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Morocco's Restaurant
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 11 pm
Sat-Sun 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Validated
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
538 reviews for Morocco's Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Shrimp Pil Pil- My FAVORITE dish by far."
(in 70 reviews)
"My most favorite dish was definitely the beef tagine."
(in 72 reviews)
"Mediterranean Salad and Lentil salad."
(in 94 reviews)
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538 reviews in English
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Review from C. B.
San Jose, CA
2/4/2012
Nice vibe and great service!
I love the tagine, lentil salad and briwats, though everything is good. The mint tea is a must every visit. -
Review from Julice C.
Palo Alto, CA
2/7/2012
The owner, Jay is filled with greed. He is also a sexist and hides behind a fake smile as a front for his immoral, unethical character.
Last Saturday night my boyfriend, his brother and I went to the Wilco concert in SJ. We spontaneously stopped in at Morocco's (their SJ location) to grab a bite to eat and enjoy a few sangrias in their bar before the show. We ordered a pitcher of sangria for $32 but was given a carafe and told that that is their definition of a pitcher. Okay, whatever, I'm not gonna fuss about it. When we received our bill, we saw a 15% service charge imposed and asked our server if that charge was for gratuity and she said, "no, it is not gratuity. The house keeps it." As far as I am aware, a service charge is usually imposed for a party of 6 or more and it is imposed to guarantee that the servers receive an appropriate tip for their hard work, not as extra payment to the restaurant!! We didn't want to make a big deal so we left the server a $20 bill for a tab that totaled $98 (including the 15% service charge) and went on our merry way.
Once we get to the concert my b/f realizes he left his IPhone at the restaurant. We hurry back and unfortunately we could not find it so we left Jay with my contact information. Miraculously I receive a voice message from Kathy, an employee of the restaurant three days later. She was ecstatic to let me know the linen guy found the phone and returned it to her. She said the phone was at the restaurant in SJ and that we can pick it up any time. I then receive 3 subsequent missed calls followed by another 3 text messages from Jay asking me to tell the b/f to call him.
Once the b/f called back, Jay told him he wanted a $1,000 award for returning his phone to him. He said he was collecting on behalf of the linen guy who found it. We asked for the linen guy's info so we could contact him directly, however he refused to give us his info and he suggested that the b/f, the linen guy and Jay can meet somewhere and the b/f can "hand over an envelope with money to trade for the phone." What is this, a drug deal? What baffling behavior from the owner of a business we patronized.
When asked where the phone was, Jay said the phone is no longer at the SJ restaurant, that it is now in his possession and that he is on his way from San Francisco to his Mountain View restaurant. Unbeknownst to Jay, we ended up going to his Mountain View location to confront him and ask for the phone back only to find out he doesn't have the phone and that he supposedly gave it to his brother to bring back to their HOUSE in SJ for "safe-keeping". We were adamant about not paying a cent for the phone we left at his restaurant so we kept going back and forth and at one point while I was talking, he abruptly interrupted me and said, "this is a man's conversation."
After 20 minutes disputing, he finally relented and told us that the phone will be waiting for us in his SJ restaurant. So as we were leaving on our wild goose chase, perhaps as an attempt to redeem himself for acting like a complete jackass, he offered my b/f a bottle of wine which we obviously didn't accept b/c who wants to take free wine from a crook?
I question the integrity and the quality of the food simply because any business owner who is willing to go through such unethical means to deepen his pockets will cut corners in all aspects of his business. Shame on you, Jay for neglecting the golden rule of all business owners: YOUR CUSTOMER ALWAYS COMES FIRST! -
Review from Joy S.
San Jose, CA
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Beautifully authentic restaurant in downtown San Jose. We were fortunate enough to get in on a Friday night without reservations and enjoy the Moroccan belly dancer who got almost everyone in the restaurant up to dance. Great fun!
Their tea is really yummy - we had the shrimp pil pil (AMAZING) - dinner entree was imperial cous cous (alright) and dessert was almost paste honey briwatt (YUM!). The wine that was suggested wasn't very good.
