Kismet Cafe
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My work day was quite busy. Decision point: what can I buy for lunch as I navigate two appointments. Light bulb moment: Kismet Café located in the Hancock shopping center across the parking lot from HEB. Kismet Cafe is a casual, affordable Mediterranean restaurant, which specializes in dishes like chicken shawarma, gyro wraps, and vegetarian options. I ordered the chicken shawarma wrap. The chicken was moist and flavorful along with the yogurt rich sauce, which complemented the tomatoes and lettuce. I was pleased with all the ingredients. The wrap itself was a bit hard. They were also serving baklava at $1.99 each, which is the cheapest price I have ever seen for baklava. The restaurant looked a little lived-in with a neighborhood feel. At the end of the day most folks take their food to go, so all that matters is the taste of the food. Kismet is open until midnight daily, which is rare for Mediterranean and other restaurants in Austin. It makes it easy for those folks to grab food after studying (near the University of Texas at Austin), after dancing or someone with a wild craving late at night. In addition, there is an abundance of free parking. Overall, Kismet café has good food at affordable prices and has convenient hours.
I've probably been to Kismet 20 times and it's pretty consistently good. It sits in a strip of restaurants by the HEB near the UT campus, very casual, order at the counter, they call your name, no frills, just solid Mediterranean Greek comfort food. The fries are honestly my favorite thing here. They're super crispy and coated in a kind of Cajun seasoning that makes absolutely no sense at a Mediterranean spot, but I get them every time. My usual go-to is the Veggie Supreme wrap. It's packed with veggies, you can make it spicy (which you should), and it just hits every time. The day I took the photo for this review I switched it up and ordered the chicken over rice. I was expecting grilled strips, but it came out more like shredded chicken. Not a deal breaker, still tasty and filling, and the rice is buttery in all the right ways. Also, open late if you are looking for a late night option!
I ordered the Mezza plate. The dish itself had a side salad, falafels, hummus, baba ghanoush, tzatziki and a side of lavash. I was hoping that it would have some chili sauce on the side, but there was nothing to really give it any flavor. The best part of the dish were the falafel themselves since they were crispy on the outside and not too greasy, which is fantastic. The second best part of the dish was a hummus, which was lemony and creamy. I'm glad that I was able to order healthy food at a late time of the evening and DoorDash brought it all the way up to my room.
I was craving some good Greek, so a friend and I met here for lunch. This was my first time here, so I stuck with my standard gyro wrap. While my wrap was certainly acceptable, it didn't stand out in any way that would make me want to come back. That X factor that makes us say, "I definitely want to eat here again!" Is not based on any one thing, even the quality of the food--though that's important. Ambiance is part of it, and Kismet is reasonably pleasant, but despite the nice tile, the carpets and travel posters on the wall, it has a somewhat generic feel. In short, it feels like a fast-casual place because of the decor and the fact that you order at the counter, but the prices, to me at least, seem more appropriate for a table service restaurant. I paid $14 for my Gyro Wrap and yogurt drink (that I fetched myself from the cooler). The wrap itself was smallish, and dumped on my table, a lonely little foil-wrapped thing on a cafeteria tray. I felt disappointed before I even unwrapped it. Once unwrapped, I realized I had no napkins or tableware and had to go get my own "napkins," by tearing a bit off a roll of paper towels on the stand on the other side of the cafe. It tasted okay, but I wished I hadn't gone with "spicy," which the order taker recommended. It wasn't TERRIBLY hot, but it was intrusive enough that I could barely taste the meat. My friend ordered a "quesadilla," which came in a takeout-style clamshell and was also dumped at our table on a tray, with no napkin or implements. I asked how it was, and she just said it was okay. She did share her fries, which were hot and fresh. If my wrap had been exquisite, huge, or memorable in any way, I might have forgiven all of the disappointing aspects of this first visit. But it wasn't. There are just too many places in Austin where I can sit at a nice table, be waited on, be given napkins and tableware and PLATES, spend just a little more $$ and have much better food (and an entire MEAL) and have a much more pleasant experience. I won't be back.
I came to Kismit Café to explore some new places in my area. I ordered the Chicken and Gyro plate along with a slice of baklava. It was a rainy Saturday evening, and the café was doing well, with a couple of tables occupied by diners and two people ahead of me for takeout. The food came out really quickly; I was still reading the rest of the menu, considering ordering a Cauliflower Exploding Wrap with fries, when my order was ready. The trade-off, however, was that the plate was probably just at room temperature--I would have preferred the meat and rice to be hotter. The plate included two sauces and pita bread. I enjoyed making myself a wrap with the tzatziki sauce. The baklava for takeout came in a sealed plastic container. While the taste was fine, it wasn't as fresh as I had hoped. Overall, the experience was fine, but I can't say it's a place I would actively seek out. The most memorable aspect was the speed of service. This place would work well if you're looking to grab food quickly, and the option to choose two meats at a reasonable price is a nice perk.
