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Cafe Zitouna
Category: Food Specialty Food Ethnic Food Ethnic Food [Edit]
1201 Sutter St(between Polk St & United States Highway 101)
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 673-2622
- Hours:
Tue-Thu, Sat-Sun 11 am - 9 pm
Fri 2 pm - 9 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
271 reviews for Cafe Zitouna
Review Highlights
"The mint tea gives a nice sweet ending to your meal."
(in 91 reviews)
"I love the Super Falafel Sandwich from here."
(in 19 reviews)
"Besides Pie from Heaven (which is truly from heaven."
(in 24 reviews)
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271 reviews in English
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Review from Ido T.
San Francisco, CA
2/1/2012
Such a great place. I am going there a lot and always enjoy. The manager is a great man.
The food is great!
I recommend this place to every one that likes good food.
It is also not expensive at all. -
Review from Jessica t.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/26/2011
On a cold evening - there are few things more satisfying than a big pot of sweetened mint tea from Cafe Zitouna, a big serving of their warmed bread to accompany their homemade spicy harissa sauce, their eggplant dip, and a hot bowl of their cous-cous and veggie stew.
Finish it off with some of their Basboussa and you're set.
Trust.Listed in: Vegan Friendly Spots, Cheap Lunch Spots around Town., Cheap Places to Eat!
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/10/2011
I am seriously obsessed with Zitouna's harissa cake. It is beyond what's up.
Working so close-by to… Read more »
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Review from Shauna S.
12/17/2011
I just got back from this place and I will definitely be back -- I'm still sipping on the delicious Moroccan tea (with mint) that I got from there. For my meal I ordered the Chakchouka Bil Merguez and it was so tasty. It's a simple dish: eggs, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and lamb sausage in olive oil with spices. A light dish that is great when paired with the bread; it hit the spot and didn't leave me feeling like I compromised my diet. Great food, great service who are willing to answer any questions that you might have, and did I mention that it seems they have a legit coffee bar in here?
I will certainly be back for the bastilla because I've heard great things. I know this because Mo sent me this message while I was having lunch: "Cafe Zitouna has the best bastilla ;)" -
Review from Grace D.
San Francisco, CA
1/25/2012
My friend suggested this place on Polk to eat yesterday. We shared the lentil soup
was not really a fan of lentil but now I am. It's made daily from fresh and you can tell. Especially with it being cold outside at night now its my favorite thing to eat to warm me up.
Had the chicken kebab couscous yum yum. Took left overs home and my wilderbeast boyfriend ate them. Had to also try the mint tea from all the previous reviews and was not dissapointed. Sweet older man served us our food and checked on us multiple times. The prices are reasonable and they deliver too. Definitely will come back and try something different. -
Review from yasi s.
San Francisco, CA
11/17/2011
First time I came here, my friend brought us here for my birthday party. Great suggestion. At that point, a few years ago, they had just opened. The food was excellent. A wide variety of dishes to chose from and everyone seemed to find something they liked.
Recently I've moved to this neighborhood & I've found this restaurant to be ideal for entertaining guests, bringing parents, meeting up with friends. It's low key, small and simple. But the food is outstanding and the service is pleasant.
I believe the owner is the gentleman who is here all the time. He works hard -- can you imagine keeping a restaurant open 12-14 hours a day, 6 days a week? And with their completely reasonable prices, I don't think they're getting rich.
But the food is delicious, homemade. I've tried a variety of things over time: if you're hesitant, I recommend trying one of their sampler plates. The couscous is fluffy, delish. He'll even explain that you're supposed to pour the broth over the couscous & grilled meats.
Their wrapped sandwiches are good -- it seems that they use a crepe-like wrapper instead of bread. Different & delicious.
All in all, it's worth coming here with a large group & trying a bunch of different items.
Everything I've tried has been delicious & feels healthy. Good flavors and a nice place.
Or maybe we should just keep it a secret.....? -
Review from Mark J.
San Diego, CA
9/11/2011
I am convinced that the owner has a big roulette wheel in the back that he spins every Sunday night to decide what days and what hours he will open for the week. OK, the Ramadan shutdown is welcome and anticipated but the impromptu closures are a bit annoying. That said, I can handle the inconsistent opening times 'cos the food is so good.
I tried the couscous which is pretty great but I can't break from those damn shawermas, they're addictive I tells you. The mint tea is also badass. The upside is that the place looks so basic and the hours are so arbitrary that it probably keeps it from getting mobbed. -
Review from Yvonne P.
