. I like the idea of creating in indoors area into a patio dining feel (especially at a place close to ocean beach were there are only 3 days out of the year where you can eat outside without freezing). I also loved the belly dancing they provide on the hour! We ordered the Maza for two, which had a little bit of all their appetizers, including hummus, Baba Ghannuug, Zabadi Bil Toom (garlic yogurt and cucumbers), dolmas, 2 pieces of feta cheese, 2 falafel. This dish was really good! I would recommend this to everyone who goes! You could tell all the items were homemade. We also ordered the Kushari. This was one dish I was really excited about (especially after hearing about it first on No Reservations - Egypt episode). The dish came with lentils, pasta, rice, caramelized onions and side of shata (hot sauce). The caramelized onions were actually just super thinly sliced onions made into onion rings. Also the "hot sauce" was not even that hot. This dish was a disappointment and it lacked flavor. It was just a blend of the lentils, macaroni pasta, and white rice, with onion rings on top, nothing special. I felt like I could have made this at home. We also ordered the Cornish Game Hen, which was a special of the day. The hen was good, but again, I felt like I could just bake on at home too. However, the green wheat that was stuffed inside was unique. It came with The service here was a disappointment. We first walked in at 6:00 and there was no one there, since we were the only customers there, we received some great service. However, when a few more people stepped in, we were quickly ignored. It took over 30 minutes from the time we finished our meal (and ready to box up our left overs) to the time we paid and left. We had to ask 2 or 3 times if we could get a box. The boxes there are just dixie paper bowl that are then covered with aluminum foil. So we asked our waitress for a bag (since we would have to carry these bowls on the bus), and she kept telling us that they don't have bags there. We had to ask someone else there before we actually got a bag for our leftovers. Lastly, she over charged us on our bill. And again, we had to go to someone else who worked there to get that corrected. read more

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http://www.almasrirestaurant.com/ A gorgeous dining experience. We too have been passing the place and thinking that we might go there one day. We didn't make any particular effort. Then, we had a friend visit from Texas and another friend from the Bay Area wanting to eat there before going to a concert at the Independent. (What a contrast!) We didn't stay for the belly dancers because we had to be at the Independent, but next time... Everyone in our party was impressed by the great food. We had the Riasch Mashwiya (rack of lamb grilled and with butter garlic sauce) Lahma Mahshiya ( filet mignon stuffed with feta and cheese and with a onion-garlic nutmeg topping) Kabab "Om Tarkek" ( we had a combo of both lamb and filet mignon kababs!) Everyone was impressed by the rice, which came pyramid shape. Since we were all Thirteen Elevator fans, that was special. The wait people were friendly and explained all the dishes for us and the traditions. I felt like I walked into a place that I had been a regular of for a long time, because they treated us so well. read more

Talk about stepping into another world!!!! I walked into this place expecting very little and had my expectations obliterated!!!! From the outside it seems like a cute little space that serves something that resembles Egyptian cuisine but taste nothing like it... Once inside I was amazed at how well they used the space and made it appear much larger than it actually was... ornately decorated in regional Egyptian fare... The lovely hostess took me to a small table were I sat for just a few minutes before the waitress came to take my order. Not having a clue as what to order I asked for some help... without hesitation she gave me a couple of great recommendations... While waiting for my order i noticed the one hostess who brought me to my table had a little more make up than the other hostess, but I figured it was a personal choice and thought nothing else of it... With in no time the appetizer arrived... TA'MIYA: Egyptian falafel... ground spiced fava bean cakes, fried and served with tahina sauce. The flavors enveloped my tongue with an experience from a country I've never known, but would love to travel to some day. I have to say it did take quite some time for the main entree to arrive but believe you me it was well worth the wait!!! LAHMA MAHSHIYA: Sliced tenderloin stuffed with Egyptian feta cheese, white cheese, and parsley, topped with a garlic, onion, nutmeg, lemon juice sauce... see...see...what'd I tell ya... worth the wait huh!!! Now as I was enjoying this fabulous meal the lights started to dim and I'm thinking... OK did they not pay their electric bill... Not at all... the hostess with all the make up came out in the most stunning authentic belly-dancer dress and put on one of the most amazing shows... come to find out this dancer has been in competitions around the world and just happened to be in the area and a friend of the family... all I can say is WOW!!!! So if anyone's feeling adventurist and willing to try something new... you gotta try this place... it's so worth it!!!! But go on the weekend that's when the surprise dancers come in!!! read more

