Just what we were looking for before a musical at the Academy of Music. We just ended up ordering 6 different apps during happy hour and every plate was delicious. And kudos to our server Arijana who was very friendly and helpful with all of our selections. The decor and layout was also well appointed. We will definitely return to this spot. read more

What a great dinner at Dear Daphni. It has a clean, bright look with the lights dimmed. Very attentive service and everything we had was prepared perfectly - good taste. Favorites - salmon kebab - chicken though kebab: juicy with appropriate spice - hamachi crudo - tuna tartare: which it was larger Even typical items had a good amount of seasoning which was not overpowering like the grilled broccoli and turkish pilaf read more

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Service - Atrocious... had to wait 40 min for mains after appetizers were brought out. To make up for that, the server gave us a side of broccoli. Seriously ? Food - Pide or what they call Georgian bread was great. Side of broccoli was nice with a chargrilled flavor and hummus. Mante or what they call Turkish dumpling was a tiny portion and avg at best. Short rib was very salty, almost non-edible. Octopus was more garnish than actual octopus. Lamb chops were above average but not great. Skipped dessert because of such the long wait. Atmosphere - Very pleasant but doesn't really go with the type of food being served. More groups of ladies than couples etc. Nice outdoor seating. Beverage - Poor wine by glass and beer options. Overall - I wanted this place to be a success given my affinity for anything Mediterranean / Middle Eastern, but I give it another year or two max if they don't tighten up their service and increase portion size and correct seasoning. read more

Dear Daphni - Menu - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Overall a 4. The food was amazing. The Turkish dumplings and the salmon kabob are indeed a food memory! Servers a very knowledge of the menu, knowledgeable of the history of the restaurant, provide great recommends, and are attentive. The lighting sets a great mood, the music is great, the patio doors are open when the temperature is right, and the big blue door seems to transport you into a different place. Pricing is a little expensive, but food quality, and atmosphere absolutely makes up for it. There are a variety of dishes and dips that challenge your food knowledge. And the story of the naming of the restaurant is intriguing. read more

This was my first time at Dear Daphne and the space was wonderful! It's huge inside, super well decorated, and they have a nice outdoor dining space on the sidewalk with an open window concept. Reservations were easy to make and they have happy hour every day (but you can't make a reservation for it). We got the mezze plate, which I think is the main thing almost every table orders. It was the best thing we ate that night! We also got the Turkish dumplings, lamb shake and short rib dishes. Overall, everything was really good, and I'd definitely come back. They have a larger mocktail menu, too which was nice. read more

Dear Daphni - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The first time I came here they had a 3 course meal with every main, as in the tray of mezze spreads and a bite of ice cream were included. Since then, their prices for the mains have decreased slightly, but everything is separate, and their food isn't that impressive. Honestly, the mains are also the most disappointing part. We still ordered the spreads - they are great and come with complimentary naan refills. I got the eggplant main again, mostly because everything else sounded mediocre or extremely overpriced, and was slightly annoyed to find that we had to order the pilaf separately - this was by FAR the best thing from last time. We didn't order dessert, though they brought a small scoop of ice cream for our friend whose birthday we were celebrating. Overall, everything here is fine but not amazing, and I miss the feeling of getting a great value, 3 course meal from our first visit. There's so much incredible Mediterranean food in Philly that I won't come back here unless other people are pushing for it, but it's fine for cute ambiance on a night out. read more

Dear Daphni - Mezze platter (center), rice included with the mains, and eggplant main - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

First show out to our AMAZING server Linda!!! She was the absolute highlight of the evening from her amazing suggestions and welcoming service, she was so attentive and kind!! Dear Daphni in Philadelphia is a true gem for Mediterranean cuisine. From the moment you walk in, the space captivates with its beautiful design, intimate dim lighting, and light background music, creating a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. We started with the Persian Palomas, which were refreshing and delightful. For appetizers, the Greek salad was incredible as always, and the Persian dumplings were very tasty, though not quite a standout. For our main courses, the lamb chops were perfectly juicy and tender, with a sauce that complemented them beautifully. The grilled chicken had a perfect char while staying juicy and flavorful. We paired these with the rice pilaf and broccoli, which were the ideal accompaniments. The service was exceptional, our waitress even treated us to some complimentary pita bread, a lovely touch of true hospitality. I would absolutely recommend Dear Daphni and can't wait to return! read more

