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Al-Masri Egyptian Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Middle Eastern Middle Eastern [Edit]
4031 Balboa St(between 41st Ave & 42nd Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94121
Neighborhood: Outer Richmond
(415) 876-2300
- Hours:
Thu-Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Touristy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
127 reviews for Al-Masri Egyptian Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Live Belly dancer - wonderful person - 5stars." In 27 reviews -
"...drink-- the owner's family makes in back in Egypt." In 15 reviews -
"I ordered the stuffed cornish game hen, stuffed with rice..." In 2 reviews
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127 reviews in English
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Review from Pam S.
4/8/2012
Located in a quiet neighborhood. Definitely a great date spot. Too bad it wasn't the night for the belly dancer. That would have been nice to watch. I got to try Egyptian food, which I had been wanting to, so I was happy to check this out.
Very Egyptian in decor. Friendly servers. Clean. Yes, there is a wait altho their were only 3 tables they were serving on that particular night. Imagine when the place gets busy...
I wanted to try out most of what was on the appetizers so I suggested Maza for 2. Great selection. The eggplant had an interesting flavor and spicy kick. I pretty much enjoyed all the selection.
For our entree we decided to share the baked cornish game hen. The portion was huge. It was stuff with wheat that night instead of rice. Our server came to ask if that was okay and it was actually better that if it would have been rice. The dish had a side of rice and okra soup. Not a fan of okra so my friend happily finished the small bowl. Overall, I made a good choice on this item.
Good experience...maybe because of the company I had? But the food was okay and I won't mind coming back. -
Review from Hei Ming C.
San Francisco, CA
5/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
The food was good/okay but the overall experience was terrible.
The belly dancers were alright. The venalition was BAD. It was so smokey in there. N the food took freakin forever.
The taste of food is probably good, but it's not my preference so I can't judge or compare this place because it's not a food that WOWed me but I know the taste is not bad at all.
Man, I hope I'm making sense.
I just don't like the fact that it's so smokey and the wait for food was long. My friends were there at 7, they ordered at 7:15. I rolled in at 7:45 and guess what, the freakin appetizer that we order was still not there. we waited another 20 mins in order to get food. Ugh, for me being impatient but the turnover time is just too long for me. -
Review from Julianne H.
El Cajon, CA
4/8/2012
I have NO idea why the ratings for this restaurant are so low, and the note about the ambiance being touristy - really? I totally disagree.
When you walk in, there's a wide open seating area with great decor and energy. There's a private seating area in an upper level that overlooks the restaurant (which I STILL want to reserve for my birthday one day!), and the food was fantastic. What got me the most though was that the service was genuine and extremely friendly - I can't remember if it was the owner or the manager who sat us and saw us through the meal, but I remember his great advice about the coffee and dessert - both of which were the best I'd had in ANY restaurant. I'm obviously hoping to go there again soon and bring a crowd because that place offers such a great experience.
Oh yeah, and there's belly dancing ;P -
Review from Jen C.
Mill Valley, CA
4/1/2012
we got a groupon for this place. The service was very European, by this I mean, SLOW. Once you adjusted to that, the food was excellent, each thing we ordered was better than the last, and it was all superb. The belly dancing came on and that was wonderful too. Go here as the event of the night, when you are ready to relax.
And check your bill and restate your order and have her say it back, the lady who takes orders gets a bit mixed up. -
Review from grace g.
San Francisco, CA
5/11/2012
Festive atmosphere friendly staff Great Belly Dance Delicious Food...The Egyptian Coffee is SO good...Feels like home :):) Needs more ventilation gets hot too, dress light :)
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Review from M. S.
El Cerrito, CA
3/6/2012
I think the idea of having a nice show and a meal is great. I went with my girl on a last minute groupon deal for our anniversary.
I give the folks there an "A" for effort. I found the server very attentive and the atmosphere was really nice. (I do love a place that wants you to enjoy the atmosphere.) The chef is the owner, and she seemed to really love what she does - which does account for something in this world.
I would call the cuisine we had "Egyptian inspired" but not authentic. I can't say I would recommend the buffet, as there was only about 4 items, and none were veggie (they will however make veggie for you if you ask.) If you are a foodie - you will not be impressed with the buffet, so I would skip it (as sadly, we most likely will.) I might call Sunday's a "fixed menu" night instead of buffet.
We ate the buffet / veggie dishes and felt a little a queasy afterwards. I then ate the leftovers, and yet again felt queasy. (I suppose I am a candidate for the Darwin awards for having done that! ;) $25/person is just too much to experience that again. It might be worth a try some other night, though.
All in all, it's a really nice atmosphere and the chef and the dancers all have a BUNCH of heart and seem really kind. They just need to work at the recipes a little, maybe bolster the buffet a bit more than rice, salad, and a few other items.
To anyone tempted into writing another cruel review about the dancers (the reviewers in question mostly my fellow MEN mind you): Get a life! You can review without being mean-spirited. I challenge YOU to do get up in front of a bunch of strangers with your Buddah beer bellies and express yourself, instead of opening your mouth to spew your boring brain and bad attitude. If you are frustrated because you didn't get any, take it out in the Tenderloin, NOT on the dancers. Do you know that they read these posts, you neanderthals?