The staff was very friendly and helpful. A fun Friday/Saturday night place to go. -
Review from Audrey H.
San Jose, CA
2/3/2012
3 star for the food.
3 star for the service
What is totally unacceptable is that they put in a 15% "service surcharge" on the bill. When I got the bill I was puzzled. But I figured ok this must be to tip the waiter and since I was going to tip him anyway, I didn't say anything. But when I got the credit slip for my signature, there is still a spot for "tip". So I asked the person who looks like she's the manager and she said tip is up to me. The service surcharge is added to every bill and the owner has the discretion to pay the wait staff, or not. a 15% surcharge on every bill? That is totally dishonest business practice.
Greedy? yes. Kind of disgusting? yeah. Will I ever go back? No! Do you think the wait staff will get the full 15% the owner charges every unsuspecting customer? Fuck, no.
I would not never eat there again. And I would not work there either. I bet the poor waiters there get less tip because of this. -
Review from Melissa P.
Durham, NC
2/4/2012
Ordered 6 Briwatt to go, and couldn't believe how tiny they were when we got home. Based on the reviews (and the price!), we expected them to be delicious. Not so much. Pass on this dessert.
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Review from Chibi H.
Milpitas, CA
1/3/2012
Let me start with, I will never go back to Morocco's, and would not recommend anyone to go there.
My friends and I bought this "$35 - 'Fantastic' Moroccan Dinner for 2 w/Drinks, Reg. $72" deal from travelzoo, and it was a complete rip off!
http://www.travelzoo.c...
The deal includes an appetizer, 2 entrees, and 2 drinks. There were 6 of us (we bought 3 coupons/deals), so we were expecting to get 3 appetizers, 6 entrees, and 6 drinks. NOPE! The guy told us, the 6 of us would only get to share 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, and 6 drinks total. The guy we talked to was trying to assure us that we get the proper portion for 6 people.
We ended ordering the shrimp pil-pil (originally $10) for our appetizer, the beef tagine ($18), the imperial couscous ($16.50), and a pitcher of sangria ($114). Our waitress brought us 2 pieces of shrimp per person for our appetizer. How is this "properly portioned"? And then she brings us one single serving of beef tangine. After much complaining, they finally brought us 2 servings of beef tangine and 2 servings of imperial couscous. If I add all these dishes together, it would total up to $114, which still doesn't add up to the " Reg. $72" deal for that promo. I really don't understand why they wouldn't just let us order 4 different dishes if they were to serve us 4 dishes for the 6 people. Trust me, it was not "properly portioned."
At the end of the meal, we were charged an additional amount for tax and tips from the $216 amount because our meal was "supposed to total up to $216"... this is BS. We didn't even get $216 worth of food.
Aside from the getting ripoff part, the food itself was just ok. Nothing special.
The service was not that great. We had a reservation, everyone arrived, our table was set and available, yet, they wouldn't seat us until 1/2 hour later. Our waitress was new and didn't know anything about everything.
When it comes to parking, their site says:
We Can Validate Up to 2 Hours of Parking in Market/San Pedro Lot Across the Street From the Restaurant
The garage says there's no validation, so don't believe it.
What a waste of money. -
Review from Jenna L.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/11/2012
A few of my friends and I were going to see a show downtown, and wanted to catch a bite together before the show. We stopped at this place even though we didn't have a reservation. They were full that night, but luckily for us it was an awesome day and they had an outside table that they don't reserve.
The waiter came out and told us that people usually get their sangrias. I was intrigued and got one. It was good.
We were starved, so were so happy to see our delicious meals come out the door. I got the Beef Tagine, and my friend got the Vegetable & Lamb CousCous.
Everything we had was good, we really liked everything, and were happy they could accomodate our large-ish party on a weekend with no reservation. We enjoyed sitting outside and enjoying the nice weather. -
Review from Brenda L.
12/29/2011
I came here for a dinner date with a friend mostly because I had a buy 1 meal get 1 free coupon (wahoo!). I tried the shrimp like the reviews suggested and it was good but it could have been fresher. Our table was tiny so it was a bit snug (as is the restaurant). I like the ambient lighting and the cultural decor in the room. Service was spectacular (from the host to the waiter).
