I love the food and ambiance of this restaurant. The pita with hummus is a must have when you go.

My family and I stopped by for a quick meal at this restaurant. The place wasn't crowded when we arrived, so we felt like we had the entire place to ourselves. We started with the pita and hummus, which were freshly made and incredibly delicious. The meat kebabs were also fantastic, packed with seasoning and flavor. Although they looked overdone, the outside was crispy and juicy on the inside. Will be coming back again to try more. read more

It's located near a busy intersection but thankfully there's parking o it front and a parking lot, The decor and ambience inside the restaurant was elegant. The service was Prompt and friendly. The food was so good! Everything was flavored Well and cooked perfectly. The highlight for me were the shrimp, steak, and chicken Adana kebab! Even my daughters liked the food and tried everything. They give you fresh baked pita bread that literally came out from the brick oven, which you can see in the back. The portions are large and we even took it home to eat for another meal The next day! Highly recommend anyone who enjoys Mediterranean flavors! read more

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One of the best Mediterranean restaurants in Central NJ. Wait staff are very attentive. We've been to both locations and this one has ample parking and is more spacious. Food was tasty- had the chicken and the lamb chops. Grape leaves for appetizer and ended with dessert and coffee. It's BYOB. Will definitely be back soon! read more

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Popped in last night for a quick meal. Really enjoyed the mozzarella flatbread an house hummus. So good and the service was super quick! We were in and out an made it to our next destination somewhat early! Will def be back!! read more

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Good service but some non-english speaking staffs are rude. Food tastes great. I guess this is a legit Mediterranean place. Ample spacing between tables. They have a big room for parties and events. Open viewing of their kitchen. See images for reference. Accepts credit/debit. High chair seen. Restroom clean. They have a Gratuity for more than 4pax. They also offer all-you-can eat for $45 read more

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The hummus and pita bread were 10/10. The locale is bigger than it looks and even has a banquet hall. The only downside is the parking which is street or bust. Service was okay, little slow to start but then we were taken care of. Will be back to try more menu items. read more

Great food. Grilled lamb chops were delicious. We had the family style and sampled several different things. The falafel was excellent. There was no shortage of food, we actually took home plenty of leftovers. Service was good, the restaurant is clean and nicely decorated, the food is the real star. read more

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Ambiance is old world rustic Mediterranean. Nice murals & lighting. We went on a Monday so no other patrons but also took a while before someone seated us. Food was great. I had lentil soup and the family shared falafels for appetizers- dark & crunchy outsides with light fluffy insides. Loved the sauces. We ordered the 2-person grill platter and it was perfect for the 3 of us. Didn't stay for dessert as it was my husband's birthday & we had cake at home. Been here at least 3 times! read more

This was a large place with lots of seating including a banquet room in the back. The wood fired pizza oven could be seen in most parts of the dining area. The menu was large and had very favorable pricing. The service was appreciated, and the food came out very quickly. They start the meal off with fresh pita along with some olives, a spicy red sauce, and olive oil. The olives were a little hard, but the pita was warm and fresh. For appetizers, the falafel ($7) and artichoke pesto flatbread ($10) were ordered. There were four large falafel balls that came with a cajik and tahini sauce. These were very good. The falafel was packed with flavor and went well with the tahini sauce. I was not a huge fan of the cajik as it was a little too dilly for my taste. The flatbread was excellent. Besides being topped with pesto sauce, and artichoke hearts, it had fresh mozzarella. The very thin 'flatbread' held up nicely with all of the toppings present. All of the flavors just blended so nicely with one another. It was a great start to the meal. For my entrée, I went with the lamb shank special ($27?). It came with mixed vegetables and rice. There was also a choice between salad or soup. I opted for the house salad, no complaints there. Regarding the actual entrée, the lamb shank was huge. It was one of the larger shanks I have seen. Unfortunately, some of the meat was a little tough to deal with. The brown sauce was great, but it seemed like the lamb could have been cooked a little longer for it to be more tender as well. The sauce soaked up the vegetables and rice nicely. For dessert, the tartufo ($6) was ordered. It was a standard vanilla and chocolate gelato wrapped in chocolate with almonds and cherry pieces along with whipped cream. This was refreshing, creamy ice cream and a chocolate shell. The whipped cream was light and enhanced everything. Will I go back? I would. read more

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Delicious food, huge menu to choose from, huge portions, very attentive staff. I had tried the braised beef which was seasoned fo perfection, tender and not salty. The falafel is to be ordered over and over again. This is my second time visiting Sahara and it will not be the last. read more