*breath*
IN SHORT: Go for the atmosphere, hummus, glass of wine, and enjoy some friendly dancers. Skip the buffet - I wanted to like it, really...alas. -
Review from Arlene Z.
San Francisco, CA
5/15/2012
I've lived here in San Francisco for over 42 years and I didn't know about this restaurant until a real good friend of mine suggested that we dine here with his Groupon. He and I were so impressed and we both enjoyed the food so much. The rating I see is pretty low, but I rate it to the max since I really like Egyptian food and this is the only Egyptian restaurant here in northern California and in San Francisco. I've been here twice now and I really loved the appetizers, food and the belly dance entertainment. Both times the food and service were excellent. The servers are friendly, too. The 2nd time I brought one of my visiting GF's from Hawaii (she's a native San Franciscan like me) and another SF native, too. We all loved the food. The food I really want to emphasize are: Baba Ghannuug (eggplant puree with tahina, garlic, lemon juice, drizzled with extra virgin oil), Salatet Betingen (fried eggplant, parsley, tomato, scallions, house dressing), Salatet Sabanekh (fresh spinach, caramelized onions, pine nuts, garlic, house dressing) for the salads, Gambari Mashwi - Grilled prawns with a butter-garlic sauce; Kebab Harouf - Grilled lamb with a butter-garlic sauce; Baraber Mahshia - Baked Cornish game hen stuffed with rice, onions, raisins, roasted almonds, pine nuts; Kebab Harouf - Grilled lamb with a butter-garlic sauce; and Musa'ah - Layered eggplant with taro root fries, zucchini, tomato, bell pepper (this was my favorite). For dessert, we tried their version of Baklava. I would love to bring my family there. Can't wait to go there again!
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Review from Mike Y.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2012
Wow, where to begin. Do you want to dine in a smokey, windowless box with tasteless, oil-drenched food? Or be subjected to abysmal service by apathetic waitresses and the worst belly dancers you've ever seen? Then come on in!
Seriously, this place is awful. On a whim I bought a Groupon for this place, excited to see a Middle Eastern spot near my hood. My girlfriend and I walked in during the middle of a belly dance "performance" - it felt more like an outtake from "Borat" (at least that would have been entertaining!). The servers were clueless and inattentive, and it took forever to flag one down to place an order. We remained optimistic - after all, sometimes the atmosphere and service sucks but the food is redeeming. Not so at Al-Masri! The food was actually the worst part (and that's saying a lot). Here's what we found:
- The falafels were tasteless, dry hockey pucks. And when I say tasteless, I mean, they didn't even put salt in it. And I hate overly salty food.
- The salads were also tasteless and drenched in oil... are you getting the theme here? I begrudgingly asked for salt and pepper (didn't help much).
- Moussaka was... you guessed it... tasteless and drenched in oil! It was clearly made from tomato paste out of a can. No spice whatsoever. Bleh.
In summary... stay away. There are way better Middle Eastern spots in the city.Comment from Sausan M. of Al-Masri Egyptian Restaurant 2/7/2012
Everything this customer ordered was either fried in oil or… More » -
Review from Josie L.
San Francisco, CA
3/27/2012
Unfortunately, I have to rename this place Al-Misery. I bought a coupon without Yelping the place. My mistake. I couldn't resist as I love Egyptian themes and wanted to try the food. When we got out there (and it's WAY out there, unless you live out there but we live in the Mission), the facade was cute and colorful with, you know, Anubis and some other god painted on the doors. We walk in and it's loud and there's a belly dancer performing for about 6 people. That's great! Didn't expect that. My boyfriend wasn't so keen on putting the dollar in her "bra-strap", however.
The decor was pretty cool, but the best was the ancient egyptian hieroglyphed toilet seat! They have every single Egyptian tschotchke ever made in that restaurant. They even have a reproduction of Tut's chair. The staff was a sight. What an interesting bunch. Straight out of a movie.
Anyway, the waitress tells us first thing "We have a buffet tonight." and I say, "Well, we're vegan." and she says "Oh." and goes to get menus. She comes back and says "We do have some salad in the buffet...." and we say we'll consider. We decide on two $16 items on the menu and receive pita with hummous. The food comes and they are both large dishes. We thought they were alright, but didn't have much spice. Even the hummous was a little bland. The eggplant seemed like it just had tomato sauce and salt and the pasta, rice, lentil dish was interesting but lacked a little oomph as well, spice-wise. We asked for olives because olives rock this kind of food.
So we get the check and see that we were charged $24 each instead of the $16 each and I ask why. The waitress tells me THEN that it's "BUFFET NIGHT" and it's a fixed price of $24 each. Well, we didn't know that, especially by how she presented the buffet to us in the beginning. So the owner, I guess, showed up and we had to argue with her about the bill which TOTALLY ruined the whole thing. I would have rated this restaurant 3 stars and deemed it worthy to go if I wanted somewhere unusual to go with a small group of friends, for a birthday or something ONLY if someone had a car! But we will never go there again because the owner wouldn't give us the original price without ARGUING about it and then adding on the pita, hummous (which we didn't ask for) and the olives. The menu with the $16 menu items is easily changed for the special "buffet night" as it's only a paper menu. Give people the buffet menu on Sundays and you won't have this problem! I see that others have complained about the expensive buffet night. Who charges $24 for a BUFFET anyway?! It was a long camel ride, my friends, and we don't like the old "bait and switch" approach to ordering and paying. They can keep their knick knacks and belly dancers. We are used to the BEST food, so cheap, friendly, free pita, olives, side dishes, etc right when you sit down at Old Jerusalem in our own hood, which I'll ululate, I mean Yelp next.
