We had a great business lunch at TIQA today. This is a restaurant that deserves to survive the Portland cauldron, At least based on our lunch experience. I'd highly recommend it for enjoyable business lunch any day of the week. The food was very good, music unobtrusive (this is extremely important to me) - service was unobtrusive and attentive at the same time. The mixed drinks were fantastic, although I wish they had been a little bit bigger. That really is my only complaint. I haven't been there in the evening yet, but I probably will try it to see if I like it as well when the place is packed. Hope so. Update: i've been in for dinner several times. Same high-quality, same deliciousness, and I do like it just as well. I've sat at the bar, and I liked it, i sat at a table, and I liked it, and I sat at the chef bar, and that is my favorite. It's located far enough down commercial Street that it's not right smack in the middle of tourist world. I like that too. If you go to the trouble of finding it, you are rewarded. read more

This place is really average! Let me start saying the design is pretty and the staff is nice and friendly. I ordered a Paloma cocktail drink and it was very dilute and more watery! As appetizers, we had warm olives and oyster mushrooms and they were both delicious and tasty, especially the mornay sauce in the mushroom. For the main dish, we had Kafta and chicken shawarma, and believe me they didn't taste like the real kafta or shawarma that you can have in Lebanon, or even in some other good Mediterranean places around Portland. Prices are on the high side for what you get. read more

The ambiance at Tiqa is stunning. The staff is friendly and cordial. Drinks are well composed. Wine/beer/spirits list is decent quality-no complaints. I have visited Tiqa twice now. Both times the food was disappointing. Overpriced & underwhelming was used as a descriptor by another diner review & I will second their notion Kabobs were dry & over cooked basically flavorless. Hummus is nothing special at all. Neither are any of the pita/bread offerings. Falafel appetizer is decent-again nothing rave-worthy or special. The ricotta gnocchi is so off-putting it was like metallic mush in my mouth. The flavor of the thick goopy tomato sauce, almost "pucker-like" mushrooms and mushy unrefined gnocchi was what I can only describe as disgusting. This restaurant has the capacity to be an absolute gem but needs a menu overall or perhaps a different culinary staff? read more

A surprise on the southern edge of Portland - I found parking, saw chilled out diners on the deck on a lovely day, and Becky's was packed - so we drifted to TIQA. Server was a little gruff, but she warmed up to us (... a little ...) after we settled in. Baba ganouche was dripping with olive oil and delicious with wedges of pita. Lamb/beef kebab sumptuous, with pickle and spicy cheese spread mezzes, was rounded out nicely with a fantastic tumeric rice with pistachios and slivers of almond and other tidbits. The abandoned lumber yard facing the deck is a plus (really - great unusual eye interest). Missing? Dessert on lunch menu, and no offerings of Middle Eastern or Turkish style teas. How about peppermint tea in summer? Turkish style black tea in authentic glasses? Maybe Americans wouldn't go for that, but this well traveled American would appreciate it. Great food though!! read more

