This is one of the few places in town where I know I'm guaranteed to have an amazing experience…read more There are no misses on the menu, everything is pretty much assured to be absolutely delicious. There's really nothing to complain about, the patio and interior are stunning and transport you out of south congress. Service has always been prompt and good, they always refill the pita when you're running low. My personal favorites are the steak frites and the eggplant dip, seriously SO good. Everytime I come here I look forward to the next time I can go again

We recently visited Aba on a Sunday evening for dinner, and it turned out to be a wonderful…read moreexperience overall. I absolutely love the vibe of this place--it's definitely a high-end Mediterranean restaurant, perfect for special occasions. What really stood out was how beautifully everyone was dressed; it added to the upscale, elegant atmosphere of the entire space. The restaurant offers both indoor seating and a beautiful outdoor seating area, which really elevates the overall experience. The outdoor space, in particular, adds to the charm and makes it a great spot for a relaxed yet upscale evening. Since reservations weren't available, we decided to arrive early, expecting a long wait. Luckily, being a Sunday evening, it wasn't too crowded, and we were seated within about 20 minutes. For drinks, I ordered a Tender Robot Hazy IPA, while my husband went with the Verdant Mai Tai. I was a bit disappointed to learn they only serve canned beer and don't offer draft options, as I personally prefer draft beer and am not a big fan of cocktails, which tend to be too sweet for my taste. For the main course, I had the Heirloom Chicken Thighs, and my husband ordered the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes. Both dishes were cooked to perfection--flavorful, well-seasoned, and the meat was incredibly tender. That said, the portion sizes felt a bit small considering the price point. We ended the meal with the Sticky Date Cake, and it was hands down the best I've ever had--rich, perfectly balanced, and absolutely delicious. Overall, we had a great experience. Between the beautiful ambiance, flavorful food, and exceptional service, it's a place I'd definitely return to. I'm giving it 4 stars mainly because of the lack of draft beer and the smaller portion sizes for the price, but it's still a fantastic spot worth visiting.

Checked the place out based on Yelp reviews and was absolutely floored. Clean space, friendly…read morestaff, quick service, and excellent food! We ordered the half order falafel with hummus, mint lemonade, lamb kabob platter, and beef kabob platter. Everything but the salad came in large Texas style portions. I requested the beef be cooked to medium and the temperature was perfect. Tips: Substitute the tahini in the kabob platters for tzatziki and request garlic sauce on the side. The garlic sauce enhances the flavor of rice.

Food is very good, service not so good... I can tell people…read morecome for the food alone. The place is nice and has a nice layout. However, I'll think about coming here again because I didn't feel a good vibe with the service. We had to go look for someone to show us the table even though the place was empty for early lunch. Then, to get drinks or even the order was a problem. It took so much longer than usual. Our waitress was rude, and seemed bothered that we showed up. Then someone else came as the waitress and she was preoccupied with other tables and barely checked on us. A regular lunch which would've been one hour became almost two because of the lack of service. My friend had to stand and look for someone to give us a box to take out the good we couldn't eat because it was getting late and also to get the check because No one came in to check on us at all. It was almost like pulling teeth to get a regular service let alone good service. Again, the food was really good, and that alone was the only positive.

I come here exclusively for the pistachio baklava cheesecake. The parking situation is a bit of a…read moreheadache but totally worth it. I've only ever ordered takeout at the counter so I can't speak to the dine-in experience, but the service is smooth and efficient. Dessert is ready in about 5 minutes and food orders during busy dinner hours have taken around 20 minutes, which honestly wasn't bad at all given how packed they get. Everything is always packaged nicely and securely, and the food is consistently delicious. They also carry other sweets worth trying like honey cakes and pistachio baklava. On the savory side, some dishes I've really enjoyed are the Mezze Platter, Beef and Lamb Doner, and Ribeye Steak Shish Kebab. It's not super loud but the front can get a bit overstimulating when it's busy, so if you're not a fan of crowds I'd recommend coming outside of peak hours. This most recent time, I didn't realize until I was home that they forgot to pack one of the baklava cheesecakes I'd ordered. They were able to refund me over the phone when I couldn't come back to pick it up. Highly recommend!

Recently visited MezzMe and was genuinely impressed -- definitely a place I'd come back to…read more We started with the Iskender kebab -- presentation was . The meat was juicy and tender, topped with a rich tomato sauce, and the yogurt added a perfect balance. The bread soaks up all the juices, making every bite incredibly flavorful. You can tell this isn't just "Turkish food" -- it's made with real attention to detail. For the main course, we had a mixed grill: doner, kebab, and chicken. Everything was cooked just right -- nothing dry, with a nice charcoal flavor. The doner stood out in particular -- very juicy with great texture. The rice was fluffy, sides were fresh, and the sauces complemented everything well. We also tried the pide (a Turkish-style flatbread/boat pizza). The dough was soft inside with a crispy crust, and the topping was rich and well-balanced. Overall: -- generous portions -- fair prices for the quality -- fast service -- casual but cozy atmosphere If you like Turkish food or just want a solid, satisfying meat-based meal -- this spot is definitely worth checking out.

