Same friendly wait staff as decades ago. What a gem. Fattuch salad is my favorite, fresh crunchy…read moreand a great sumac vinaigrette. Babaganoush also amazing. Try the lamb, best in the city.

Best kebab and middle eastern sides you'll find anywhere, including Philly. Don't even bother…read morelooking around, this is all handmade (not sure about the flatbread but it comes from a regional bakery). It's a fun atmosphere, good portions of well-seasoned and never over salted food. I've only had chicken but imagine the lamb is equally tender and flavorful. You MUST have the carrot side dish, that's really a wonderful pairing. Also recommend the olive chicken.

Marrakesh is one of my absolute favorite places to eat in Philadelphia!!…read more I wish it existed in more cities. This is a multicourse journey through Marrakesh that cannot be repeated anywhere else except for maybe in the real Marrakesh. From the Bastilla pastry, which is DIVINE, to the salads, the chicken and kebabs... all the way to the baklava and tea.... there is no bad bite at Marrakesh. The owners are welcoming and super amenable and make you feel like you're coming home every single time you visit. It's in a odd location, and you may feel like you are making a questionable life decision as you walk up the alley to the door, but when you arrive, you realize that in fact, it was one of the best decisions you've made in years!! When you enter, it's like you've been transported to a beautiful room in Morocco. The music, the decor, even the authentic seating make for an unforgettable experience. And if you get really lucky, you also get to see the belly dancers who are top notch! There is not a single thing I can think of to say that Marrakesh needs to improve. It is a one of a kind experience that I feel everyone should have at least once in life!

This place was interesting! It had a lot of positive reviews so I was excited to try it for my…read morefriends birthday. And I called in advance to see if they catered for people with dietary restrictions which they mentioned they did. I think it's a fine place to go if you eat meat but I wouldn't go if you don't! The options for vegetarians were a lentil rice dish and a chickpea rice dish so it was very carb heavy with not too much of a focus on protein. I liked the eggplant that had in the beginning but other than the food was meh. The service was nice and the short bellydancing performance was fun but I wasn't the biggest fan of the food. Especially when they give you served us a fruit plate containing unopened apples and oranges and bananas at the end that was kind of strange. Personally wouldn't return but my friends who had the meat seemed to enjoy it!

This was one of our best dining experiences. We were…read morecelebrating our anniversary with another couple. The many courses were delicious, and plentiful. We especially enjoyed the very tender lamb shoulder. Our server Mayo was so attentive and the staff cleared and cleaned our table after each course. The entire staff was pleasant and helpful - a totally delightful experience.

So great! Visited in a Saturday night and sat on the patio on a beautiful night…read more The tasting menu started with for the table, laffa bread hummus, beets, baba ghanoush, pickled cabbage, carrots, marinated cauliflower and spicy fennel. We could have stopped here and I would have been thrilled. For mezze we had the wagyu tartare and Haloumi, the puffed buckwheat was a cool texture and much preferred the scheese to the beef. The beef unfortunately had a spice or flavor that overpowered everything. For the entree we had the lamb shoulder, meaty, lucious and the Persian rice in the side was delicious but we were stuffed! Ended with the dessert trio, all a great not too sweet bite but the blueberry konafi was our favorite.

Full disclosure: I first learned about Alamodak from a Yelp Elite Squad event (thank you to our CM…read moreMegan C!), and apparently I'm more recognizable than I thought. Shortly after we arrived Francisco recognized me and greeted me like an old friend, which was really lovely, but also. my cover is blown. I don't advertise that I'm a Yelp reviewer because I want to avoid getting a different experience. SO The food was fabulous. I took a couple of my friends from out of town there for dinner one night. Well, one is from Pennsauken so I don't think that's super out of town. My other friend was from western Massachusetts. We ordered: Freshly Squeezed Lemonade with mint - very refreshing, not cloyingly sweet. Labneh with zatar and pomegranates. We almost licked the plate clean. This was a huge huge hit. Harira soup, also a huge hit. One of us got the lentil soup instead, which was also good, but the Harira was the star. We got a family sampler of hummus, baba ghanoug, tabbouleh, one other thing. It was very good, we were already starting to get full. Uh oh. Then to the entrees. One of us got the Tomato Kufta, the other got the Kufta with Tahini so we could compare. Both were great, I liked the tomato kufta slightly better. I can't remember what the third entree was, my guest was already so full he basically took it home, and told me later how it was good even a day later. Lastly, mint tea, Jordanian style, with a little jar of honey, and then baklava, which was great, not too sweet, crunchy and soft, just yum. Service was great, please see disclosure above, though. I doubt anyone else's experience would be different. The restaurant was warm and inviting in its' decor. We didn't go upstairs to the hookah lounge. Don't let the exterior fool you, inside it's comfy and welcoming. Parking...it's PHILLY. Street. If you can't parallel park your car in a spot 8" longer than it, take Uber, people. If I, who despises driving to the city, particularly sections that were built before cars existed, will do this, then you know it's a good place to eat. Also, I can get my car in a parallel spot 8" longer than my car. I am, after all, still a Philly girl, living in the 'burbs.