I DO NOT understand the popularity of this place. I've had authentic Moroccan food (in Morocco), authentic Portuguese food (in Portugal), authentic French food (in France) and authentic Italian food (in Italy/Sicily), and my one takeaway from this dining experience is that sometimes when you have 8+ ethnic influences working together, you really have none. Perhaps people are so starved for good middle eastern/mediterranean food in Portland that they got confused. We were a group of six that came in to dine on a weekend night. I don't quite get the atmosphere that they're going for - it feels like a horrible cross between an aquarium, a Skyy Vodka photo shoot, and the 80s video game Tron - all apparently set to the soundtrack of Goo Goo Dolls, Train, Jack Johnson, etc. What is that? Service was OK, although VERY slow. Server also did not have a grasp on what dishes were vegetarian. We were seated in the 'overflow' section (as I overheard one of the staff members say), and so perhaps our server was preoccupied with other customers at the other end of the expansive dining section. We had requested that our appetizers come out separately from our main dishes, however the gap between finishing our appetizers, ordering our mains and then getting our mains was about 30-45 minutes. Once we were finished with dessert, it took roughly another 30 minutes (no exaggeration) to sort out the bill situation, split about 4 different ways. And the food. I ordered: - Warmed marinated olives - good, but they're just olives. - Harissa lamb kabob - came out lukewarm. Rice was tasty, kabob was WAY overpriced. For $8-10, I've had MUCH better in Boston. - Fatturato - Good, well plated, and the ice cream flavor blended well with it I tried: -Broccolini - ok, but tasted like clam strips from the frying process - Chicharron - the highlight. Very tasty and well prepared -Falafel - Pretty average. - Bolo de Pistachie - I don't think anyone really cared for this, although myself and one other person really enjoyed the semolina pudding...very unique We arrived at 7pm and left at 10:30pm. This should have been a two hour meal, tops. Worst part is that no one walked away with few positive things to say about their meals. Perhaps ALL SIX OF US just had a one-time bad experience, but I can't say I'll be coming back to find out. I'd rather just go to one restaurant that specializes in the ONE cuisine I want to eat that night. Kudos to the green tiled bathroom design, very nice! Although I almost ran into the mirror because I thought the reflection was actually an extension of the room. Be careful in there. The bathroom design, plus the company (5 stars!) brought this review up to 2 stars. read more

What a great place to dine. Everything was great from our drinks to desserts. I had the grilled chicken thigh with potatoes and my wife had the fish. We devoured our food. The hummus with cucumbers and pitas were extremely tasty. The best was the black tea sorbet. Holy moly, that was a little taste of heaven. read more

I really wanted to like Tiqa and after reading so many glowing reviews, I thought it would be a slam dunk. But on the night my friends and I were there, it was essentially the complete opposite. From the minute we were seated (at a table in the "overflow" section next to an untended bar) to the end of the meal 3.5 hours later, I was in a constant state of disappointment. Things didn't start off terribly - I really liked the glass of Sauvignon Blanc I ordered but once the food started to roll out, it was all downhill. Our appetizers were passable - the chicharron was flavorful and well prepared, the warm olives were nice and the hummus was tasty - but the pita that was served with the hummus was hard as a rock and inedible. I ordered the shorbat adas soup and although the flavor was okay, it was luke warm - a trend that carried through every dish I tried during our meal. My entrée, what Tiqa calls sofregita was sofregit - a Catalan stew base (sofrito in Castillian and Latin American cuisine) with clams, mussels, rings of lightly fried calamari and almonds. I couldn't taste the almonds and the sofregit was decent but not hot. Sadly none of my friends were pleased with their entrees either. We were hoping that dessert could redeem the meal so we ordered more than we really needed, almost one of everything, and again we were disappointed. On top of the bad meal, the service was slow and uneven. Our server was very nice and suffered my many questions with cheer but she was clearly out of her depth when it came to knowledge of the menu and preparations. Processing the bill took 15 minutes alone. As others have said, the restaurant is absolutely gigantic by Portland standards and the décor is modern and clean. The tile in the bathrooms is gorgeous but if that's the best part of the Tiqa experience, that's rather sad. I wish Tiqa luck and I hope they improve but I couldn't recommend them to a friend (or anyone) at this point. read more

