I booked this spot roughly 1 month in advanced, and I was only able to snag a 7:15pm reservation…read more(even as a solo diner). Music Lane is a beautiful area with corridors bustling with fresh air, which greatly contrasts the area not too far south of it. Aba lies within these corridors, so I was completely gobsmacked to see the size of the establishment and its number of seating. There are outdoor tables, a dedicated bar section, a decently large interior, and patio and sofa seats for the people waiting. Even then, the place was completely packed, so getting a reservation is an absolute must. Not only are the prices completely reasonable, the food itself had everything that I was looking for: a delicious spread starter, a balanced fiber dish, and an entree with intentional flavors and texture. The Short Rib Hummus is a must get! It is incredibly filling and completely worth the price. The short rib was a nice meat protein since I opted for a seafood main, and the pita bread that it came with was lightly seasoned and was as fluffy as it could possibly be. I could not eat much of my Brussel Sprouts because it was also very large. However it was not too oily or drenched, and each bite had a perfect light crunch, which is the standard for Fried Brussels Sprouts. Top it all off, the Grilled Branzino was the finisher to my savory dishes. The grill gave the fish a roasted flavor, which was complimented by the sweetness from the corn purée. The various greens, roasted tomatoes, and corn pieces themselves added bites of textures and secondary bursts of flavor. I can see why it took a month in advanced to book a decent time at Aba Austin. The atmosphere was so perfect because the air flows through all the doors and windows, allowing the diners to enjoy fresh oxygen. This place is a must visit, both as an experience and a meal that is WORTH the bill.

This is one of the few places in town where I know I'm guaranteed to have an amazing experience…read more There are no misses on the menu, everything is pretty much assured to be absolutely delicious. There's really nothing to complain about, the patio and interior are stunning and transport you out of south congress. Service has always been prompt and good, they always refill the pita when you're running low. My personal favorites are the steak frites and the eggplant dip, seriously SO good. Everytime I come here I look forward to the next time I can go again

Checked the place out based on Yelp reviews and was absolutely floored. Clean space, friendly…read morestaff, quick service, and excellent food! We ordered the half order falafel with hummus, mint lemonade, lamb kabob platter, and beef kabob platter. Everything but the salad came in large Texas style portions. I requested the beef be cooked to medium and the temperature was perfect. Tips: Substitute the tahini in the kabob platters for tzatziki and request garlic sauce on the side. The garlic sauce enhances the flavor of rice.

Food is very good, service not so good... I can tell people…read morecome for the food alone. The place is nice and has a nice layout. However, I'll think about coming here again because I didn't feel a good vibe with the service. We had to go look for someone to show us the table even though the place was empty for early lunch. Then, to get drinks or even the order was a problem. It took so much longer than usual. Our waitress was rude, and seemed bothered that we showed up. Then someone else came as the waitress and she was preoccupied with other tables and barely checked on us. A regular lunch which would've been one hour became almost two because of the lack of service. My friend had to stand and look for someone to give us a box to take out the good we couldn't eat because it was getting late and also to get the check because No one came in to check on us at all. It was almost like pulling teeth to get a regular service let alone good service. Again, the food was really good, and that alone was the only positive.