Oh and best part was the belly dancer! I'll give the restaurant an extra star just for that entertainment. -
Review from Jane D.
1/13/2012
This is a new place that is hidden from the hustle and bustle of Castro (it's closer to El Camino). The decor, food, ambiance was excellent (my husband and I went on an impromptu date on a Friday night).
We tried the lentil salad, chicken tagine, and the chicken briwatts (filled pastries). The food was excellent (epecially the briwatts). We also had the sweet briwatts filled with almonds / honey and with apriconts / almonds. Again, really tasty.'
Highly recommend this for a night out (either with a group or a date). The ambiance is very pleasant - rich colors, candle-lit room, beautiful music. -
Review from Tes B.
San Jose, CA
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
The decor looks fabulous. Live music on Wednesday. The service was excellent. Vegetarian dishes tasted like heaven. Unlimited sangria on your birthday. Complimentary wine tasting from Yelp deal and from the owner. Thanks to a good friend who suggested it through Facebook posting.
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Review from Anna K.
Milpitas, CA
12/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
I saw a deal on Travel Zoo and took advantage of the $35 deal for a meal worth $72 which included 1 appetizer, 2 entrees and 2 drinks :) I made reservations for a 6pm on a Saturday night for date night with my husband.
We arrived, was greeted and seated with the big menus. I presented our coupon and our waters were served.
For starters my husband ordered:
- Spicy chilled cucumber salad
We both enjoyed the salad. It was cool and the vinaigrette sauce was tasty.
- Kabob sampler
The kabob sampler did not disappoint. Meat was nicely cooked and flavorful.
Entrees:
- Chicken tagine
The chicken had nice flavor but was a bit dry. The sauce really helped.
- Fresh fish filet
We really enjoyed the fish filet. It was moist and flavorful. The veggies were delicious as well.
- Couscuous
My first time having couscous and it was a good experience.
The sangria was yummy. I got a nice buzz and lucky me... my hubby was the DD. Service was good. Our waiter was attentive. We liked the decor and ambiance of Morocco's. It's very intimate and cozy. I especially loved the bold and dark colors.
Prices were reasonable. We would definitely come back again.
NOTE: There is a 15% service charge regardless of how many people are in your party.Comment from Sham E. of Morocco's Restaurant 12/8/2011
Hello Yelp Community = Happy Holidays from the… More » -
Review from Brandon W.
San Jose, CA
1/3/2012
I went in with an empty stomach wanting some ethnic food. I have eaten lunch here before and was impressed by their takeout so I figured I'd dine in on a day off. I had the beef tagine (beef slow roasted with apricots, prunes, sesame seeds, and almonds). The food was fantastic but not as spicy as I had hoped. I'll try something else next time I go ("next time I go" being an indicator that based on the quality of food alone, I will absolutely go back).
The service was excellent, and deserves 5 stars on its own. The young lady was very attentive and I always appreciate when someone appears to like what they do. -
Review from Mashaal S.
Santa Clara, CA
12/12/2011
If you wanna spend $$$ on utterly disgusting food in a place so dimly lit you can't read the menu and where waiters think it's a great idea to have a kebab sampler for an appetizer when you've already got chicken and beef kebab on your main course, then this is definitely the place to go to!
P.S: If it were in my hands I wouldn't even give one star to go with my review here! -
Review from Roxana D.
Stanford, CA
12/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I would add an extra star for the entertainment.
The free "lentil" appetizer that comes with checking in was really good (or maybe that's because I was starving).
I got the chicken kabobs, and they were okay. Some of the meat didn't look like white meat (and I'm used to kabobs being all white meat). The vegetables were yummy and had a great flavor to them. I finished my entire meal (which usually never happens), so the portion sizes were not large.
The best part was that we went on a Friday night, and we had no idea that there was going to be a belly dancer. Now, usually, I don't necessarily care for belly dancers, but this one made all the guys at our table get up and dance (and all the girls at one point). The video I have of my husband learning how to belly dance (and belly dancing) is priceless. Absolutely priceless. I also liked the fact that she had us leave tips in an envelope rather than sticking it in her outfit (classy).