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One star, because there isn't an option for zero. My wife and I dine 50-60 times per year in the Portland area alone, and over the years we have had the good fortune to visit excellent restaurants all over the world. The food at TIQA was very pretty on the plate but fairly bland. We've both eaten at many locations all around the Mediterranean as well Morocco and France and this was a very weak representation of the cuisines from these areas, which have some of the most flavorful food in the world. The service was hands down the absolute worst we have ever experienced. When I say the worst, I mean worse than than any backwoods diner, all-night pizza joint, or airport deli. And when I say ever, I mean EVAR. In a dining room that was 30% full (which should have been a dead giveaway at 8:30 on a Saturday night in July) we waited 45 minutes for drinks, another 45 minutes for dessert, and an hour to get our check. One hour, not from the time we started eating, but from the time we asked for the bill. But wait... there's more! Did I mention that they never actually brought it? About 30 minutes after the first and second requests for our check, the manager came by our table and briefly apologized for the delay. No explanation, and no offer to comp a single thing for our party of ten. At the one hour mark we had to actually go to the front of the restaurant and tell them what we had ordered, then pay, then leave. While the interior of the restaurant was very inviting and the drinks were great, I have no idea where any of the positive review are coming from. In a city of truly exceptional dining options, save the $150 you would spend on dinner for two... you'll get better food and service at your local Olive Garden. read more

What a beautiful new restaurant with some very good food. As others have mentioned, the space is glamorous and unique stylistically. I particularly enjoyed the bar area with its couches for lounging and lots of seating. I had been expecting a vast open space (the restaurant can seat 200), but the way it is broken up makes it feel intimate and comfortable without being crowded. Service was good. From the moment we walked in on a very busy Friday night with 6 people and no reservation, we were greeted warmly, and waited on attentively. The only blip, was that when we opted to wait for a table rather than eat at one of the couches in the bar area, the hostess who was young seemed not to get that middle aged folk might prefer to wait for a table in the dining room. The only other slight disappointment was the cocktail menu. It was adequate and everyone enjoyed their drinks, but it was a step below other comparable restaurants. I think it says it all, when I say that that several of their featured specialty drinks were made with absolute and Jim Beam. I absolutely loved the menu! Not only do they have a wide range of unique stunning dishes, but you have the option of going for small plates or large plates! Large Plates!!! How I have missed you!! Don't get me wrong I love small plates, but sometimes it's nice to have a full size entree. I love this, I could easily see myself out for drinks in the bar enjoying a small plate and a Kabob or like last night sitting down for a several course meal including a full size entree. Woo Hoo! We started by sharing the Bacalao and the falafel. I love,love,loved the Bacalao! So good! House made salt cod, super creamy mashed potato,topped with olive oil and calamari. I just loved the texture and salty savory flavor! I can't imaging going there and not getting it again. We also shared a fattoush bread salad that was served with a refreshing sumac vinaigrette. After, I had my other standout for the night the Marouzia. The honey braised lamb was so tender, it could be eaten with a spoon, and each bite left me feeling happier and happier! The accompanying eggplant purée was a perfectly matched side! We finished up our meal with some very good coffee. While not perfect this spot is off to a very good start. With a few tweaks and seasoning of the staff. I can see this restaurant doing very well. I will definitely be back, read more

As a lover of North African and Middle Eastern foods, I was very eager to try this place out. My boyfriend and I ate here last night. It was very, very good, especially for the price. We both got appetizers and a main dish, but did not order drinks or dessert. The restaurant's style is very trendy, very modern. It succeeds in not being *too* trendy for the locals. It is also a huge space, but the way it is broken up helps make it feel smaller. My boyfriend in his flannel and jeans and me in my jeans and bean boots did not feel out of place. My boyfriend loves Kibbeh, and so he ordered that as his appetizer. I tend to lean more vegetarian, so I ordered the falafel appetizer. Both were excellent. Kibbeh is a Middle Eastern tartar, and this one was lamb and beef. I am not a huge fan of tartar, and if it is done poorly it is truly terrible. This was excellent Kibbeh. The flavors were all right and it was nicely prepared. Some of the best Kibbeh I have ever had. My falafel appetizer was absolutely delicious. It was not falafel in its normal form if you are used to getting it as a street food in a wrap. It was three little falafel balls, beautifully fried, atop of schmear of fresh, house-made hummus, topped with a delicious fresh salad and oil. The flavors were all fresh and bright, and as with this and everything we ate last night, all the flavors were extraordinarily well-balanced. One reason why people tend to shy away from North African and Middle Eastern foods is that sometimes one flavor is overly dominate; the cinnamon and dukkah, the garlic and onion, the harissa. Not so at Tiqa. All the flavors in every dish were perfectly balanced and deliciously rich and true to their origin. For our mains, my boyfriend got the Cado (short rib meat with pappardelle). I ordered the winter squash, another vegetarian dish. The Cado was very good, you can't go wrong with short ribs, but nothing special. The winter squash dish, however, was one of the best vegetarian meals I have ever had. It was three kinds of squash: roasted acorn, pureed butternut, and spaghetti. Served with crispy kale, dressed with oil, and house-made creamy cheese. The cheese was very creamy, and very similar to soft goats cheese, but not as tart. It was phenomenal. Truly delicious. Even my meat-loving boyfriend thought my dish was better than his. Lastly, the desserts looked very good, creative, and tasty, and I fully intend to go back to sample them, but both of us were already stuffed. Try this place out, I was very pleased with my meal. From start to finish it was excellent. The service was perfectly serviceable, not extraordinary, but we weren't terribly demanding either. All the food arrived promptly. Notable was the manager checking in with us, which is a good sign. You want management to actually be present and managing the restaurant, not hiding in the back room. read more

