One of my favorite travel hosts, Samantha Brown, swears by strip mall food and let me tell you in…read morethis instance her advice is spot on! It is spacious with nice sized tables and comfortable chairs. It is brightly lit and appears very clean. There was one gentleman manning the counter and he is also the server. Nice guy - efficient, friendly. There seemed to be a lot of take out orders and the clientele was diverse. The food was excellent. From the dips to the pickled vegetables to the expertly grilled schwarma - yum! The hummus was a little different than I am used to, but it was still good. They have fresh strawberry juice. Seriously. And seriously good. And the price? Excellent for the quality. I cannot recommend this place enough. I will be back and maybe I will remember to take pictures this time.

This is my first time here, and I walked in very pleasantly surprised with the decor. Simple and…read moreyet, very charming, very Arabian. I read other reviews and immediately that I wanted to try their lemonade with mint, which was heavenly. It was extremely refreshing, not too sweet, not too sour, tiny chopped leaves of mint floating around like confetti. I ordered the lamb shank, a plate of pickles, and also ordered falafel and avocado dip to go. The lamb was very well seasoned and fall of the bone tender. The accompanying cucumber bits in yogurt sauce was refreshing. The side of mushrooms with carrots and corn kernels that came with the dish was mediocre, particularly since the consistency and look of the mushrooms looked like they came from a can, but I may be wrong. The plate of pickles was delightful. I will admit that I was very disappointed because I had read that lentil soup would be complementary with main dishes when anyone dined in until 4 PM, but I'd never had any lentil soup at all, unless I am mistaken about the offer. Service was fast, even though there was only one server, who was, by the way, very polite and attentive. All in all, I will be back and I might actually end up being regular here.

It's smells incredible in here Lunch menu has all you could…read moreever want. Lentil soup was great & curry shrimp was perfect. They even have a small parking lot in the back I Love The Grove!

I went with a girlfriend for dinner over a month ago and I'm still thinking about these dumplings…read more The only tiny critique we have, we were there on a Saturday around 730/8, they don't seem to have a good queue system. What I witnessed, was my cell number was typed into what appeared to be a personal cell, as opposed to a wait system, and then we never got called/ texted. We were watching the people in front of us get tables, then we asked if our name got lost, and immediately got sat. After that, 0 comments, food came out at a reasonable time. My eyes kept being drawn to these dumplings, usually I'm a low carb kind of person, so I was leaning towards the kebabs. But these dumplings kept calling my name. The sauce was so good. Creamy with a hint of dill, refreshing, with the savory ground beef inside. I definitely finished my plate and left the rice for leftovers. I can't wait to take my boyfriend back and get the dumplings again! My friend also really enjoyed her shrimp curry, I got to try a taste, the sauce was also delightful.

After living in the Middle East for decades, this restaurant is the closest in authenticity and the…read moreflavors I would expect in Lebanon/Palestine. It's delicious! The staff also offers the same personable service one would experience in the Middle East. They offer suggestions to the novice and indulge the connoisseur. Plus, I've used them for catering, for a more exotic flair, at an event. The guests raved about the taste. Jafra's location is hidden, making it feel like you've found a secret indulgence. It's a quiet location perfect for a tete a tete or a family gathering, where you feel wrapped in the experience. My husband will tell you, the only draw back is the price. It's not crazy expensive, but not cheap. But no matter what my husband says... it's worth every penny for delicious, exotic flavors that leave me satisfied, everytime. My husband too. LOL

We stopped in here based on Yelp reviews, we regretted promptly and sat immediately…read more I really wanted a grilled meat platter from a Mediterranean place. Typically, they have gyro meat on it from the places that I usually get them from. This place does not, it had four chunks of chicken, four pieces of shrimp, four chunks of steak and a ground lamb kabob We also got the beef shawarma plate, and the intention was me and my husband were going to share everything Along with the hummus, they served pickled vegetables. The hummus was probably the best hummus I've ever had in my entire life. The food itself, the meat portion was very good. The rice had zero flavor and it was a very large portion of rice. I feel for the pricing, we didn't get as much meat as I have in other Mediterranean places. I loaded a updated menu photo. They have a lot to choose from. I guess if you eat the rice, she would walk out of there very full. But most of the time when I get a grilled meat platter, we have food to take home. That was not the case here.