I wouldn't go again for the food. But I will be watching that bellydancing video over and over and over again. -
Review from Kathleen W.
San Jose, CA
11/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
After missing my boyfriend for three weeks while he was away, I happened to pick up a Travelzoo voucher dinner for two at Morocco's. I couldn't wait to use it and it just so happened to be a special occasion -- celebrating his new job!
At first, I thought Morocco's Restaurant would be all dining ambiance with mediocre cuisine. That's usually how it works with most places and sometimes I am okay with that sacrifice. This time, I was proven wrong. This place is different! While the extravagant cultural decor, romantic candle lit tables, and belly dancing performances certainly set the mood, you shouldn't be too distracted because the good food stands alone.
We started off sipping their house special sangria. Morocco's sangria diverged from the typical citrus sangria that I am used to. Instead, I got a whif of comforting spices (cinnamon, mm!) that I really enjoyed. Even my foodie nose was unable to decipher the recipe...wow.
For the shared appetizer, we chose a sampler platter of 6 briwatts with chicken, crab, and veggie fillings. All were FANTASTIC. Get it! If any Yelpers have ever been to La Mediterranae in Berkeley, think about their fillo dough specialties.
I ordered the fresh fish & vegetable tagine (stew) and my date had the beef & vegetable couscous. This was my first taste of Moroccan food and I found both dishes to be yummy comfort food. The beef & veggie couscous dish was a clear winner: tender, pull apart beef, surrounded by root vegetables, and couscous that completely changed my mind about the particular grain. I couldn't stop eating it from his dish (hehe). The tagine would have been excellent if I did not choose the fish. Rookie mistake, Kathleen: Stewed fish is not as tasty as stewed lamb or beef. The spices took away from the delicate nature of the white fish fillet.
At our Sunday night dinner, the belly dancing performance was fun! Both of us got out of our seats and participated in the dancing like good audience members. :P
Side note: If you go out on a first date with someone to Morocco's, you WILL break the ice, boys and girls. Don't get too embarrassed -- it's all in good fun.
Awesome establishment. Bring your date, significant other, or group of friends and you are bound to experience a new culture, have a good time and good eats! -
Review from Mercy D.
Had dinner here right before a Shark's game on a Saturday night. Our first time having Moroccan food and we thought it was delicious! I checked in on yelp and - BAM - we got rewarded by a coupon choice of a complimentary surprise starter or wine tasting.
Great service. The waitress was very nice and friendly. She made a very good wine recommendation and she was attentive in filling our water glasses.
Great food. The kebab sampler was a good choice for an appetizer for two. Beef was cooked perfectly, chicken was moist, shrimp was good and the sauce wasn't overpowering. Portions for the entrees (beef kebab and kefta meatballs) were just right but some of the zucchini was a little overcooked as it was soggy (I like my veggies with a little crunch to them).
We arrived at 5:30 with no reservations and I think we got there at a perfect time, just before the rush because by 6 the place was full. I'd recommend making a reservation if you plan on dining here after 6:30 during the weekends. -
Review from AJ C.
Monterey, CA
1/13/2012
Right from the moment we walked in the feeling great, greeted by the one of the owners offered drinks while waiting for our table, the place was packed with people waiting outside as well, this restaurant was fun and the food very very good and the dancer was amazing and interacted with the crowd, we'll definitely return for more.
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Review from Camille G.
Costa Mesa, CA
Updated - 10/25/2011
After writing my first review, the owner contacted me and told me that you could only catch food poisoning after 8 hours and then posted a review in response to me. They emailed me this link : http://www.webmd.com/f.... It clearly states that bacterial food poisoning symptoms can begin as early as 1 hour, which sounds about right to me.