I came here for lunch during Maine Restaurant Week. It wasn't very clear what the deal was, and their special menu didn't even mention restaurant week. Odd. Anyway, there were only 3 dishes advertised, so I chose the Tiqa salad and the ricotta and pear flatbread. The salad was on the salty side (not spicy, salty) without any other flavor to balance it out, and there was no consistency on the plate -- each bite was a surprise as to just how seasoned it would be. The parts that weren't over done were pretty good, but I won't be ordering this salad again. The flatbread was very tasty, but I realized halfway through my meal that it's basically Otto's ricotta, cranberries, and butternut squash pizza, with pears instead. And, well, it's not very new or inspiring when I notice I've had this dish before. The space is huge, but the way it is broken up seems to do it justice. It doesn't feel as large and empty while you dine (there were a few other lunch guests) as it looks on the outside. I am left confused by their decor though, it seems they were really into the modern thing with peacock blue and hexagons, but the wait staff's attire was a completely different color and style. Maybe Tiqa is having a little bit of an identity crisis? read more

We had been wanting to take a trip to Tiqa so I when we received a gift card here we were pretty stoked! Unfortunately the excitement fizzled pretty quickly once we arrived. Our experience from best to worst: The service was wonderful, our waitress was the best! She's what probably put the most positive spin on our night. She was patient and attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu, this was super helpful in deciding what to eat since I had to Google what a lot of it was. I'm sad to say I overheard her mention that she and a fellow waitress were leaving in a week to work for another restaurant. Tiqa is new to the Portland scene so it worries me that their good staff is parting with them so soon. The food was good, nothing that really stuck out to me though. We ordered the brussel sprouts to start, they were tasty but similar to those at Pei Man, and also not as tasty. The squeeze ordered the beef kabobs, he said they were good but he was quiet for the most part about his dinner which usually means it's not a winner. I ordered the squash entree, I did really enjoy mine. One suggestion for the dish is to add more cheese, the cheese was so good and added variety to the flavor, otherwise it was just a plate of squash with a side of squash-like puree and a drizzle of something green. Still very good, but lacking in dimension a little. The cocktail menu I found odd, there are drinks ranging from $5.95 to $14.95. I asked our waitress and she explained that the costlier drinks have about double the ounces of alcohol. I guess that's kinda cool? I just can't justify $15 for one drink, I can on the other-hand justify $7-8 for a couple different drinks. I guess it's all your mindset. I opted for the dawa which is vodka, muddled lime, brown sugar and a whipped honey stick. It was VERY strong and despite the sugar and honey it was not sweet at all. I mean for $6 I'll take it, but not my favorite cocktail. The decor is just baaad in my opinion. It has that "hotel" interior feel with the over-the-top design, textures, and mood lighting. It looks like an extension of the Marriott it's attached to which I don't think allows for it to stand out on its own. They need to tone down the layout and find something that speaks Mediterranean and not "we hired seven different designers for each room in the restaurant." Speaking of rooms, there is an entire additional room on the right side that was completely empty, it even has its own full bar. You could fit another restaurant in the space alone! Tiqa seems too big for its own good. There are so many wonderful places in Portland to eat that I just don't foresee us coming back here. I've read other reviews and it seems like the majority of people either really like it here or really don't. Simply not for us is all. read more