We visited this place after our Yelp event at Stateside. The place is very quiet on the first floor…read morebut the second floor had all the action with hookah and a bar. Francisco was the general manager and helped guide our choices. His passion made the experience a lot better. He told us basically this restaurant was a traditional Jordan restaurant (they don't really Americanize the food like some places do). The place even started offering an interesting brunch menu I would like to try out one day. For the appetizer we got Falafels, hummus, matabel, salad, and labneh mix. The matabel was amazing. I really liked the smokiness of the eggplant. The falafels were well done as well. I really liked how they tasted fresh. The salad was so delicious that I ate it up super quick (I liked the tanginess of it). The labneh mix was a popular dish at this place. It had an amazing pita that was very fluffy. We got a baklava pistachio milk shake to drink. It was interesting how a whole baklava piece was crushed into it with pistachio. It wasn't too sweet which did kind of ruin it (probably authentic to flavor however). For our main entree we got the Chicken Mandi Special. Francisco learned we loved south Asian spices so he recommended this dish since he said it had similar profile to Indian spices. I really, really enjoyed the spice profile of this dish. I also really enjoyed how easily the chicken came off the bone. At the end of our meal, Francisco got us Alamodak Tea with pistachio baklava. I really liked how the tea pot was in a copper pan. The Alamodak tea had a walnut in the cup and had a hint of cinnamon. It was really good and interesting how we ate the walnuts at the end of the tea. The pistachio baklava wasn't sweet but I really liked the crumbled pistachios on top of it. The top of a spiral case at this restaurant leads to a hookah spot. This place offers comedy shows, belly dancing some nights, etc. The second floor had an interesting 3d image that Francisco pointed out (apparently his dad created it). He did a good job. Can't wait to visit this place again!

When I venture into the heart of Philadelphia it's gonna be for the amazing hookah scene, the Fez…read moreHookah Lounge stands as a long standing distinguished oasis blending as a culinary delight, cultural ambiance, and enchanting entertainment. For years I have brought others to enjoy the experience of the 7-course meal at $30 per person , it's left an indelible mark of gastronomic excellence on whomever I have introduced. The generosity of portions in each course is a testament to Fez's commitment to offering a complete and satisfying culinary journey. A word of advice to future patrons: savor the initial courses with moderation, for there are six more awaiting exploration. As the night progresses, Fez undergoes a delightful metamorphosis from a restaurant to a r & b laid back type of captivating hookah lounge. The ambiance becomes infused with music, entertainment, and an Aladdin-like mystery that transports patrons into a realm of exotic allure. The incorporation of a belly dancer adds a touch of traditional grace to the evening and always awes newbies . Having visited Fez since my high school days, the consistent quality of experience has made it a cherished tradition in my family. The fusion of culinary excellence, hookah culture, and captivating entertainment makes Fez Hookah Lounge a timeless treat for those seeking a holistic and culturally immersive night out in the heart of Philadelphia.

I went early on a Friday night. The place was pretty empty which was perfect for a gathering with…read morefriends, I'm sure it gets more busy as the night goes on. Ambiance was unique & beautiful. Service was on par and kind. I didnt order any food but the drinks were good.