We've been here a couple times now, on a Sunday and Saturday for lunch and it has yet to…read moredisappoint. It's one of those places that's reliable and feels pretty consistent, knowing you're going to leave happy and full after eating here. The two times we've been there, theres always plenty of seating and are able to walk right in. It's a walk in and seat yourself experience and then you pay upon leaving. The staff keeps the dining area and buffet line consistently stocked and clean. They even provide hand sanitizer and gloves for you. Even when foot traffic picked up while we were there, the food was replenished quickly and didn't look picked over. Now let's talk food...Everything tastes fresh, well-seasoned, and like it was made with care instead of just being "buffet food" an under seasoned. The variety is also amazing, and it's easy to build a plate for pretty much any type of diet whether you're keto, high protein, balanced, veggie-forward, vegan, etc... Some of our favorite dishes we keep coming back for: Shredded beef (SO good), Baked fish (tender and not fishy), Garlic baked chicken (wonderful crispy skin), Fried chicken, Baked kafta, Kafta kebab, Gyro meat, Roasted cauliflower, Eggplant, Greek salad, Fatoush, Kale Caesar salad, Zaatar pizza, Cheese pizza (pro tip: top it with shredded beef- a life changing buffet hack), Rice with lentils, Rice with mixed veggies. For the quality, variety and amount of food you get, this is easily one of the best deals in the city! It's rare to find a buffet that's both affordable and consistently this good! If I had one small wish, it would be for desserts to match how strong the rest of the food is. They're not bad, just a little more "fine" compared to how amazing everything else is. I've seen another Dimassi's (I think in Cali) that had a frozen yogurt machine and I'd LOVE to see that here because it would be the perfect finish! Make a cup and then crumble up some baklava on it! Overall we've LOVED it here and we'll absolutely keep coming back! Great food, clean, consistent, and worth it every time!

In my family, we really like Demassi's. Not necessarily because everything there is amazing, but…read morebecause there is genuinely something to please everyone. Between me, my husband, and my mom, we have a lot of overlap in what we like to eat, but we also have some pretty distinct preferences, and Demassi's is one of those places where that works. My husband really loves Middle Eastern / Mediterranean food. I generally do not. I tend to find the meats too dry, I don't particularly like the spice profile, and I also find a lot of dishes in that category to be overly sour. It's hard to explain, but there's often a sharp, tangy acidity that I don't enjoy. For whatever reason, I don't have that issue at Demassi's at all. Here my husband can get his fix of dry, spiced meats, while I'm happy eating from the huge selection of rice dishes, cooked veggies, and soups. As far as protein goes, I actually really like the fish here, so I almost never eat the meat and still leave satisfied. It usually feels like a healthy pescatarian day for me, which I like. Then there's my mom, who just loves the abundance and variety of a buffet. She's happiest when she can sample a little bit of everything, build plates with lots of small bites, and then go back for more. Demassi's is perfect for that. On top of all of this, it's very reasonably priced, especially for lunch or on weeknights. It's always clean, the staff is consistently courteous, and they are really on top of bussing tables, which matters a lot to me at a buffet. Dirty dishes piling up are never an issue here. Overall, it's a solid, reliable spot for us and a place we're always happy to suggest when we're trying to please multiple people with different tastes.

Went out for a ladies night here and let me tell you this place keeps up to all the hype !…read more They offer free Valet parking on Friday and Saturday- so parking was a breeze ! We had made a reservation so as soon as we walked in we were seated inside in a booth ! The place felt cozy and comfortable as well as nice vibes ! They even offer bar seating ! They have a covered and temperature controlled patio too ! Our server was amazing and professional and answered all our questions about drinks and other stuff ! The cocktail were amazing - I was curious about their onion bagel drink I think that's what's it's called and my server got me a sampler ... definitely I went with something else . We ordered few dips and appetizers and 2 entrees! Everything was delicious! To end the night we got the Krembo dessert and OMG it's a must try !! Can't wait to ge back soon !!

The food here was tasty, but the service was what really stood out. Attentive, friendly…read moreknowledgeable staff who did not make us feel rushed and paced the food out nicely. They were happy to chat with us without forcing conversation. As a group of 3 we ordered the traditional hummus, whipped bulgarian feta, beet tahini, the cucumber labne, falafel, pan fried halloumi and baklava apple pie for dessert. The group was not what I would call big eaters so we had leftovers (we likely should have ordered 1 less dish), they recommend 2-3 dishes per person (dips and meze). The hummus was decent, but I would not feel the need to order it again, the bulgarian feta was delicious and was tied with best dish of the night with the falafel. The falafel had perfect texture, crispy on the outside without cutting your mouth and soft on the inside. The beet tahini just tasted like beets and nothing else so I would not get that again. The cucumber labne was tasty and the halloumi was the only dish I took a bite of and would not take another. The texture of the cheese was rubbery, so despite having a crunchy exterior and delicious sauce underneath, I found the halloumi to be extremely disappointing. I am not a chef, but if they simply grilled the halloumi and served it on top of the sauce I think it would be much better. Desserts are not my thing but my friends enjoyed it even though they admitted the baklava apple pie was painfully sweet. I liked that it came with labne ice cream to make it a bit different. Overall it was a nice meal, the ambiance is modern and clean and the service was fantastic. A good spot for a nice dinner out.