I have no idea what tonight was about but I can't imagine coming back here. It took 3 hours to serve three courses to a table of five. Sure, it got busy, but we were one of two tables seated in the room when we got there and the tables around us were served, left, and were reseated more than once. It took over an hour between finishing dinner and getting dessert. They forgot my husbands beer twice. It took at least a half an hour after finishing dessert to get the bill. They charged us for an appetizer they messed up and let us keep. Honestly though, the worst part was that during the ridiculous wait time we had to chase someone down to follow up. The waitresses walked by repeated and seemed to be pointedly avoiding eye contact. How the heck do you apologize for how long literally everything took and then just continue to ignore your guests. If you apologize but then act like three hours is a reasonable time to spend staring at empty dishes, is that even an apology? read more

The hostess didn't acknowledge our reservation time for my party of 6. She made us sit at the bar when there were two open tables each with six seats behind us. We were told they could not sit us there because there was a reservation coming soon but after more than an after an hour of us arriving, they sat a party of TWO at that six person table we asked for! There was plenty of two person seating available for them at their time of arrival. It didn't make any sense and my party was very uncomfortable having to sit at the bar. Gave the two stars because the bartender was amazing and the food and drinks were delicious!! The atmosphere is great but for my party and I, not the best experience. read more

The appetizer I had was very good (fire roasted okra and tomatoes). Twice I tried to order an entree but both times the waitress came over she was holding others' dirty dishes when asking for my order. I said I'll order something in a bit but she would always return (much later) still holding others' dirty dishes in my face so I just had to leave without eating. Disappointed. read more

Sunday October 9th 2016 rainy evening looking for a Good restaurant to dine at in Portland Maine huge task huh? Let me help guide you to a distinctly original concept called Tiqa... Tiqa specializes in Mediterranean good eats we intentionally stayed with the Starters which were...Chicharone pork belly with young bell peppers highly recommended this item marinated bacon grilled Yum! Mussels my Girl ordered this starter the grilled mussels and beans are a wonderful combination just a flavour bomb explosion that should be tried at all costs! Tiqs Meze plate Sliced pita wedges, olives, exquisite hummus another fabulous choice to enjoy. The perfect ending for this lovely evening was the Baklava with scoop of ice cream Good Eats! Tiqa should be on everyone's Portland Maine Good Eats bucket list. read more

I was prepared to hate this place. Though it is new to Portland, I had already heard about experiences that were not favorable. But, I kept plans to meet some fiends there during Restaurant Week to check it out for myself. The place itself is big-- much bigger than I expected. Arriving at 6pm on a Thursday, without a reservation, I wasn't sure what to expect. There weren't many people in the restaurant at the time so I expected for a party of 3 to be seated at a table. Instead, we were offered the "chef's counter," which is literally a bar overlooking the kitchen. We didn't mind much. However, we were there for a few hours and the place never filled up, so I really think we could have been offered a table. Our server was very nice. He was fairly patient with us and gave us plenty of time to decide what we wanted without pressuring us to order quickly. He offered suggestions on the menu and was accommodating to my requests for vegan cuisine. We ordered the olives and the hummus plate for apps, which were good. My friends both had the lentil soup, which they loved, and I had the TIQA salad, which had a great spicy kick to it. I would definitely order that again. The kebabs were decent. I had the tofu (a nice option to offer!) and my friends had chicken and beef (which they said was good-- I will take their word!). I had wine, which was reasonably priced, though many of the cocktails on their list seemed a little over-priced for Portland. The atmosphere itself could be more "homey." Felt slight nightclub-ish with the lighting. The bathrooms are gorgeous though. And they have a coat check, which is a nice touch. Overall, a good experience. read more

Food was delicious! My husband and I had been wanting to try for sometime and it did not disappoint! The falafel was tasty and the beef kabobs, yum! read more

Excellent food. Xavier is an excellent bartender. Great place!

