This is such a hidden gem! My first time here was for an event, and I was so pleasantly surprised. The space was very unique, with a little Moroccan store with dresses, little knickknacks, and even some perfumes. The space is huge, and they have a little private area for prayers. They have a very large space that can be partitioned for privacy or events. The food was delicious & the service was wonderful, even with the large party & the others using the restaurant. read more

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I wanted to like this place more than I did. For starters, I never would have noticed it had I not stayed in the hotel next door. It's set far from the road in a nondescript stucco two story. Windows are darkened so you can't see in. But reviews on yelp looked promising. Food was very good. I am not knowledgeable of Moroccan cuisine but seemed authentic and freshly made. Service - extremely friendly and personable. But I was alone, there were only three other tables occupied, and I had water, one course, and dessert...and I was there for 90 minutes. Again everything seemed freshly made so that may just be what's needed but it was a little long to sit alone Decor is initially impressive, colorful and on theme. But on closer inspection the tablecloths are thick vinyl - mine had what appeared to be a cigarette hole burned into it - and the clear glass vases had cheap fake plastic flowers in them. I was seated in the center with standard chairs but tables along the walls had banquets with overstuffed Moroccan pillows and velvet upholstery. One table had a pair of beautiful green velvet Chesterfield sofas. There's a little shop in the back but had I not read about it in a review I wouldn't have noticed as it was behind one of the tables and from a distance just looked like more decor. There's a stage with a video screen which showed music videos while I was there but assume live music must be available certain nights. There's a hookah lounge attached but seemed independent and no mention of it was made. read more

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We went during Ramadan and had the iftar set menu as well as an entree to share. The iftar set menu came with harira, msemen, and other Moroccan delicacies that are eaten to break your fast. Everything was absolutely amazing. My wife is Moroccan and she approved! We were getting really full honestly but next was the lamb tajine! Loved it! The bread was fresh and lamb was tasty! Can't end any Moroccan meal without Moroccan Mint Tea; hot, fresh, and delicious! Our server was also amazing. They had en event going on inside for kids so we sat outside, but the ambiance inside is very Moroccan and decorated well. read more

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Emerald is a Moroccan restaurant filled with traditional decor from on the walls to the seating. The service we found mixed. The waiter was sincere and friendly, but it is not the normal American standard of being attentive and fast. We sat for a while before first being seen, orders taken, and a very long time to get the check. It was nearly a 2 hour dinner which I'm not used to. The food was fantastic. We enjoyed the appetizer sampler, the salads, and all of the great meats and kababs. I highly recommend visiting for the great food and unique experience, but plan to be there a long time. read more

The food here is excellent and the service is very professional. My order got goofed slightly but it's hard to be upset when the servers are so polite and courteous with everything. I asked for the most traditionally Moroccan dish they had and was recommended the lamb tangine. It's legitimately one of the best things I've ever tasted. It's a whole lamb shank cooked until the meat falls off the bone in a slightly sweet broth with chopped almonds, sesame seeds, apricot, and plum. It's a truly unique flavor that tasted great and feels hearty. The starter sampler was pretty good as well. Everything is made in house. The interior is very lively and memorable. It's not like any restaurant interior we're used to in this country and it doubles as a hookah lounge. The space and the food really help to transport you to North Africa for a night. The one thing I do have to ding this place for is the weird policy on water. They don't serve filtered tap here and instead charge $3 a bottle. To their credit they graciously refunded me for water when I expressed my surprise at how much they were billing, but this is something that really needs to be addressed. Water may be valuable in a dry place like North Africa but charging for water in an upscale sit down restaurant in the state of Florida where water is abundant and cheap is a joke. If it was $1 for the privilege of drinking bottled instead of filtered tap I would have been fine with it but $3 a bottle over the course of a meal is insulting. It really is the difference between wanting to come here every night because the food and service is so good and never wanting to come here again because 20% of my tab is just the water bill. If you decide to stop here for a meal, enjoy the food, but don't order anything too dry and salty and don't come thirsty. read more

