This place has a big parking lot and it's very clean! It smells great when you walk in and the owners are... FANTASTIC. Omar made me feel right at home! I ordered a shawarma plate. Beef and lamb.. it was wrapped in beautiful hummus. I think maybe... it's Albuquerque or something because the food was lacking in spice. I was really surprised because the set up was beautiful.. My constructive criticism would be to add more color to your plates. Lettuce... onions.. tomatoes.. cucumbers. Something. Will upload pic asap. I definitely want to go back and try something else. I love you Omar! I hope the world takes you some place better than ABQ!!! read more

Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery - Middle Eastern Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Sahara is probably my favorite Mediterranean restaurant in the UNM area. Great falafel and vegetarian platter! The staff is so nice and helpful and everything is fresh. There is an authentic ambiance inside and it is kept very clean. Plus they serve local craft beer! read more

Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery - They've got a belly dancer here! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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We were traveling and had to spend a night in Albuquerque. Since we knew nothing about the area, I turned to yelp for some dinner guidance. Sahara had great reviews and was fairly close to our hotel so we decided to give them a go. So glad we did. We each had a gyro and I must say it was probably the best gyro I have ever had the pleasure of eating. The meat was perfectly seasoned and plentiful and the sauce was so good, I was practically licking the wrapper! We also enjoyed a piece of baklava for dessert and it was also quite delicious. Wish we could have tried their other menu items too. I suspect they would be equally as good. If I lived in the area, Sahara would be a frequent lunch or dinner choice! read more

I have traveled the world. I have been all over the Mediterranean, Who would have thought I would find the BEST middle eastern food in Albuquerque New Mexico! Sahara is family owned. The food is made from scratch and delicious! Don't miss the opportunity to have a meal here! read more

I have a job that requires me to travel constantly and eat out for all of my meals, and I can sincerely say that this is one of the best meals I have had in a long time. The food was incredible and the owners were so kind and friendly. This restaurant is a must if you are in Albuquerque, make sure to add it to your list! read more

Delicious! Food is hot and fresh, flavor and spices are on point and the desserts are the best. Aside from parking, this place checks all the right boxes. read more

Delicious middle eastern food. I got the 5 falafel plate. The salad was very nice with the crunchy pita croutons. The hummus was amazing, but I wish there was more of it! The online ordering was easy but there was no way to order a side of fries online. Very covid safe precautions, felt safe eating food from here. Would definitely order from here again. read more

A great spot for Greek food. I ordered off the "secret menu" and got Greek fries with chicken. So delicious. Also got an order of falafel and it too was great. I highly recommend stopping by for a gyro or two. read more

I visited Sahara on 10.11.18. Mostly due to the 4 star rating. I ordered the Mashawi plate. Three meat kababs ( chicken kabab lamb kabab and a ground beef/lamb kefta), hummis, french fries, and two pitas. I'm not a huge lamb fan so I asked to sub the lamb kabab for a ground beef/lamb (kefta). The guy behind the counter happily agreed. The next thing I notice is the cook removing a to-go container from a microwave before giving it to a waiting customer...? I take a seat and await my order,..The hummis was pretty good, the meats are drizzled with a tangy sour cream sauce that also tasted pretty good. Other than the can of hefeweizen that's where the good stopped. I'm pretty sure this place pre-cooks the meats, then reheats.... The chicken kabab meat would have been good had it not been cooked twice, the keftas were well done, dry and charred. I wouldn't give this place 4 stars if I was used to eating canned beans. Maybe it tastes great after 12 beers at 1:30am... hmmmm #dissapointed.... read more

Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery - Dissapointing dinner.... - Middle Eastern Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Great Food & Good Vibes~ Gyros are delicious friendly great service! read more

Beef & lamb shawarmah Sahara entree plate were ordered for dinner. Also ordered hummus appetizer as well. It was a take out order. Wearing my mask, I went inside to pick up my order and purchased baklava with pistachios. This is my favorite middle eastern restaurant because they never disappoint. The staff are friendly whether you dine in or order take out. read more

COVID19 review: They are open! Go order some food now. We called in our order and it was ready in 10 mins. It hit the spot - everything I needed to eat. It is my comfort food. I grew up south of Detroit and I needed my Middle Eastern food to help my stress levels. We got spinach , cheese, and zatar pies, rice pudding, side of hummus and baba (the best baba around), and 2 combo platters. Rice pudding for dessert. Thank you for being open and I want you to be open on the other side of COVID. read more

The food was quick and the service was good. While I enjoyed everything, I didn't think anything was exceptional. Great place to get a quick satisfying meal. read more

A long-time favorite. Great food, awesome staff, open late, and I always enjoy the music videos. Solid vegan/vegetarian choices. You sometimes get a little melancholy looking back on your New York City days, especially when you think about all the righteous food you can get so easily. Well, this is a great is example of righteous food I can get right here in ABQ. read more

Like Tony Stark I didn't know what shawarmah was, and I set out to find a place in Albuquerque that served it so I could find out for myself. This was my introduction to Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery, and I've been there multiple times since, as I discovered how much I love it! There is a Sahara Entree Plate that comes with all the necessary sides, such as pita, fattoush salad, hummus, falafel and dolmas, not to mention rice. I highly recommend the jallab, which is a beverage with dates and rose water and is absolutely unique and delicious. I order it every time. The interior seems bigger than the parking lot (parking can be a little tight as the place is popular.) There is lots of festive decor to look at while you are waiting for and eating your food. I highly recommend this place, and every time I think of it, I crave it again. read more

10/10 one of my favorite restaurants! Great food and great staff, my go to order is the beef and lamb shawarma sandwich with kunafa for dessert! Delicious every time read more