Great food never disappoints great staff Beautiful location good parking chicken is amazing and the rice read more

I went here for an event and was pleasantly surprised. I love the decor, the atmosphere & the parking situation wasn't bad either. As soon as you walk in, it smells like some pretty excellent pizza is being made in that brick oven. I didn't get to try it, but if it tasted like it smells, I know it's fantastic. The back room can be rented out for a party. It was great. The staff was all very friendly and attentive. I have never been to a Mediterranean event and made the mistake of filling up on appetizers so I didn't have much room for dinner. The hummus, felafel & other foods that I do know know their names were all delicious. I think this is a great place to go for dinner or have your event read more

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We discovered this restaurant/catering hall six years ago when we were scoping out wheelchair accessible restaurants to take my in-laws out for the Saturday lunch getaway from assisted living. It met our needs, but we also discovered a very professional dining operation with excellent cuisine whose staff showed a lot of respect towards two elderly people in their late 90s. My in-laws are now gone, but we gladly continue to come back to Sahara. The menu has both Middle Eastern and European items, and we have never been disappointed. Included in the meal is pita bread freshly made in the brick oven served with dipping olive oil, olives and a spicy red lentil and a milder mint sauce. Excellent! And even though we get the pita bread in the meal, we also order one of the wonderful brick oven flatbreads. Entrees come with either a side salad or spicy red lentil soup. My in-laws had trouble chewing and swallowing, so the braised beef and the lamb shank entrees were perfect for them (and delicious for us also). Both succulent, tender meats with flavorful sauces served with couscous and vegetables. My husband introduced me to the chicken chops dish which are splayed chicken thighs charcoal grilled and served with rice pilaf, pickled cabbage and two different side yogurt sauces - superb! Then of course there are also excellent kabobs, vegetable dips and more European style fish and chicken dishes. Also, if you go there, you must take dessert and coffee (cappuccinos, espresso or Turkish coffee). We usually get baklava and the various pudding type desserts at which they excel - Turkish keskul, kasandibi, rice pudding and the more European tiramisu and panna cotta, all excellent. This is a wonderful, comprehensive meal from start to finish. More positives are that it is BYOB and has polite, attentive wait staff. Finally, it is a nice, spacious setting. There is the more traditional dining room in the front and the high ceilinged dining room which reminded me of the entryway to the caravansary in Turkey where we saw the Whirling Dervishes perform. This dining room is right outside their banquet hall. My in-laws loved this restaurant, and I highly recommend it. After lunch, we would stop by the Manville Pastry Shop to get my father-in-law some donuts to take back to assisted living, completing their outing. read more

Sahara Restaurant - A happy 99 year old customer - Mediterranean Near Me - Manville, New Jersey

Four of us ate in Sahara in Manville last Saturday evening at 6:30. When we walked in there was only one couple eating. We ordered hummus, baba ganoush, & falafel balls, for appetizers. The Falafel balls were over fried the other appetizers were ok. For the main course I had the lamb chops my husband had the chicken kebab, which was over cooked and tasted horrible, the other couple ordered steak and another chicken dish. All the food was over cooked and over spiced. I'm not sure but the food tasted like they don't make it fresh. For dessert we had the baklava which wasn't soft and flavorful it was stale. The waiter was overbearing and kept coming to our table asking us are we ready to order. There isn't any ambiance. All in all we will NEVER GO BACK. I DON'T recommend this restaurant. read more

It was my 30th birthday today, and I had the best experience at this place! Our server, Ammar, was amazing, and though I didn't get the name of the other server, they were wonderful too. They even sang happy birthday for me! read more

Let me pick 3.5 yelp. It deserves that. Went for lunch during the week so it wasn't very crowded. Staff was nice. Got some lamb kabobs. They were very tasty. Can't remember the app name but it was a cheese roll, that was fine. Overall a solid place. read more

Went there recently with family from out of town. Arrived about an hour or so before closing. Restaurant workers clearly were annoyed that we were there. Claim the kitchen was closing in 30 minutes, but the website stated they closed at 10PM, we got there about 830PM. I will NEVER return to this location. Attitude from workers was horrible. I've patronized this restaurant for years including during COVID. Never again and embarrassment to my family who are still talking about the awful experience. read more

Came here for a big group dinner. The food was very tasty. Loved that they make the pita fresh in the oven in the back. The hummus was absolutely delicious and the salad was great too. The fried shrimp had Cajun seasoning and were cooked perfectly. We shared mixed grill and a chicken combo platter as well. Lots of food! We did have to keep hounding the waiter for water but everything other than that was good. read more