Emerald Restaurant Orlando - FAMILY STYLE SAMPLER - Mediterranean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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I recently visited Emerald with a large party containing multiple gluten free eaters. While they were able to accommodate, there was some confusion about whether we could eat rice- it made me doubt whether the staff was really knowledgeable about this dietary restriction. The lamb tagine, sans rice, was good but not remarkable. The vegetables served on the side were a basic frozen veggie Asian mix with water chestnuts, broccoli, and carrot- a little odd. Ambiance was cozy and intimate, with cushioned seating. read more

I just ordered takeout from there and I was really disappointed. I tried to call ahead three times so I could just pick up an order but they never answered. When I went in person to go place an order for takeout, no one greeted me and I had to go track someone down to actually place an order. They charged me three dollars for a side of garlic sauce, which is probably no more than a tablespoon. I tried one of the fries before I left and they were the most underseasoned, undercooked, soggy, sad potatoes I've ever tasted. I trusted yelp because they had a four-star review but today yelp did me dirty. Note: I was very hangry when I wrote this. That definitely did not the situation . read more

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great Service with delicious food love everything about that place. Great Moroccan entertainment and environment that reminds me of the country read more

It's been a long time since i have enjoyed Moroccan food. Last time was while i was stationed in Turkey. And they also speak French so that made it a lot of fun to speak it again. Anyways, unlike American food, it's all natural and made fresh daily. The oils and spices amongst other items are sourced from Morocco. So the food taste fresher and healthier. The meat are source from organic farmers. It isn't a fast food place. They made us feel like family and not rushed. Some say it's over price, but they have no clue they what they are eating is made fresh daily and worth the price. The authentic atmosphere is pretty cool too, and the merchandise shop has many import items also and they can ship it . Anyways, my wife and I really enjoyed ourselves. Oh yeah -- The desserts where awesome and the Chai Tea, not from tea bags. Actually real tea leaves. Thank you Nabil and Youssef. Bruno . . . read more

Stopped in and the food was amazing!!! The lemon chicken tagine was to die for, tasted so authentic and homemade! I highly recommend this spot for really good Moroccan food. read more

Emerald Restaurant Orlando - Mediterranean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Went to this place around 9.30 pm to try hummus as I was craving it. However, they were out of it. We just had coke soda which was priced at $4 and we ended up leaving the place. The server was very polite. The ambiance was decent. There is plenty of parking spots as it's located in a plaza. read more

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Was in Orlando for a conference at the renaissance Hotel and convention Center. I needed a break from the banquet food that was being served. Saw this traditional Moroccan restaurant that was minutes away from the hotel and decided to have a meal. I did go on a Saturday afternoon at noon, I was the only person there the entire time. It seems the restaurant is busier later in the day after 4 PM. I enjoyed a full course meal, which also included traditional Moroccan mint tea. I would come back when I'm in town. read more

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We were in Orlando for a business conference looking for a casual, interesting restaurant for dinner. I came across Emerald and read good reviews about this place. The restaurant is tucked in a courtyard next to Four Points. It is a spacious place but on Monday night around 6:30pm, it was empty. The decor was nice with Arabic music playing in the background. Menu was simple. There were three Tajine choices. Unfortunately, the lamb tajine that I wanted was not available. So we went for the chicken and kofta. My friend is a vegetarian so he had the falafel sandwich. We also ordered the murgez and baba gahnosh as appetizer and a bowl of lentil soup. Overall, the flavor was good but they were not memorable. We were expecting something a bit richer, more aromatic. Or, more resemble home cooking. Thus, though we were full when left, we weren't satisfied. read more

Ambiance is nice. Service is kinda slow, when we went to the restaurant it was dead. Lambchops weren't seasoned well and over cooked, salad was good, baba ghanoush was good, Moroccan tea and lemonade was good too. The signature Morrocan dish should have been made with real potatoes not French fries, it's not supposed to be an Americanized platter. Baklava portion was rather small. A few tweaks and these flaws can easily be fixed. read more

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Food: incredible, beyond expectations, nice sized portions, awesome atmosphere and very good staff and great chef Service: prompt, attentive, careful, great delivery Ambiance: The Great Escape from regular daily life Highly recommend a visit to treat your taste buds!!!! Mmmm read more

Great food and great service ! Thank you for the complementary dessert!. We had a good time.