I can't wait to read the LONG reply that Sausan will surely post refuting everything! -
Review from yelp o.
San Francisco, CA
5/21/2012
nothing impressed me about this place at all. the food wasn't memorable and the belly dancing performance didn't make the experience any better. the decor is too busy and the service is slow and inattentive. if you live in the area and you don't want to go to any of the other joints close by give it a try if you dare, but don't say i didn't warn you. prices are high for what you get and you will not leave satisfied.
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Review from Alex K.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2012
I must say I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THESE NEGATIVE REVIEWS ARE ALL ABOUT.
Yes, the location is "out of the way" to quote a recent reviewer, but so are many restaurants in the area, therefore that's BEYOND ridiculous! I guess you will never enjoy the awesome restaurants the Berkeley has to offer, for example.
The service is kind and hospitable. They were prompt, friendly and engaging. There were the floor manager and another gentleman. Both, well mannered, responsive, attentive. Food may take a bit longer than most restaurants, but if you realize about it, it's FRESH FOOD people!!! More so, it's authentic! Everything is absolutely delicious! from the pita bread, olive oil and dipping spices to the Koshari! *YUM!* I simply cannot wait to go back!
Oh! Valentina! how could I not mention her! gorgeous smile, and her hips kept us all hypnotized the entire time. Playful, gracious, definitely entertaining.
I must repeat, if you want fast food, go to McDonald's. This s not a place to go in a rush, it's a whole experience. Casual, relaxed, amenable and entertaining. -
Review from Hamid W.
Castro Valley, CA
1/25/2012
Okay, real talk.. This place needs a whole entire renovation, starting with its staff and most importantly the chef! Okay peoples, to be honest and quite frank about things; this place is very unforgiving. I genuinely never think negative analytically, hence why this is my first YELP post leads me to tell you why I have a YELP account is because of this restaurant! I wouldnt even call it a restaurant, it would get brownie points if all they did were sell hookah which they arent even involved in and its an egyptian theme!
Heres the breakdown YelpERS'
I go up in there cleanly minded and not too sure on what to think of the place. I usually have an open mind considering its a new place in my book.
I pay -$25 for a BUFFETT which is meant for dinner.
I seriously made the biggest mistake in my life, I felt as we were in a second world country eating!
- Rice, Chicken thighs, Some beef skewers, and very little to none salad.
All of the above were either undercooked or had some sort of very potent seasoning which in results of my SMALL dinner,
made my stomach turn almost immediately!
-I had paid for this food which was worth way less than $8.
I honestly wouldnt have had minded, considering the place needed renovating.
What extremely KILLED the night after all these negatives...
-OLD FAT WRINKLY STRETCHMARKED CELLULITE BELLY DANCERS!!
I mean lord have mercy, she was 6 foot with a belly looking as if she was pregnant which she wasnt!
People, please renovate.. Fix your music, Fix the bellydancers, Fix the staff, and most of all FIX YOUR FOOD.
The next time I go fulfilling my curiousity with foreign food im not familiar with, I DEFINITLY will research A LOT more.Comment from Sausan M. of Al-Masri Egyptian Restaurant 2/9/2012
I am now responding to the response: No one has ever gotten… More » -
Review from Rumesha A.
San Francisco, CA
1/2/2012
This was definitely a one star experience save for the belly dancer who was very enthusiastic and charming
Location - way, way out there! Too far given the food (below)
Food - AWFUL! AWFUL! AWFUL! This one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had in SF. Went here as a result of a Groupon ( another reason one should never buy Groupons for untried restaurants). Ordered baba ghanoush as an appetizer which was a red flag because it came with stale pita bread. Really! The one thing a Middle Eastern restaurant should get right and they miss that one. Ordered the lamb rack, lamb meatballs with cheese and sole ( sister wanted salmon but it cost $4 extra). The lamb rack came with 4 measly pieces and terrible okra as a side dish. The meatballs were heartier but completely tasteless. Special mention how crappy the sides are - they come in condiment bowls stewed in some awful broth).
Service - only one server but given that there were 3 tables in the house, it was appropriate. Glasses of water were not refilled but a glass of tea was quickly refilled ( and charged for). Food took 35 minutes from ordering.
Entertainment - Valentina, the resident belly dancer, dances every 1 hour at the half hour mark. She is enthusiastic, charming, dances well and engages the crowd. She was the only redeeming feature of this restaurant.Comment from Sausan M. of Al-Masri Egyptian Restaurant 1/2/2012
Thank you for your review. I want to let the public know… More » -
Review from gwynnie p.
