Tusk was 2nd on our schedule of PDX Dining and it was EXCEPTIONAL. The ambiance is casual and lovely - our waiter was really fantastic and friendly. We were there to try the PDX Dining set menu, but my friend wanted to add the flatbread with hummus and some olives. Both were so delicious - the bread came out piping hot. The falafel came out sitting in Tahini with a side of pickled onions. That was some of the best falafel I've had - beautifully crispy outside, and not greasy. Very flavorful - especially with the Zoug sauce that was set on the table. Then they brought out the crudité with green tahini...WOW. I'm not usually excited about crudité but this was really delicious and it was lovely to have it after the falafel. Fennel and radishes were probably my favorites but I loved the cauliflower and broccoli and the red peppers as well - which almost the whole thing. The entree came and it was harissa chicken on a skewer with a farro salad - all of it was so tasty. I got to try the mushroom skewer as well which was rich with flavor. The dessert was a semolina cake with a kumquat marmalade and coconut whipped cream. I managed to eat a few bites of it before I had to call it quits. We took quite a bit of food home because it was so much and we couldn't let any of it go to waste. I'm so impressed with Tusk. read more

Walking in after dark, Tusk had a warm, welcoming, luxe ambiance. We did the Portland Dining Month special. It was $50 per person. First served was a simple plate of vegetables with dip. Fresh but pretty standard. Then came the falafel. Nice and crunchy on the outside, not super flavorful on the inside. It was pretty salty overall. I noticed they sprinkled them with salt, and it was a bit too much. Next up, the hummus and flatbread, probably the only thing I enjoyed this evening. The green dip served with the flatbread was delicious, the yellow one... not my favorite. The flatbread itself was good and tasted freshly made. For the entrée, if you will, it was underwhelming. A chicken skewer on a bed of rice, it was really flavorful but didn't quite hit the mark. I was expecting something more substantial after a simple plate of vegetables and a piece of bread. The sweet pickles really threw off the balance of the dish for me. I don't have a picture, but we were also served a dessert that we were pretty excited for, since dinner did not meet our expectations. It came out stale, old, and partially burnt. I honestly don't know why they served it to us. This was my first time trying Middle Eastern food, which is one of the reasons we chose to do the special. I assumed it would showcase some of their (Tusk's) popular dishes, something that would bring me back. I can't imagine it did. There was also a mandatory 20% service charge added to the bill, which stood out to me given the overall experience. I would love to give Middle Eastern food another go, but it will not be at Tusk. read more

Great vibes! -4.5 stars For cocktail I ordered the Hazy Jane - 5 stars, really good, best cocktail of all the ones I tried. We did the tasting menu because we had a large group -$60/pp. 1st course was the small plates with olives, hummus, roasted beets, pickled vegetables, kohlrabi & pear with pita bread. Everything was good but sometimes I like to pack my pita bread with all the stuff and when it's set in courses you don't get the opportunity to do that. Also wish the tasting menu had falafel. I feel like that's such a classic. For salad we had the chicories which was delicious, would def get again also had the heirloom carrots. Which could have been cooked a little more, they need to take some pointers from the carrots at shallom Yall - now those were the best things I ever had. Tusk came through with the meat tho, oh boy! We ordered the steak with crispy mushrooms and lemon curd sauce and that was literally amazing, best part of the meal for sure. (FYI everyone at the table had to pick the same meat/protein option- which I thought was weird especially if only one person is a vegetarian or something). Dessert was chocolate Budino, which was good. read more

Tusk - Hazy Jane - Middle Eastern Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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First time customer and I was blown away by the thoughtfulness of the menu, the creativity of the mixologist and the depth of knowledge of our waitstaff, Tiffany. It was easily one of the best dining experiences I've had in Portland. read more

Tusk - Middle Eastern Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We visited tusk as a party of 4 and had a wonderful experience choosing the deluxe option where the team chooses your dishes for you and serves family style. Everything was fresh and extremely flavorful. The coursing of food allows diners to relax and take their time enjoying each others company and the cuisine over a few hours. Service was intimate and great! 20% service charge automatically applied and the team lived up to it. Will be back next time we're in Portland. read more