Frequent this location often for dinner. The prices are slightly on the higher side, but the food makes it worth it. We typically share a few items so we get to try it all. This time we got the Shepards salad, falafel appetizer, hummus, spicy ezme, and the couscous vegetable stew. All the food was delicious but the hummus + pita is our favorite. This location is large and has a lot of tables - we went on a Friday and there was no wait. read more

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Amazing Service! Amazing Food! Never disappoints! We were greater right away by Mo and he sat us by the kitchen, so we were able to see how they prepared the pita bread and feel the warmth of the oven. They brought us freshly made pita bread and some olives, olive oil and a spicy dip, but we ended up ordering the house hummus (one of my favorite) he suggested the drink which was delicious and I ordered the couscous salad, my cousin ordered the chicken kebab. Both dishes were delicious. Always our favorite. Totally recommend. read more

Sahara Restaurant - Couscous Salad with Grilled Shrimp and a (non-alcoholic) cocktail Juice our server Mo suggested - Mediterranean Near Me - Manville, New Jersey

It's hard to believe this restaurant is affiliated with the Sahara in NB. Went there for a lunch on an off day. The waitress was new. She really needed guidance. We had an issue finding my reservation. We got seated in the largest table they had. We were a six top. There were a lot of mistakes with the orders. I see that as being on the waitress who was obviously in over her head and needed training and guidance. Also the food is different in Manville compared to NB. The stew has huge chunks of veggies. You need to cut them into 4-8 pieces to make them mouth size pieces - not like it is in NB/. I will definately go back to Sahara in NB, but probably not in Manville. It's too bad. It would be great to have an alternative location to Sahara that is worth going to. read more

Firstly let me say that I usually enjoy the food at this restaurant but last Saturday I had a poor experience. The restaurant was very busy but we had a reservation and were accommodated and sat down quickly. There were several large parties at the restaurant and each of these were very very very loud. I mean screaming loud, Sustained screaming and loudness as if one group was trying to top the other group for how loud that they could yell. Of course the management did nothing to tone down the intensity of the sound. Didn't want to upset the many paying customers. I understand the reasoning, but what about us. It was uncomfortable to the extent that my wife and I had difficulty communicating to each other. Several guests of tables of 2 or 4 complained and changed tables but there was no getting away from it. We tried moving to another table. Couldn't get away from the loudness no matter how hard we tried. Next the service was very slow which is expected but when we got the main dish it was terrible. Ordered lamb kebobs and the range of cooking was between raw and overdone for the many pieces served. I also think they forgot to marinate the meat. Tasteless and dry. We ate some of the food (my jaw is still sore from chewing excessively), didn't complain and got out of there and boy was that a relief. Did anyone apologize? No. Offer an accommodation? No. I was so happy to get out of there. Can't tell you the relief to get outside and stop the NOISE. It was like being at a football game, someone scored and the cheering started and never stopped. The restaurant is large and has very poor acoustics and sound attenuation. High ceiling that magnifies the sound. My Iwatch decibel meter ranged at times between 82 and 90. When it hits 90 you get a warning. Sustained levels of this intensity of sound is hazardous and can cause permeant damage. The restaurant has a large party room with a heavy door that could have been used to accommodate the several large parties and at that large room the customers could have screamed to their hearts content without bothering anyone. In the future I will not be visiting this restaurant on the weekend but will only visit this establishment during the week. As I said, I usually like the food. It is usually fresh, tasty, served in abundance and very pleasant. Last Saturday however was HORRIBLE .........unless you have a large party and want to test the range of your vocal cords on a Saturday night. Then this is the place, day and time for you. As for me............... Two stars for last Saturday. read more

I've been to the Sahara in New Brunswick and it's comparable to their Manville location, which is the location I'm reviewing. I want to point out one specific dish which is my family's favorites. Sahara has a wood burning oven and it makes the dish called "chicken chops" which are perfect for their wood stove. Their lamb chops are excellent and the portions of everything are extremely generous. There are many other wonderful Meditteranean dishes that are also fantastic. The folks I've gone there with order a wide array of other dishes; I've had several of them in their New Brunswick location, also excellent; but I'm hooked on chicken chops! I'm the opposite of a vegetarian but there are plenty of non meat options on their menu. Don't waste any more time; put on you sneakers and run over there! read more