San Francisco, CA
11/19/2011
Al-Masri is positively charming, Not a white tablecloth experience with airs, which apparently is what some of these review writin' losers expect? Srsly, I don't understand their beefs.
The decor is Egypto-kitch, and they have belly dancers every night. If you've been to La Mediteranee and the like, you're sort of familiar with many of the food options, like the appetizer assortment platter that 2 of us shared, but I assure you at Al-Masri the standards taste way fresher, lighter and just perfect.
The musa'ah, which we shared for an entree (layered eggplant with taro root fries, zucchini & tomato, was seriously one of the best things I have ever eaten. Period. End of story. -
Review from Chris C.
San Francisco, CA
12/19/2011
This is the same shady business that defaulted on its contract with "Entertainment." Once the "2 entrees for 1" deals brought them enough business, they decided to stop accepting the coupons about half-way through the year and simply began turning people away at the door. Now, surprise, they need help again and are using Group On's services.
Folks, I have not yet eaten here. My 4-people party was politely turned away, even though they would have cashed in via 4 complete meals plus tips, with only a single entree discount. Still, old habits die hard. Please don't be surprised if you get turned away at the door like I did.Comment from Sausan M. of Al-Masri Egyptian Restaurant 12/19/2011
All I can say is.......Huh????? I NEVER (bold and in… More » -
Review from Jowin C.
1/8/2012 1 photo
Complimentary pita bread with olive oil and spices dip.
Ta'Miya (Egyptian fried falafel) consists of ground fava beans and served with tahina sauce. For $6.00, you get three pieces of falafel that are the size of..well, like the circumference of a mini shot glass.
What the heck should I get?
Entrees varies from $16 to $25. I suggest getting any of the chicken dish because it is really moist and juicy. You can start out with the Kebab Firakh - Grilled chicken tenders with a butter-garlic sauce for $19.00. The chicken was juicier than the lamb and the tenderloin! The rice (contains little noodles, similar to rice-a-roni) is shaped into a pyramid, and you can choose your sides...I recommend the tomato okra.
To end the night with dessert, I recommend their homemade pistachio baklava. It is not drenched in honey, it is very light.I loved the flaky baked pilo dough!
For entertainment, there was a belly dancer there who dances now and then in different outfits. Pretty fun to watch and it makes you want to shake your hips too. However, I couldn't because I'm being weighed down by the food.
My friend let me try some of the gritty eqyptian coffee and it was strong. Apparently, you're suppose to let the coffee grit settle, then drink it. After you drink it, you flip your up over and you and some fortune lady there will read your fortune by reading your coffee ground residuals inside the cups. -
Review from ryan s.
Pacifica, CA
9/2/2011
The dinner was good, the service was fine, and then the bill came.
The server showed me a bill with the total, subtracted my groupon, then had a "suggested tip of 20%." Well, apparently it was not only suggested, but required, because as i gave her my credit card, she billed me for the total (minus the groupon), and then the 20% suggested tip amount, without asking me. I have been to a lot of restaurants in my life BUT NEVER has anything like this ever happened. What a classless, dishonest , and low life thing to do. First of all, dont suggest to me a tip, i am an adult capable of figuring out percentages on my own. But on top of that, adding a 20% suggested tip without my permission? -
Review from Emma K.
San Francisco, CA
2/17/2012
This place was a waste of my life. Hands down the worst restaurant I've ever been to. Mind blowingly horrible service, if you can call it that, and bland crappy food. And now my clothes smell like grease. If you decide to go even after reading my review, I'll laugh and say I told you so. Actually, I won't laugh, because I'll be so pissed that you went.
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Review from Jack O.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2012
This place is an authentic Egyptian tourist trap. Dishes are outrageously overpriced ($20 and up). The food is bad. The service is bad. The decor (plastic plants and all) is tacky. The restaurant was filled with smoke. EVERYONE here was dinning because of a groupon.
Comment from Sausan M. of Al-Masri Egyptian Restaurant 2/14/2012
Hello: My menu prices are from $7 to $25 with entrees… More » -
Review from Eric S.
San Francisco, CA
8/25/2011
Okay...wow...where do I start....I blame Groupon because their deal is the reason I came here tonight,
Now food is good...not gonna lie..however not that good where its worth the pathetic service and arrogance I got tonight.
Unless you are the Dali lama and have that kind of patience stay AWAY!.
we had reservations and took 25 mins for them to take our order. 10 mins to get a bottled beer...28 mins to get our food...and 20 mins to get our check...I'm not exaggerating either!!! OMG...really if you can't handle the rush then why did you agree to hook up with Groupon! No apology for the wait and at the end they slap on automatic gratuity!!! WTF really...I did not pay it...the main server is this beast of a woman...she didn't care at all...the belly dancer was fat...and the food is the only saving grace but still not worth it!!!
DAMN YOU GROUPON DAMN YOU !!!! -
Review from Janice P.
San Bruno, CA
8/19/2011
My girlfriend purchased a Homerun Voucher, $20 for $40 of food at Al-Masri restaurant. We've never had Egyptian food before, so this gave us an opportunity to try it, at an affordable price.