LOVE tiqa! Beautiful and the food is just like home. :) I've recommended this place to so many which is a rarity for me! The owners are wonderful and the staff is highly education about the menu. I would highly recommend it!! read more

TIQA - Mediterranean Near Me - Portland, Maine

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While the Restaurant had many (10+) empty tables at 7.30pm, they refused to provide a table insisting on "prior" reservation. Upmarket, or just too fashionable for the normal person to visit? Evo restaurant nearby was extremely busy, accommodative and clearly trained for a polished customer experience. read more

Overpriced and underwhelming. The appetizer was excellent. We had the Tiqa Mezze Plate. Although a little pricey it had a nice variety. The fillet on the other hand was just not impressive in the least. Normally a nice buttery cut of meat, this was tough to cut at medium-well, with no pink at all, and it was covered in a spread of spices that completely drowned out the flavor of the meat. Garlic butter with Gorgonzola would have been a much better topping. There were some other appetizers that I'd like try but just don't think I'll be returning. read more

We ended up at Tiqa as we wandered around looking for somewhere that looked interesting. We were attracted by the open fire heating torches on the patio, but we ended up eating inside. We sat in the bar area as they had no open tables and no reservations open until past our show start time. The bar area is nice, and we ended up tucked back In a corner at a high top table. The stools were too high and pretty uncomfortable. The menu has limited yet interesting offerings from a variety of locations the Mediterranean. The wine and beer list has some interesting offerings as well. Service starts with a bread plate with oil and spices for dipping. I'm unsure or what the spices were but they were pretty bland. We ordered mussels as an appetizer. The plate came with 6 mussels and was $11. As a comparison we ate at the Ritz in Boston and ordered mussels at the same price and were served roughly 20 mussels. The sauce was awesome (cream based and buttery), but it was served with only two pieces of bread for dipping. So far, we were unimpressed. We each ordered from the kabob menu. It took 20-25 minutes after our appetizer to receive our meals. We had ordered them at the same time as the appetizer so I have no idea what took so long. Our waitress made on stop by our table to apologize for the wait and stated she had been "badgering" the kitchen for our meals. That being said, I had the seafood kabobs and they were fantastic. The grains were perfectly cooked, the seafood was perfectly grilled and the hummus type dip was amazing. My husband had the keftah kabob which is similar to a lamb meatloaf. Is was a little dry, but not charred. His grains were almost tasteless and bland. Portions on our meals were reasonable and much better than the appetizer. We didn't have a chance to try any dessert or even see a menu as we were now late for our show. It took over 2 hours to eat. Overall 3 star rating as the food was tasty, but the service was slow. Our waitress was more than pleasant. I'm not sure we would go back. read more

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Pleasantly surprised by TIQA. Given the location, I thought this place was doomed when their opening was announced. TIQA delivers...this place certainly fills a massive void in the city. The Chicken kabob was well charred and deliciously marinated. The rice it was served on top of was out of hand awesome. The falafel was amazing. Most falafel found in Portland tend to be dry and over fried...not here. Great beers and drinks (perhaps priced a tad bit too high) on the menu. If you sit at the bar, they have small plates not available if you sit at a table (such as brussel sprouts - fantastic). . My only critique would be two things. I wish they'd serve pita instead of pita chips with the hummus and they should work on the hummus i.e. lay off the paprika garnish on top of the hummus and drizzle a bit of olive oil on the top. read more