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The place is gorgeously designed with great ambiance. Unfortunately the food was very mediocre. Everything we ordered was decent but not one dish was great or even above average. Loved the booths, bar and how they can open it up to outdoors. I'd recommend it for drinks and a lite snack but price is fine dining while food is not. read more

Dear Daphni - Restaurant view upon entrance - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Went for happy hour and snagged bar seats. The Turkish dumplings were cold and tasted like Chef Boyardee. However, the Turkish coffee espresso martini (not on HH menu) made up for it. My husband had a Marrakesh Mule off the HH menu and that was a refreshing drink. The bartenders were attentive. I have tried the dips previously at Harp & Crown when they were previewing Dear Daphne and they were excellent. I would come back and give it a chance for dinner. read more

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Came for Restaurant week. The calamari was so good. The platter of dips and endless pita was very easy to fill up on but glad I saved room for the lamb shank and had room for the strawberry soft serve. Warm atmosphere, seating, lights. Cocktails tasty too read more

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Very nice happy hour experience with stunning interior, long happy hour menu of drinks and food! Got to try a bunch of things off the menu. Pork shawarma was a favorite, in addition to the daily special muhammara. Favorite drink was actually a non alcoholic from the regular menu, spicy apple with lime was so refreshing read more

Great experience! I came here to celebrate my mom's birthday and we were not disappointed. The mezze tray is a bit pricey, but they offer unlimited bread refills, which was nice. Honestly, a lot of the dishes are on the pricier side, but they were delicious. Some were a little oily, and my stomach felt it later, but the flavors were great. We couldn't stop eating the mezze--that was our downfall because we got super full from it. I split the kebab sampler and it was delicious, definitely recommend it. Just keep in mind the meat can be a bit oily. My mom is vegetarian and didn't have a ton of options for main dishes, but she really enjoyed her eggplant dish, the filo saganaki, and the mezze and that was great. Our waitress was super kind and did a great job. The hostess seemed a bit distracted, and it would've been nice to be acknowledged when we arrived, but it wasn't a huge deal. Shout out to the manager as well, who checked in on us. Finally, I definitely recommend the chocolate banana tahini ice cream- it's superb! Overall, I would definitely come back, the ambiance is great and so is the decor, giving great vibes. read more

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My boyfriend and I weren't even planning to eat here we were wandering around the city, saw the outdoor seating, and couldn't resist. To our luck, it was prime happy hour, so we had no choice but to check it out. Once I realized it was Dear Daphni, I was extra excited since it had been on my list for a while + the restaurant was nearly empty during our visit. We ordered a spread of dishes to share. The Moroccan meatballs were flavorful, though the sweetness caught me off guard. The chicken kebab had great flavor too, but the portion was small and the yogurt taste was a little overpowering. The shawarma was hands down the star of the night, so delicious I almost ordered it twice, and honestly I'm craving it again as I write this. Our server told us the areyes were the most popular, they were good but not something I'd choose over the other dishes. The Turkish dumplings were a totally new experience for me: I loved the flavor but struggled with the texture, and I think I'd like it more in a crispier form. I didn't get to try any cocktails since I didn't have my ID on me, but my boyfriend really enjoyed the beer. Overall, it was such a fun and spontaneous stop, with a mix of hits and a few misses, but the shawarma alone will definitely bring me back. read more