Truly a classic for UT students and alumni! I am so glad they were open late. I had a gyro, which was pretty good and substantial. The service was fast and friendly, with no delay from the kitchen. This is a great place to meet with your friends or large groups. Or by yourself, or takeout works as well.
I come to Kismet almost every time I visit Austin because it is just that good! They have many vegetarian options, but my favorite is definitely the chicken plate! They provide a large quantity so it ia great that that provide all orders in to go containers. You can eat as much as you can and take the rest to go easily! One plate can easily be shared by two people. The eggplant was my favorite veggie item. I also highly recommend mixing the rice with the white and red sauce! I'm not a huge fan of the tzatziki sauce but the regular white and red sauce are such a fire combo here! They do not disappoint with these sauces! It is also amazing that that don't charge extra for these sauces, where most other stores have been charging for any sauce they provide. The waiter was very patient because we took a while to order since there were so many options. He even took the time to explain what the items on the menu were. The ambience is a bit more on a chill size. Some of the seating is torn up and the bathroom isn't super clean, but the food is worth it! You can always take it to go if the ambience does not fit your vibe!
The loaded Gyro is an absolute must! So much flavor is the sauce!! I walked out paying just under $25 for two people and with left overs, it was so worth it. Big tip, if you get the loaded gyro, get it spicy with fries on the side, so GOOD. The service was friendly and super fast. I don't think we waited more than 5 minutes after we sat. For a cheap dinner that's packed full of flavor you got to try it out! Plus the music choice is absolutely PERFECT
My go-to place after seeing a show at the Bass Concert Hall. Tasty, affordable, big portion sizes, and open late. Love how smooth the hummus is here, and how tangy the tabbouleh salad is. The meat is good and very generously portioned. I always end up getting something different and it's always good.
Needed a spot to grab something vegetarian and filling, for a Lenten Friday. Kismet came up as an option for the Mediterranean in the area. While I'm not too fond of the shopping area, I would certainly recommend Kismet. Easy to order, either with an employee at the counter or using their kiosk screen. Tables kept clean. I ordered the Vegetarian Mezza with a side of Lentil soup and a side of extra hummus. Would order again! The hummus was served smooth and creamy, unlike gritty hummus you'd find at a store. The falafel was crisp and not overly oily. The eggplant dip, despite looking similar to the hummus, had a distinct taste that added variety to the dish. Also came with tabouli.
Eggplant dip is lovely, hummus traditional and solid. VERY good proportions for the price (2 for roughly $25). Chicken over rice is simple and still a staple for me. Cauliflower is nice and the pita is great with the dips Cheers!
The P17 at Kismet is to die for! There are many halal bowl options in the Austin area but I truly believe this one has to be the best. There's something about that jalapeño sauce that is so incredible and unreplicable. The style of this place is "build your own" with choosing from bowls or pitas. Flavor and quantity is plentiful. Not the best area to sit and eat so would recommend take out
Great customer service. A blond woman helped us out. She answered all of our questions, she was great, super helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. They have chips, yogurt drinks, candy bars, ice cream, high chairs for babies, damn they have everything you need to have a comfortable and warm meal. The place is super cozy with booth and table options. The music is nice and relaxing. The food is perfect! So delicious, prepared fresh! Also cool, they have a self ordering kiosk, a really nice touch. read more
3 years ago
Great, quick Mediterranean food. The cauliflower portions were generous and it was very flavorful. The creamy orange sauce was pretty spicy, though, so beware. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
6 years ago
Most middle eastern restaurants/cafes focus - understandably - on their meats. I, being vegetarian, almost gave up on finding good falafels or grape leaves in the U.S. Forget about trying to find fresh hummus. But given the reviews for Kismet, and the vegetarian menu, we drove all the way to try it out for ourselves. And so glad we did. The falafels were fresh, crispy and delicious. The hummus was especially awesome. And the best part yet was the sauces. I do recommend this place for vegetarians especially. read more
I had the Gyro wrap to go (spicy version). I had stopped by chance as I was in the area. It was nice to see they wore masks and disposable gloves and one person was constantly cleaning. That got the 4th star. I had passed at C-19 testing drive through nearby that had about 100 cars in line. The cleaning was particularly welcome as I am sure people who had gone or were going to the testing could easily stop by and eat. Now to the wrap. It tasted well enough, was packed and tightly wrapped. Sitting in a parking garage is not a great dining ambiance, but I was hangry, starving, and this would pass the time. The only negative was the wrap itself was tough. This could be attributed to the amount of time between receiving it and being able to consume. I really would have preferred something similar but as one of their combo plates with rice. I have had better, but this was more than adequate during these days. Friendly, hard working people, trying their best to make their place as safe and clean as possible. read more