Absolutely terrible experience. I rarely leave bad reviews, but this service deserves a warning label. Not only was the service itself below average--unprofessional, slow, and disorganized--but I was shocked to find they charged me double the agreed price. When I questioned it, I got nothing but vague excuses and zero accountability. Either they're scamming customers or have no idea how to run a business. Either way, avoid at all costs. Total waste of time and money. read more

Walked past this place so many times when in town for work / trade shows. Always curious about it. Glad we finally tried it. Food was excellent, service was great if a bit slow... but I think that's just part of the culture experience. We were in a bit of a rush so next time (and there will be a next time) we will plan for more time to enjoy a relaxing and fantastic dinner. read more

Emerald Restaurant Orlando - Menu - Mediterranean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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No one tending the store. Walked in voiced loudly. That we were here. Even whistled, but you can hear the people that work in the back laughing. read more

Staff was great easy place to find next to sea world and all the tourists spots plenty of parking our server Moe was great will definitely be back again plenty of parking and we loved the inside decor traditional Moroccan restaurant I had the kefta Kabab sandwich it was great read more

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Went to emerald for a team dinner. The servers were very polite and helpful but the service was slow and a little all over the place. I believe they were short staffed and the restaurant was busy. We ordered a bunch of food that we shared. Everything was okay. The lamb tagine was not average. The mix platters were okay. The tea at the end was yummy but over all, it was an average experience. read more

Service was amazing and the food was somehow better. Treated and cooked for like family here.

Great food, great service, nice ambiance with comfy traditional seating. Lamb tagine and grape leaves were my favorites! At 10 they had live music (a dj and a singer) and belly dancing! The owners and staff were so friendly. My boyfriend and I had a lovely experience and would definitely return if we lived in the area. read more

Emerald Restaurant Orlando - Grape Leaves, appetizer sampler, lamb tagine. Lamb tagine was SO GOOD. - Mediterranean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

We randomly found this place on Yelp while visiting Orlando. Amazing hospitality from the entire staff! Had Casa Beer, mint blueberry hookah, grape leaves, lamb chops, Shish Tawook, Merguez, Moroccan pastries, knafa (so good!), and mint tea. You won't be disappointed! read more

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My neice and I are in from out of town! Saw the menu on line and decided to try something new. Saturday night 6-8-24, we arrived we were greeted very well at the door. Even cleaned a table we wanted to sit at without hesitation! I believe it may have been the owner (not sure) who welcomed us and asked how we ended up there. Our waiter, Mouad treated us very well! He gave us a lot of information on the history of the language and the country and recommended one of the Moroccans signature dish "Lamb Tagine". My Neice had a chicken and beef Kabob! Everything was fabulous and the portions are not small! The live music was awesome as well! I so highly recommend!! You won't regret it! Thank you for a fabulous evening!!! Much Love Thea and Melody read more

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Food was delicious, atmosphere was warm & inviting. Service was outstanding and friendly!!! read more

