I was really excited to try this place because of the good reviews but it was such a letdown. When we walked in, there were maybe two other customers. We were seated pretty quickly but waited about 30 minutes before the server came back to give us menus. He appeared to be the only person working so I tried to cut him some slack but it was another 20-30 minutes before we were even able to place our order. They brought out salad appetizers, which were essentially just fresh-cut lettuce with no dressing or flavor. Our food finally came out after about 45 minutes of waiting. I ordered the Beef Kebob and my husband got the Lamb Mandi. The beef itself was flavorful and tender, but there were only about 4-5 small pieces sitting on top of a huge portion of rice. The rice was bland and dry. The lamb mandi also lacked flavor, and the lamb was very dry and bland as well. Overall, it was a pretty underwhelming experience. read more

Mandi Oasis - Lamb Mandi - Arabic Near Me - Homewood, Alabama

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I decided to try something completely new to me while on Green Springs, and I ended up at Birmingham's first and only Yemeni restaurant. Mandi Oasis is unassuming with a small sign right on Green Springs. I had no idea what to order, so I played it safe with Chicken Mandi and a side of naan bread. I had to get back to the office so I ordered to-go. Not even 10 minutes passed before I was walking out with a massive grocery bag of food. What a MASSIVE amount of food. I got a half chicken and a massive pile of rice with the chicken Mandi order. It also came with reshly ground house hot sauce that was spicy but not unbearable. Mostly fresh tomato with a slight jalapeno flavor. The chicken was very tender and juicy. Very lightly spiced, like a super mild baked chicken. It was really delicious. Salad didn't have any dressing and I wasn't sure what to do with it. I didn't eat it. It looked like it was iceberg and cucumbers. Maybe I was supposed to mix it into the rice? The RICE!!! OMG. Perfectly cooked very long grains of basmati were so flavorful with lots of exotic herbs and spices. I pulled out bay leaves and a cinnamon stick- like this is so good. Some of the best rice I've ever had! read more

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The first traditional Yemeni restaurant in the state of Alabama does NOT miss!!! Wow! The herbs and spices on every dish, from the lamb broth, to the sumac seasoned salad dressing, to the lamb haneeth and spicy tomato salsa, all spectacular!! Now don't be dismayed at the prices, they are definitely fair for the massive portions you get. I mean even the warm, delicious pita is as big as a medium pizza. You must try the Adani tea that's a type of masala or Chai tea. I could drink 3 cups without it keeping me awake all night I would. Be sure to bring a friend or 3 to help you with the dishes. I'd even recommend getting one or two entrees and just splitting them. I bet you will be blown away by whatever you choose! read more

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Food first, thoughts after... This was my first time at the restaurant but overall I enjoyed it. The server was very nice and kept making sure everything was okay. The food was so flavorful and delicious. A good amount of food. There is lamb soup and salad before the main meal. We got the meal for 2 and added lamb chops and fish for 4 people. There were leftovers but mainly the rice and bread. The tea was delicious. Very casual spot. Bring friends and your eagerness to try new things! read more

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Absolutely delicious food and HUGE servings It's called Mandi Oasis so I got the lamb Mandi Mandi is a baked rice dish with tender long grain basmati, flavored with aromatic spices, fried onions and tender fall of the bone meat. They provide a light sumac salad and hot sauces with the Mandi. Service was very hospitable and friendly. The Adeni chai is so good too. They don't have fountain drinks and that is my only complaint Some of the dishes are pricey but worth it! Give it a try! Our group really enjoyed it and we had Yemenis with us who said it was authentic. Space was family friendly and clean. Looking forward to coming here soon God willing. read more

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This meal was incredible. I went with some friends and we got a lot of dishes to share and all were amazing. My personal favorite was the shak-shoukah. I loved it with the bread and dipped in the broth- so amazing! The fahsah was also amazing - so flavorful. The chicken was good, not super flavorful, but I really enjoyed the rice with it. We also got a bean dish that was very yummy. I would absolutely come back here! read more

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There is a very "homecooked" taste to everything but it also has been a bit hit or miss for us.