Also, they said that the forced 15% gratuity is to reward the kitchen staff. I manage a cafe, and in my experience, servers are paid less and are compensated by their wages. They are not expected to share it with the chef.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/20/2011
I found this place on yelp because it looked good and was close to the HP Pavilion. It started out… Read more »
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Review from David B.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/15/2012
Attentive but rather leisurely service, better suited to an evening when dining is the main event rather than a prelude to a concert, did not detract from excellent food and truly memorable mint tea in one of those tiny silver pots that Turkish coffee comes in. Best tea I've had since the Good Earth shut up shop around here, really.
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Review from Liza P.
San Jose, CA
1/10/2012
A little tight but cozy and inviting space. Loved the lighting, decor and overall ambiance. The manager, which might have been the owner, came out and mingled with us a bit. The hostess/server was very friendly and attentive but not overbearing. This is my third time having Moroccan food and I love the new spices and combined ingredients they have. And the house red (wine) was Morrocan...very decent. Not the best but decent. I'd definitely go back again to try their other dishes. Last night, I had the Imperial Chicken. It was a little sweet for me but it was very flavorful and good quality food.
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Review from liz b.
Newark, CA
12/6/2011
OMG, can you say COCKROACH!!!!!!!!!! I went there 11/27 and finally had a chance to write about it! We got the (endless) family style meal- everything was OK (no seconds on anything)- after finishing our meal they were setting up for the belly dancer and there came out a HUGE COCKROACH in the middle of the dining floor!!!! it was horrible and disgusting! I told one of the waitresses who then chased around the COCKROACH to another patron's table- i don't even think they knew what was going on!
I asked to speak to the manager- the waitress said there was no one there but her- she took off $30 for one of the family meals as if she was doing me a favor.
This place is just disgusting and gross- I still can't believe how gross I felt and feel! -
Review from Cindy T.
10/14/2011
Upon walking in, they made it an awkward point to ask if we had reservations. Not sure why since half of the tables were empty (and stayed empty throughout the night). Shortly after we ordered, our waitress brought over a plate of lentil salad - courtesy of the chef - which I thought was really nice. It was a good starter, but I couldn't imagine eating a whole plate of this. Next came our kebab sampler which included a mix of shrimp, chicken and beef, which were all super tender, moist and flavorful. The shrimp pil pil was really good, but portions were small. The beef tagine was my favorite of the night. The beef was tender and the sauce it was sitting in was just plain delicious. I recommend this dish.
Overall, we were pleased with the food and thought everything tasted great. Just a bit disappointed that the portions weren't worth what we paid. However, if you're in the mood for something different, give Morocco's a try.
Pros
-attentive staff
-good ambiance, kind of romantic, good for dates
-pro belly dance = free entertainment :)
-offer validation for parking
Cons
-small portions
-wait time on food was a bit laggy
-automatic 15% gratuity added to bill -
Review from jose b.
Los Gatos, CA
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fantastic food and service! The most amazing tangine prepared beef dish.
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Review from Puneet L.
Cupertino, CA
9/23/2011
I am a firm believer that a restaurant should first be about it's food and then about ambience and the whole experience. Unfortunately this place has it the other way round. The ambience is nice, but the food leaves a lot to be desired. Me and my friend ordered an appetizer, briwatts which had so much cinnamon, it could might as well be a dessert.
For main course we ordered lamb and vegetable tagine and chicken kebabs. They took forever to bring the dinner out and when they did, they brought us beef kebabs instead of chicken. We returned the beef kebabs and the chicken kebab they returned with were completely burnt. The tagine was very average and felt like it was a day or two old. Both dishes had absolutely no seasoning.
The place looks really disorganized, with belly dancing going on in cramped spaces between tables. They brough an uncovered candle to our table which nearly burnt my hand. They then took it away, placed in on a serving counter and moments later a waitress' scraf caught fire. Thankfully she was not hurt, but it could have been really bad.
Another odd thing is that they add a 15% service charge irrespective of part size which is odd. Overall this place wouldnt be worth it for even for half their prices. I would never return here.
Total cost $61 for 2 people -
Review from Ritzy R.
Milpitas, CA
12/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
The aura, atmosphere and service was absolutely stellar. The dishes were excellent and a beautiful belly dancer at the end of the evening was icing on the cake.