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I came here for dinner and our table decided to order from the menu instead of doing their deluxe dining option where it seems more of a tasting menu. The only things that really stood out to us were the hummus and falafel. They were delicious and I would definitely come again for those items. Everything else we ordered was only okay and did not stand out to us. We got the kale salad with grilled persimmon and pistachio butter which was good but very tart and salty. The loaded fries were also very salty. For mains, we ordered the chicken which was juicy and pretty good but the beef skewer was expensive for one skewer and did not wow me. I would think for the price I would get more meat or have more that accompanied it than just a plate of sauce. Service was pretty good. The server did check up on us a couple of times. Food came out decently fast but it did seem like the mains that needed to be cooked in the kitchen took a while longer to come out. Very kid friendly as they had coloring pages and crayons for kids which we appreciated! Food can be tricky for kids since it may not fit their palette but luckily I was able to find a couple things that my toddler would eat. Would rate this place a 3.5! read more

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Fresh food that lacks a story. We were forced into the tasting menu because of our large party size. This typically isn't a problem for me, but I was disappointed. I did not get to try the things on the menu that I really wanted and the food that we did try lacked cohesion and storytelling with each other. Additionally, I find with forcing people into tasting menus. You cannot cater to the diversity of taste amongst a party. Would it have been better to make two separate reservations to have more flexibility... Maybe? Let's start with the food. All of the food was very fresh and high-quality. Some of the recipe choices were a bit strange. Overall, none of the food was bad, but nothing was the best I have had of its category. The snacks and appetizers were OK. The hummus was the highlight however, there was not enough pita to eat the hummus with we left half of it on the plate because of this. Even after asking for additional pita, we were not provided enough. The other standout snack for me was the crumbled feta the admittedly that is just because I like cheese. The pickled vegetables were good, but not memorable the kohlrabi and pair promised lots of flavor and didn't deliver, the olives had a nice spice to them, but not my favorite olives... And I love olives, I am not a fan of beats so I did not enjoy this snack and neither did 75% of the table. As a second course, we received two salads, which is a bit of an odd curation. I am not sure anyone would choose to eat two different salads given the choice. This seemed like a strange decision. The greens and herb salad was very simple. It was seasoned well and very fresh but very similar to a salad that I might make it home. It was very dill forward to the point of me picking out a lot of the dill. The chicories was smothered, and I mean, smothered in Za'atar seasoning. The salad was basically feta, covered in seasoning. Normally, it would be a hard task for me not to enjoy cheese but, the amount of seasoning on the salad was obnoxious. Our table finished none of the salads and probably didn't finish half of either. This was a waste of a course for us. The main course was the highlight of the meal. As a table we had to decide on one main course which again was disappointing, especially considering we each got our own serving of the main course. What harm would it have been for each of us to choose the one we preferred? We chose the steak. The steak was kebab style and was great. It was tender and juicy and well cooked. The Au jus that accompanied it was thick and flavorful. Overall, the steak didn't give Mediterranean vibes, but was still good. For sides, we were given the collard greens and fingerling potatoes. Aside from collard greens in coconut milk, being an odd choice for Mediterranean restaurant; this was probably my favorite dish. It in no way tasted Mediterranean and instead gave southeast Asian vibes, but the flavor was rich and complex. The fingerling potatoes were a questionable decision. They are served cold with smashed avocado, cream, and crunchy lentils that basically taste like they aren't cooked. That dish was a zero out of five for everyone at our table. Other things to take into account: the drinks were solid. I enjoyed my vodka, yogurt, hibiscus concoction. Others at my table enjoyed their drinks as well. The service was a five out of five. The servers were very attentive, accommodating, and had a great personality. I'm still confused about Mediterranean inspired. I think it takes a lot more to be Mediterranean inspired than to just add yogurt and seasonings to dishes. My other note is that the chefs really need to think about curating the tasting menu a bit more. They should think about what balances a meal, what works best with the entrée, and even take preferences into account. I can't say for sure but, had I had some of the dishes that I was excited for; I may have enjoyed the experience more and I might have come back. Overall- Mediterranean? Probably not. Fresh? Absolutely! Would we go back? Only one of eight of us said yes for sure. The rest of us might go back for a drink and a snack, but probably not for a meal. read more