Nicely decorated restaurant with an inviting atmosphere. Friendly, attentive service. Interesting…read moreoptions to include many vegetarian options. The servings were large and the food was delicious. Definitely glad we stopped in. I had the Donar and Feta Pida which was flavorful and interesting.

Went for dinner. The owners are so kind. The service was amazing. Waiter made recommendations &…read morewas very careful with our allergy issues. The manti (dumplings) were amazing. Would not order the burger again- just a burger & there are many other options. Cute space, clean & well lit & decorated

I have heard so many good things about J's and I was finally on the neighborhood. It's not a huge…read moremenu, but it was a tough decision. I settled on the chicken panini and it was fantastic. It was everything I wanted it to be: warm, flavorful chicken, garlicky, and cheesy with some fresh veg. It came with a side of chips, so I put a few on the panini for a nice crunch. I was a little overwhelmed walking in to the small-ish space, full of people and music (great music!). I saw a sign that said to take a seat, so I did and a nice gentleman brought me water. There was a menu on the table, but after a bit, I questioned if I should order at the counter. Not the case, they will take your order table-side, have you pay, and bring you the food. It was nice. Everyone was friendly. Comfy plush seating. Looking at past photos, I noticed they ditched those awful metal chairs and had a little make over. I loved the new look.

I'd heard great things about this place and had been wanting to try it for a while. We ended up…read moregoing as a group when a friend was visiting from out of town. I didn't realize it was quite so far away, but it was worth checking out. Overall, I really enjoyed The Berliner with chicken, and the fresh Somun Bread & Kajmak was also a standout. The food was flavorful, and everyone in our group seemed to enjoy their meal. The only downside was that several of us ended up with upset stomachs afterward. That said, no one had anything negative to say about the food itself, and overall it was still a positive dining experience.

fabulous food cooked/baked to order, so there is a small wait time. it is a family business serving…read moreauthentic european and russian dishes, you won't be disappointed!

We took our order to go, and I will say that it was my fault to pick it up about 40 minutes late…read more However, we were not impressed with our dinner. My daughter had a gyro sandwich combo, for which she did not get her drink that was supposed to be included in it, and I got the liver kebab since it was a Sunday night and I wanted to try a specialty. Off the bat, the food was mediocre. The rice that came with my liver, which was way overdone, even though it was ordered medium rare, was extremely dry, and tasteless. The pieces of liver were hard to chew.. There was no sauce, and all in all, after two bites, I discarded my dinner. The lentil soup that I ordered, was thin and underwhelming. My daughter's Gyro sandwich was filled with only the stems of lettuce instead of lettuce leaves. The meat that came with it was rubbery and underseasoned. I will try to give this place another chance at some point, but not now. I will plan to dine there in person, to see if there would be any improvement in our meal. One of the improvements I plan to see is not being served only lettuce stems in any kind of Gyro that's ordered.

We are trying new things. Decided Mediterranean was the best place to start. Parked out front with…read morea metered spot. Upon walking in the music was playing softly and it was a cool atmosphere. There were 2 clerks waiting to help us. My husband went over to the bowl bar because he could decide what he wanted. I ordered from the other side and got the chicken & beef kabob plate. We both loved our food. I was happy because my husband is a burger/chicken finger guy. He genuinely liked what he ordered. We will definitely go back. Everything was so flavorful. They were really cautious with my cucumber allergy. I had forgotten to tell them. Hubby remembered and they replaced my house salad with the parsley one. The house salad had cucumbers. Go check them out. You'll love it.

A favorite that needs to become a default! Ordered takeout last night and it was ready on time and…read morethe amount of food we got in the entree dinners was enough for dinner and lunch the next day! Ordering and pickup was easy and friendly. They have a patio out front with tables and umbrellas right on south Grand that is prime people watching. Pro tip: default to the millennial pizza ordering days and call it in directly to save some $$ compared to using third party apps!