We were led here by the incredible reviews! I have to say I more than agree. In my friends group of 3, we did the combo for two and it was plenty of food. We did the chicken Mandi, lamb fahsah and lamb haneeth. The rice was perfection. Our server Katie took amazing care of us!! We were immediately greeted with lamb broth to sip on as we perused the menu. So comforting. Everything came out quickly and she was always keeping a close eye on whatever was needed. I think my fave was the lamb fahsah and I put some on my rice. Yuuuummm!!! The meats were all cooked so well. Slipped right off the bone. Gets all in your teeth, that's how you know ! ;) To finish our meal Katie gave us each a free chai to go. Perfectly sweetened. She was amazing and so was the food. You gotta give this place a try !!! read more

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Brought the family in for dinner tonight and sat outside. We had the beef kabobs, lamb haneeth, lamb masloug, and lamb mandi. Dinner also come with a salad and a rich aromatic broth to start with. Quite refreshing! Beef kabobs were good, but once we tried the lamb dishes, it paled in comparison... First all of the lamb was SO tender it was all falling off the bone! We did not need any extra seasoning, though if you run on the salty side you may need to request... Then as we were headed out talking to one of our hosts, come to find out the lamb is from a local farmer/rancher, which in this old/ex chefs mind took this to yet another level. I will absolutely be back again and am so mad that I waited so long to try it! Please treat yourself to the local gem! read more

Came here for the first time for lunch the other day and left completely satisfied. To begin, the restaurant is spacious with plenty of seating options. Our server was so kind as it was our first time there and he gave us some recommendation. Beware that the portion sizes were HUGE! I ordered half and was able to eat some for lunch the next day. Everything we ate was amazing and I am looking forward to returning. read more

Mandi Oasis - Arabic Near Me - Homewood, Alabama

Recommended & led by trusted local food experts, we thoroughly enjoyed a Saturday lunch. Mandi Oasis' unique spice blends, generous portions, and bang for our buck will have you going back for more. For our table of 4 ordered the Combo for 2, w beef broth, fahsah w that huge semi crisp yet mailable pita bread chicken & lamb Mandi. We had to try their weekend-only Beef Zorbian which makes the rice even richer. if you're going on a budget, just get the Beef Fahsah. This dish we'll all be going back for. For an added unique experience get their Adani Tea; it may bring you tears of joy as it did to our friend Les. Enjoy the adventure. #BradyEats read more

Mandi Oasis - Pita & Fahsah delicious! #BradyEats - Arabic Near Me - Homewood, Alabama

The food here is absolutely amazing. Super fresh and full of aromatic spices. Very authentic and like nothing else you can find in the Birmingham area. Our server was very attentive and made great recommendations as was not familiar with all the different dishes. The ambience is casual but definitely decorated in middle eastern style. read more

Mandi Oasis - Lamb, chicken and rice dish. The meat fell off the bone and the rice was so flavorful. - Arabic Near Me - Homewood, Alabama

The food here is phenomenal. It is worth the price and worth the wait. They were incredibly kind and kept the entire place very clean. We were only visiting but they impressed us immensely. The chicken was hands down my favorite bite. Juicy and tender and so well seasoned that I sat and stared at my fork just wondering what flavors I was tasting. Great job. read more