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We ate here on a busy weekend right before Christmas but we wouldn't have noticed as our reservation got us right in and seated. We were unfortunately seated in the middle of the man dining room where the table was bumped from both sides with people passing by. Not a great start. Overall the service was decent. We said we were interested in the Tasting Menu and the waitress said okay it's on the menu for more info. There was no more info... so when she came back we asked her and she gave more color on it but was still fairly vague. Would have been good to know what the five courses were including dessert. From a food perspective though, everything was excellent. We felt like our choice to go value menu was a good deal, especially for the amount of dishes we got to try and share. Highly reccomend going that route if you don't like making decisions. Overall, I just removed one star for service and experience but the food remains fantastic here. read more

Oh my god- this place was FABULOUS! The vibes were immaculate, our server, Cameron, was so funny and cool to talk to, made great suggestions as well. The food spoke for itself, everything tasted amazing + came out at a good pace. Definitely will be returning again!! read more

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Couldn't be better! Love the interior, and the "outdoor" space (totally covered) and enclosed, is stunning. I would consider this a "hot spot" and usually, in my experience, not as friendly as they don't need your business as there's always someone waiting behind you, NOT the case here. They couldn't be more happy to see walk-ins. Service: The wonderful human being (brunette) at the front (and was our server), is exceptional! I didn't get her or their name, but wow! You are a welcoming, knowledgeable and a super friendly pro. Food: Built for sharing, which I love. We got the humus plate ($12), which is wonderful and full of extras like beans and other toppings. The pea salad ($15), maybe the best salad I've ever had. Crisp, salty, sweet and fresh--this is the move here! For mains, the chicken ($26), and is enough for two and the albacore skewer ($23), if I had to skip something, it would be that one, it's really good, but compared to the chicken and the pea salad, it doesn't compare. To each their own tho. Drinks are well-thought and delicious. Give it a go if you've not been, or if your favorite or a go-to, great choice. read more

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Honestly ended up as more of 3.5 for me but rounding up for the ambiance and service. I actually came here with a group of 6 for a pre-wedding festivities, casual dinner. Mix of old and new friends so seemed like a good spot to meet and share some dishes. We definitely ordered family style to try and share a good variety of things; and food came out at a good pace, but I will say that nothing was particularly memorable. The hummus was fine, the falafel was fine, the salads were good, but I can't say that anything really stood out or drew me in to return. We did appreciate their drinks which included cocktails, mocktails/zero proof, and beer. This is a really cute spot and I had heard raves about it for weeks before we went, but perhaps it was an off night mixed with ordering the wrong dishes. Service was kind and food is appropriately priced for the quality. Street parking can be hard during peak hours so plan accordingly! Oh and I would recommend making a resy for busy nights if possible. read more

Not just a nice looking restaurant, although that's originally why my wife wanted to eat there. The waitress was super nice and even though the food came out a little slow, it was all amazing. A couple of the dishes were a better value than others. The kafta was really great tasting, but a little small for the price. The lamb neck was exceptional adn the grilled chicken was pretty good too. I can also recommend the baked cheese and the hummus with mushrooms. The brocollini was also really tasty and a great portion size for sharing. Great overall place for food and atmosphere. read more

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The food here is truly existent. The dishes are innovative and well balanced. The menu is build for sharing and I enjoyed trying a wide variety of plates. Our dietary needs (gluten free and dairy free) could easily be accommodated. We ordered the crispy asparagus and spring onion, grilled broccoli, heirloom carrots, roasted eggplant, steelhead trout skewer, and chicken skewer. I loved every dish, but my favorites were the carrots and steelhead skewers. The staff was very attentive and knowledgeable. The outdoor patio is also very beautiful and comfortable. It's easy to spend a lot here with the number of dishes you have to order to have enough for a meal, but everything is well worth the price. read more