The Yelp Gods can do no wrong. After seeing this place as a suggestion, I decided to check them…read moreout. It's located in a strip mall alongside Dierbergs and other businesses. I walked in mid-afternoon and was greeted immediately. I told the host I wanted to place a to-go order and was directed to the bar. Everything looked so good and while there was a lot to choose from, I went with the chicken shawarma. My wait was minimal and then I was out the door. While walking to my car, I kept getting whiffs of all these different spices. My curiosity got the best of me and I decided to try a piece. The flavors and aroma sucked me in and within minutes, my dish was gone! The chicken was so tender and flavorful and paired beautifully with the garlic sauce and rice. I ate everything on my plate and had to gather myself before it got to the point of me licking it. I'm still thinking about how good it was a day later and am already planning my return!

Interesting and charming Mediterranean restaurant in one of Manchester's many large shopping areas,…read moreright next to Dierbergs. We came for a late lunch (2pm) and enjoyed the place to ourselves (besides one other couple). Service was amazing; Pranitha was the sweetest! We ordered two entrees. The servers surprised us by bringing out a small sample of three of their dips which were delicious. My favorite was the black bean dip -- amazing. We had both a Chicken Shawarma Sandwich and Beef Kafta Sandwich. We enjoyed both equally. Great flavors and tender meat. I wish they had more sauce on the sandwiches themselves, but the garlic sauce provided helped cut the dryness. The fries were crispy as well. They have some unique and different options on their menu. I wish they had gyros. No frills, but a clean and quaint dining room. We would totally return, mostly due to the free appetizers and Pranitha's service ;)

A real treat yo self experience is to be had at this restaurant by the Bengelina Hospitality Group…read more Recommendations: At this coastal Mediterranean restaurant we enjoyed the Stracciatella consisting of grilled grapes, rosemary almonds, and aged balsamic and the shrimp oreganata as starters. For the grilled over charcoal portion of the menu, we enjoyed the the Denver steak and skirt steak. For the side, you can't go wrong with the fire baked potato with truffle fonduta. Dessert: The limoncello tiramisu is delightful and fresh. The homemade chocolate truffles are made by Chef's mom and are a must try menu item. Ambiance: Warm and intimate with great music playing in the background. Staff: Ellie was knowledgeable, friendly, and provided excellent recommendations. Jonathan's keen sense of hospitality and operational excellence further enhances the restaurant experience.

I was excited to try Esca after friends were raving about it. My husband and I dined here for our…read moreanniversary meal, and I wish we would have chosen a place with a little more enthusiasm and less pretension. The server seemed annoyed with being there, never asked my husband if he wanted a refill, took forever to check on us, and messed up the bill, which I didn't catch until after signing it. I've been to plenty of fine dining restaurants where our server has introduced themselves and asked about the occasion, and this place did none of that. Esca has the service of a fast casual restaurant- zero rapport with the customer. Oh and I was charged a 20% service fee. Super tacky to do that for a table of two at a nice restaurant. Bruschetta was such a small portion and flavorless. The artichokes claimed to have anchovy but my husband said he couldn't taste any, so he essentially got a tiny $20 artichoke as an appetizer. My $16 spritz was so loaded with ice I had maybe three sips of the actual drink. I noticed every other table had bread service but we weren't offered any. Our dinner was finished and I finally asked our server for bread. The best part of my meal was the gelato with olive oil, that's it. I don't think I'll spend the $$ again at this place. It's such a bummer because I had high hopes for a stellar Mediterranean meal.

I could not believe how great this food was! We ordered 5 separate dishes and they were all…read moredelicious! The staff was very helpful and answered every question honestly and with confidence. I will love to return!

hands down BEST shawarma i've had since living in bahrain!!!! we were only in STL for 3 days, and…read morei'm very glad we made this our last stop. highly recommend 10/10!!!!