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Review from Tracy c.
San Carlos, CA
9/25/2011
My boyfriend and I came here on a Saturday night. The atmosphere was quiet and formal, but a little too crowded to be romantic. The service seemed kind, but a little awkward.
We ordered the lamb tangine, kefta meatballs, and triangle shaped appetizers (forgot what these were called).. I thought the food was delicious, especially the lamb. My boyfriend thought it was decent. He orders lamb frequently, and didn't think the lamb at Morocco's was anything special.
There was supposed to be live entertainment that night. However, the performers showed up about two hours late, so we weren't able to enjoy the music that night.
When the bill arrived, we realized that they automatically charged us for gratuity, which was odd since we were only a party of two. Overall, this place is decent.... Their food is good, the service is decent, but we paid too much for what we got (even before the gratuity). -
Review from Rithin S.
Mountain View, CA
12/3/2011
Had dinner at this place with a few friends. Oh my god, this place sucks big time. I guess a lot of the other reviewers have already covered all the negatives but I'm so incensed after my experience yesterday that I had to write in my own words. Here I go:
- the menu options are very limited and they are way too pricey for their quality.
- We ordered kabob sampler, it was very disappointing and believe me I have had kabobs before, this is not kabob. This isn't how it is made.
- We wanted to order wine but they didn't have drinks menu! The waitress just blurted out names of some wines. We ordered a bottle of Frontera Shiraz, for which they charged us $35 per bottle. The wine was good but when we came home and looked up the price for that wine, it's actual cost is $10!!! This is day light looting.
- They charge 15% automatic gratuity irrespective of whether you liked the service and no matter how many people are in your group.
- The check came out to be $140 for 4 people (we had 2 appetizers, 1 bottle of wine, and 4 entrees). Believe me you can get this quality food for less than $70.
The only saving grace for them is the live belly dance they have during dinner. The belly dancer was good and she made it very interactive by getting everyone present to dance. If not for this, our experience would have been so frustrating and disappointing. This is one place I'm gonna avoid at any cost! -
Review from quan q.
San Jose, CA
10/14/2011
A long overdue yelp. Thank you Cham for opening your heart and giving a taste of Morocco's to the community. You definitely deserve more than a rating. You deserve the support and love back from society.
I love your fresh pressed lemonade and tea. Delicious. So glad you opened another Morocco's in Mt.View on Castro St. Foods taste great all the way through.
Your staff is ever so friendly.
Keep up the great work. -
Review from Amritasri R.
San Jose, CA
8/10/2011
My friends and I (3 of us) were taken back by the hidden fees!! They have a well-lighted wine menu (impressive) and large font food menu ... unbeknowst to the patrons, lurks the hidden fees in the bill. We did an 18% tip and didn't realize the hidden fees until after we paid. We weren't even a large party! Unbelievable!! I should have Yelped this place before going. Seems like everyone else yelped about the hidden fees. I hope our server (Cullin) received his well-deserved share. He was very attentive to our table.
I don't like dining at places that are deceiving. We have enough of that with our government!!
BTW, that goat cheese smothered with cumin and looks like lamb droppings is a bad combo!! Other than that, it was a good plate to go with your very good sangria. (Nut and cheese appetizer plate) -
Review from Neil R.
7/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
So I am going to feel like Mark Zuckerberg from the movie The Social Network while i review this place because it'll feel like I am blogging about my b*tchy ex gf.
Onward... I came here for dinner, we ordered one chicken kabab dish, ride order of rice and 2 glasses of wine. Everything was fine until we received out check. Every item had a "fee" to it... I mean if it was the entire bill and it was party of 8+ .. sure, why not! But this was only for 2 people and EVERY single item had a damn fee. Wtf! Ive traveled to many diff cities of this country and this was a first for me. Total BS!
But the joke doesn't end there... whatever the case/amount, I paid the bill with my CC and you know how on the receipt, the credit card holders name shows up... well one of Morocco's Restaurant's staff found me on yelp and sent me a nasty message saying that i should stop "complaining" about their hidden fees. Ahhh... How classy of them.