We've been here a couple times now, on a Sunday and Saturday for lunch and it has yet to…read moredisappoint. It's one of those places that's reliable and feels pretty consistent, knowing you're going to leave happy and full after eating here. The two times we've been there, theres always plenty of seating and are able to walk right in. It's a walk in and seat yourself experience and then you pay upon leaving. The staff keeps the dining area and buffet line consistently stocked and clean. They even provide hand sanitizer and gloves for you. Even when foot traffic picked up while we were there, the food was replenished quickly and didn't look picked over. Now let's talk food...Everything tastes fresh, well-seasoned, and like it was made with care instead of just being "buffet food" an under seasoned. The variety is also amazing, and it's easy to build a plate for pretty much any type of diet whether you're keto, high protein, balanced, veggie-forward, vegan, etc... Some of our favorite dishes we keep coming back for: Shredded beef (SO good), Baked fish (tender and not fishy), Garlic baked chicken (wonderful crispy skin), Fried chicken, Baked kafta, Kafta kebab, Gyro meat, Roasted cauliflower, Eggplant, Greek salad, Fatoush, Kale Caesar salad, Zaatar pizza, Cheese pizza (pro tip: top it with shredded beef- a life changing buffet hack), Rice with lentils, Rice with mixed veggies. For the quality, variety and amount of food you get, this is easily one of the best deals in the city! It's rare to find a buffet that's both affordable and consistently this good! If I had one small wish, it would be for desserts to match how strong the rest of the food is. They're not bad, just a little more "fine" compared to how amazing everything else is. I've seen another Dimassi's (I think in Cali) that had a frozen yogurt machine and I'd LOVE to see that here because it would be the perfect finish! Make a cup and then crumble up some baklava on it! Overall we've LOVED it here and we'll absolutely keep coming back! Great food, clean, consistent, and worth it every time!

In my family, we really like Demassi's. Not necessarily because everything there is amazing, but…read morebecause there is genuinely something to please everyone. Between me, my husband, and my mom, we have a lot of overlap in what we like to eat, but we also have some pretty distinct preferences, and Demassi's is one of those places where that works. My husband really loves Middle Eastern / Mediterranean food. I generally do not. I tend to find the meats too dry, I don't particularly like the spice profile, and I also find a lot of dishes in that category to be overly sour. It's hard to explain, but there's often a sharp, tangy acidity that I don't enjoy. For whatever reason, I don't have that issue at Demassi's at all. Here my husband can get his fix of dry, spiced meats, while I'm happy eating from the huge selection of rice dishes, cooked veggies, and soups. As far as protein goes, I actually really like the fish here, so I almost never eat the meat and still leave satisfied. It usually feels like a healthy pescatarian day for me, which I like. Then there's my mom, who just loves the abundance and variety of a buffet. She's happiest when she can sample a little bit of everything, build plates with lots of small bites, and then go back for more. Demassi's is perfect for that. On top of all of this, it's very reasonably priced, especially for lunch or on weeknights. It's always clean, the staff is consistently courteous, and they are really on top of bussing tables, which matters a lot to me at a buffet. Dirty dishes piling up are never an issue here. Overall, it's a solid, reliable spot for us and a place we're always happy to suggest when we're trying to please multiple people with different tastes.

Went out for a ladies night here and let me tell you this place keeps up to all the hype !…read more They offer free Valet parking on Friday and Saturday- so parking was a breeze ! We had made a reservation so as soon as we walked in we were seated inside in a booth ! The place felt cozy and comfortable as well as nice vibes ! They even offer bar seating ! They have a covered and temperature controlled patio too ! Our server was amazing and professional and answered all our questions about drinks and other stuff ! The cocktail were amazing - I was curious about their onion bagel drink I think that's what's it's called and my server got me a sampler ... definitely I went with something else . We ordered few dips and appetizers and 2 entrees! Everything was delicious! To end the night we got the Krembo dessert and OMG it's a must try !! Can't wait to ge back soon !!

The food here was tasty, but the service was what really stood out. Attentive, friendly…read moreknowledgeable staff who did not make us feel rushed and paced the food out nicely. They were happy to chat with us without forcing conversation. As a group of 3 we ordered the traditional hummus, whipped bulgarian feta, beet tahini, the cucumber labne, falafel, pan fried halloumi and baklava apple pie for dessert. The group was not what I would call big eaters so we had leftovers (we likely should have ordered 1 less dish), they recommend 2-3 dishes per person (dips and meze). The hummus was decent, but I would not feel the need to order it again, the bulgarian feta was delicious and was tied with best dish of the night with the falafel. The falafel had perfect texture, crispy on the outside without cutting your mouth and soft on the inside. The beet tahini just tasted like beets and nothing else so I would not get that again. The cucumber labne was tasty and the halloumi was the only dish I took a bite of and would not take another. The texture of the cheese was rubbery, so despite having a crunchy exterior and delicious sauce underneath, I found the halloumi to be extremely disappointing. I am not a chef, but if they simply grilled the halloumi and served it on top of the sauce I think it would be much better. Desserts are not my thing but my friends enjoyed it even though they admitted the baklava apple pie was painfully sweet. I liked that it came with labne ice cream to make it a bit different. Overall it was a nice meal, the ambiance is modern and clean and the service was fantastic. A good spot for a nice dinner out.