Al Masri - Egyptian Near Me - San Francisco, California

The food was like homemade, and the service was good. They had live music and dancers. I liked it better than expensive restaurants in San Francisco serving food from the same region with live entertainment. They are only open on Saturday nights for dine-in. The rest of the week is only open for delivery and pick-up. They welcome everyone to dance, so it felt welcoming. Don't miss out on their variety of baklava. read more

Went here for dinner on a Sunday after I saw a special on Groupon. I was really surprised that there was a Egyptian restaurant in San Francisco so we decided to try it out. The service was good and so was the food a little on the bland side for me though . I had the fish and my partner had lamb kabobs. The chef came out to talk to us to make sure everything was good and and Offered us free dessert. It was 630 when we got there and left at 8 and we were the only ones dining. They had a lot they had a bellydancing performance that we really really enjoyed. And the place is decorated beautifully vary detailed even the bathroom. Will be back for the Ambiance for sure. read more

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All I have to say is that I'm a bad cook and all this resturante taught me is that I can open up a resturante too. I wouldn't mind spending $100 for 2 drinks and an appetizer with entertianment. But no belly dancer or live music and the food was bad. I ordered fish and it tasted like it was marinted in just garlic and didn't finish cooking. My husband had the lamb kabobs and it had no flavor but garlic. We left and drove to In and Out. I'm Middel Eastern I've never had food taste like this. Sorry. read more

Al Masri - Tastes bad. - Egyptian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very impressed! The service was fast and friendly, and my meal was incredible. It was a very relaxing environment, with a unique menu. Would definitely recommend. read more

The only reason I'm giving this place a one star review is because they are by reservation only, so I booked a reservation for December 23rd, but I showed up at the restaurant to be met by a closed for the holiday sign. As a first time visitor, it's very disappointing and frustrating to show up at a restaurant to find out it's closed, but their online reservation system is still accepting reservations. read more

Great experience! Good food and entertainment. Fantastic service. Highly recommend it.

It was 7pm on a Friday evening and we were the only ones in the restaurant. This would be unheard of anywhere else in SF. I already had a feeling that this place was going to be a disappointment. We sat down and were greeted by who I'm guessing is the owner who commented that the server was running late (who apparently was supposed to also be the dancer...we didn't stay long enough to see what that was going to be like). Being the only people there we were able to order quickly. 2 other parties came in after us and they waited probably a good 5 minutes before anyone came back out from the kitchen to seat them or greet them (they all just took their seats anyway). Got our food and it was pretty decent. Not the best Middle Eastern food I've had...but definitely not worth the $30/person AFTER using a $25 off coupon. For that much money I expect better quality, better service and a happily stuffed belly. I'm guessing we paid extra for the belly dancing that never started while we were there for an hour. This is kind of like those restaurants you see on TV where you wonder how they're surviving because they're probably not making the rent and is in need of some new juju. As for me, I'll probably never come back. read more

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Comfort-food on-point. Took a few friends of mine here and we couldn't get enough of the vegetarian entrees. The owner / chef is really friendly, and the fact that it's not in the middle of a main street makes it all the more quaint and charming. Not sure if it's 100% Egyptian but since neither am I, I have no complaints ;) read more

The worst "egyptian" food, its nothing like an egyptian food in addition to the rediciouls price markup! $4 for a soda can! Not to mention the million other bad things! STAAY AWAAAAY read more

The lamb kebab and the eggplant rocked and then we were graced by the belly dancer, Clementine was her name...very entrancing and skillful, it was awesome; made it really special! then we finished the night with the baklava -all great! Also, the place is pretty cool inside, Egyptesque Very Unique read more

Sorry - but you won't accept a ZERO review of a restaurant... Maybe, it should apply to YELP, instead. I received, from al Masri, a CONFIRMED reservation for 2019-11-16 @ 6:00 PM. When I arrived at the restaurant, it was completely closed. When I knocked on the door, there was no answer. What's the point of using your service to reserve a seating at a restaurant that ISN'T EVEN OPEN when we get there, during it's business hours? read more

This place has great, fresh, delicious food. The service is a bit slow, but I think that's a fair price to pay for everything being made fresh. I usually go with a date who can hold a conversation and who can enjoy the dark, intimate, and slightly quirky decor. Best babaganoush I've ever had. Best baklava. I also highly recommend the hummus read more

Al Masri - Egyptian Near Me - San Francisco, California