Dear Daphni - Areyes - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This place use to be a really good value. They offered mezze and a dessert when an entree was ordered. As of recently, they have stopped this option (thus my rating reflects this recent change). When I went, they had just changed this over and it wasn't updated on the website. Instead of giving me the mezze, they ended up just comping me a dessert. The mezze had 7 dips. I do admit, some of their dips are pretty amazing and it is nice that you can ask for more dip or pita. The pita is so warm and fresh when it is delivered to the table. The first time I went, I got the Tunisian lamb shank. I usually hate lamb but this lamb was very tasty. I really liked the harissa on this dish. The service here is quick and the servers are very friendly. They are also easy to talk to about what might be good on the menu to try. I also like how there was a small scoop of soft serve ice cream (they make this in house) at the end [this addition with purchase of entree was discontinued per last visit]. Overall, the food quality and tastes are pretty good. I would say this restaurant does have steep competition from Zahav and Laser Wolf. Both of which I think are better than Dear Daphni. read more

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Swung by Dear Daphni for an early Sunday Happy Hour and it did not disappoint! The Bees Knees cocktails were yummy (and strong!) and only $7. The appetizers were all pretty good but the meatball dish was so good that we ordered another one! The chicken kebab was very flavorful and tender. The salmon crudo was really refreshing and the chips they are served with were excellent. The dumplings were nice too. I would definitely come back with a larger group to try more. Service was just OK but the decor made up for it! :-) read more

Dear Daphni - Happy Hour Dumplings 9/10! - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Came in for happy hour and it's some of the best in town. The chicken kebab and dips are so good. We also tried the potatoes and halumi all good flavors. I will definitely return for dinner Finally some decent Mediterranean food in the area read more

Dear Daphni - Chicken kebab and beet dip - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Amazing! Great cocktails and delicious kebabs- love the cute vibe and great food and service!

I came during Center City Sips and it was a robust crowd at the bar and tables! The aesthetic is pretty and is an open concept! The sips menu has various options and prices were comparable to other restaurants in the area! The noise level was high and when the restaurant became busier, the service was not as attentive! I look forward to coming back for dinner to explore menu options! read more

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A friend & I went for happy hour, if you sit at the table for happy hour I believe they limit you to an hour. The drinks were good - I got a mule and my friend got the birds & bees cocktail. Food was fine, the shawarma stood out to me the most, and the dip of the day was made with smoked beets which was pretty good too. Overall not a bad place to go for happy hour! read more

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I was so blown away by the beautiful interior when I stepped inside of this place. It lived up to what I saw from outside. The food itself is pretty good but pretty pricey as others have mentioned. Between 2 people who have medium appetites, you could probably get away with 1 entree and the mezze since they bring you pita. I would definitely keep this place in the happy hour rotation but would save meals for special occasions. In terms of service, our waiter was very attentive and refilled our drinks throughout dinner without us having to ask. read more

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This was such a happy detour. We were originally planning on going to a different restaurant but loved the outdoor appeal of this place without even know what type of food it was. Everything was a hit! I'm not sure how they got the chicken to melt in your mouth but that and the flavor were divine. Broccoli in tahini was something I didn't I need and the mezze was chef kiss. Drinks were icing on the cake. I can't wait to come back. read more

Dear Daphni - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We were headed somewhere else but as my friend and I walked past this place, I said. "Hey! Would you be up for checking this place out?" I've had this place in my view for a while and I'm so glad we pivoted to this lovely restaurant. First off, ambiance! So good! In the summer, outside tables for city viewing with big open picture windows so if you are inclined there is inside/outside dining all at once. I love that! We were seated outside and I'm happy to report, you can order from the happy hour menu even if you are not at the bar! We got happy hour drinks but opted for the dinner menu. My friend ordered the chicken and I got the pork belly shawarma. Holy. Moly. Delicious! Every meat was juicy, flavorful and succulent. That chicken! And that pork! One of the best meals I've had in a very long time. They also let us order drinks off of the happy hour menu, hummus and pita off of the happy hour menu and dinner off of the regular menu. The diner comes first here. I recommend this beautiful place and food 100 percent! read more

