Food is great with all sorts of special Mediterranean specialties; i recommend the Lamb Humus- which delicious (i love lamb). The ambiance makes it even better with the great music and great service. read more

Hamsa - The bar at Hamsa - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

Environment, service and food are excellent! Everything we ordered was beyond expectation. Will definitely come back. read more

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After years of waiting, hamsa has finally opened in rice village and it is a welcome addition to an already vibrant food scene. The menu is very vegetable forward and designed for sharing. We tried all of the salatim, the lamb hummus, several appetizers , the chicken, the kebab and the lamb ribs. All of the food was good, but my favorites included the falafel, the lamb ribs and the potatoes which were a side dish. The pita was also very fresh / hot. The service was somewhat spotty, however, the restaurant is brand new, so I'll give them a pass. The Good: The patio The interior The menu The food The Bad: Charging 2 dollars a person for water (like Doris) Charging 2 dollars a pita after the first 2 My personal opinion is restaurants in Houston should not be Charging for tap water. I also dislike only getting 2 pita for a table of 6, despite ordering a plethora of salatim and appetizers. Despite my displeasure with the water /pita situation, I will definitely be back as the food was excellent. read more

Hamsa is a new Israeli Café opened by the masterminds behind the excellent Doris Metropolitan and Badolina Bakery. It's a semi-formal and chic dining space that perfectly fits the overall vibe in a bustling Rice Village. We had dinner during the pre-opening days and I was very much looking forward to trying out a cuisine that is severely underrepresented in the bustling Houston dining scene. Hamsa definitely lived up to the anticipation! We tried the Spritz and the Michal from the cocktail menu and found the former to be excellent and the latter to be tasty but just a tad unbalanced. For food - we cautiously ordered 5 out of their 10 Salatim (small mezze and dips), afraid we wouldn't make it to the main courses and were pleasantly surprised that these little plates and bowls of snacks were crafted with a lot of thought and care. We had the Muhamara, the Harissa Carrots, the Beets, Tahini and Tomato Dip and were impressed with the whole variety. We definitely regretted not getting variety to try out! Next time. To scoop it all up, Hamsa keeps piping hot Pita from the oven coming. Only critique would be that perhaps the restaurant considers adjusting the prices of their dishes up a bit but making the pita complimentary. We also tried the Chicken kebab that was cooked to absolute perfection with Israeli salad (super refreshing and tasty) and an eggplant appetizer that was delicious! We also ordered a variation on Hummus titled the "Hummus Complet" but found it to be a little too heavy on Tahini. But this is also a preference thing - I know for a fact that some friends prefer it this way! Overall the food reiterates the kitchens attention to detail and careful preparation. The dishes elevate Israeli staples to showcase some of the traditional simple fare that makes up this middle eastern cuisine. The restaurant is lively, family friendly and with a talented bar! A perfect addition to Rice Village that we're looking forward to visiting again soon! read more

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Me and my friends like going there on Thursday it's very nice vibe with the music the belly dancers we had a arak I definitely recommend the place the food. It's very delicious. It reminds me a lot of the restaurants in Israel Great vibes recommended for groups read more

I came here to celebrate my birthday, but ended up having a terrible and embarrassing experience after the manager had to come to our table and announce that he couldn't serve me a second glass of wine I'd ordered because he'd seen me "stumble" at one point on my way to the restroom. I had been wearing a new pair of heels I wasn't used to wearing and the floor was slippery. I felt unnecessarily targeted for whatever reason, and even our waiter was profusely apologizing on behalf of his manager, saying I seemed fine and he really didn't understand why his manager had approached me. The manager's comments were embarrassing and infantilizing, and sexist. I was so excited to finally visit this restaurant, especially for my birthday, but I left feeling very uncomfortable. Ruined what was supposed to be a romantic and wonderful birthday evening. We will never be back or recommend this place to our friends and family. read more

The food, service and atmosphere were amazing. We didn't have room for dessert but we wish we had tried it too. Will definitely come back.