Their food, service, accessibility to the place, parking, staff is not bad (I've clearly had better), BUT the fact that this dork (staff/owner/who ever it was) contacts me after I have left their restaurant, clears states the character of their business.
I'd take further action... but I simply don't have the time to play into their elementary school games. I did/will share many laughs about this colorful dining experience with my family, friends and colleagues. -
Review from chan l.
Palo Alto, CA
11/20/2011
Not worth going here. I went to this restaurant to watch the performance by Vic Moraga. I found about the performance on their website which said 6pm to 9pm. I called to make sure and they told me 7pm and thats the time I went. They told me there are no seats and they are all reserved and the performer should be there soon. i waited about a freaking hour and a half had one beer. The performer did not show up and the servers didn't even apologize. I wasted my hour and a half just sitting on the side of the restaurant. In the end I ended up paying 7 bucks for one can of beer. wasted my time and gave me a piece of some shitty coupon for wine tasting.
I do not recommend this place. -
Review from Jeanne R.
Churubusco, IN
1/18/2012
It's been 2 years since I visited Morocco's Restaurant while visiting my friend in CA, and I still have fond -and tasty- memories. The service was good, the staff wonderfully friendly and accommodating, and the food was wonderful. After 2 years, I still have delicious memories most especially of the beet and potato salad. I will, absolutely, be visiting again when I'm back in town!
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Review from Mary C.
San Jose, CA
8/30/2011
People take this Yelp review stuff way to serious!
I was there a few days ago, from my experience the fee's are not hidden.
There are small laminated cards on each table notifying you.
From what appears to be a small family run business I feel the service, food and atmosphere is 4 Stars! And I added an extra star because of the really unecessary meanspirited statements folks have made. Parking could be a challenge but I was there on a Sunday night and did not have a problem finding a 'free' spot. It's downtown San Jose, if you're out on a busy Sat night of course parking is going to be a challenge.
Try the Moroccan beer. The orange cinnamon blossom dessert was nice and refreshing after the meal.
They have a nice belly dancer on Sunday nights. Umm...perhaps the "hidden" fee everybody references is going to her? When I was there nobody tipped her. I'm sure she doesn't work for free.
Worth checking out. -
Review from Steven L.
Berkeley, CA
6/28/2011
No one wants to feel like they've been cheated. And when you receive your bill and see that each item you've ordered has an additional charge of 15%, that is the exact feeling you get. It doesn't seem to matter anymore about the food.
I've looked through previous yelp reviews and this seems like a recent development starting mid-June. Even if you're eating alone, for parties 1-5, there is a service charge of 15%, and 18% for greater parties. Nancy L. has pointed out that this is not the tip or gratuity (you may add that on later, if you wish). It's a mysterious surcharge that's mentioned in the fine print on the menu.
If you are going to charge 15% extra, at least, for every item on your menu, then change your base price and be honest about it. You may even get a tip. -
Review from Tinder B.
San Jose, CA
10/28/2011
ONE WORD.... Delicious! Need I say more?
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Review from Victoria N.
San Jose, CA
6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here for lunch because we had a buy one get one free coupon. My co-worker and I shared the samosas and Cous Cous and lentil salad.
The chicken samosa was my favorite and tasted borderline like a dessert because of its sweet flavors. I enjoyed it, but then again I like anything sweet.The texture of Cous Cous was perfect and although it didn't have much taste to it, it complimented the salad and sambusas wonderfully. The lentil salad wasn't all what I expected but I was blown away by the refreshing flavors. We were very pleased by our choices and the service was great.
The ambiance is exotic and I hear there's belly dancing in the evenings or weekends.The downside is that the price is a bit high considering how small the portions are. -
Review from Nancy L.
San Jose, CA
6/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Took my bf out for a nice dinner and wanted to surprise him with something out of the ordinary so I found Morroco's and Looked forward to the belly dancing and food.
Pros: I couldn't make a same day reservation so we showed up and as soon as we walked throught the door, the owner greeted us and said they will get a table set up for us asap....keep in mind it was really packed already so we felt first class treatment.