San Francisco, CA
8/3/2011
Three stars for the food, five stars for the service.
I ordered a spicy dish and I can't eat spicy. Mah bad.
But when the owner saw that I hadn't touched my food, he came over and asked me why I wasn't eating. I told him it was too spicy -- he brought me a menu and told me to choose something else, on the house. He brought me a falafel plate (which was good) and left the spicy dish for my friends to pick at. After dinner, he gave us dessert, as if he had to make up for a wrong.
Truly exceptional service at what seemed to be an authentic Morrocan restaurant -- I'd def come back for their non-spicy plates! -
Review from Scott F.
Mountain View, CA
7/17/2011 3 photos
I tried the B'stilla ($16). It's very good, and lives up to the hype: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The harissa ($3.50, soaked cake) is worth trying: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The cafe is very clean and nice, even though the neighborhood is a bit gritty. -
Review from Mayra L.
San Francisco, CA
6/29/2011
I would give this place a (-) star if I could. Not for the food, the food was fantastic but the service.
My girlfriend, lives near here and we always pass it so we decided to come in one afternoon for lunch.
I don't think i have ever in my life been treated as badly in an establishment as I have here. It was surreal. The staff was really nice...until they figured out we were lesbians. Then they were completely rude to us, they brought us our food in very haste manner and we got stares the whole time we were eating ( we were at the bar).
We continued out lunch like it was no big deal and I have to say the food was delicious but when we went to pay the OWNER, meaning the man who owns this establishment was incredibly rude with us too. He rang us up and looked at us like were filth and even after we thanked him and tipped him (yes we tipped him a good amount) we looked at us with disgust and was just being incredibly unwelcoming.
So needless to say, we left that day feeling uncomfortable and basically like shit. I will not be returning there and have told friends this experience as well.
If you don't want to serve a gay community, maybe you shouldn't open a restaurant in San Francisco, so until this homophobic establishment changes it ways, I will not be going back.
This is just my experience there. -
Review from Emilia V.
7/5/2011
My roommates and I recently came to Zitouna for dinner between shopping and a movie. We found it based on Yelp reviews, but I, unfortunately, wouldn't recommend it. Bottom line: it's not the best middle eastern cuisine I've had, or anywhere near it.
We all ordered lamb shwarmas and a plate of hummus to share. The hummus was runny and tasted far for like babaganoush (although it wasn't). The shwarmas were large and cheap, however they didn't taste THAT great. And what's up with cheese in a shwarma? We switched the shredded stuff for feta, but it was a strange addition. -
Review from Jean W.
San Francisco, CA
11/3/2011
This is the restaurant I measure all restaurants by. Even though often one could argue its an apples to oranges situation. Its just that this place is my absolute favorite place to eat at often. Everyone I take here i push the falafel wrap, either super or breakfast; bastilla, and lentil soup. They can be kind of weird with their hours. I think once they were closed for 3 weeks. We tried to follow the Muslim calendar to figure it out but it seemed they might have padded a few extra days on to the set holidays.
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Review from Michael s.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2012
i been there many times!
its always great!
every dish is perfect!
5 stars easy! -
Review from Mariaita S.
San Francisco, CA
8/19/2011
Great service! Great tea mint tea and awesome food! Pricing is a little on the high side, but portions are pretty big. You can share most everything or take some home with you, unless you are super hungry.
The gentlemen that served us was very kind, asked if we wanted to be seated and once seated offered to shut the door once we were seated because of the wind that was blowing outside. The tea we ordered came quickly and it tasted fresh, while served on a traditional steel plate , with small shot size glasses. The hummus and eggplant were plentiful, and the olives were what topped it off for me. Just delicious!
It's a little on the pricey side but worth it! -
Review from Jennifer P.
San Francisco, CA
10/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Excellent Middle Eastern food on Polk. We ordered a plethora of items, all of which were tasty. It seems you can't go wrong here!
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Review from brian j.
Berkeley, CA
7/21/2011
Went for the first time about a month ago and took my girlfriend. Having read the other reviews myself before going, I had a general idea of what we were going to try. We ordered the Kufta Tajine and the Pie From Heaven, along with a pot of mint tea (sweet). The flavors were exotic and delicious. The staff was friendly. For the two of us, it came to $35.97 (after tax), and in addition I threw in a tip.
It had a pleasant atmosphere and I wouldn't mind coming back again to try some of the other menu items. The pie from heaven was my favorite; it was delicious and had a great combination of savory and sweet... That being said, I'm a freak of nature who prefers to tone down my sugar intake, so next time I may ask them to sprinkle less powdered sugar on top - but I would never hold it against them. -
Review from Tammy C.