Really enjoyed my lunch here last week with an assortment of hummuses, kabobs and a branzino fish dish that was cooked perfectly. Great atmosphere located in the Rice Village area of Houston which is always pleasant. read more

Came here for an app and cocktails. We didn't have reservations around dinner time but were seated within 10 min (even with it being super busy). My gf and I came severely underdressed as we both left work and I had just driven in from austin. Needless to say our "faux mom comfy chic" aesthetic felt out of place lol We got the lamb hummus with the pita and wow. The hummus itself was smooth and creamy and the lamb on top was super tasty. And the pita bread was super fluffy, warm and comforting. For drinks we got the hamsa g&t and the spritzer. I personally loved the earthy taste of the g&t and felt the spritzer was too tart. But one things for sure. Those drinks are strooooooong. Service was great, they have complimentary valet next to the restaurant! One thing to note is they mention water is $2/person on the menu. But as a water snob I'll gladly pay for that water again. read more

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We went back to Hamsa on Friday night for dinner and while I did find it to be a definite improvement on our last visit I still felt like there was room for improvement. We were seated right when we arrived for our 6:45 reservation. The restaurant was lively but not at capacity while we were there. We were able to order our cocktails right away and easily throughout the course of our meal and service overall was very good. We started with the Wholeshebang (added a side of cucumber) which I quiet enjoyed, though the restaurant was a little to loud for me to be able to hear what each dish was when the waiter brought them to the table. We also got the roasted cabbage, octopus, hangar steak, chicken kabob (off menu special) and the cauliflower couscous. My favorite dish of the evening was the roasted cabbage, it was smoky and crispy and delicious. My main critique is of the general ambiance. I feel like they are aiming to be an upscale restaurant and while the interior does feel that way I feel like there is also a distinctly casual vibe. Generally speaking I think that is fine, but for the menu price point I wouldn't mind it feeling a little less laid back. Like the menus could still be paper but maybe a cardstock instead of something that I could have printed off at home. It just feels like it is missing some elevated details. read more

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The food here is to die for. The mushroom skewer is my absolute favorite and so full of flavor. I have had both mock-tails and their alcoholic drinks, and they're always so crisp and fresh. The hummus here is probably the best in the city. The service was pretty good; however, a general manager scolded our table for an extra order of mushroom skewers that the server accidentally rang up. Be wary of dining in big groups here as the staff seemed to struggle with placing food orders with the correct diners and splitting bills. This place is a must try in the city regardless! read more

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Great service, but food is so so. Little on the pricier side. Food was little bland for our taste. Nice location and valet is a plus read more

The food was pretty good, the service was meh. Waited 15 mins at our table before anyone came. We almost left as we were hungry and nobody even looked our way once. The restaurant turns the lights off while the belly dancers are performing, which was most of dinner. While the dancers are very talented, it's hard to enjoy a meal when you can't see the food. It would be great if they had LED candles at the table (better if they didn't turn the lights off) as we were one of many tables using our phone as a flashlight to see what we were eating. Great idea, execution is a little off. Overpriced. read more

It was my first time here with two of my other good friends and it was absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere was very nice. Everybody who wives working there was extremely nice to us the food. OMG it was delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant, especially if you're looking for something new in town if you were in the rice village area. read more

From the very first bite of lamb hummus, I knew I was in for a treat. Everything I tried here was done exceedingly well and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire meal. On top of that, the service was great, and the server made some great recommendations. He did a good job of telling us what Hamsa does best. The ambiance was busy but not overly crowded, it had the perfect sound level. Lastly, I thought the decor set a nice ambiance and really set the tone for the meal. I will be going back and I highly recommend checking it out! read more