Tusk - Heirloom Carrots - Middle Eastern Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Amazing experience dining at Tusk. Two dishes that absolutely blew my mind away were the sweet potato dish and acorn squash dish. I will definitely be back! Service and atmosphere were great. read more

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I wish I knew this place existed sooner! The inside is nicely decorated and is bigger than expected. Theres a back room and covered patio seating. Our server as nice and attentive. The flat bread and the hummus are a must order! Although they recommend one flatbread per person and for $3 each its a little pricey for the size. We also got the falafel and that was my favorite dish of the night! The falafel was perfectly seasoned and paired nicely with the pickled onions and tahini. We tried the snap pea and fried halloumi salad, roasted carrots, and broccolini too. The snap peas were crunchy and sweet, but there was too much fried halloumi compared to the greens. The roasted carrots had a harissa sauce and were too heavy for me, but I would get the broccolini again! For the mains, we got the lamb, beef kafka, and chicken. The lamb and chicken were super tender, definitely would order again! The beef kafka was good, but a little salty. I wouldve liked it better if I ate it with pita and hummus. Even though we were stuffed, we also tried the coconut and passionfruit pana cotta. Definitely more coconut heavy than passionfruit, but still tasty. We thought it would have more and were disappointed that it was only little drops of passion fruit sauce. I definitely would come back here again! read more

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I came it a bit early about 15 minutes before my reservation. They sat me down there outside heated patio that was so hot started coughing. My friend was running late the host came by to tell me this at 615pm which is my reservation time that our table is already book for next guest . So didn't heard from my friend so I order dinner which was okay. Finally got a text that his on his way just told him not to come coz the restaurant was in hurry to flip the table. Not coming back specially you can enjoy dinning in. read more

Just wow. Been here once before and came again just because of that Willamette article that said it was closed. It's always easy to get an evening reservation on a weekday and parking wasn't too bad this time (maybe because tourists are gone?) This time we sat outdoors and we're glad to be near heat lamps because it was a chilly night. The food and vibes were impeccable and service was spot on. We at first thought it took a while for us to get our food, but realized later they were bringing four of our dishes out at once. We ordered a bunch of vegetarian dishes last time, and this time ordered all the remaining vegetarian dishes we didn't try from our first night. We had the acorn squash, sweet potato kibbeh, hummus, labneh, batari bread, baked oaxacan cheese. Everything was so delicious and we had a few leftovers to bring back which we are still enjoying. read more

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WOW! What a wonderful restaurant. Was on the hunt for some Mediterranean food while visiting PDX and Tusk did not disappoint. I got the Deluxe Edition for 1 which is a great way to taste a few of their apps and 1 main. I audibly reacted to some of the food as I was tasting it because it was THAT good. So flavorful. Will definitely be bringing friends to share plates next time! Aesthetic is so cute and service was excellent. The chef actually took the hummus off my bill since I literally could not finish it Will definitely be back again and highly recommend! read more

Tusk - Middle Eastern Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Tusk is always a so worthy of 5 stars: When we arrived we requested a table outside and were granted one (likely because we had reservations shortly after opening so they weren't taken yet). The bathroom always smells so nice with a lit candle and has the best high quality paper towels. Just be aware of servers coming and going at the kitchen. Our server was delightful and helpful, they double checked on dietary restrictions and gave recommendations when asked and were attentive and friendly. Believe it or not, as a vegan with a gluten, and *sesame!* allergy, I can often dine here easily in the summer months (I've found that's when the menu best suits vegan and sesame-free options). We were already full before our last two plates even came out (and still ate every morsel)! I love that the vegetable dishes always have so much substance and flavor and texture to them. Drinks were delicious and I appreciated that mine (zero proof Nature's Candy) wasn't just ice or gone in a few sips. I always love the ambience and the food - perfect spot for a date night or a fancy night out with a friend. Our favorites were the grilled eggplant (melt in your mouth!), the cucumber with charred dates (because of the charred dates), and the tomato salad with fava bean puree and ALWAYS the falafel (tahini on the side for my dining companion). The only miss this trip was the potato and avocado salad with crispy lentils, simply because the potatoes were nearly raw. I couldn't eat more than a couple - other than that -- I am already craving another visit. read more