One of my favorite restaurants is Peace Bakery & Deli. This place is one of those true Austin gems…read more It's casual, friendly, and serving seriously flavorful Middle Eastern food. For my main dishes, I usually go with the lamb shank and sometimes the beef shawarma. The lamb shank was fall-off-the-bone tender, rich, and perfectly seasoned. It comes with a generous portion of rice that soaks up all those savory gravy, making every bite incredibly satisfying. The beef shawarma is thinly sliced, well-marinated, and packed with that classic shawarma flavor. It had the perfect balance of spices, and the portion size was no joke. Paired with their fresh pita and sides, it's easily one of the best shawarmas I've had in Austin. My favorite sides are the potatoes (must get), beet salad, tabouleh, hummus, and babaganoush. Pro-tip: ask for half sides, so basically you can choose up to 4 things instead of 2 full regular sides. The half side portions end up to be almost a full sized side. Pita comes with the meals and their desserts are good too. Service is quick, and the staff is kind. Whether you're grabbing something to-go or sitting down for a hearty meal, Peace Bakery & Deli is a must-try for anyone who loves Middle Eastern cuisine. I'll definitely be back to work my way through the rest of the menu!

Yummm definitely recommend So many options to pick from n…read morebuild your own plate Super flavorful n hearty serving sizes Customer service is kind n always friendly Inside is homey nothing fancy just a homey feeling Clean n lots of seating Prices are reasonable depending on what u get u can easily share a mixed plate DELISH deserts !!! They have coffee to go along but it is super strong like an espresso

Excellent breakfast. Eggs were very tasty. Substitutions were easy…read more Service was great. Christian was a superior server on all levels. Ambiance was great also. Weather permitting, definitely dine outdoors. Love The Peacock #grackles

Let's start with the good. The place is beautiful and quite a scene…read more The rest was more medium, given the price. The service was proficient but noting special. Unfortunately, so was the food. We tried the brisket hummus-- which seemed to have all the right ingredients but was lacking that something special. We had the dumplings, which were really fantastic. We had the lamb kebab, which was somewhat dry and bland. I also got one of their signature cocktails, which felt a bit thin. Overall, nothing really wrong, just high expectations that just weren't really met.

The food, everything, was very good. I had the Shish Tawook (chicken) with tabbouleh and hummus…read more The tabbouleh was fantastic! I don't know if it was authentic or not, but it was so good! The staff member that I dealt with was personable, pleasant, etc. Only one negative--I wish I could give the place a 4.5, but I don't think a 4 is fair--After I indicated that I was finished eating and ready for the bill (maybe I didn't communicate it so clearly?), it seemed to take quite a while before they came with the check. Otherwise, great food! (I did not try the hookah at all.) Oh, I forgot to mention: I was served a bottle of spring water rather than a bottle of "purified" water. That was fairly impressive.

All day Friday I was snacking. Mezze Cafe was one of my snack stops. I was told by a friend that…read morethey have the most delicious homemade hummus. So I ordered their hummus. My friend was spot on. You could tell that the hummus was homemade as it was thick and substantial to eat. It also had some extra virgin oil and some tasty spices. To be honest, I was not crazy about the accompanying pita bread. While it was plentiful, the pita bread was a bit hard. It did not appear homemade, as I expected. Moe, my server, was very attentive and brought my hummus rather quickly. While my hummus was $8, there were built automatic tips up 30%. You could opt to do no tip or a custom tip. Never seen a tip automatically built to that large percent. Their parking lot was a bit small, but was free for customers. I did enjoy my hummus and would recommend it. However, I would ask for crackers to accompany the hummus.

food is amazing! serving size: amazing! employees? amazing! the restaurant validates parking just…read moreask the cashier :) zero complaints. i loved it!

I ordered from the kebab shop through uber eats. I had the bowl and then also tried their falafel…read moreand hummus. The falafel and hummus were great. The bowl was only okay. The chicken was a little weird and I avoided it. The bowl overall had a little bit of a strange chemical ish taste. I don't regret trying it and wouldn't be opposed to trying again. Not a must have though.

Probably one of the most underrated Mediterranean restaurants in town! We've been a few times, and…read moreit's always delicious with great service. The interior design is warm and pleasant, the hummus is wonderful and the lamb chops were a delight. It's a bit of a hidden gem, and while I'd love to gate keep, more people need to know how good this spot is.

I met some friends for an early dinner at Gracia Mediterranean this past weekend. Since we were…read morethere early, the place was pretty empty so we were seated at a nice booth/table near the bar. Our server gave us great suggestions and helped us make yummy choices. My friends had mocktails and I had the beet cocktail with alcohol. My friends forgot I like to take photos for my reviews so some of the photos of the items we ordered we started eating before I took them so they show as half eaten in the photos I shared (haha)...must have been good! I was also happy to discover they are on the InKind app so I was able to use some credits I had available to help pay the bill. I look forward to going back again to try more items!