4/5/2011 5 photos
(See pics)
Walked by this place a few times and last time I saw a few middle-easterners heartily enjoying some tea and conversations, registered to come and check it out.
Today I came by as I wanted something hearty. I truly love the lentil soup, very very delicious and I just love the cumin spice in it. It took me like just 5 minutes to finish the whole bowl. It was that good.
Couscous merguez was also excellent. The sausages were flavorful and the couscous was light and cooked properly and as I always like my hot dishes very hot, this was perfect. I did not realize it came with a thick tomato and vegetable soup that was also very flavorful.
The pistachio dessert was syrupy sweet and crunchy.
Yeah and I had the Moroccan tea to round up a sweet afternoon. -
Review from Kenny L.
2/22/2011
Personally I think Aichi up the block (literally) is a better deal with better atmosphere.
Cases-in-point. The lamb tagine is $12.50 here but $12 at Aicha. The raved B-stilla is $15.50 here but $8 at Aicha.
The dining experience is more of a cafe or diner here than a restaurant at Aicha.
The plus to this place is that the service is relatively fast, especially when you're on the go (though they DO have a restroom but that's not what I meant).
The lamb shawarma was still delicious and the size of a Chipotle burrito (i.e. size of your arm). Price of said eats was $9.48 with tax, which I thought is still a bit steep.
BTW, the first time my uncle heard Chipotle he thought it was pronounced "Chi-PA-Tol"! -
Review from Liwei Y.
9/24/2011 3 photos
This place is not bad. I wasn't sure what Moroccan food was. Some dishes remind me of Mediterranean food. Nothing really stood out when I ate here. The portions were large and the meat tasted like other meat I find at middle eastern places. The tea here is really good. Refreshing and sweet.
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Review from Tony N.
San Francisco, CA
3/14/2011
A hidden gem, that is how I sum up this establishment.
My girlfriend and I do not explore Post Street eateries enough so we decided to gallivant. Since we do not eat too much Middle Eastern / North African food, we have to step out of our comfort zone every so often.
I had the couscous kebab and she had the fish tagine. She is not a big fan of this ethnic food but devoured her plate. The couscous kebab, that just soothed my soul. Served with my meal was a side of soup. Very comforting food on a cold day.
Definitely worth a walk from downtown apartment to get some good affordable grub. -
Review from Jeremy G.
2/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was witness here to an argument between a customer and the waiter. The customer wanted some sort of dessert to tickle his sweet tooth. The waiter claimed that the cook had decided said dessert was unfit for consumption. The guy still wanted it anyway. Either he was brave, possessed an iron stomach, or deaf. The cook eventually came out and served him his dessert. It didn't look good. I can't speak to what occurred with his bowels later that evening.
As far as my experience, it was much less contentious. I had a delightful sandwich with small pieces of lamb, generically fresh greens, melted cheese of the mild and white variety, and minuscule amounts of onions all on crusty bread. Cheers to that! French fries of the diner variety accompanied my sammy.
I downgrade the folks here because they started to clean up before they gave us our bill. It was clear we were done (and had been for an excessive of at least 7 minutes) and there were only two other people in the place. I guess they weren't really desirous of our money. -
Review from Regina R.
Los Angeles, CA
12/9/2011
AMAZING. Everything we tried was incredible and authentic per my sister-in-law, who's Tunisian. We had the merguez, loobia, couscous royal, and mint tea. So good. They have a wide variety of dishes, many of them not often found in your typical Arab-food joint. Every time I'm in the city, I stop by.
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Review from Morgan E.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2011
Delish! Went here last night pre-movie at AMC on Van Ness and would definitely recommend it for a yummy, quick, home-cooked meal. Tagines and Couscous dishes in the $10-$13 range with more than enough to share or take home for leftovers. Had the Lamb Stew Couscous and was the envy of the table - several large, tender pieces of lamb over a plate of couscous with stewed carrots, potatoes & radishes. Also ordered the pita/hummus plate, which was more than enough since they also serve complimentary bread. Ordered, ate and left in less than 45 minutes.
In short: Great family-owned restaurant, highly recommended for a fast, casual and tasty meal - just 3 blocks from the movie theater. Excited to go back! -
Review from Liz T.