We came up from Boston for the weekend knowing there was great food in Portland. Tiqa lived up to our expectations. The hummus starter was incredible and the kefta and sumac chicken entrees did not disappoint. The desserts were good, too, and we chose the lime cilantro sorbetto. Amazing flavors all around. read more

Wow! What a great addition to the Portland restaurant scene. I've never had Middle Eastern food before but this is fantastic! Paella with lobster and spice is awesome! They really try to incorporate a lot of Maine ingredients into their menu which is a great philosophy and the way food should be sourced! Atmosphere is a little weird with a very long dining area and bar chairs are uncomfortable but other than that they hit all the marks! Very friendly and welcoming staff as well! I hope they last in this very competitive Portland dining scene with a very large number of James Beard powerhouse nominees! read more

TIQA - Nice!!! - Mediterranean Near Me - Portland, Maine

It's ok. Nice lounge ambiance and the service was acceptable. Food was disappointing.

First the good: the food. Each of my 3 companions had a different entree (Marouzia, kefta, vegetarian squash and Sayadeya) and we all found then well-prepared, inventive and beautifully presented. We also shared the warm olives and Hummus starters. Both were great. The chef seems to know what her is doing. And the menu provides a diversity of choices. The not-so-good: service. Our server must have bee not only new to Tiqa (of course she was, it just opened) but new to serving. She was sweet but not attentive and not knowledgeable about the specials or the wine list. Water went unfilled and it was hard to get her attention. But, we will return for the food and hope that,in time, Tiqa figures out the service gaps. read more

We went here for drinks and snacks last night! What a great surprise!!! This place is great! We loved it!!! The brightness, cleanliness and the food and drinks were perfect, such a breathe of fresh air in the Old Port!!! And the music playing in the background... Lovvveeeddd it !!! :) Old school stuff :) We will definitely go back here very soon! The staff is super friendly also read more

Dined here last night for a company Christmas party and was not impressed. Everything they offered for "entrees" were kabobs of plain grilled meat, fish, and tofu with no seasoning. I'm vegetarian and the only option they offered was the tofu which was frustrating! Vegetarians eat more than salad and tofu! The lentil and rice salad was good, though. The place has a really nice atmosphere and it's very clean. As we were leaving I spied some of the regular menu entrees on people's tables and they looked delicious. I just wish they had offered better food and selection for their hosted parties as well. Disappointing.... read more

Pls be aware of this restaurant. Below is message from owner. You have my guarantee that we or anyone we know will not show at your establishment. Mark my words. You don't need to block me. Deen H: Hi, My name is Deen and I am the owner of TIQA. This will be the first time I ever responded to a customer in this manner. Here is the information that i have gathered from my management team and the various systems we use. You showed up at 530 for your 5pm reservation, not 5pm. This information is electronically captured and easy to validate. Not sure why you indicated something very different. Your food at best arrived 10 minutes late and you received a 25% discount for this - something very few restaurants will do, but we pro actively engage in to create an optimum environment. Others in your party actually tipped additional money without you knowing it to compensate for your difficult interactions with the staff. All that said, we are clearly not the right place for you. Please do not visit our establishment again. i will work with OpenTable to block any future reservations as well as all our internal systems. read more

TIQA - Mediterranean Near Me - Portland, Maine

A group of us (6) ate here for Restaurant Week and I'm not sure if I'd go back for dinner. Pros: AMBIANCE- The place is huge with a cool contemporary vibe. Very clean and it didn't really feel like a "hotel restaurant". DRINKS- The mixed drinks were really interesting and flavorful ($10-ish a piece for a cocktail). Fantastic wine list. APPS- The hummus and bread plates were really yummy. The butternut squash carpaccio was light, fresh and had great flavor combos. Although I recommend skipping the Mezze plate-just get the hummus and enjoy the bread! Cons: SERVICE- I hate to call out servers because everyone can have a bad day but it really impacted my experience. The timing on everything just seemed off. Our waitress was a mix of over bearing and absent which doesn't work. She asked repeatedly if we had questions, when we said no (universal sign for "we're ready to order")-she'd leave the table and we'd sit there, waiting to order. A lot of things were 86'd by the time we actually ordered and she offered no consolation. We were left with empty drink glasses often. Dinner ultimately took 4 hours. ENTREES- The only vegetarian entree on the restaurant week menu didn't wow me. Wish I stuck with small plates. read more