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Planned to go to a different restaurant tonight before Helium but we saw that Dear Daphni had all of their doors and windows open. It was 70 degrees out, so we came here. Arianna was amazing, the whole staff was amazing, and the food was unreal. We got this grilled Bibb salad that I could have bathed in, and the kebabs were insanely flavorful. Arianna made it a point to make really thoughtful recommendations, which we loved. Definitely coming back again. read more

Dear Daphni - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

When you come to Dear Daphni, you're paying more for the ambience than anything else. Don't get me wrong, the food here is good. I just don't think it's good enough to make its price-point as high as what this place charges. My friend and I ordered Turkish Dumplings, lamb shanks, calamari, and Turkish Pilaf on the side. The calamari was definitely the star of the show since the citrusy sauce and texture were both on-point. Lamb shank, while tender and good, wasn't anything memorable. Same with the Turkish Pilaf. That ambience though. As soon as you walk in, you can't help but fall in love with the beautiful setting. I love the natural lighting through the floor-to-ceiling windows that were adorned with light curtains, and the colorful seatings added a charming and playful element to the interior of the place. Service here was adequate, but I felt a bit rushed at times since I believe they were trying to clear the tables for the incoming waves of diners looking to get a piece of that Dear Daphni dining experience. Overall, I'd recommend this place for special occasions rather than a casual dinner. read more

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Wow, the Schulson Collective has done it again! The atmosphere is buzzing (VERY LOUD at 7 on a Saturday in the summer). The design is beautiful. The servers are kind and responsive. Ours seemed a little scattered but very apologetic. She also didn't offer us dessert which seemed strange considering they were serving it. Let's chalk it up to a rough day. This bartender is skilled and all of us were impressed by the cocktails. They can do The Bee's Knees! For gluten sensitive: grill and fryer are shared with glutinous foods so there is cross-contamination for kebabs, Lebanese potatoes, and one of the mezze dips. GF items worth your time: Moroccan Meatballs, Hamachi Crudo, mezze sampler of dips (with a generous helping of hearty crackers AND crudite), Greek salad, Whole Branzino. Today the kebab sampler was 1 Chicken thigh, 1 Salmon, and 4 Lamb so we opted for more variety. Again, kebab not Celiac-friendly. I'm going back. read more

Dear Daphni - For those with a gluten or pita sensitivity, they provide both crackers and crudite for the mezze dips. - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Another great Mediterranean spot in Philly! I love the classy interior and the food and drinks were great too. The espresso Turk-tini, their version of an espresso martini, was delicious and was a great mix of bold coffee and had the perfect amount of alcohol in it. The mezze was delicious--the dips had a lot of variety in flavor, from spicy, to sweet, to punchy and tangy. I enjoyed all the dips and even took some home! We also got the chicken and salmon kebabs which were cooked perfectly and very juicy. They have a great selection of sauces as well, and our waitress was super kind in helping us choose the best sauces to pair with the kebabs. Overall a great spot! read more

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Stopped by for a night cap! Our bartender made the best dirty martini rice had in a while! Can't wait to go back and try the food!! read more

Dear Daphni - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Stopped in for happy hour. The space is beautiful and comfortable. Birds & Bees cocktail was perfect for a hot day. The food was a bit underwhelming, I was hoping for better. Nothing was amazing but nothing bad. The hummus was good, standard stuff. The dip of the day (I forget the name, a red pepper dip with nuts) was meh, not a bit fan. The filo saganaki was yummy. My favorite was the shawarma, very good seasoning and flavor. Unfortunately the shawarma had two cubes of straight fat mixed in with the pork pieces. I ate one and left the other on the plate to show my server. Speaking of my server, she was great. Simron was cheery and laid back. Sometimes Schulson servers can make it feel like a chain restaurant and be uptight robots. Simron was not that, instead just chill. Managers were friendly and made their rounds checking in. I would give the food 3 stars but the decor and service helped, so 4 stars it is. I'm always amazed when a chef owned restaurant like this doesn't have better food. In this case, the service outdid the kitchen and redeemed Dear Daphni. read more