11/1/2010
At the time of this review I'm in Fes, the cultural and spiritual capital of Morocco. I just spent a week in this country, enjoying couscous or tajine for every meal and mint tea throughout the day. Before this trip I would've easily given four stars to Café Zitouna. The restaurant feels homey and authentic; the food tastes traditional and yummy. After this trip, though, Café Zitouna seems good by the SF yardstick but average by the Moroccan meter.
In any case you must have the mint tea here--warm tea, cool mint, absolutely sweet and refreshing. In addition to being the national drink of Morocco, it complements every dish well. My girl friends and I shared the B'stilla (pie from heaven), Chakchouka Bil Merguez, and Merguez Couscous. I really liked the pie from heaven with its chicken, eggs, almonds, and cinnamon sugar topping, but it's not everyone's idea of heaven: part meat, part pastry, wholly for those with a sweet tooth and unnerved by cavities. Big and sweet enough for 2-3 people as an appetizer. Life's short--start with dessert.
The chakchouka and couscous were both tasty but rather unmemorable. I enjoyed the chakcouka with bread and relished its savory combination of lamb sausage, eggs, and tomatoes. The couscous also had lamb sausage but wasn't as good. These are nice (albeit uninteresting) introductions to Moroccan food. Both would've benefited from being served in tajines instead of regular ol' plates.
I don't expect Moroccan food in SF to be as incredible as that in Morocco, but I expected more flavor and inspiration than what I got. At a nice restaurant in Marrakech I had the most delicious and fluffy couscous with roast chicken and caramelized onions and raisins for $17. And at a snack bar in Fes, a saucy and sizzling tajine with fork tender lamb and dried prunes for $5. You can get solid Moroccan fare for lots of money or for little money--the only difference should be the setting. I await the Berbers to open more Moroccan restaurants in SF. The more competition, the better the food. I'll be back for my mint tea fix though. -
Review from Irene M.
San Francisco, CA
5/4/2011
I'm a huge fan of felafel and very picky about it. Their super felafel sandwich has great flavor, and the felafel itself is not dry, and seems quite fresh (if anything it's a little too moist for my taste). The avocado, tahini, and eggplant work quite well together inside. They use a very flat pita, almost a tortilla, and toast it nicely before serving.
Zitouna in general is a little on the pricey side, but the food is very good, and the portions are huge. A solid 4 stars, would give 4.5 if I could. -
Review from Keilin H.
2/21/2011 2 photos
What a great find!! :)
My friend and I were total creepers and we were watching people through the windows and checking out what Cafe Zitouna looked like and let me just say, I liked what we saw! Amazing looking dishes and cushy, comfy seats and tables...yessss!
I felt so comfortable inside the cafe...like I was at a good friend's house! Anyway, my friend and I ended up sharing a pot of mint tea, the lamb tagine (type of stew), and the B'Stilla aka pie from HEAVEN! Yep, that's really what it said on the menu!
Everything was SO. DELICIOUS. I don't even like mint and the tea was AMAZING! Is there any way I can buy a tin of the stuff??
The lamb tagine was kinda spicy, but eaten with bread, it was fine. The lamb was really tender!
And the B'Stilla? The perfect combo of savory and sweet! It consisted of filo pastry stuffed with seasoned chicken (no idea what seasonings were used...definitely something from heaven!), almonds, scrambled eggs, then sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar!
I have to admit that the dishes are pretty pricey :t The B'Stilla by itself was close to $16! With that said though, the food is delicious and I wouldn't mind paying that much once in a while!
I think a good way to go about ordering food here is to look at what other people are getting. I know that might seem a bit creepy and/or weird, but I think it would help a lot! My friend and I noticed so many yummy things appearing at the tables around us and a few people actually asked us what we got!
You're pretty amazing Cafe Zitouna! Just kinda expensive, but I'll forgive you for that... -
Review from Lorrie M.
10/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
What luck that a place like this was so close to the Regency Ballroom last night when I came for the Anberlin world tour. I looked up some places in advance but saw some of my Yelp friends mention this area was seedy so I was extremely uncertain, especially having to park my car in this area.
However, this place was not at all what I expected. It wasn't Mediterranean, in fact, it was sort of a mix. I saw couscous on the menu and immediately knew we had to eat here.
The bf and I ended up getting to go since we were going to wait our butts in line for 2 hours prior to doors opening to get up in the front, so no couscous this time around but it looked and smelled awesome. We got some kebabs to go and strangely enough these were wrapped in this soft, delicious, tortilla-like bread that had a more eggy taste to it which I loved. Our kebabs came out looking like some monstrous burritos. The bf got chicken and I got lamb.