TRY THE HUMMUS!! Walked in a the cashier was a bit cold. I ordered the Chicken Shish kebab plate. There was a warning that it would take awhile but it went well over. The food itself was pretty good. The chicken was dry but that is pretty typical for skewered chicken. The best part was the hummus. I could have eaten it all day long. Overall, I would eat here again I just would not order a kebab due to the time. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
5 years ago
This place is open late, and has really high quality Mediterranean options. I go out of my way to come here every so often, because of its consistency & authenticity which never disappoints. No alcohol served here FYI. Kismet does have outdoor seating, technically; but it is literally a couple of tables and chairs on the sidewalk between the parking lot and front door. Most sit inside as a result. Super good, and highly recommend, especially their Mediterranean BBQ offerings that take up to 20 minutes, but worth it. read more
1 year ago
Alrighty folks, you know the drill :D the item to order is P17! I substituted salad for fries. The salad is refreshing after a humid hike. The rice is fluffy and fragrant. The roasted cauliflower has the perfect crisp texture. The kafta is a ground beef that has been mixed with lots of Lebanese 7 spice seasoning, minced onion and fresh herbs, and grilled to perfection. My companions tried gyro and fries and they are also lovely!! I tried a fry and the crisp was sheer perfection. read more
P17 sun salad for fries, every meat and veggie option is delish and you really can't go wrong. Good flavors, not really spicy but tastes amazing without it. If you're wanting the perfect Mediterranean comfort food for a good price, this is your place! The cashier was also super nice and helpful so that's always a plus! read more
5 years ago
I was really craving some Mediterranean, so I ordered from Kismet Cafe and got: - P18: Rice & Salad Bowl with Beef and Tzatziki Sauce ($9.99) - P17: Rice & Fries Bowl with Zucchini and Jalapeño Sauce ($9.99) - Gyro Wrap ($7.39) - P16: Vegetarian Mezza - 6 falafels over salad & tabouleh, side hummus, eggplant dip, and pita ($9.99) - Baklava ($1.99) As you can see, there is a wide variety of options to choose from. Whether you want a wrap or a bowl, something light and healthy or something filling and hearty - there is a bit of something for everyone. I don't have a specific favorite item as I liked how different each were, so if I had to take the best of each and combined them I would get a P17: Rice & Fries Bowl with Gyro and Jalapeño Sauce with a side of pita. Do me a favor though, whatever you order, make sure to get the Baklava!! All in all, I had an amazing time eating Kismet Cafe and would definitely be ordering from them again soon. Delicious food and affordable prices? I give them a 5/5! read more
3 years ago
There's a difference between "Chicken over rice" and "Chicken Sh. Tawooq". The later is much more amazing if you like grilled meat and can wait 20mins(they've that mentioned on the board but it's worth the wait). The Chicken Shawarma and the kids meal with Chicken Shawarma were great as well. They've enough seating to accommodate lot of people and few outdoor seats. read more
Kismet Cafe is not a bad place for a quick pick up. It's a light bite with a big plate. I ordered the Chicken Over Rice. This order comes with vegetables, hummus, and pita bread. It was very tasty but the chicken is a bit dry. Overall, not bad but also not amazing. read more
5 years ago
Perks: open late and amazingly tasty food. For the price of about $10 as of 2022 you get a fair amount of food and I think if you get the drizzled plates, the portions might be even bigger. I got a chicken plate over rice because it came with the garlic sauce that I always love at Mediterranean/Arab places. It was super delicious with some spiced chicken, creamy hummus, and everything just dipped in the creamy garlic sauce. I want to ask next time if I can buy the garlic sauce in a jar... Will be back to try the drizzled plates and see if I can get garlic sauce on the side. Came here ravenous at 10pm and left feeling satisfied. read more
4 years ago
Nice and fast service with a big open interior. I love the layout and the location in the Hancock center. They work hard and they make amazing food! They have a variety of sauces that all have a different flare but the tzatziki sauce is classic and I would definitely order extra. My favorites are the Arabi wrap, loaded gyro wrap, and the eggplant wrap if you're eating vegetarian. The falafel is moist and taste fresh if they are busy but an off hours it could be a little dry. Shawarma point is another favorite on my list. Is a little bit more of a quality fast food place than a sit down Mediterranean / Arabic restaurant. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
5 years ago
Good takeout Mediterranean food. I ordered the vegetarian mezza, which is my go-to for pretty much all Mediterranean food. I didn't expect much but, was pleased that the hummus was thick in texture and had oil. The falafel was still crispy and the baba ganoush had a nice flavor to it. The pita was decent but, got a little damp during the delivery. They didn't forget anything in the order and it came on time as expected. Overall, it's worth what you pay for and is very fairly priced. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