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Highly recommend this place if you like places like Suraya and this type of cuisine. They have a beautiful large space with a nice ambiance. The menu was Interesting and the food was really good.. the service was also really good read more

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Heard such amazing things about this place so snagged a reservation! The vibes were immaculate. Beautiful restaurant, amazing service! Our waiter was such amazing, easily connecting other tables to conversations we had with him and had great recs! We somehow ended up there for restaurant week, so win for us lol! Mezze is legitimately one of the best I have had. Rest of the food we had, kebabs, tuna, chicken and we ordered the lamb off restaurant week menu were good just nothing to write home about. The drinks were exceptional! I think the food at almyra is better but the drinks are better here. But I would most definitely stop by for mezze and drinks again anytime! read more

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Good mediterranean food! Service was rather slow considering there wasn't many people in the restaurant, but the food was very good especially the platter of dips and sides. read more

Dear Daphni - lamb kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I really wanted to like Dear Daphni as I had been begging my partner to come for months. However, I felt as though our waiter was unkind to us and was rushing us the entire time. I did not have outstanding service and our food took forever to come out. I was disappointed to hear that the mezze platter wasn't included as older reviews indicated this, however I was informed this was to get people to visit the restaurant when it first opened. With many similar priced restaurants in the area including the platter, I was a little confused but grateful we were able to request additional pita when we finished ours. However, due to the wait times as our server came rather infrequently, it wasn't worth it for us to get the additional pita in the end. Their food, however, was delicious and I truly believe the restaurant just needs some time to settle in. read more

Dear Daphni - Mezze Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Finally had the opportunity to try Dear Daphni this week. I went for the happy hour for the prices and ability to try more menu features. 1. The Drinks - relatively small happy hour drink menu, but the two cocktails were great and Grillo draft wine was light and on the drier side (which is my preference). 2. The service - staff was attentive, pleasant and really elevated the experience. Even during a busy happy hour time our waitress made sure to check in and make sure our food was on the way during a small delay. 3. The ambiance - fantastic! The weather just warmed up and they opened the side doors to create an inside-outside hybrid. The inside is modern and be try elevated. They also have clean, individual bathrooms. 4. The food - I have some mixed opinions here. The salmon tartare, chips, Turkish meatballs (small but decadent) were great! The kebabs and meatballs were a bit tough and nothing special, but good if you are in the mood for a heartier protein. They have decent happy hour prices so I was not expecting anything crazy, though the plates were quite small. I definitely plan to come back and try the standard menu and see if my opinion of the proteins change. All around this is a solid new happy hour, would recommend stopping by for the vibes and good happy hour prices. However, the food is not quite replacing any of my Philly happy hour favorites just yet. More like 3.5/5 but can't give a half-star! read more

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A great happy hour in Philly! The interior is very nice and looks very aesthetically pleasing. We came during happy hour, and tried all the vegetarian dishes on happy hour including the saganaki, both dips, the chips. These are all very good and we really liked the dip of the day. Wish there were more vegetarian options on happy hour. The drinks for happy hour were both really good and would come back for that any day! read more

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We were so excited to try Schulson's new spot, but unfortunately I think it missed the mark and has some more growing pains to work out. Ambiance and decor are lovely, but the food just isn't on par with the rest of the collection. Cocktails were fine but nothing exciting either. The food was good, but nothing earth-shattering that I need to go get again immediately. For apps - complimentary mezze was great (and such a good idea!), just could've used a few more pieces of pita. Same with the tuna tartare starter - it was fine, just needed more chips as a vessel to eat with. Filo saganaki was tasty, but very sweet. Hamachi crudo was lovely! Unfortunately, the entrees were incredibly overpriced and not up to par either. The salmon kebabs were probably the best of the three we ordered. The filet was cooked inconsistently, some pieces were well-done while others were medium rare. The biggest disappointment was the branzino; we specifically asked if it would be deboned, fileted and if the head/tail would be removed (due to one of my friends being off-put by the head and tail), but it was not after being assured it would be just the filet. The complimentary rice pilaf was dry, tasteless and forgettable. Finally, the complimentary soft serve is a great idea, but wasn't anything exciting. Service was decent. Our waiter was nice and attentive outside the branzino debacle. There was a manager walking around who checked in often and bizarrely asked if we were getting dessert before we even had our entrees. Towards the end of our entrees (and after we ordered another round of drinks), it was clear that they were in need of tables as people with reservations were piling up at the front, and the hostess very clearly pointed at us numerous times. At that point we started feeling a little rushed despite having just ordered more. Lastly, I'll echo other comments on the bathroom. There is one communal sink with one faucet, then 3 individual stalls. My particular stall had its own sink, but no paper towels anywhere, so I had to use the communal sink anyway. Somewhat of a bizarre setup. Overall, I really hope these are just growing pains that will get ironed out! Will definitely try again, but will probably wait a bit. read more