Holy lamb! This was good! Even without the cheese, the fresh and cooked vegetables were seasoned perfectly and the chunks of meat were flavorful and tender. The wrap was well toasted and the whole flavor combo was a little spicy and brought it all together in one giant burrito-like wrap.
I could totally use another one now. Only $8, what a sweet deal! I'm totally coming back soon to try the couscous. -
Review from Norman P.
San Jose, CA
2/12/2011
Great Moroccan Mint Tea! The Large pot seems to be a good size for 2 people.
It wasn't too crowded. Doesn't seem like a place that ever gets too crowded and plenty of people came in for takeout.
My friend had the Lamb Kebab Couscous. I would never have ordered this myself because every time I order lamb kebabs somewhere, they are utterly disappointing. Couscous is also usually too dry at other establishments. At Cafe Zitouna, this rule goes out the window. The lamb was tender, moist, and flavorful. The couscous was moist and fluffy.
The server was really friendly too. -
Review from Sarah H.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2011
I don't know why I never went in here before, just didn't appeal to me from the outside I suppose -- or maybe I just figure that the closer I get to my place the less likely the food will be good :P (let's face it, the closer you get to Geary/Polk, the sketchier it becomes).
Last week a friend and I got take-away from here. I was impressed! And even better, it's only a block away! They also have a convenient online ordering system where you can request pick-up or delivery (delivery was for some reason not available) -- but a wee bit silly to have food delivered when it's only a block away, Lol.
The friend got the lamb shawarma -- he said the meat was tender and the sandwich filled with vegetables. I got the traditional lentil soup (Harira), served with french bread.
We also got french fries, hummus, and zaalook to share. All very good. The french fries are served with the usual ketchup but also with some sort of chili sauce -- forget what it's called -- but so yummy, it was one of my favorite items.
This place is so good and so convenient, I ordered again yesterday. Got the hummus, french fries, and lentil soup. Yum! And two slices of cake (Harissa) for me and a friend. Cake was interesting but we both decided we probably wouldn't order it again -- not that it wasn't good quality because it was, just not appealing to our specific taste buds. A little disappointing that the Baklawa wasn't available -- hopefully next time!
Cafe Zitouna, you'll be seeing a lot of me! Well done :) -
Review from hassan c.
Stanford, CA
9/5/2010
This place is simply amazing. I grew up in Morocco and was always on a quest to find a place to would remind me of the food I had growing up.
I found this through yelp and other friend's recommendations. At first blush, I was put off by the disorganized nature of the service. I wasn't sure whether to sit and wait for a menu, whether to order and wait for food, or whether to grab some menus and wait for a waiter. I went up to the counter and was asked to sit and wait for someone to come get my order.
I ordered the soup (a must have), this is the "Harira", which is a staple of the Moroccan diet. I then ordered a kufta tagine, and a mint tea pot. The tagine was amazing, it really felt like the home-cooking I remembered as a kid. I got the basbousa for desert and it was also out of this world.
As a Moroccan myself, I highly recommend this place for those who want to get a taste of this beautiful cuisine. -
Review from Jimmy M.
1/18/2011
This place is so great I ate there twice in 4 days. Not sure where to start. The food is great. I had the lamb schwarma sandwich one day and the lamb tagine another day. The Moroccan mint tea is awesome. The service was great and it really feels like a home cooked meal. Cheap too.
Highly recommend -
Review from Christopher W.
Danville, CA
1/17/2011
Came to a show at the nearby Regency Ballroom so dropped by Cafe Zitouna for dinner. A great selection of Middle Eastern food. The most economical meals are the various schwarmas that they have. Hands down! I would say even consider splitting the chicken schwarma or falafel wrap and a couple appetizers with a friend. Otherwise, unless you are a very hungry person, you will not be able to finish the wrap! I do have to admit though, that the wraps seemed somewhat Americanized and not super ethnic to me. Next time I would try to chicken tijane and cous cous!
The staff here was pretty helpful when I asked what some other tables had ordered. A nice place to grab a bite to eat, just not in the best part of town. -
Review from Vikram R.