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We had a great time at Tusk celebrating a birthday. We did make a reservation but showed up early and they still accommodated us quickly. They have happy hour prices with food and drinks. Just get in before 6pm during the week. I had a delicious Pilsner and my wife had the golden hour cocktail. It was a little too bitter for her liking though. We had the classic hummus and ordered an extra flatbread as it only came with one. We also had the Dukka, and Baked Cheese which were also on the happy hour menu. Combine the baked cheese with the flatbread, and you have the most amazing combination. We also shared the Heirloom Carrots and Haiwaij Spiced Chicken thigh. We really like the food. They were plated nicely with colorful spices. This isn't food you're going to find in many other places so it's definitely a great place to explore. They serve plates to share so I would recommend going with a group of about 4 to 5 so you can try a wide variety of items. Everything we ate had a little bit of spice except for the classic hummus. It's not overwhelming, but enough to make your nose run a little. My favorite dish was the chicken. I really loved this dish. It was seared to perfection with a nice crust and juicy chicken inside. The rice that came along was also perfectly cooked to my liking. If there was a downside, I would say that it was that we were told that the kitchen expected everything ordered at one time. I like to order things as I go, but I understand if that's how they like to roll. The food was well thought out with intention and creativity. I would recommend this place most definitely. Everyone should go at least once. read more

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Food was excellent, great decor. Street parking. We enjoyed the chicken with hot sauce and lamb for the main course and the cheese & hummus for apps. I'd give this place 5 stars due to how great the food was but the service was anything but welcoming. The waitress was rude and condescending. We had a gentleman in our party who speaks English as a second language and the waitress was overly rude to him regarding repeating anything and any questions asked were met with rude looks, snotty remarks and tone. It seemed purposeful and was completely uncalled for and out of line. read more

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Overall, a really great experience! The food is fresh, vibrant, and packed with layers of flavor! Cute vibes with a nice patio. I highly recommend doing the "deluxe edition" where they serve you a full spread. The whole table has to do it, but great for those with a taste for adventure. It's $65 a person and we got happy hour cocktails and wine. Phenomenal meal! They recommend two hours, but we had less than an hour and a half. It did feel like a lot and fast. It would have been nice to spread it out with more time. read more

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Loved the service here and hospitality ! Now the food was top tier !!! So many flavors and love put into their dishes , they know what they are doing ! Make sure to go at least twice a month ! It's worth it !! read more

Tusk - Middle Eastern Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We had the best time at Tusk! The restaurant was super cute. It had a Mediterranean vibe which fit perfectly. The staff were super friendly and gave us a few recommendations on what to order. We ended up getting a bunch of plates to share. Everything was incredible, some of our favorites were the flax crackers, the snap peas, the cabbage skewer, and the falafel. For dessert we had the olive oil cake which was super tasty. Would definitely recommend and we will be coming back! read more

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Perfect place for date nights. Visited this place on a Friday evening with decent crowd. I really love the ambiance of this place. It's cosy yet chic style. The music, the vibe is just amazing. We ordered hummus with mushrooms along with pita bread. It was the best hummus I had after a ling time. We ordered a side of Aleppo chili oil and mixed it with different items and it was just delicious. For main course, we tried falafels, chicken skewer, rice with leeks, the rice was delicious. Falafels were pretty average. For drinks we tried go your own way cocktail and a mock-tail and both the drinks were really good. Overall, I love this place and definitely visiting and recommending this place. read more

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I wish I could give Tusk 10 stars. We had an awful experience waiting to get seated at Paadee and then my friend called Tusk asking how long the wait is for a table and they said a table just opened up. We walked in and the host was extremely warm and welcoming and knew we were the party of 3 he had spoken to on the phone. We were seated right away and prproceeded to have one of the best dining experiences of my life. We ordered the tasting menu for $65 per person. There was a combination of several appetizers that came out including hummus, crumbled feta, olives, and barbari bread. We ordered the lamb belly and chicken for entrees. The chicken was phenomenal! The best part of this experience was definitely lour waiter. He was this outgoing, fun loving foodie and was just a great person to talk to. He brought out a dish for us to try that the restaurant was experimenting with. If you are in PoPortland, definitely check out Tusk. read more