Emerald Restaurant Orlando - Knafa dessert...my mouth has rarely been so happy! - Mediterranean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Emerald and chef Omar from Taste du Maroc recently hosted my Birthday. And what a surprise they set up my table which looked stunning by Ahlam Dreams The food was so good, delicious, home made, organic, farm to table it left my taste buds dancing all night with the selection that the chef made from Seafood to chicken Tajine and lamb Tanjia, Kefta Tajine all the food tasted home made just like my mother served on our table 30 years ago, it took me back to my family sitting around the table everyday except it was all served here in Orlando Florida at my reach everyday, no more excuses being busy with work and not having time to prepare our family's favorite food all I have to do is just make a reservation or order a to go order ready to eat served in my favorite Moroccan Dishes. The ambiance was amazing they had a a singer that sang all Moroccan and Arabic Favorite songs and an amazing Belly Dancer who spread her infectious joy to everyone and made the night so special. Thank you Emerald upscale restaurant Thank you Chef Omar Taste du Maroc Thank you Ahlam Dreams And thank you to all my friends for throwing me the best birthday party for years to remember read more

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The food isn't great. The staff isn't very nice. It's in a weird location. Three stars is generous.

I can not recommend Emerald highly enough. The service was kind and attentive. This is clearly a family restaurant where they take enormous pride in their delicious food. Portions were large and everything was outstanding. If you've not had Moroccan cuisine this is the place to go and if you already enjoy Moroccan food Emerald should be on your list of must go restaurants. read more

Found this charming place while searching for a non-chain, interesting dinner spot. It did not disappoint. We were pleasantly greeted and quickly seated. Our Moroccan waiter, Mo, was cheerful and attentive. The appetizer sampler platter and the kofta were delish. The chicken and beef shawarma was flavorful but a bit dry. Limited beer and wine menu but enough choices to do. Overall a very solid place. Would recommend. read more

Ambiance, friendly service and delicious food! What's not to love! Had my Daughter in law's birthday dinner there and they went out of their way to make it special. Everything we ate was delicious, tasted fresh and was more than we needed. Which meant yummy leftovers for the next day. read more

Emerald Restaurant Orlando - Moroccan Tea - Mediterranean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

I ordered the lemon chicken tajin and it was every bit as delicious as the tajin dishes in Fez, Marrakech, and Casablanca. I slowly savored each mouthwatering bite. What a delight to have authentic Moroccan cuisine as a dining option in Orlando! Service was top notch. And the mint tea will always make you smile. If I was local to Orlando, this place would be my favorite and one I would love to frequent with friends and family. It's perfect for a special occasion and most people dress up. That being said, my daughter and I came straight from the AAU National Volleyball Tournament and we decided to stop by even though we were underdressed in sports gear and we were treated with kindness by staff. I just couldn't resist stopping by- when else would I ever get the opportunity to share my favorite Moroccan dishes with my daughter? This restaurant is so much fun and makes a meal super memorable. Shukran! read more

Very high quality food; very healthy options too; outstanding service; wish we lived in Orlando as it would definitely be a place for meals on a frequent basis read more