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I've been a customer at this restaurant since it has opened its doors and since then I have enjoyed excellent food with deep flavors and color. Eating food at this restaurant is truly unlike anything available in the city of homewood and Birmingham as a whole. That being said, since this restaurant has been open I have noticed very clear and fixable issue regarding the service, which I deem to be subpar. Keep in mind that I continue to come back here because I really do feel like this food is worth coming back for. My intention with this review is to provide constructive criticism to the owner of the restaurant who may read this and may make these changes. 1.Tableware- every time I have dined I have always noticed that the house staff is never entirely prepared to service the customer, even when the restaurant has 1 or 2 tables full. By service the customer, I mean setting plates, forks, spoons and knives at the ready. I understand that mandi is a food eaten with hands but having a plate and silverware is always necessary for the American customer 2. Taking orders- many times while ordering with a big group, the hostess would take the order by memory without writing things. This would lead to moments where while in the middle of dining on one of the mains they brought out asynchronously from the rest of the order, the hostess would end up asking us if we had anything else missing. In fact while taking the check the hostess would ask us about our order, as if we were responsible for writing it down ourselves. This isn't a deal breaker for me, but if the order is written then it would save a lot of unnecessary questions and confusion about our order. 3. Missing sides with orders: the daqous or toum is routinely missed with specific orders. Not sure if this is brought out on request or part of the order inherently though. 4. Keeping tabs on order completion: this was mentioned in number 2 but it really isn't our responsibility as customers to inquire about parts of our order when we don't see them on the table and when the waitress asks us if we are missing anything it just adds a layer of confusion and loss of trust in the staff. Bottom line: The food is great, cooked to perfection, and delicious The house staff team requires real training and the issues can be fixed. Working in service is hard and it can be a very laborious job. It seems like this restaurant is family run which is great, but I really believe certain consistencies need to be implemented for this restaurant to have real, returning customers. read more

There's nothing special about the lamb chops. They were good but nothing stood out about them. They may be better with a sauce. The salad we had was great that came with it. All in all a cool place and the service was great as well. read more

Mandi Oasis - Lamb Chops w/ rice - Arabic Near Me - Homewood, Alabama

We have been back since and the food was still amazing, but the wait was extremely long and there were not many people in the restaurant. The server was unsociable, but hopefully it was just an off night. read more

We visited Mandi Oasis in Homewood for Mother's Day with a small party, and overall, it was a pleasant experience. The service was attentive and smooth, especially considering the occasion. While the food personally wasn't quite to my taste, I appreciated the effort and presentation--and everyone else in my party really enjoyed their meals. It's clear the place offers something fresh and different. Mandi Oasis is a neat, diverse addition to Homewood's dining scene, and worth a try if you're looking to explore new flavors. read more

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This place was amazing and the service was great. The ambiance was very inviting. The food was fit for a royal family. read more

The lamb was really good. It was slightly overcooked, but the flavor and texture was very good.

The food was so delicous ! Definitely worth it get the fahsah! Staff was great and food was served quick! The shop also had a nice appearance and clean bathrooms! Definitely coming here again! read more

We tried the meal for 4, and EVERYTHING was delicious! Service was impeccable! They brought us complimentary lamb broth, and dessert! The Fahsah (like a stew) and the ghallaba (like a Yemeni fajita mix) were my faves, along with the rice! The spices in the rice were so good! The dessert (areeka) I almost didn't try (I have aversions to cooked nuts and bread pudding). Let me tell you, I'm so glad I did! It was delicious (and I was not bothered by the texture; firmer than bread pudding, and the cashews still had some crunch). I can't wait to go back! read more

Ordered p/u for 9:30 pm for work. They didn't even know about it. The Mgr said he would bring it out personally. 11:50,pm notified by email Order was cancelled. 1st and last time at this place. read more

Everything here was tasty. Recommend the lamb haneeth and fahsah! Ask for Katie she was the best hostess and offered such amazing service. The ambiance was very peaceful and music was nice. read more

The staff are ANGELS and the food was insanely good! My children were having trouble with their inside voices ( toddlers) and broke two glass items and the staff were so kind about it--they even gave me mint tea just to be sweet. Highly recommend!!!! read more

The food was authentic and delicious! The portions were huge. The tea was amazing. The dessert, called areeka, was out of this world! read more

Mandi Oasis - Areeka dessert - Arabic Near Me - Homewood, Alabama

The food here is amazing. The best Yemeni food in Birmingham that I have eaten. The staff is very kind.

Absolutely amazing! We were a little nervous walking in not knowing what to expect but the fasa and lamb chops were amazing! Everything is so full of flavor and our server was super nice description ing all items and the best way to go about serving and eating each dish. read more

The Lamb Haneeth was absolutely phenomenal. Easily the best Yemeni food I've ever had. 10/10 recommend. Friendly service from a great staff. Very nice atmosphere with unique vibes. read more