Unfortunately this was a pretty bad experience. My son's usual halal spot he goes to was closed so…read morewe decided to give this place a try. We ordered 3 platters and they took an hour to receive. We were charged $55 then told we weren't charged for one of the platters and were told we had to pay additional money for the platter. Upon looking at the receipt it does look like one was rang up as $0 but we noticed automatic gratuity when we weren't even served. We got our own drinks and ordered at the cash register so why would we pay gratuity. There was also another fee on there that I'm not even sure what it was. So we ended up paying over $70 for 3 platters. My son's beef was hard and dry. The chicken platters were ok.

I waited minutes for the food, and when I went to ask how long it would take, a guy treated me…read morereally badly--he was extremely disrespectful.

Stopped in for a quick bite for lunch and there's a nice lunch special with an included drink. Have…read morestopped in for some bakery treats in the past and they were quite tasty as well. The interior has ample seating in a nice open space. Staff very welcoming and friendly. Shawarma platter was very good sized, salad fresh and crisp, and everything was seasoned nicely. Pita came hot and fresh out of their big oven. As to the bakery, they have various beverages teas, coffees, and smoothies. Thanks

Yalla. Lebanese dishes. I'm wishing I brought my little ukelele. I would write a lil song about the…read moregentle welcoming smile of the staff. I felt their kind and patient heart. The loveliest of food items offered... in my opinion. I just loved too many items. I saw they had fresh iced karkede tea. I can feel the nostalgic breeze of exotic seasonings. Chopped mint and lemon juice , evoo dressing in my fatouche salad. A skewer of chicken kabob. The scent! The appealing color! Placed on a bed of buttery saffron rice & pickle. Wow. Flavorful !! Sassy ol' Baba Ganoush with evoo drizzle puddle. I am in heaven. Joyful! Zataar pita with labna. Manouche! So delightful. A flavorful invigorating taste. I feel like a million bucks. We shared it all! I would absolutely come back!!! Adorable nostalgic architecture. Delicious food. Nice music. Kind staff! Cute coffee /sweets cafe next to this restaurant. Soooo cute!

First impression, I stepped in and was hit with fragrant spices, which made me hungry!…read more The service is great, our waitress was very attentive, efficient, and welcoming. She gave us great recs too! The Persian Garden was great. I'm not a big fan of ordering coffee/espresso/lattes but the rose flavor was something I didn't expect to like. The baba ganouj and beetroot tzatziki were both hits for the family. The baba ganouj had the smoky flavor I was looking for and the tzatziki was fresh and light. The pita was thick, soft, and warm, perfect for dipping. The kofta, tuna tartare, and crispy grape leaves weren't too bad. The kofta is quite large and the lamb didn't taste too gamey at all. The arugula and tahini really brightened the flatbread. I enjoyed the tuna tartare but I was looking for more of the tuna flavor. As for the crispy grape leaves, it was a bit like an eggroll but mushy inside. I wasn't the biggest fan of this and tzatziki dipping sauce but that's just me. Finally, the chicken mohammar and grilled kofta were both great! We enjoyed the chicken mohammar much more though. The sauce was smoky and savor while the chicken was extremely tender. The pita was perfect to encapsulate the chicken and soak up the sauce! As for the grilled kofta, we did like the wild rice and lamb. The arugula and onion went great with the lamb. It was a great introduction to mediterranean food for my parents! I'm glad we came here and I'd consider coming back!

Renata's has awesome drinks from morning bevs to evening mocktails and cocktails. I loved the n/a…read moresangria and fresh mint lemonade I had. The hummus, baba ghanoush and pita are award winning any delicious (as promised). I would go back for more apps and bevs! The mussels were plentiful (fries felt like an after thought). The meals around the table with tasty. Thanks Renata's Kitchen!

I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience was too concerning not to share. I used this…read morerestaurant for a catered event for a large group and spent a significant amount of money. Unfortunately, multiple attendees became ill afterward with symptoms consistent with food poisoning. I reached out directly to the owner to inform them and discuss the situation, but I never received a response. To make matters worse, I later learned that when my client contacted the restaurant, the owner blamed the issue on me rather than addressing the concern. I understand that issues can occasionally happen in food service, but the lack of communication, accountability, and professionalism afterward was extremely disappointing. I would strongly encourage others to consider this when deciding whether to use this restaurant for catering, especially for large groups.

Food was delicious and the people were so kind! It also has…read morea lovely seating area with several tables to eat indoors.