Absolutely Disappointed - This Place Went from Good to Infuriating At first, things seemed promising. My wife and I were seated quickly, and the staff was friendly. The first two shareable dishes arrived fast, and we thought we were in for a solid night out. Unfortunately, that's where the positives end. After the appetizers, we waited 45 MINUTES for our main dishes. Not an exaggeration--we checked the time. These weren't complicated meals either, so there's no excuse for the ridiculous delay. We honestly felt like our order had been completely forgotten. To make it worse, the table next to us ordered the exact same main course, and somehow got theirs in 10 minutes. How does that even happen? The service completely fell off after the appetizers. Our server barely checked on us during that long, frustrating wait, and by the end of the meal we were just ready to leave. Then came the final slap in the face: a mandatory 20% service charge was added to the bill. No heads-up, no visible notice, nothing mentioned before we ordered. After the level of service we received, it felt like a scam. They absolutely did not earn that tip, and it left us walking out more angry than full. I rarely write reviews, but this experience was a letdown in every sense. Do yourself a favor--spend your time and money elsewhere. read more

Making a reservation on their website is a breeze and we were immediately seated when we arrived. We ordered the deluxe option where the chef chooses your courses. It was well worth the price ($55/PP) & and gave us an opportunity to try so many different flavors. I honestly don't know what exactly I ate but I can say it was overall very delicious and fresh! We were not fans of the crispy rice (lacked flavor) and the chicken was a little on the dry side but it was definitely a culinary experience worth trying. read more

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Every. Single. Detail. This place is so intentional. We got the chefs choice and it is the best deal there is. You literally get try some of everything and it was all so, so good. Bonus points it is such a beautiful, sexy place, total date-night, shareable food, sexy vibe and best of all deeeeeelicious food. read more

A hidden gem! I passed by this place so many times on Hawthorne and never went in, until one day my partner and I were craving Mediterranean food. Try to book a reservation if you can because we went on a weekday and they were still very busy. The only option for seating was outside. We were skeptical at first, however, their outside dining is nicely made, warm, and doesn't feel like you're dining OUTSIDE. Service here throughout our dinner was a bit slow, but they were very kind. We ordered the mezzo platter, braised lamb neck, and steamed clams. The mezzo platter was so so amazing. I loved being able to try the different dishes that came with the pita bread (which was warm and delicious). I highly recommend this dish for an appetizer. The braised lamb neck and clams were both phenomenal, great portions, and I would love to get it again. Prior to ordering, we were tempted by their set course (which was a really good price of $55/$65 pp!), but we weren't hungry enough to try it. I would love to come back again to check it out! read more

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Drinks were good, food was decent. We only planned on getting drinks and apps & when we told this to the server she looked disappointed which is... something. I felt judged lol. Come to find out it's bc they smack a mandatory 20% auto grat on the bill. I've worked at countless restaurants, 6 tops + I get, but 2 tops? really? "In lieu of a voluntary tip"... we're just gonna take it from you!! :) I think this is really harmful for the restaurant industry. I was already planning on doing 22%, I understand how important tips are but let's not go forcibly taking money from guests. In this economy?? read more

Nice cute place for brunch. The food was good, reasonable price, great service! We had fun eating brunch and chatting with friends here, they were very to let us stay for a long time like hours and didn't come to disturb us. read more

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Cutest place in Hawthorne with really reasonable prices for what you get! I went with a friend and we got the set menu for $55 each with the beef kafka- so you get hummus, feta, two salads, sides of rice and collard greens AND dessert. My favorites were definitely the pita and hummus and feta and then the beef with whipped feta. Dessert was also amazing. I have no idea what it was but something with rose and hibiscus and a pistachio cake with some sort of cream filling. Yum! read more

