We arrived 30 minutes early for our reservation, and were lucky to be able to get seats at the bar, where we were happy to stay so we could eat early. Cork is a place you DEFINITELY need reservations for dinner - it's very busy, and popular restaurants like Orso do fill up very quickly. It was bustling even at 6:30PM, and was great to see a busy and thriving restaurant. The food and service was phenomenal, so good that we chose to dine at their sister restaurants across the rest of our visit to Cork. Highly recommended. read more

Orso - Incredible lamb dish - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cork, Colorado

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Walking into Orso, we were greated by our wonderful server Gabriella. She has a most friendly and inviting smile and she was very helpful. Though she was literally the only server for the entire restaurant this evening, she never made us feel rushed and was always patient with every group that came. This is a relatively small space with only about 6 tables inside. There was a large group sitting outside, they probably put together 2 or 3 tables. It's a relaxed place with some beautifully framed artwork on the wall. The menu provides a wonderful selection of Middle Eastern food. We didn't choose any drinks other than the water that was offered. My wife and I shared the Grilled Halloumi salad to start. The salad was delicious and the halloumi was superb. For the entree we both chose the fish of the day, a grilled sea bream with some sort of slaw. The fish was fantastic, prepared perfectly. It had wonderful flavors in addition to the excellent taste and texture of the fish. We ordered a side of sweet pea hummus with pita, which was absolutely delicious. We succumbed to ordering dessert because they too sounded so good. What made them totally special was that birth the Pear Tartin and Mahalabia were flavorful, not too sweet, and we didn't feel stuffed after enjoying them to complete our meal. The fresh mint tea that accompanied dessert was delicious. read more

Food, service and drinks were great!!! Highly recommend the atmosphere was good too! We sat at the bar and enjoyed watching the staff.

Excellent lunch here! At first we had not been able to sit together as a larger group of 6, but by the time we were ready to eat we had been able to consolidate some tables together outside on their lovely patio. Their outdoor space is shaded, well-decorated, and opens up into a mildly busy pedestrian street. Favorites orders of our group included their creamy black lentil dahl and the steak sambo. Fries were delicious as well. Service was friendly and efficient. read more

I had the lamb shank yesterday evening and it was one of the best meals I have eaten since arriving in Cork.

Orso is absolutely amazing!! Everything we ate was absolutely delicious. We can't say enough great things about this place. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The cocktails were awesome! We had a hot lips margarita, salted Carmel espresso martini and a basil smash. We started with the pan seared prawns and the Lamb pocket- delicious! Main dish we had the slow cooked lamb shank and it was so tender. Rohan Josh Canneloni was SO good! Very filling. read more

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You have to get the raspberry white chocolate scone... with plenty of cream and jam ... great quality coffee, lovely staff read more

Orso - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cork, Colorado

Amazing food and even better service. We popped in for a quick bite and drink after a long drive and the owner and staff were so sweet. We had the salad and our son enjoyed the meatballs and rice. The salad had so much flavor and it was one of my favorite meals in Cork. Thanks for the great service! read more

We had dinner at this small gem of a restaurant after a day of driving around Ireland. With the Yelp recommendation and easy access from our hotel, we had a completely enjoyable meal. The place is small and on a pedestrian side street. We got there about 5:30 on a Wednesday night and had no problem getting a table but the place quickly filled up. Anyhow our server was very helpful and friendly and we completely enjoyed everything we ordered. Would happily eat here again! read more

It's a very good place for a lunch with friends! It's pretty small but friendly and the staff is really nice ! I ordered the baked pitta with two choices of salad and a cake of the day ( carrot cake with lemon/pistachio cream) everything was really delicious and fulfill! I loved it ! It totally recommended ! I hope I will go again because the breakfast menu looks delicious as well read more

Orso - Cake of the day : carrot cake with lemon/pistachio cream - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cork, Colorado

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A definite 5/5! We popped in here on a Saturday evening after 7, knowing we'd have to wait for a table. We were told a table should be ready in an hour or so, so off we went to nurse a generous glass of wine in Meades. Got a call for our table a half an hour later - happy days! The food was excellent. We ordered three starters and a main, the aim to share tapas style. We had the crispy bread (the only meh choice), lamb pies, scallops and beef with pearl cous cous - so so good! Service was great, hitting the nice balance of friendly and helpful. For 63 euro including a bottle of wine we left very happy! read more

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First people to sit at the bar and had such great service beginning to end. Very small place and seems to be a three person operation but that worked perfectly for us. Shared the chicken shawarma and zaatar potatoes and they were both wonderful. Would highly recommend this place! read more

Best food I've had in years! Friendly staff and owner. Came to Cork for the food and it will be near impossible to top my first meal here.