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TL:DR - they serve food unsafe for consumption and do not even know the minimum recommended temperatures for cooking meat. They should definitely not be in the restaurant business if they don't know this!! Update: On contacting the manager, they seemed absolutely uninformed with zero knowledge about food safety. They repeatedly insisted that medium rare food is "not undercooked". Being in the restaurant industry, it is simply blasphemous not to know the safe food handling temperatures and that medium rare is undercooked (USDA states minimum safe temperature is 160 for ground meat while medium rare is 130-135)! And then, they repeatedly insisted that food poisoning symptoms are seen only after 24 hours - on top of not knowing anything about food preparation, they are now experts on healthcare??!! P.S. food poisoning symptoms can occur as quickly as within 30 minutes of consumption. The chef and the management are either irresponsible or callous or have zero idea about food safety. The kebab, which is supposed to be fully cooked came out to be medium rare. Neither the menu nor the waitress mentioned anything about this dish having possibly undercooked meat. Neither have we ever experienced such undercooked meat in any middle eastern restaurant. It gabe my wife a terrible stomach upset after we got home which also indicates that the meat might not have been handled following all food safety precautions. Stay away unless you want a stomach infection. The quality and quantity of the food was also not at par with the price. read more

This restaurant is very cute and chic! Love the location and decor. There was just two of us for lunch and we ordered the following: Salatim (choice of 5) and we picked these: - Matbucha (cold tomato stew) - I liked this but wish it was a hot stew. If you know the middle eastern green bean and tomato dish, it tasted like that but without the green beans. - Labneh (strained yogurt dip) - this had a great texture, but had a dairy after taste that I wasn't crazy about - Baba ghanoush (eggplant dip) - very good dip! Would definitely order again - Muhamara (red pepper dip) - this was also good! - Amba pickled vegetables - a very slight sweetness, but still good For lunch, Falafel isn't on the menu, but we asked and they had it. Let me tell you. As a Lebanese trying an Israeli restaurant - this was some of the BEST falafel I've tasted! Hands down would get this again. For our entrées, we ordered the Kebab with the Israeli salad, and the Shrimp Skewers with the Haims Rice. I wanted to try the Chicken Shawarma plate, but they said they didn't have it for lunch today so I got the kebab. It was a bit too heavy for my liking, and a bit too pink inside as well. The flavor of the grilled outer section was great, but for it being a lamb and meat blend, I prefer if it was one type of meat to make it a better ground texture. It was also fattier meat and made me extremely full. The shrimp skewer was good, but a little too gulfy tasting on the shrimp for my taste. I would not get the Haims rice again, I was hoping for a more plain rice. The Israeli salad was delicious and very fresh, I love the hint of mint in the salad. Great option for your meal! Next time I go I'd love to try the Filet Mignon skewer, Mushroom Skewer, Chicken Skewer, and the Chicken Shawarma plate, along with the Hummus (we were way too full to order another dip but I wish we tried this!) To finish, I ordered some hot tea. They have 3 options, I forgot all they were but I ended up getting the Yerba Matte. It came in a cute pot with even a timer for 3 different profiles - light brew, medium, and dark. Great idea! I also wish we got dessert but we were both very full after. I saw someone eating one as we were walking out and it looked delicious! Overall this place is very cute and I'd like to go again to try all the other items listed above. Trust me when I say the Falafels are the BEST!! :) read more

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Restaurant is very nice aesthetically. Food is excellent! Very enjoyable. Will definitely come back! However, waiter today told us not to get the Houston Restaurant Week menu. Very disappointed that we didn't get to try. He also did not offer desserts at the end. We had desserts here and love all three options. Disappointed. Our last waiter (2 weeks ago) was totally opposite. Friendly and explained everything to detail. read more

This place is soooooo good! Gorgeous ambience, great service and delicious food! Been there like 3 times in a month- that's how great it is! Order the 6 plate appetizer dips, you will not regret it. Esp EY the hummus, muhammara, read more