Tasty. I'm a fan. This type of food is something I only eat rarely, so it only gets 4 stars. For more, it has to call me there once a month or more. read more

Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery - Kafta kebob platter - Middle Eastern Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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I was looking for a highly rated restaurant when I stumbled upon Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery on Yelp. Since it had 4.5 stars, I thought I'd give it a try. The Eatery is across the street from UNM so it definitely gets a lot of students. It isn't exactly upscale -- there is virtually no ambience at all -- it's more of an order up front type of place and take your food back to your table. There was food on the floor and the place obviously gets a ridiculous amount of traffic. The floors could have definitely stood to have been vacuumed. I guess it isn't a priority for the restaurant....I promised the girlfriend the food would be good based on the reviews. The food was solid, and the prices were fair for Albuquerque. We ordered a big plate of food to share. We had both the lamb and the chicken and both were very good. Bonus: I called and asked if I could bring a bottle of wine into the restaurant with me. The guy on the phone told me I could (no corkage). Sounds like he was applying for his liquor license, so I would recommend calling and asking if the no corkage fee still applies. It was a fun place to get food on the cheap. Again, the ambience is more college-vibe and if you're ok with that, it's a great little spot to get good food. read more

Got delivery from this fantastic local restaurant via Uber eats, the restaurant confirmed the order promptly and was ready for pick up very quickly as well. My veggie sampler place was delicious!! Light and crispy falafels. Will return to support this local joint! read more

Never disappointed here! I've been eating at Sahara for years and the quality has remained high through them all. They have the best tabbouleh salad, the falafel is always the perfect 'crunch on the outside, soft on the inside' texture, and I always get extras of the garlic sauce because it tastes great on anything. If you want to support local and you're looking for great Middle Eastern food, come here! read more

The baklava was SOOOOOOO good Their meat was really good too. The only thing I'd say is that orders typically take a long time.

Love the chicken shawarma! I get the same thing every time I go. I have driven across town before to get their food. Delicious!

Ordered our food for delivery on April 22 and not only was it early but it was delicious! All 3 of us loved it! Great job by all and we would definitely recommend it! Thanks to all!! God bless you all and stay safe everyone!! read more

I had been more of a regular customer with the satellite location in the student union building, Sahara Mediterranean Cafe. Menu and prices are about the same. Pitas, gyro meat, Greek salads. I got the falafel sandwich with tahini sauce. The falafel were a little different than what I had in mind (and maybe a little spicier too?). I think it could've used a some feta and maybe a little bit of onion too. Although prices weren't bad (in the $5 range), I wish I would've splurged for the extra fries on the side read more

AMAZING. The garlic sauce on the chicken kabob is what dreams are made of. Service was great and the restaurant was clean.

Very happy to find Middle Eastern cuisine in New Mexico. Food was delicious and filling, a good assortment of selection and the preparation was quick. Definitely recommend this place if you're looking to diversify your palette. read more

Best food in New Mexico. Hands down. Everything made from scratch. They even have vegetarian and vegan options. Very authentic and the staff is very nice and attentive. Also their hummus, falafel and chicken shawarma is life changing! You'll be hooked! read more

Delicious, accommodating service. I never get tired of the chicken shawarma. Always get takeout

Little spot me and the wife went to after a long road trip! Food was outstanding and had a real middle eastern vibe to it. Would definitely come again if I'm ever in New Mexico read more

First time back for dine in, amazing as usual! From hummous to shawarma! Baklava, tabouli, dolmas

This little jewel hiding out on Central Avenue has amazing Middle Eastern food and huge servings at a very affordable price. Don't overlook it when you are looking for a delicious meal during our Covid 19 times. read more

The best Mediterranean food in Burque hands down. Exceptional service. Best Baba Ganoush I've ever had!

Ordered a gyro sandwich & chicken shawarma sandwich with fatoush salad & rice. They gave us beef shawarma sandwich instead of chicken. Also grub hub didn't add the rice but the owner gave me rice anyway. The gyro sandwich was delish so was the rice & salad. It was alot of food. I didn't care for the beef shawarma sandwich. The sauce was not that tasty. I'll go back for the gyro sandwich combo. read more

Huge portions and huge flavor. The falafel is good every time and so is the jasmine rice as well as the gyros and the chicken shawarma. Excellent bang for your buck. read more

Awesome place. I like ordering from there when visiting. Good and fast service. Food is amazing.

Got the chicken shawarma plate and it was delicious. The guys working were super friendly and fast with pickup. Definitely recommend!

This is my favorite Mediterranean restaurant in town! The entree plates have so much variety and are a great deal. I love the Beef and Lamb Schawarmah and Chicken Tika Kabob. read more

The best Middle Eastern food in New Mexico! Makes me feel like just home and people there are incredibly hospitable and kind:)

We ordered delivery. The food was great. I had the gyro plate and my husband had the chicken schawarma plate. Everything was good but I loved the falafel. We had enough for leftovers and they were still good a day later! read more

I finally got a chance to stop by for the first time at the original Sahara. Even though everything else around them is closing, boarded-up, or demolished, they've been there on Central for what seems decades, serving up the tasty food. I managed to get the last of the special Syrian Chicken, which was a Levantine take on the classic Greek Chicken, roast chicken with citrus and sumac. Served with fattoush salad and slightly crispy yellow rice, it was fantastic. If the rest of the menu is as good as this, and they use the same recipes as they do at the uptown spot, I'm sold. The place is deceptively large inside; the whole Uptown restaurant could fit in the back room and they still have plenty of space. I'll have to come back for the falafel! read more