Colorful and fun - We walked into the place and was greeted by cheeky Egyptian decorations, paint, furniture, and lighting. The music was loud enough for the belly dancer to boogie to. We were seated quickly, given our water, flatbread and olive oil. Everything was smooth sailing. People started to fill-up the place which was good because it felt awkward with the dancer only dancing for 6 people.
Wait was long - Our server apologized for the wait, even saying they were unusually slammed for a Thursday night. Slammed? There were five tables of an average of 2.5 people each and I'm guessing they had at least 15 tables. No problem, we waited and figured the food would be worth it. It was. Girlfriend got the salmon kabobs with rice pilaf and side of okra and tomatoes. I got the chicken kabobs with of rice pilaf and side of taro root and swiss chard. Meat was tender, rice was fluffy and buttery. Veggie side was prepared like a soup, warm touch. After we demolished our food, I was anxious to get our check and go home since our dinner took longer than I had anticipated.
18% tip - Uh oh. Even though the server was pleasant, the dancer was stellar and the food was great, we still had to wait. I am a believer in a minimum of 15% tips, before voucher price. But to have a restaurant conveniently add the tip, an18% tip, was a little shady in my principal book. Not all customers are bad tippers and I'm not one of them. So the fact that we were obliged to tip high on such slow service didn't jive well with me. I paid the tip, and promptly left. Normally I would say something but it was a long day and I just wanted to go home.
Suggestion - talk to the server or owner if you have issues. After my bus ride home, I wasn't so pissed anymore. The tip would've covered both the server and the dancer.
Bottom line - Ambience is fun. Servers are pleasant. Food is good. Service is slow. Tip obligation made for you beforehand, not so good.
3 stars. -
Review from Try E.
San Francisco, CA
3/4/2012
Price doesn't justify terrible service. Perhaps their service is top notch by egyptian standards, doesn't cut it for SF. Rude waiters, we agreed to pay corkage fee, but they still gave us hard time for bringing in our drinks. Food was just OK, lamb was barely warm. Humus was good - but how hard is it screw up that? Over all - not worth it!
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Review from Mi M.
San Francisco, CA
8/26/2011
Judging from the mixed reviews of this place, it seems like there are two chefs or perhaps there are two restaurants that are identical but switch between universes. I was hesitant to eat here but a friend was belly-dancing that night and so joined the party of pals who were going to cheer her on.
First of all, the service was annoying. The older waitress was irritated at such a big party (um...shouldn't she have been grateful that there were so many customers?) and was flustered and couldn't seem to get anything right. Several people in our party had to wait for nearly 20 minutes for a drink. Not mixed cocktails, but beer and wine.
Also, a couple of people in our party were told to wait outside for nearly half an hour to be seated even though there were more than two spots at our table. Then they waited half an hour for their food.
The food was mediocre. The hummus was okay. The falafel-y things were okay. The chicken was okay, and the rice was bland. The wine was pretty bad. Overpriced for what I had.
The decor was definitely Egyptian themed - kind of like one of those love motels with theme rooms - even the toilet seats had Egyptian motifs! It was fun, verging on a little tacky, but then I'm more about the less-is-more decorating esthetic.
HOWEVER, I enjoyed the belly-dancing. Not just because my pal was dancing, but it's kind of fun to watch. If you don't like belly-dancing, loud music, or just general revelry, this is *not* the place for you (it kind of reminds me of Greek themed restaurants where everyone gets drunk and smashes plates on the floors and dance in circles).
No doubt the owner will probably post a counter-review - remember, it is my First Amendment right to voice an opinion, by the way - but try it if you are interested...it definitely appeals to some people and not to others. I am in the latter group. -
Review from A. L.
Fresno, CA
1/22/2012
I was really excited to try Egyptian food, but i was pretty disappointed. We found this place off of the Groupon Ap, and my boyfriend and i figured we'd give it a shoot. The place is beautiful inside and the belly dancer was very energetic. However, that was the best part. The lady that took our order reeked on some sort of body odor. Then, they forgot my boyfriends meal. I was pretty upset since we waited about an hour just to get our one dish. We didn't even get to use the Groupon, since "we didn't spend enough". We left hungry and disappointed. We will never go back.
Comment from Sausan M. of Al-Masri Egyptian Restaurant 1/23/2012
First, thank you for dining at Al-Masri. I'm very happy… More » -
Review from Lorena S.
Fremont, CA
Updated - 2/21/2012
If you can't handle reservations in your restaurant then don't make them. Groupon or not Groupon.. It shouldn't matter. If you choose to advertise your business on a marketing website, you should be a responsible business owner and uphold your ad to the fullest. What keeps Groupon users from using their Groupon in your particular restaurant until the last minute are the terrifying reviews that make them regret ever purchasing them. As a consumer you give business the benefit of the doubt. In your establishment, there Is nothing but the truth about what a disaster it truly is.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/19/2012
Where do I begin? Well, a Groupon I purchased led me to bring my Egyptian BF and I here. I was so… Read more »
Comment from Sausan M. of Al-Masri Egyptian Restaurant 2/21/2012
I've recently discovered that voucher holders like to hold… More » -
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Review from Rena K.
7/3/2011
I came here not really sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised with the food. I didn't care much for the location or decor.