I'm impressed, aShelly was so helpful and overall wonderful. Awesome Spot To Check Out!!! My daughter & I went to Kismet Cafe on the Thursday before Mother's Day. Let me tell you this place was so good we went 4 times in the first week. Yes, the food was delicious, but there's nothing better than having really good food on top of great service, it makes for an overall enjoyable experience that keeps you coming back. Here's what really stood out, and her name is Shelly. I was not very familiar with Mediterranean menu items and really wanted to enjoy more by having a better understanding. Shelly was there & more than willing to assist. I must say she's Absolutely Amazing, she took the time out to explain the menu, certain dishes & how they taste. She even made suggestions based on what I already like, and went over all the sauces. I love how there's so many substitution options if there's something on your plate you'd rather swap. I was a little confused placing my first order from table ordering app (Toast Tab) bc I did have items I wanted to add & sub. Shelly helped with that as well and now I have a choice to order with her or from table. Every time I see her she's smiling, friendly, and literally & consistently busts her ass. I'm delighted to say we are now very loyal customers!!! read more
6 years ago
I honestly don't understand the raving reviews. I guess they're mostly from intoxicated college students or people who think their food is good quality for the price but let me tell you.... it couldn't be further from the truth, after looking at the pictures other negative reviews have posted. The food looks badly done! I ordered hummus dip and pita bread and look at the amount they gave me! This is ridiculous. The pita bread was tough, stiff, thin, cool and way too chewy. I haven't even begun eating my gyro wrap and I'm already very disappointed. (They obviously don't make their own pita bread) I expect the gyro wrap to be as tough and stiff as the pita bread I got for my hummus bread was. I won't be coming back. Ever. Halal guru by far is better and their pita bread is fantastic, warm, soft and easy to chew. read more
kismet is one of my favorites in austin! their food is always so reliable & amazing i always get the gyro over rice and have been going for over a year now. the gyro over rice also comes with a small salad, hummus & warm pita wrapped in foil! ive dined in and ordered it as takeout, so sometimes it's nice to just skip the wait and order ahead of time! *side notes: when picking up takeout, don't forget to grab your own utensils as they don't include them!!! & when eating the pita, be prepared to eat it all in one go or wrap it back in the foil quickly because it can get very hard and stiff if left out for even 5 or so minutes!* the service is always very nice, the inside of the restaurant is pretty plain but it's comfortable and nice to just enjoy your food without feeling hurried. my family also really loves the gyros too, so those are also worth trying :) read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
Astonishingly mediocre food. Definitely edible and I didn't get sick but as someone that grew up in a middle eastern household I wish I had my money back to go to the store and cook my own dinner. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
4 years ago
Lots of parking. Order at the counter and sit wherever you like. Plates, salads, wraps- vegetarian options included. I got the P3- Gyro and Chicken place. The meat, rice, and hummus were very tasty! Decent portions, too. I wish there had been more tomatoes and cucumbers in my salad. The pita bread was pretty tough- maybe stale? read more
Haitham, the owner, invited me back to show me the real experience of Kismet Cafe. I definitely had a better experience this time around. Last time I was there in a Sunday around 1:30PM. This time I arrived Sunday around 1:30PM to compare the 2 experiences. When I walked in, I noticed that they now have table cloths on majority of their tables. They were all clean and wiped down. The food. SO MUCH BETTER! The jalapeño drizzle plate was warm and the sauce was flavorful. The last time I had it, there wasn't much sauce and the flavor was lacking. This time there was a lot of sauce and you can taste the jalapeño. There was a bit of kick from the jalapeño sauce itself. There wasn't much red sauce, but you can ask for extra on the side to add more spice! I also got the white sauce drizzle plate. It was also delicious. The food was hot and there was lot of sauce. So much flavor. The fries are delicious. They come out piping hot and the seasoning on it is amazing. I also had the chance to try some of their fruit juices. I don't remember what they're called but one was purple and the other, orange. Sour and sweet. Very interesting flavors. - like cranberry. My boyfriend really liked it. I'm not the biggest fan of sweet drinks but it grew on me. I definitely enjoyed this experience more than my first time around. I loved seeing how the restaurant was clean even when they're super busy. read more
5 years ago
More info about Kismet Cafe
1000 E 41st St
Ste 200
Austin, TX 78751
Hancock, Hyde Park
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(512) 236-1811
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http://www.kismetcafe.com
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