Tusk - Starters - Middle Eastern Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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From start to finish, this was one of our favorite culinary delights in Portland. With a party of 5, we were aiming to try as much as possible without feeling overwhelmingly full. We got the first part right. We started with a variety of cocktails, the Secret River Spot was described by our family member as "if you close your eyes , it tastes like you're drinking salsa."It was comprised of gin, flora green, dry curacao, snap peas, lime, and green coriander tincture. Makes sense. The wine selection was nice, we opted for Division Pinot Noir, from the Willamette region. When in Oregon, support the local and well known region for Pinot Noir grapes. We started with the Grand Mezze Platter, at 55.00 one would expect to be served as we were with a sprinkling of almost everything. Of the dishes, I would say the marinated feta, classic hummus, and the falafel were out of this world and shouldn't be missed. This was a perfect introduction of what Tusk has to offer and I'm so glad we did. The tomatoes with crispy Quinoa was a must, unique and so flavorful. From there, we ordered the Koda Rice, Beef Kafta, and Braised Lamb Neck. All of them were excellent and cooked to perfection. We were full, but still had wanted to try dessert, however, our check was served and the kitchen was closed. Our server Chloe was wonderful, adding humor and insight into our meal selections. All in all, a memorable meal that is one having us dream about coming back. Don't miss this. read more

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The kitchen here is very good. Every single item we had was delicious. The hummus was creamy and very good. The falafels were correct. The entrees were very good: the kafta, the Hawaij chicken, the albacore. But on a macro level, something's out of tune here. Our falafel arrived when we were already on our entrees, because the kitchen had spaced it out and forgot to make it. The kafta came without a single grain of rice, even though the chicken came on a bed of it. The nine-dollar beer wasn't even a pint, more like 12 oz at best. The Coke refill came when we were already boxing up our leftovers. At the $50 per person price point (well higher if you get the deluxe menu option), you'd think the falafel would come before the entrees, the kafta would come with some rice, and nine dollars would get you a pint. Again, I don't have a single complaint about the actual food -- it was superb. But I can't give the place five stars. Something's off-key, read more

I wanted to sit on the patio and bask in the warmth of the sun-rays - from Tusk till Dawn - Olive it! Husband planned a date day and took me to Tusk for our first time. Reservation was for 5Pm - right when they opened. We sat on the patio which was a smidge chilly at first - but they had warming lamps above. It was a beautiful day! We decided to do the dining experience and have them choose for us. We both had a mint iced green tea - delicious and refreshing! We started with the assortment: a warm pita, falafel, dipping sauces, hummus, marinated olives, yogurt dip, radish and a pistachio almond dip, and the best cheese I've ever had! Explosion of flavors, WOW. In each bite, we were both entranced in the different flavor profiles. I also now love radishes - so thank you! Not a fan of the two salads. The cucumber mint was not for us. Too much going on and the pickled-ness of the cucumber didn't mesh - flavor wise. The mussels were delicious! The coconut curry-esque sauce was to die for. Dessert! Wow. The white chocolate hard shell frozen yogurt dish was refreshing and delicious. The second dessert was so/so for me. Cannoli was rich and decadent but I didn't vibe with the hard crunches on top. Want to come back to try a protein - that's what I missed upon this visit. Delightful ambiance, aesthetic, and service! A must try. BRUNCH UPDATE: UH-MAZE-ING. The brunch meal was absolutely amazing. The spiced cinnamon roll with pistachio was unbelievable. The baked cheese may have been one of the best dishes I've ever had. Biscuits and gravy? Phenomenal! I am speechless of todays flavors. Took my grandparents while they were in town. My grandpa said / it was the best meal of his life. Thank you, kindly! read more