Last night's dinner was very good .....so authentic mediterranean-Arabic food...freshly made Pita pockets...deliciously warm served by friendly wait staff ....a hearty red lentil soup ....the Tabouleh is super delicious I can't remember having it as good as this when I was in Abu Dhabi.,,...the halibut was served on top of broccoli and cauliflower fenced with mashed potato with a semi sweet pineapple reduction...made so delicately elegant and really delicious ...super impressed.... read more

Sahara Restaurant - Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Manville, New Jersey

Stopped by with my wife for quick lunch We told them we only had a half hour and they said it's doable. My wife ordered the Greek salad and I ordered the Adana Kabobs sandwich. Both were excellent. The fresh pita bread they serve in the beginning is absolutely delicious. read more

Great selection of middle eastern Mediterranean food. The Greek salad is great portion and the shrimp was alright. They ran out of chicken that day so was a bit surprised read more

Haven't been here in awhile. Gave the establishment a few opportunities to improve both flavor and service and every time it's been mediocre at best for the prices paid. Ambiance is pleasant. However that not enough for an enjoyable dinner out. In nearby Somerville there's an Egyptian and Greek place (I realize it's not Lebanese specifically) but those are good alternatives in terms of service and quality and flavor. read more

We stopped in for dinner one evening to try something new. We were started with a complimentary olive tray while we looked over the menu and started off with some calamari and a Gorgonzola cheese flatbread that had mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. We also had a house salad and a spicy red lentil soup that accompanied the entrees. We asked for some pita bread but it took 3 requests and quite a while to arrive. I really enjoyed the flatbread it was crispy and very tasty. The pita and garlic bread was delicious and fresh from the oven. For my entree I had the chicken chops, they were served with rice and burgol. The chops had a delicious marinade and were grilled perfectly the accompaniments were also very good. I bought most of my entree home and it was still delicious the next day. I plan to go back and try some other dishes and some dessert the staff was very friendly and we had a nice evening. read more

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Adrienne was a wonderful server. The food was excellent. Love the atmosphere. Great for a date, business meal, graduation, birthday etc. celebration. read more

Sahara Restaurant - Choice Combination Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Manville, New Jersey

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We hosted our child's birthday party here. We had such a great experience. Mike was so helpful and accommodating. He allowed us to do decorations in whatever way was comfortable for us. The food was delicious. And the entire team was so attentive to our party and our guests. We would definitely host an event here again, and will definitely come by just to eat as well. Thanks to Mike and everyone at Sahara for making our event fun and successful! read more

Wanted to try out this new place for a rather high-stake formal occasion and the gamble payed off. You will be impressed with the attention to detail on the decor and the size of the place. They make their own bread in the brick-oven (yummy garlic flat bread!) and their hummus and yogurt dipping was very fresh and yummy. Be mindful of their serving potions as they are large can one easily over order (well we did!). Several veggie options and some of them are unique. Stuffed green peppers were quite unique (tip:request them to make them a bit crisp). Lentil soup was warm and filling. Falafel is as a bit disappointing but the french fries were really good and they don't use the fry fryer for frying anything but fries (tongue twister!) The had several guests but the place still looked empty because it is huge. They can certainly handle large parties! We parked on the street but believe parking is not an issue here. read more

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Sahara is a beautifully decorated, delicious restaurant. The interior is decorated with a true Middle Eastern vibe in mind. Every table is given a basket with full pita and dipping sauce. I had cheese rolls as my appetizer, they were yummy. For lunch I had the Feta Chicken. It tasted great, but the presentation coulld have been better. The feta cheese looked like it had just been casually tossed on top of the tomatoes. Other than that though: wonderful place. My friend enjoyed his Black Bean Soup! read more

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This restaurant is terrible. Everything from service to food was atrocious. If you love waiting 40 mins to place a drink order and 50mins for the check with below sub par food-this place is perfect for you. They were not short staffed to be this delayed and the restaurant was damn near empty. I think the empty restaurant was a solid tell sign that I shouldn't have ignored. The food is between bland and disgusting. Try a different place; we couldn't leave face enough and I was really embarrassed to have picked this restaurant to take friends based on these BS reviews. Word to the wise if you still want to waste your night, money and enhanced loss of appetite, don't order the flat bread or the mixed grill. Mixed grill is over priced and I rather eat frozen pizza bagels than this lunchable style flatbread. There isn't a single reason to recommend this place. Overall a solid zero. read more

The food was delicious. The major complaint is the restaurant was so hot. All windows were open and there was a breeze but it was a hot breeze. It made for a very uncomfortable time. read more