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The food is absolutely incredible. Great service. Highly recommend if you love Mediterranean/Israeli food. It's the best in Houston and we've dined EVERYWHERE in this food category. My only gripe is that they should offer more patio seating. We were initially told when we walked in that they weren't seating folks outside due to not enough servers... but then when we were about to walk away, they were able to find us a table. With the pandemic still going on-- and for a restaurant that has such a beautiful patio, it should be offered to everyone. There are still people (like us) that only feel comfortable dining outdoors with COVID still going on. That said, wow the food is incredible so I'll still keep it 5*. read more

Hamsa - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

Soooo good! Service is great, nice but not stuffy, been twice and will definitely go back got the Yalla Yalla experience both times - Cam was a great waiter. See yall soon read more

Kol HaKavod! This restaurant really delivers on the promise of Israeli cuisine, all of which is incredibly delicious. As Israelis who have had maaaannnnnnny disappointing experiences, Hamsa takes it to the next level with its flavors and execution. We met some friends here for dinner on Thursday night (they had already dined here and loved it so much that they wanted to come back). The restaurant has a slick Mediterranean decor, but the acoustics were terrible and it was unnecessarily loud in there. One of us had the Tel A Viva cocktail to start, which was great, but when she ordered another much later in the meal, it took forever to come out and even ended up being the wrong drink--one that had so much arak in it that it tasted like a licorice bomb. This snafu, plus the fact that service wasn't consistent--ranging from excellent to just OK--is why we're ultimately landing on four stars instead of five. Anyway, let's move on to the best part of the meal: the food. Everything tasted incredible! We started with the hummus complet and "the Wholeshebang", which is basically a dozen mini plates of the salatim all landing at once, a visual stunner on the table. We're not going to go through all of them, but every single one was carefully crafted with the perfect amount of seasoning and consistency. While we thought the squash tahini was a tad too sweet, we still liked it, and the lemon tahini was on point. Baba ganoush? Check. Labne? Check. Just check, check, check, check! Pita was fresh, hot, and fluffy, and we thought that the hummus plate needed a bit more salt, but it was nicely smooth and creamy. For dinner, we all shared the octopus, roasted cabbage, lamb ribs, lamb kebab, chicken thigh, green salad, and Israeli salad. (Yes, we completely overordered and there were a ton of leftovers.) Salad was fine. We enjoyed the octopus, but nothing about it stood out from other places that can cook a good octopus dish just as well. The cabbage was unique and nicely tender with interesting accoutrements. The lamb kebab was standard, but the chicken one was exemplary. The absolute BEST dish--and we all agreed on this--was the lamb spare ribs. As we say on the mothership: "Wy wy wy!" Reminiscent of the lamb at Zahav, this one was falling-apart tender and bursting with the most intense flavor. For dessert, we shared a chocolate halva thing whose name we're forgetting, but was a wonderful final bite. So, overall, excellent food, but the service needed just a bit more polishing. Pricey, yes, but they delivered on quality, so we have no hard feelings about paying a bit more than it should have been. We're excited to go back the next time that we're in Houston, and can say with confidence that Hamsa is a great addition to Rice Village. read more

Went there with a friend and we shared lamb hummus, lamb lahmajun, and kind oyster mushrooms with chimichurri and all were super delicious. Especially that lamb hummus was too heavenly I think no hummus will ever compare with it. read more

Good food, better ambiance, the service was well done and cordial. We enjoyed, we might return on the future

Such a fabulous find. My husband and I stopped in for lunch. Beautiful day so sat out on the patio. Service was excellent and attentive. The food was scrumptious. Not one thing disappointed. This venue is beautifully appointed and would make a great date night destination. The best of everything. read more

Food is delicious: lamb hummus, yummy pita bread, and steak with potatoes. Service is hit or miss depending on the server. Good vibes overall. read more