The food is not the best quality and the service is below that. We went for just a snack and drink. Started with the mezze platter. Pita tasted of poor grocery store variety (read: doughy and lacking in flavor) and the hummus had no seasoning and we found it a bit watery. The baba ganoush had so much garlic we couldn't eat it and the falafel was just terrible. The only thing that was okay was the pickled veggies on top. I wish they wouldn't serve it pre-topped. Fatoush salad was underwhelming and the kefta kebob and marguez sausage were overpowered by an off-balance of seasoning. Would not return. The entire time we were eating, there were dozens of waitstaff just watching us with little else to do. Very off-putting and made for a weird dining experience. read more

Amazing Mediterranean cuisine! Everything on the sampler tasted fresh and delicious, and my cocktail was unique and tasty.

Fabulous. After a bit too much fried food and chowder we decided to check out this spot. The decor is gorgeous. The food was outstanding. No kids meal but our 4 and 7 year olds loved the falafel, hummus, cauliflower (although the sauce is spicy so order on the side if possible), and pitas and olive oil. The crab cake and mussels were both phenomenal. read more

Nurse shift report is held here and the apps they serve are yummy. Staff at the bar are very friendly. I would like to come here for a meal. Maybe next shift report I'll try something other than the puta and hummus. Even though the hummus is super delicious! read more

A group of five of us had reservations Saturday night at 8:30 pm. When we arrived we were shown to our table...a nice round table in the dining room to the right of the hostess station. We started with our drink order, a nice bottle of Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay, as well as the Mezze platter of assorted appetizers. There were about eight items in this appetizer...and we all really liked each of them, especially the baba ganoush, hummus and the olives. The pita bread was freshly baked in house and plenty for the five of us...which for some reason is usually a problem at other restaurants. Throughout dinner we had good service, waters were refilled and we shared two bottles of the Sicilian red wine...also very nice. I ordered the lamb shank with Maine mashed potatoes...a really hefty portion and the meat was tender, and the mashed potatoes were flavorful and slightly chunky like I like them. My husband and my friend both ordered a TIQA salad and the Pappardelle in an Ossobuco Ragù. The salad was non descript and unfortunately the pasta dish, while flavorful and delicious was not served hot. My son in-law who is pescatarian had the fish of the day, and it was delicious. My daughter who's a vegetarian, had the Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi and it was very good. It was a very nice evening, and we never felt pressured to hurry. We were very satisfied with our dinner and our server. We didn't have room for desert. read more

Pricey, Good service, Servings weren't large, but they do fill you up with bread and pita, hummus plate was very good. read more

This is hands-down the best Mediterranean food in Portland... outdoor patios are well set up with heating lamps and umbrellas. The inside is beautifully laid out with great lighting and well appointed decor . The food is unbelievably beautiful and delicious... like over the top amazing!! The special Mediterranean cocktail got me in the mood. The Mezze sampler is the way to start. The Brussel sprouts were grilled to perfection and covered w feta cheese. The braised lamb; covered in crusted crumbled chick peas and falling off the bone tender, was incredible. This is our second time eating here and Tiqa has become one of our top favorites in Portland. read more

The food and service was excellent. Our server Jackie was outstanding! She was very attentive and pleasant. Our daughter just became a nurse and she had the pastry chef make a dessert and wrote congratulations in carmel. The brussel sprout, feta cheese chickpea small plate was a must try. We will definitely be back! Highly recommended. read more