One of my favorite restaurants is Peace Bakery & Deli. This place is one of those true Austin gems…read more It's casual, friendly, and serving seriously flavorful Middle Eastern food. For my main dishes, I usually go with the lamb shank and sometimes the beef shawarma. The lamb shank was fall-off-the-bone tender, rich, and perfectly seasoned. It comes with a generous portion of rice that soaks up all those savory gravy, making every bite incredibly satisfying. The beef shawarma is thinly sliced, well-marinated, and packed with that classic shawarma flavor. It had the perfect balance of spices, and the portion size was no joke. Paired with their fresh pita and sides, it's easily one of the best shawarmas I've had in Austin. My favorite sides are the potatoes (must get), beet salad, tabouleh, hummus, and babaganoush. Pro-tip: ask for half sides, so basically you can choose up to 4 things instead of 2 full regular sides. The half side portions end up to be almost a full sized side. Pita comes with the meals and their desserts are good too. Service is quick, and the staff is kind. Whether you're grabbing something to-go or sitting down for a hearty meal, Peace Bakery & Deli is a must-try for anyone who loves Middle Eastern cuisine. I'll definitely be back to work my way through the rest of the menu!

Yummm definitely recommend So many options to pick from n…read morebuild your own plate Super flavorful n hearty serving sizes Customer service is kind n always friendly Inside is homey nothing fancy just a homey feeling Clean n lots of seating Prices are reasonable depending on what u get u can easily share a mixed plate DELISH deserts !!! They have coffee to go along but it is super strong like an espresso

Excellent breakfast. Eggs were very tasty. Substitutions were easy…read more Service was great. Christian was a superior server on all levels. Ambiance was great also. Weather permitting, definitely dine outdoors. Love The Peacock #grackles

Let's start with the good. The place is beautiful and quite a scene…read more The rest was more medium, given the price. The service was proficient but noting special. Unfortunately, so was the food. We tried the brisket hummus-- which seemed to have all the right ingredients but was lacking that something special. We had the dumplings, which were really fantastic. We had the lamb kebab, which was somewhat dry and bland. I also got one of their signature cocktails, which felt a bit thin. Overall, nothing really wrong, just high expectations that just weren't really met.

The food, everything, was very good. I had the Shish Tawook (chicken) with tabbouleh and hummus…read more The tabbouleh was fantastic! I don't know if it was authentic or not, but it was so good! The staff member that I dealt with was personable, pleasant, etc. Only one negative--I wish I could give the place a 4.5, but I don't think a 4 is fair--After I indicated that I was finished eating and ready for the bill (maybe I didn't communicate it so clearly?), it seemed to take quite a while before they came with the check. Otherwise, great food! (I did not try the hookah at all.) Oh, I forgot to mention: I was served a bottle of spring water rather than a bottle of "purified" water. That was fairly impressive.

I gave 4 stars to give them the benefit of the doubt, but my actual experience felt closer to 2…read morestars. The main problem was the noise. The acoustics were very bad. The hardwood ceiling and the glass window in front of me seemed to amplify sound from every direction. I was with a group of six men, and none of us could hear each other. As the noise increased, every table seemed to raise its volume just to communicate, and it became painful. The food had a BBQ flavor, which was different for Mexican food. Some people may like that, but it was not what I expected. It was 4 star food. I think sitting outside would probably be much better.