So glad we came across Hamsa! Finding a restaurant with a group of people can be stressful, Hamsa did not disappoint!!! We each got different items, able to share with each other (so important ha ha) & WOW! Michelle's input helped us a lot. We tried a a couple different hummus, shrimp-mushroom & chicken skewers to the baba ganoush! Lamb spare ribs & Hangar Steak was spectacular!!!! Great service & Anbiance just hit it out of the park for us! We will definitely be coming back! read more

first, i would like to say that the food was really good!! my favorites were the baba ganoush and the peta bread. ...but it gave me food poisoning. so i wouldn't reccomend. 2 stars and not 1 because it was almost worth the food poisoning read more

Best eggplant and hummus!! Highly recommend the cocktails and delicious food. We got the octopus, beef, and a few appetizers to split. You can't go wrong with this place read more

Hamsa - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The stars of the show in this restaurant are easily the salatim (the dips with pita). There are flavors and depths in the tahini, baba ganoush, and muhammara that I didn't even know could exist. The flavors are balanced cleverly, with roasted flavors of sesame in the tahini and roasted nuts in the muhammara setting a powerful flavor backdrop for the more lighter and acidic flavors. These flavors linger in your mouth after the initial flavors fade and provide depth. In the case of the baba ganoush, the smokiness is the backdrop behind the eggplants which creates added complexity. The tenderloin skewers and the kebab skewers were cooked great too - not dry, dusted with Israeli seasonings such as sumac yet still allowing the natural flavors of the proteins to come through. Also, any cocktail containing arak is great - which is the regional liquor for Hamsa. I would try it out if you want to try new cocktail flavors - it has an aniseed flavor akin to star licorice. read more

Good food. Came for a birthday, we were told we'd get something special by the waiter, but birthday boy received nothing. Quiet on Sunday morning, which was nice. Staff is kind. read more

Beautiful, casual restaurant. I discovered it today. I couldn't wait to try it. What a disappointment the menu was. Most of the menu was filler stuff. The few entrees were overpriced, chicken thighs $28, fish $45, kabob $30 , no sides . The service was good, nothing fantastic. Left hungry. read more

Amazing food and great service. Pleasant and quiet dining area. Indoor and outdoor seating. Chicken Skewer, Hangar Steak, Matbucha, Octopus, and much much more. This place is a must try in the Rice Village area. read more

This is an elegant, beautifully decorated restaurant. From the moment we sat down Taylor was extremely attentive and expertly told us about their amazing menu. We'd never had Israeli food before, and Taylor's descriptions of the menu was amazingly accurate - the food tasted like he said it would! And my goodness the starting salatim was FANTASTIC and our chicken and lamb/beef kabobs were delightful. Turmeric potatoes are a must. We will DEFINITELY return on our next trip to Houston! If I could give 6 stars I would!! read more

New, beautiful restaurant, nice decor with a mezuzah at the entry. While not kosher the food is a nice Mediterranean mix. Service was great, drinks were delicious. We'll visit again. read more

We sat at the bar yesterday and Taylor provided excellent service! We had the mushroom skewer and squash tahini, both delicious. We will definitely be back! read more

We love this place, ambience great, service fantastic and food marvelous. You shouldn't miss the lamb hummus. read more

Hamsa - Great pairing - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

Decent middle-eastern food and cool interior. Stingy portions. Overpriced. Service was not attentive and not friendly. There are much better options available in Houston. This was disappointing. Would not recommend. read more

This place was fantastic! Came here for Houston restaurant week and it did not disappoint! Tried multiple different small dishes loved all of it but have to give a shout for the lemon tahini, Amba pickled vegetables, and trumpet mushroom skewer. Service was exceptional. Sat at the bar with a gentleman named "Bienvenue" serving me! This guys is hands down the best server!! So knowledge able and his picks on food was on point. read more

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My daughter and I came for Houston restaurant weeks and it was amazing! Service was great and the food was delicious. Highly recommend read more

Hamsa - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

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