San Francisco, CA
1/2/2011
WEll, for the food, just for the food, i would give them 6 out of 5 stars.....
the food is really amazing, and the dessert bhusbusa or something like that is amazing too. But beware of the " Soup Nazi "!!!! The manager / waiter is really particular about waiting for your turn for seating, the number of people there etc...... I wanted to leave the place immediately but thankfully my patient friend insisted that we stay. I have been here about 4 times now and its easily one of the favorite restaurants in San Francisco -
Review from MARITA V.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 5/29/2011
Food is OK if you can get in before 8:30 at night!!! What kind of restaurant closes their doors at 8:30 on a Friday night half an hour before the posted sign??? If the owner doesn't like to work, maybe he should not open all!!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/27/2011
Have eaten here a few times and like to food, but their hours are weird.
Mon-Thur they close at 9P.… Read more »
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Review from Ryan F.
Lafayette, CA
3/11/2011
After a one-month hiatus from Egypt, I had a fierce hankering for some Arab cuisine. Yes, arguably, they are not uniform across the board, but there are plenty of commonalities. For instance, the heavily sugared mint tea was as authentic as it gets, even served in a pot with small tea glasses. The atmosphere and layout of the cafe, with some shared tables, stirred serious nostalgia.
I was disappointed and surprised to find that they were out of eggplant, which I would usually use to predict the quality of other mezze. We decided on the meshweya (roasted vegetables and eggs), which was decent, but it would have tasted exponentially better had it been warm. Instead of the typical flatbread, it was served with baguette, which made for an unexpectedly pleasant flavor combination.
The couscous was cooked to just the right firmness, but what really made the dish was the perfectly seasoned stew. The couscous royal came with three skewers of grilled meat; the chicken and merguez were good, but the lamb was a bit chewy. I expected more out of the chicken tajine, being a Moroccan dish in a Moroccan-Tunisian restaurant, but it was overcooked and dry.
The service was quick and cold at first, and we were pressured to order, even on a mostly empty Wednesday night. But after ordering and chatting in Arabic with the waitstaff and the cooks, everyone was all smiles and laughter.
Summary: 3.5 stars - Authentic and decent food; nostalgic, but you might be turning your nose up if you've tasted some of these dishes in the Middle East. I'll be back to try the beastly falafel and shawarma sandwiches. -
Review from Sumit C.
San Francisco, CA
11/7/2010
Excellent mint tea and chicken bastilla. Need to try their kebabs and soup next time around.
Apparently they deliver too, so might be nice to try that option for a work lunch someday. -
Review from Emily C.
9/11/2010
Bastilla is delicious.
Sandwiches are generously portioned and pretty good.
The real highlight is the authentic and excellent Moroccan Mint Tea.
Great value.
The owner is so nice which is part of what keeps us coming back. -
Review from Christian P.
Chicago, IL
8/29/2010
I had the coucous royale there and it was great! Also, i recommend the mint tea.
I also had the lamb kebab sandwich there and it's pretty good but I def recommend the couscous. -
Review from Louise L.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2011
I have heard about this place for over a year along with the accompanying warning of "They don't keep regular hours -- they open whenever they open." So when I saw someone that morning who had just had a lovely meal there, I made sure to make it over there for lunch.
I don't live far from there and am surprised that I've driven by it without noticing it for four years. I think the large, business sign is relatively new: I believe it was some kind of general store before.
But the food. Very good bordering on exquisite. I had the tajine of Chakchouka bil Merguez: a plate of eggs, spicy sauce, and homemade lamb sausage. The sauce was very well executed, simmered for a long time, and the sausage was excellent. They also gave me about 7 inches of baguette. And the presentation was beautiful. That, along with a glass of exceptionally good homemade lemonade, was a delicious meal for under $14 + tip.
It is a halal establishment, so no liquor is permitted. The restaurant has self seating (or at least I grabbed a menu and seated myself) and at least half the seating consists of long, classroom style tables set up with 8 - 10 chairs set up around it. So be prepared to sit next to others while eating. Yes, it looks a little divey with modest decorations. But it's full of regulars, the owner (?) is happy to talk about his food, and it was very, very good.
Having pictures of their dishes (or more descriptions) in their menu would be helpful, but I'm assuming they'll get to this when finances permit.
I'm definitely going back for more goodness! -
Review from Chaz N.
San Francisco, CA
8/19/2010
The pie there was amazing. I think it's called heavenly pie or something. Just like heaven, I assure you.
The owner was a bit rude but, meh, probably just having a bad day. I docked them one star for the service. -
Review from Alexander H.
San Francisco, CA
11/2/2010
Yummy mint tea, great kebobs because they're spicy! ;)
The lamb stew with white beans was a bit much and overpowered the flavor of the lamb. Overall, it's an authentic Moroccan restaurant and is worthy of a shot. I hear they have great falafels and sharwama. =)