The menu has some variety & they have daily specials to choose from as well.
They had the traditional Egyptian dish, Kushari.
They also had stuffed squash on the daily special which I found exciting because it is something as an Arab is made regularly at home, but not something I generally find out at restaurants.
I opted for the grilled lamb since of a friend of mine recommended it. It came with a side, I chose the okra stew in tomato, but they also had the option to get Mulu'khia - Jute plant on the side (which I never find in restaurants either). Everything was delicious.
The place was pretty empty & is out in a residential area so nothing to do out there after.
If you like middle eastern food & can get past the decor & location you should give this place a try.Listed in: Middle Eastern food spots
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Review from Mahmoud A.
Berkeley, CA
8/17/2011
My girl friend took me here for my birthday on a saturday night. I got the lamb: delicious, and served with a pyramid-shaped pile of delicious rice. She got the chicken, which was also very tasty. As an Egyptian, I can tell you their tea selection is authentic. In fact, the menu seemed to be a near-comprehensive collection of most of the Egyptian dishes I knew (and some I didn't know about). The wine selection, while far larger than it would be in Egypt, was a bit sparse for SF. The decor in the restaurant was comically Egypto-Tourist, with pharaonic and ottoman art mixed tastefully (tastelessly?) on the walls.
At the end of the meal, even though we were the only two diners, the evening show started: a professional (hot) belly dancer! And she was good at it, too. Her show lasted maybe 20-30 minutes, hard to tell. I really enjoyed it. Incidentally I'm told the owner of the restaurant also offers belly-dance classes.
Conclusion: Authentic Egyptian food and tea, with belly-dancing. Great for a celebration. -
Review from Sana S.
San Francisco, CA
6/15/2011
I came here with some friends to see the belly dancing and to try some new food. I was not disappointed! I have a beef dish (Egyptian meatballs or kebab style) with cucumbers and yogurt plus a dessert with rose water and nuts on it. It was interesting and very good.
The belly dancer was cool, and sat down and talked to us before her shift started. We didn't even know she worked there, until she said: I have to change now, because my shift starts!
It's a nice area out in there in the Richmond. It's quiet and close to to the beach. -
Review from sondra l.
San Francisco, CA
2/20/2011
The atmosphere and belly dancing was really great. I was excited by the dishes on their menu and already started thinking about who I'd like to bring the next time....that is until our food actually arrived.
The $20 Maza for 2 appetizer assortment was accompanied by store-bought pita bread and Kirkland brand olive oil from Costco (as declared by the chef herself). The (canned) dolmas were tough, and not tender. Bottom line- nothing particularly stood out as memorable/tasty/ "Egyptian" to me.
As for the main courses- the Taggen Firakh (Chicken dish) was OK. The lamb Kufta was almost inedible. Something about the texture and seasoning was really un-appetizing to both of us at the table. Finally, the Baklava "made daily on the premises" was definitely not crispy/ crunchy like it should be...
If the prices were cut in 1/2, I would consider coming back just for the ambiance alone. But sadly, the food was really that bad. Minus stars for the crazy + argumentative comments from Chef Sausan below. If you read some of her responses to other yelpers, she seems quite defensive and adamant that Al-Masari is not willing to improve.
I can't help it but...
It is quite laughable/unfortunate that Sausan boldly claims the she is the "most accomplished Egyptian chef in North America", and Al-Masri is "the most reviewed restaurant in Northern California" on her belly dancing school page biography (Michael Mina doesn't exist!). Beware of this woman.
*Revised from my original post (in response to the chef's comments respectively).Comment from Sausan M. of Al-Masri Egyptian Restaurant 2/22/2011
First, let me thank you for your review. The $20… More » -
Review from A J.
San Francisco, CA
11/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
So, the food here, at least the Masa'ah, was pretty good. The belly dancer that came out eventually was also very good and nice to watch while I ate my food. I can respect that the owner of this business is passionate about Egyptian culture, and I've heard that when this restaurant hosts big events, it's quite fun.
However, our service was HORRIBLE. It was a slow, quiet night at the restaurant, but it took us at least 10 minutes after sitting down to even get menus and water. It took forever for us to be able to order, to get our food, to get our check, and we had to ask several times to order and to get our check. During out waits, we also had the pleasure of seeing the lone waitress go around to different tables and apologize for screwing up their bills. Again, I could understand a longer wait and mistakes if it had been busy, but there were only 4 tables, including our, occupied at a time. Our waitress than tried to insist that we were obligated to pay her a 20% tip because we used a groupon (amazon's version actually) which is a flatout falsehood. 20% tips are for good service, lady, and that's not what you provided. I recommend that the owner and chef really replace her waitress if she can't shape up fast, given the damage being done to her business.Comment from Sausan M. of Al-Masri Egyptian Restaurant 11/5/2011
Hello, Thank you for your review of my restaurant. … More » -
Review from C M.
Richmond, CA
10/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
2 stars because my seasoned grilled tilapia was actually very tasty.