To call this a Middle Eastern restaurant is not truly accurate. This is a restaurant that offers exceptional food, creatively prepared with a Mediterranean flair. The fresh, whole fish is tender and flaky and the sides are perfectly complementary. The meal we had was exquisite and their take on a classic Pavlova ( meringue w / cream & berries ) was sublime. We ate at the bar and it was a perfect meal read more

Orso - Bream! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cork, Colorado

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Been here twice for lunch now and have it on the list for dinner... The chickpea curry is genuinely one of the nicest veggie curry's I have ever had. The layout of the restaurant is small, but you can see what they are trying to achieve... i would love a different take on seating in there, but perhaps its something they will work on over time. The staff are good and you can tell the place is just starting off so you forgive them for it. I had ONE major disappointment, I ordered a berry blossom cocktail for my lunch yesterday (a saturday, a day off!!) and it was MAJORLY disappointing. Bland berry's a shot of gin, some water and way too many cubes of ice... maybe I blind sided the bar man at that time, but it was the lamest excuse for a cocktail I have seen in a long time. For 7.50 - I will not be ordering it again. Sort it out! Don't let my cocktail rant discourage you though, this place is definitely worth a look in. read more

Truly excellent restaurant. Without doubt one of the best restaurants in Cork, both for the quality of food and the service. We had Lebanese meat pies (Sfeehas) as a starter. They came with a thyme and fennel cream which was utterly delicious, and some very tasty cous cous. For such a simple dish, it was layered with flavour and depth. We had two mains 1) Slow cooked beef bazella with caramelised fennel and Warm pearl cous cous. The beef was perfectly cooked, warm pink in the middle. The fennel really added to the flavour, while the cous cous was delicious. 2) Orso spiced potato, squash & beetroot bake topped with goats cheese & crispy onions. If I was trapped on a desert island, and they told me I could only take one dish with me, to eat for the rest of my days, I would choose this dish. It was truly sumptuous. The mixture of sweet goats cheese and beetroot, with the squash and potato was beautiful. The onions added some crunchy texture and mouth-feel. First time since I've been in Italy, that I've had REAL cheesecake. delicious. They also make a mean cocktail. read more

Great food, really nice atmosphere, extremely friendly and knowledgeable staff, great prices and a decent wine selection. Have only been for dinner but breakfast and lunch look great too. It's like Middle-Eastern crossed with Mediterranean tapas but slightly larger. Very imaginative and a pleasant surprise in Cork. The only downside is the lack of space - it can be a tiny bit cramped but arguably that adds to the atmosphere. read more

Fantastic food and top notch service. You'll feel well taken care of by the staff at Orso. read more

Orso - Amazing lamb sfeehas & Bees Knees cocktail special - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cork, Colorado

Very different. I would call it more Moroccan than Middle Eastern. Good mixture of exotic spices - sweet and savory. The star dish was beef bazella pie. Almost a Moroccan joke on beef and Guinness; looks Irish but one bite will put you in Marrakech. Staff is amazing. Came in early and said we would be back after a couple in the pub up the street. Took our mobile and called us when they thought it might get busy. No bookings so get there before 7ish and leave your number. read more

Great restaurant find in cork. We're on a family vacation and it was difficult finding good restaurants that can accommodate dinner reservations for 6 people on short notice. The host was extremely gracious and managed to find us seats within an hour of me first inquiring. Throughout the meal, the service, food, and cocktails were impeccable. Their fish of the day was a bass and it was so fresh and flaky. My husband devoured his lamp shank within literally 4 minutes of receiving it. It was very nicely spiced and wasn't heavy at all. A nice change from the heavy pub-fare we've been eating for the last 5 days. read more