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#1 would I come again.... Probably not Goodness finding parking is horrible but I mean too bad it is what it is. Reserving was a breeze Ambiance is great, loved the outdoor patio, expect apparently they sat us in the forgotten corner of shame for bringing a kid. Service was soooooo bad I mean bad There's 100 people working and walking around with eyes in the sky and no one does anything Apparently Mondays, the happy hour menu goes on all day which was amazing because we got to try a bunch of stuff. We ordered drinks, I got a hot tea and my friend water, because they have no soda, closest is $10 sparkling water The tea pots suck, tea was cold after 4 mins I asked for honey and I got the weirdest look, like how could I ask for such a weird thing. The guy said "no but I'll go ask anyway" Another server brought me a little serving of honey and I said thanks. Were they gonna charge me for this? Maybe? The hummus was bomb I mean delicious. Bread was great. I asked our server if we should order one or two ordered. They didn't say how many came in each order, they said order two. Bread came out and it came with 4, the server came back and told us ooo they brought you 4? I was like "looks like it" and walked away. I'm pretty sure it was just added to our bill, even though that was not our mistake and we only ate two. Food came out super fast The falafel was my favorite, Baked cheese was way too salty Beef skewer was delicious I would completely skip the lamb poutine salty and bad. I would skip the rice I hate cooked cherries The smash burger would also be a pass, not bad but I rather eat double falafel. Now I must have asked the server 4 times for the check and boxes. After waiting 30-40 mins I finally started waving my hands In the arm and it was like everyone was turning and ignoring on purpose lol. Finally I got a ladies attention and she went to go tell the sever. The server came back and said sorry "I told another server and they must have forgotten" Went to get boxes, came back with two. Then he needed to get the check lol Came back then he said I'll bring another box Took the card and brought a box. lol i felt it was a whole fiasco Hahahha The server then said "I took the liberty of taking a bunch of things off the bill" I said ooooh thank you checked the bill and wonder what did they take off Hahahahaha. The $1 chimichiri sauce and maybe the extra mistake bread they brought out ?????? I hate places that add a 20% tip automatically, it puts the servers (not all) in a mind set of "I don't care" I'll get 20% anyway good or horrible service. In the end it hurts the restaurant I'm not going back because the service was horrible. Food undoubtedly is very tasty. read more

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I usually prefer more casual & cheaper for Mediterranean food but we decided to try a fancier place this time. TLDR: wouldn't go back, but everything was tasty & there were a few different things I haven't seen at other places, but def more expensive & smaller portions. We went w/ the tasting menu for $55/person which I highly recommend as the way to go as you'll get to $55 easily w/ 1 drink, entree & app and probly still leave hungry judging by the plate portions of guests dining around me. The set meal consisted of about 4 selections from the app/dips section, 2 from veggies, and 1 shared entree. Smart on their part to fill you up w/ cheap veggie appetizers and just have a small portion of meat entree. For those like me who like to try bunch of different things from the menu this is a great bang for your buck but if you're they type that doesn't share and needs a hearty hunk of meat entree maybe not for you. Don't remember everything but here's some of my favorites: - Heirloom carrots: I would never order carrots at a restaurant but I think this may have been my favorite dish here. Just good tender and flavorful. - Pita combined w/ the many dips (hummus, roasted leeks, kohlrabi) was great cause you can make any number of different combinations of flavors with each bite. - Potato salad: meh, mostly filler. - Grape leaf wrapped kofta: very disappointing, just dolmas. Which is mostly my fault for not realizing from the description but I was still expecting something more. They were just as small and nothing different from a food truck (where they are sold as appetizers not main entrees). I did like they gave a butt load of olives which you can continuously munch on throughout ur meal and then I still took a bunch home for beer/tv snack. read more

Cute restaurant, good cocktails ($$), and tasty food and excellent service. The falafel were really good but nothing on the menu u stood out to me. Everything we ate, we liked! If we lived in the neighborhood, we would probably come here more often. read more

Everything was delicious! Opted to select our own plates rather than the prefixe and very happy with the decision. Lamb neck was great and the kafta was unexpectedly worth it! Washugyu Steak was tasty, especially the sauce that comes with it. The star was definitely the baked cheese - beyond expectations - would come back and have just this and cocktails. Seasonal frisée salad was great also - yes. For cocktails I loved my Secret River Spot and both my friends ordered it as a second cocktail after trying mine. I then got the Yellow Bird and it was everything - I will think about it after tonight for sure. Service and ambiance was good! Will definitely return! read more

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