We had lunch here today - had been wanting to try this place out for awhile and was very pleased. The servers were very friendly and attentive. The freshly baked pita bread is fantastic! Served with oil and 2 additional sauces. I had the Chicken Pita sandwich which was made with the same great pita bread - it was delicious and I could finish only half. Also came with french fries which were hot and crispy. Very good. Unfortunately I dove into the sandwich when I got it and forgot to take a picture :(. BF had the Red Lentil Soup which was tasty and spicy and the Tomato & Parmesan flatbread. The flatbread was pretty thin and could have been cooked on the bottom a bit more but good. I just have to come back to the pita bread - it was soooo good! Will be back to try more of the menu. A great place to stop before or after a movie at the theater across the street - Reading Cinemas Manville. read more

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So let me start out by saying that I'm not a huge fan of Mediterranean food, so I went into this experience with low expectations. The restaurant was a bit out of the way and I was a tad hangry when we got there. That being said, it was 500% worth the trek and by far the best Mediterranean food I've ever had. I haven't had hummus this amazing since I visited Israel 2 years ago! We were a party of four and ordered a variety of appetizers including the pesto artichoke flat bread, falafel, and 2 different types of hummus. We also had fresh, warm and soft pita to eat with everything which was amazing, and a delicious lentil soup to pair. We split the chicken dinner for 2 between the four of us, but by the time they rolled it out, I was so stuffed I could barely eat. I did anyway because everything was that delicious! We finished off the meal with dessert (baklava and pudding), both of which were just as amazing as the rest of the meal. The service was also incredibly fast. On top of that, the prices were super reasonable (ended up being around $15 per person despite us ordering an absurd amount of food) and we were able to bring our own wine! Overall highly recommend to anyone, I was so impressed with my experience. read more

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Went to Sahara (in Manville) for a party of 15 and it was not very busy, but we still waited about 30 minutes for any kind of bread or water. They knew we had people fasting for Ramadan with us and they acknowledged we were middle eastern too. The bread and dips are great I must say, but if you're debating entrees get the chicken thighs because the lamb kebab is subpar. Over all the wait staff was nice it's just the wait to be given anything took a very long time and we repeatedly had to ask for more bread, butter and to be served. read more

Sahara Restaurant - The Shish Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Manville, New Jersey

The $8 lunch kebab sandwiches are a steal! The delicious adana kebab sandwich is unbeatable for that price. Sahara has been in my lunch rotation for some time now and when I feel like treating myself and my coworkers, I'll throw in an order of falafel too. It's the ultimate lunch combo. Since my lunch visits have all been pleasant, I recently made dinner reservations to take my parents out for a birthday dinner. We enjoyed a delicious meal at their New Brunswick location once, so I was excited to take them out to their Manville location, which is much closer to home. Turned out to be a really disappointing dinner. Service was painstakingly slow and unorganized. No host was present to greet and seat us for some time, then we waited another 15 mins before being greeted by our server, who went right into asking us if we were ready to order. No apologies were given when our three appetizers arrived with our meals. To make matters worse, our server never checked on us. Our table remained littered with empty plates and glasses. Our server ended up making two memorable visits to our table. Once, when we waived her down to return the Sigara Boregi, which was so salty it was inedible, and the second, when we waived her down to get containers and the check. Needless to say, their service needs major improvement. As I first mentioned, their food ain't bad. Some better than others. Their falafel, adana kebab, flatbread, and stuffed pepper are just a few of my favorites. I do feel certain dishes need additional seasoning and flavor, like their mucver and shish kebab. Others need some work. Like their overly charred and salty Roasted Eggplant, and the inedible Sigara Boregi that was so salty my dad ended up spitting it out. Yeahh, it was a mood killer. Gotta admit, I'm pretty reluctant about returning for dinner. I'll keep them on the back burner for lunch but I'm hoping this was a one time fluke and that my second time around will be much more enjoyable. Sometimes all you need is a second chance, amirite? read more

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My husband and I had dinner here on Friday, 10/23. Restaurant has been set up to accommodate the necessary spacing due to COVID. All staff were wearing masks. Very friendly and prompt service. The star is the food here. Fabulous!!!! Clearly homemade and fresh. Best calamari we have had in years. Love the 3 little dips and fresh pitas they bring to the table right away. My husband absolutely loved the lentil soup, said it was layered, creamy, minty and spicy. We both had the shrimp dinner, perfectly prepared. I totally recommend all around. Food, service, ambiance are all top knotch. read more