One of the most definitive 5/5 ratings I've ever given. Located in the heart of Cork city, this quaint restaurant is a foodies dream. Best middle eastern food I've had across many countries. Between Orso and the Bookshelf café next door, they are both enough to draw me back to Cork. read more

Amazing little restaurant! The menu is always changing and the food is great! You can order tapas style or just enjoy a main, either way you'll leave happy. The environment is gorgeous and the attention to detail really makes it. I've been several times and it's always been a pleasure. I wouldn't recommend going in a group of more than three for optimum enjoyment. Lovely drinks and desserts too and the lunch specials are lovely. I always make a trip here when I can :) read more

Really great new place in Cork with a unique and excellent menu. Reasonably priced for the quality of their food. Attentive service and excellent wine as well. Note that its small, but they will usually sit you within 30 minutes. Have a pint next door and they will call your cell once your table is ready. read more

Great food and atmosphere, amazing staff, and vegetarian/vegan friendly dishes, if you're into that!

Food: Excellent, this is defiantly one of the top restaurants in Cork! Service: Above standard, the staff in there are kind, funny, charismatic and helpful. Price: I feel it's a fairly valued. Atmosphere: It's small, but has an exclusive feel. The décor is tastefully done. read more

Good, fresh, organic Mediterranean fare. A great place to stop if you've had your fill of heavy Irish food and are craving something fresh and healthy. read more

Great food, wine, & brilliant specials that change really often! Staff are really friendly, and prices are really reasonable! Great choice of gluten free food as well read more

Fabulous food, staff couldn't have been more helpful (without being overly attentive). Great choice for all pallets and very reasonably priced. One warning, it's very difficult to get a table as you can't reserve! read more

A hidden gem in Cork. To call it a Middle Eastern restaurant is an overstatement. More like Mediterranean inspired. Hits the right note of casual yet exemplary food no matter the time of day. read more

I had meetings down in Munster this week with one of the days/nights spent in Cork. Yes, I had to prepare for the meeting but equally important was trying to decide where I would eat when they ended! I narrowed it down to a few choices and finally decided on Orso (in part because Mediterranean sounded good and in part because my first choice, Iyer's, was only open for lunch). I found Orso pretty easily based on the maps location and took a seat at the bar. The bartender greeted me promtly and brought a caraf of water while I viewed the menu. After a long look I decided on the crispy chilli bread with beetroot and goat's cheese dip and the Sfeehas (spicy beef and chickpea pastry pie with crispy kale and cream sauce) to start. The food came out extremely fast and had lovely presentation. I dug into the sfeehas first and it was delicious. The outside was light and fluffy with flavourful meet and chickpeas inside. When dipped in the sweeter cream sauce it totally balanced everything out. I think the kale was meant to eat with the pastry but I loved it by itself! Now for the goat's cheese dip - I expected goat's cheese with chunks of beetroot or something but what I got was a pink puree'd dip with a cream taste but no hint of goat's cheese. I found it extremely boring and the "crispy chili bread" was sliced (stale) baguette with olive oil and a few pieces of dried chilis. I ate half of it because I was hungry but I would not recommend. Luckily these two dishes are more starter/tapas portions so I had one more try. I asked the bartender to help me decide between a few and after her recommendation went with the tender boneless lamb rib in a seasame crust with homemade salsa verde. Again, came out extremely quickly and had lovely presentation with a few pieces of lamb, a little side salad and a small dish of sauce. The lamb definitely redeemed Orso for me. Great flavors and I loved the sesame breading. The dip was also nice, although it wasn't close to what I consider Salsa Verde (you know, green and made from tomatillos and serranos) but definitely complimented the lamb well. Despite the miss with the goat's cheese dip this was a lovely experience and if I find myself in Cork I would return. read more

Awesome! It was very busy but we were able to get a seat at the bar. Ordered scallops for an appetizer and I ordered a vegetable meal and my husband ordered the fish special for dinner. Everything was excellent and the best food I had in my entire trip to Ireland. The cocktails were also great. For a small space they really were able to do a lot and do it well. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Great food, atmosphere and wait staff. The spicy prawns were an awesome way to start a very delicious meal.