The decor is wonderful, feels like I'm in another country, and the selection of music was great, different songs from different countries.
The food was pretty good, we had the Lamb and Chicken dish, spinach salad, and from the yelp check in we got the wine tasting and white been salad.
The highlight of the night was the belly dancer Andriana( I think that's her name), she really brought a whole different life into the restaurant, my bf even joined her for some belly dancing, it was so much fun to see everyone else participate.
The overall service was excellent, everyone seemed to wanted to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and taken care of.
Cons: Even though it says on the menu, 15% service charge will be added on to the bill, I was not prepared for the confusion when I got the bill. Each dish/drink was charged an additional 15% fee. I asked one of the waitresses to clarify if this was also the gratuity, she said no it was for the increasing overhead costs and that any gratuity would be greatly appreciated.
We were having such a pleasant evening so I didnt want to ruin it from this unexpected surprise, I just took it as the dish costing more than what is says on the menu. I added my 16% tip and we left still smiling, yet in back of our minds we were still wondering about the whole service charge thing.
The only time Ive ever seen service charge was for a party of 6 or more so this was very new to me........I may return again but honestly I was a bit turned off by this, they should just add it to each dish and charge more, but who knows maybe it's for tax purposes!(shrug) -
Review from Art M.
Los Angeles, CA
7/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here for dinner on a Sunday night with a friend and his new girlfriend. It was busy inside with a few large parties taking up several tables. The dining room was decorated in typical Moroccan style. The menu states all of the decor is for sale, so if you see something you like, you can buy it (although I have a feeling you can get a better price elsewhere).
Before I go any further, I should note that Morocco's imposes a 15% service charge for parties of 1 - 5 persons. Parties of 6 or more are charged 20%. These charges are listed on the bottom of the menu. I don't know whether or not these charges are shared among the staff, but other reviewers indicate they are not.
There was a family-style set course menu available, but we decided to order from the à la carte menu instead. For starters, we had the excellent Beet & Potato Salad and Briwatts, mini turnovers stuffed with assorted fillings. Our Briwatts order came with 2 each of crab, vegetable, and chicken; the last was sweet and almost like a dessert as it was dusted with powdered sugar (if you don't like your savory dishes sweet, stick to crab and veggie). For our mains, we ordered the Beef Tagine and Lamb & Vegetable Couscous. Both dishes were nicely seasoned and the meats were tender. We also ordered a side of bread, which I didn't care for as it was a little dry.
The overall quality of the food was very good. However, the portion sizes relative to the prices were smallish, especially considering the minimum 15% service charge. Service, though, was excellent. Our waitress was very friendly and did a good job explaining the dishes and giving us recommendations.
All in all, this is a restaurant worth trying at least once. If the service charge puts you off, try coming here for lunch. There's a take-out lunch special for $6 -- tax and tip included. -
Review from Chloe C.
Fremont, CA
6/17/2011
This place uses false advertisement to charge you extra money.
I don't care how good the food is, I don't want to dine at places that cheats customer's money. Read your bill before you sign and ask why you are being charged an additional 15% of something called "Tkt Discount". It doesn't matter how big your party is. Mine was only party of 3. When I asked owner what this charge is about, he told me it's like a service charge. I went a step further and asked if it was the tip, he said no, but more like an overhead charge. Then I asked him if it was legal for him to do that, he said it is legal (of course, who's going to admit being illegal). I highly doubt it. I have reported this to the best business buerau to see if I can find more information on this charge. I will never never go back to the restuarant again. They can make their food more expensive, but they should not try to sneak in an expensive charge to their customers. -
Review from Justyna Y.
Sunnyvale, CA
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friends and I went to this place, as neither one of us have ever tried Moroccan food. The place was in a great location, right in front of parking structure. The ambiance was amazing - I loved it. We were also lucky to hear live Moroccan music - which was beautiful. The staff was very nice and attentive; we got our food pretty fast. And the food was to die for - everything had a great taste and texture.
We will definitely go back there.