The food was good here, not spectacular, but good. The ambiance is probably the best thing about the place, and from me, that is not a compliment. But the interior really is quite appealing. But let's get to the food and the service, because the service demands commentary. I had lentil soup, chicken shawarma with garlic sauce, rice, a skewer of grilled vegetables, and some baklava to finish things off. The lentil soup was very good, but it wasn't hot. Had it been hot, it could have been excellent. The chicken shawarma was served on what I would call a grilled pita, very flat, which I understand is the Arabic way of doing pita. It was good. The garlic sauce was quite runny compared to what I'm used to. It was also a bit lacking in flavor, again unlike garlic sauces I'm used to. I also prefer my pita fluffy and soft, but since I expected this kind of pita here, it wasn't a big deal. The rice was jasmine or similar, very good for rice. The baklava was good. It had pecans or perhaps walnuts in it, which I don't care for, but it was still good. I tried to skip those. This place would garner 4 stars from me but for 2 important factors. First, the service was good but the time it took was atrocious. I generally expected this from an Arabic place, since I recognize that Middle Eastern people tend to run at a slower pace than we Americans. Nevertheless, when one guy is waiting on a large restaurant all by himself, something is wrong. And when you are one of only three tables in the place and the service is still slow, something is wrong. A couple more tables were seated while I was eating, and one more at the very end, but these were very small parties. The gentleman waiting on me was extremely courteous and kind, but it was obvious he was in no hurry. I had ordered my baklava with the meal, but he asked me after clearing the entree dishes if I wanted dessert, so I reminded him I wanted baklava. Almost ten minutes later, it still hadn't arrived, so I caught him on his way across the restaurant and let him know I needed to leave. He then began apologizing profusely, telling me the kitchen was very busy. I don't see how it could be with so few occupied tables in the place, but maybe they do a robust takeout business? Regardless, can one not plan for this?? It was ridiculous for me to be in this place, as a solo traveler, for 90 minutes. And the final piece that took the cake was that when the check came, it had an automatic, already-charged 20% tip on it. I was amazed and very thankful I had seen it, because the credit card slip that came still had the obligatory tip line on it. Had I not looked over the itemized bill, I would have tipped him again, which would have resulted in a ridiculously disproportionate and foolish tip. I didn't see anything on the menu about obligatory/automatic tipping, though I could have missed it. But I have never seen automatic tipping on a bill or mentioned on a menu except in cases where you have a large party, such as of six or more. But I was eating alone! So to sum up, the ambiance here was great, the food was good, the service was good but painfully slow, and the automatic tip on the bill was annoyingly deceptive. Given all these things, I won't ever go back. I won't go so far as to say I don't recommend going there, but go in with eyes open, and read over your bill before you tip! read more

We came here for Mother's Day on May 11, 2025. The restaurant is beautiful and the server was polite. But we had some issues. We ordered an appetizer platter for the table. It was supposed to come with hummus, but what they gave us was clearly tahini. When we mentioned it, the server insisted it was hummus as if we wouldn't know. We let that pass. Then, my husband and I ordered the lemon chicken tangine. It came in a beautiful clay pot, but it was topped with French fries. WTH? I've *never* seen anything like that! We scraped off the fries and enjoyed the rest of the meal. Toward the end, the server came out with two beautiful full-sized desserts and said, "We have something special for the mothers!" It was delicious and we were made to feel very special. Until... we got home and looked closely at the receipt. They charged us for those two desserts. Granted, he never said they were free but he brought them out without us asking for them. What were we supposed to think? Then we noticed that they charged my daughter $20 for the $13 glass of wine she ordered. And they tacked on a 25% gratuity! We really wanted to like this place, but we felt mistreated and will never go back again. It's very strange that we had this experience and apparently no one else has noted anything like it in their reviews. I'm hoping it was not because we are black. Anyway... Our recommendation: Don't go. But if you do, ask questions, send back things that aren't right (like fake hummus) and check your receipt carefully before you leave. read more

Authentic Morrocan food, very good service. We ordered mixed grill platter, falafel, grape leave rolls, morrocan tea, lamb chops, and schwarma wrap. Everything was perfect. It was our friend's anniversary, we were a party of 12, everyone loved the food. The owner, Jalal, was very good. The Ambience was beautiful. They also played music to our taste. We highly recommend this place. read more

We just had such an amazing meal! The hummus was so smooth and creamy, the pita, warm soft. I had the lemon tangine chicken, perfectly cooked chicken, briney green olives, the pop of preserved lemon, it was spectacular. My husband had the mixed shwarma plate, and he said it was the best he could remember having (and he's lived in the Middle East). The service was very hospitable, and Chef Omar came out to check on us, as well. We will be back the next time we are in Orlando. Highly recommend eating here! read more

Went for dinner by myself while on business in Orlando. The service is good, and the food tastes fresh, but I think both the kibbeh and the chicken kabobs could have used more spices. The garlic sauce that came with the chicken was good. read more

Emerald Restaurant Orlando - Fried Kibbeh - Mediterranean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Nice ambiance and good service. My tangine wasn't what I expected and could've been better. However my dinner mate like their dish and it looked good. Will try again. read more

I enjoyed the food and the ambiance. The chicken shawarma was delicious. I would eat there again.