Minus 3 stars because $75 for an appetizer, 2 entrees, and 2 beers is ridiculous for Outer Richmond. Not to mention how incredibly slow and dishonest our waitress was. The husband and I were there with 2 other couples and we were the the only people in the entire place. Everything seemed to be going ok during the actual dinner itself. The belly dancer even performed twice while we there. Probably because we were there a total of 2.5 hours, that's how slow service was. It was when the checks finally came that things started to go awry. First, I noticed that they initially charged us the full $20 for our appetizer (all 3 couples wanted the same sampler appetizer; it was $20 for 2 people, but only an extra $5 for every extra person...6 people = $40). I looked at the other couples' checks and they did the same thing on their checks too. However, we noticed that the $20 appetizers were eventually scratched out and each couple was charged $13.33 (total of $40) for the appetizers. Okay, thanks for correcting the mistake, but why did you guys try to cheat us in the first place? Secondly, we noticed that we were all charged for dessert when no one ordered dessert. The waitress had come out 15 minutes prior with a tray of tiny little cakes and said, "Here's some dessert for you all! Who'd like some?" Thinking it was free, some of us took a plate. So when we got the bill, imagine our surprise and disgust when we see that we are charged $4 per dessert. And these things were tiny. About 1 inch wide, 2 inches long, 0.5 inch thick and cold. How tacky is that to offer food and not tell you that it's not free? The final straw was that it took half an hour for our already very slow waitress to recalculate our 3 bills and all she had to do was take away the dessert charges. I don't know how the other couples feel since we were all in such a hurry to get home after spending so much time there, but the husband and I will not be returning. -
Review from Sandra L.
San Francisco, CA
11/19/2011
Got a TownHog coupon for this place.
Ambiance:
When you walk inside, it is like you are sitting in an outdoor courtyard in Egypt. The place is meticulously decorated in Egyptian theme.
Service:
Only 2 female waiters. They were very nice and attentive. We ordered a bottle of wine and they would come and refill them for us. They also kept the water glass full. I notice on some tables without wine, had the water vessel on the table for self-serving.
Food/Drinks.:
When we ordered our food, they asked us twice whether we wanted an appetizer because our entrees would take a while to come out (it took 35 minutes). We declined the appetizer, but they give you these slices of pita like bread plus olive oil & spices to dip. We ordered a bottle of wine, thinking that like most places, a glass of wine = half a glass. But surprisingly we saw on the other tables that they actually pour a full glass (note that the glass is not large either). Btw, their house wine is Yellowtail.
Our two entrees arrived lukewarm.
(1) $22 Gambari Mashwi - Grilled prawns with a butter-garlic sauce, with 'Ul 'As - Taro Root, Swiss chard - both the prawns and side was good with a pyramid shaped pile of rice pilaf.
(2) $23 Lahma Mahshiya - Stuffed tenderloin with cheese and parsley, and topped
with a garlic, onion, nutmeg, lemon sauce, with Mulu'khia - Jute plant - Do not order this entree. The presentation was basically beef balls with cheese in the middle and too much cheese. The side of Jute plant tasted like super slimy spinach. It also came with with a pyramid shaped pile of rice pilaf.
Cleanliness:
The table had a dark decorative table cloth, but it was had bread crumbs and little pieces of rice here and there. One of the forks had a piece of veggie stuck on it. Maybe because the place is dark and they can't see this too well? Nevertheless not acceptable. Bathrooms upstairs were decorated very nicely and clean.
Entertainment.
I guess every evening they have dancers come out to perform. For this evening, a dancer came out to dance in the middle of restaurant for about 10minutes or so and in the process corralled a couple of customers to go up. What cheapen the entire experience for us was that towards the end she was making her way around the table for tips!! That means you're not better than a stripper. I felt for a moment I was at a strip joint. Very tasteless. Oh btw, when they give you the bill, there another little envelope soliciting tips for the dancer again.
Other Notes:
1) Towards the end of the meal, the restaurant was just covered with smoke. I don't know what the kitchen was cooking up or whether their ventilation system suddenly broke down.
2) Don't think it is worth it to celebrate a birthday here because of the hefty per head cake fee. Website says $2.50 per head. The menu says $1.50 per head. -
Review from Rimi K.
Cupertino, CA
I came here to see a belly dancing show performed by students and their teachers. The food was served buffet style and was announced at each step. I believe this place is only open for dinner.
The atmosphere is detailed. I'm not sure how authentic it is being as I have never been to Egypt. The owner announced that it is the only egyptian restaurant in Northern California which seems unlikely but who knows! She isn't totally egyptian herself and claims to have some egyptian heritage "back there somewhere" She definitely did a good job decorating with ancient Egyptian theme. It is very colorful and clean.
The bathrooms are a work of art! Huge individual rest rooms with a lot of space and decorations that fit the theme.
There is a really adorable stage area for the belly dancers with a curtain. Totally cute. I really enjoyed the show.
I wouldn't exactly come here for the food. The rice (a-roni) was rather mushy and the chicken was over boiled.
Good experience, over priced, only worth it if you are going with a large group.
Seating is quite cozy so get ready to make some new friends! -
Review from LAURA D.
San Francisco, CA
11/11/2011
The bad reviews posted here seem to refer to another restaurant.
Our experience was totally positive.
The food was delicious and the service perfect. The waitress was very nice.