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Good happy hour food & drinks. Best was the meatballs & Filo. Great service. Nice ambience too

We went for restaurant week dinner at Dear Daphni. The decor was cute but there were a few details with kind of bother us but overall good vibes and I did not based any part of my review on slight blemishes on the decor. Mezze was actually pretty solid. I quite like the eggplants. It was slightly sweet and lovely so that was a standout to me. The other Mezze items were also good but not as memorable for me. My friends and I ordered the Paloma. I thought it was good, but not a standout. Other people in the group liked it quite a lot more than I did. Another friend ordered the Old Fashion and it was good with a nice pour. I also didn't think it was a standout out fashion but it was solid However, when the main kebabs that we got for dinner came out. I was not particularly impressed with any of them. Salmon is was not good. Chicken was the best, lamb was loose and not great. read more

Dear Daphni - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Place was crowded and loud when we came. Not a great place to have intimate discussion unless you're at the bar. The restaurant recently changed their menu. They no longer include the mezzes with their entrees. The waitress never mentioned any of this but she was already overwhelmed due to covering a lot of customers. $69 for the assorted kebab sampler is way too pricey and limited. So we ordered the mezzes and enjoyed the dips, especially the spicy red dip and the beet dip. They included 4 slices of bread and charged a $1 per slice extra. This went against the norms set by other similar Israel restaurants. The strawberry pistachio ice cream was crunchy and sweet. The chocolate banana ice cream was fantastic with its smooth chocolate flavors and hints of banana. Overall experience was basic and didn't warrant the hype or price. Zahav remains our top Philly choice. read more

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Ambience is welcoming and cozy with a dimly lit interior. Servers were attentive and very helpful. It wasn't too crowded on a Sunday night. I'd say this is a top notch restaurant having recently opened. Everything was impeccable. Each entree or kebab is served with mezze, rice pilaf, and soft serve dessert. You get a lot of food with each dish! The spreads were extremely flavorful served with warm pita. The portions were great for 2 and there was plenty of dip left to eat with the appetizers and main course. The tabbouleh bean salad was nice. There are a lot of fish and meat options. We got the brown butter cabbage seasoned with dill and garlic. It was a little hard to cut and eat as it was served as one large piece. The toum sauce paired well with it. The tahini and chocolate fig soft serve were sensational and the perfect dessert for this delectable meal. This place is definitely worth trying for a unique culinary experience! read more

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Trendy fun atmosphere and our service was great despite it being open only for a week! Great salads but the concept of mezze coming with the entree isn't my favorite. I would rather order 3 good mezze instead of getting a tiny amount of 7 mediocre ones. The eggplant and beet mezze were amazing while others were grossly overstated. While the thicker and heartier pita wasn't bad, it could not compare to the fluffy pillows of nearby neighbor dizengoff. The filet entree was good not great. The hamachi crudo was over seasoned (and i promise i love seasoning!) The dessert - soft serves were a cute touch. The flavors were vanilla tahini and chocolate fig. There also was a nice lemon sorbet as an alternative. I wish there was an actual dessert menu. Overall, another decent Mediterranean place in Center City, but not the best! read more

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