We arrived at 8.30 p.m. and everyone else was leaving, but they did a special belly dance show only for us.
The restaurant is small but very cute, with its middle-eastern style furniture.
I do not have nothing to complain! -
Review from Marian C.
San Francisco, CA
3/2/2012
We just used a Groupon for dinner at Al-Masri. What a delightful surprise. Great food, unusual flavors, eccentric decor, and a belly dancer for that extra exotic touch. Don't miss this one!
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Review from Lowella S.
Milpitas, CA
2/21/2011
LOVE THIS PLACE! Never had Egyptian food before, but wanted to treat the Hubby out for his bday. The decor was great & the atmosphere was awesome! Not busy (we went in the evening during the weekday), we were actually the only couple there after this other couple left midway when we were seated.
The food is INCREDIBLE & customer service was attentive!
Since we were the only ones there, we had a private belly dancer perform for us (which was a treat for the Hubby ;p)
Although, it is a drive for us to get here, it is well worth it!
I WOULD RECOMMEND this place to anyone who wants to discover something new!
I enjoyed it, hopefully you will too=D! -
Review from Allan S.
San Francisco, CA
2/27/2012
Thanks, Al Masri! You did a great job with our party of 8, which led to a most enjoyable evening for all.
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Review from Micayla R.
San Francisco, CA
3/28/2011
This place is a few blocks from our apartment and my boyfriend and I have been dying to try it out... We are so happy that we did!!
We got there and it was quiet.. which can sometimes be a sign for concern but we are glad we stuck it out. We got the Maza for two (I have a food allergy so our dish was a bit different than most), the chicken with cilantro and onion and the duck. We were very satisfied with our meals. Also, our waitress was amazing and super friendly..
My boyfriend and I wound up dancing up on the floor with the belly dancer and two other customers for a song or two -- it was awesome! All in all, the food was good, the service was good, the location is good and the entertainment was good.. what else do you want in a Saturday night out? -
Review from .'antigone' ..
San Francisco, CA
2/24/2008
When my boyfriend and I entered Al Masri on a Saturday night at 6:30 and the place was empty we should have taken that as a sign and turned right around.
From the beginning, our waiter was a cocky little punk and proceeded to become more of a dick as the evening progressed.
We ordered falafel ($10) for an appetizer- the size of the dish was laughable, but the sauce was pretty good. Then our waiter came over to our table and told us that we needed to order right away for some reason or another, so we ordered the Fuul Midammas ($15 fava bean dish) to share. It came out almost instantly, the portion was tiny, and it was very mediocre. I've had fuul many times, it's one of my favorite dishes, and this one was one of the worst I've ever had. We decided not to order anything else.
We were just about to ask for the check when....all of a sudden....the lights came on and they announced over the speaker that the belly dancing show was about to start. A belly dancing show for who? We were the only two in the entire place! We were officially trapped in hell..
I don't want to dis the belly dancer but she was as old as my mom and it was painful to watch her. It was one of the most awkward experiences of my life. My boyfriend wasn't even able to look her in the face- it was awful.
After the show we asked for the check, paid it, tipped the dancer, and got out of there right away. We headed to the nearest corner store, bought a bottle of wine and a pack of cigarettes. We had both quit for the New Year, but damn, after that experience we needed those cigs!
There's no WAY you could get me to go back there...EVER.
**On a side note, there's a Chinese restaurant across the street, I don't know the name, the sign is coming apart, it's says "A Restaurant". Anyway, we witnessed a couple of cooks carrying boxes of food inside when one of the boxes broke and a load of frozen chops of some kind spilled out on the sidewalk. The cooks looked around, quickly packed the meat back up into the box and brought it into the restaurant. What happened to the meat afterwards, I don't know, I would just say "eat there at your own risk". Sketchy.Comment from Sausan M. of Al-Masri Egyptian Restaurant 2/23/2010
The falafel was an appetizer; the Fuul is always a… More » -
Review from Jason A.
San Bruno, CA
5/31/2006
Great overall dining experience. Over the years, I must have driven or walked past this place a dozen of times. Once you step inside, you aren't in the foggy part of the Richmond anymore. The layout is well designed to reflect the Egyptian theme. The owner\waitress\belly dancer, Gabriella was really great to our party of 4. She made recommendations for us 1st timers to get an true experience of Egyptian cuisine. It is similar to Mediterranean food with slight differences and names. Prices are fairly reasonable, set in 3-5 course menus. Wine servings by the glass are generous. Her sister, Samar really put on a great belly dancing show. I would recommend going on a Thursday when they say it isn't too crowded.
Food recommendations:
* TA'MIYA- Egyptian falafel...ground spiced fava bean cakes, fried and served with tahina (sesame seed sauce)
* LAHMA MAHSHIYA- Tenderized filet mignon, stuffed with Egyptian feta cheese, fresh dill and black pepper, dressed with a sauted garlic sauce
* MUSA'AH- A casserole of eggplant, fresh house-cut potatoes, green and red bell peppers, in a tomato,
yellow onion, garlic and cumin sauce
* ARNAB MATBUKH- Fresh fryer rabbit stewed in yellow onion, ginger, whole cloves, and Mistika (gum Arabica), served seared
