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Pomegranate Mediterranean Cuisine - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Greek Restaurants Mediterranean Greek, Mediterranean [Edit]
1585 University Ave(between California St & Sacramento St)
Berkeley, CA 94703
(510) 665-5567
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
87 reviews for Pomegranate Mediterranean Cuisine
Review Highlights
"Walnut spread with pita bread for appetizer."
(in 11 reviews)
"The lamb shank was so tender I didn't even need a knife."
(in 13 reviews)
"Everything comes with garlic mashed potatoes."
(in 5 reviews)
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87 reviews in English
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Review from Rinky N.
East Bay
Updated - 10/11/2010 1 photo
CLOSED?
A friend drove by the other day and thought she saw a sign that a different restaurant was coming? I'll delete this if it it wrong.Listed in: My Favorite Vegetarian (and…, Tinkle, Twinkle Little Star,…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/30/2006
We've eaten here at least 12 times and have been very happy with the food and the service. It is… Read more »
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Review from Jamie K.
Forest Hills, NY
5/8/2011
Pork chops at a "middle eastern" restaurant? That's just offensive. The food is all too typical of what you'd find at any middle eastern place, plus pork chops. I don't really know who they cater to, and the place usually looks empty. The food was alright (albeit pricey), and I'd say it has potential, but they need to get straight what food they are serving. If it is "middle eastern food", don't serve American fare, especially not pork.
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Review from Kelly E.
Berkeley, CA
4/30/2010
This was disappointing.
Again, the titledishrestaurantname was just... Sad.
We had a http://restaurant.com coupon and when we arrived it was basically completely empty.
After ordering a roasted pepper dip, the waiter only brought out 2 pieces of pita to go with it... Now, that seemed kind of ridiculous to me since there was a lot of dip for that bread, but I assumed that was just normal. Only later did I figure out that they gave one piece of pita per a person. CHEAP.
The pomegranate chicken was dry, which I would have forgiven more so if the prices weren't so steep. The potatoes were at least pretty good but the vegetables were flavorless and didn't seem properly prepared.
Also got meat kabobs, one was supposed to be lamb and one was supposed to be beef. COULD NOT TELL THEM APART. It just tasted like ground up meat-like substance.
We still needed 60 cents (I know, right? ridiculous) to get to the $35.00 minimum and instead of just charging us that 60 cents so we didn't have to buy another dish, they insisted we buy something else.
Fine, we got the mudslide pie which as it turns out is just a frozen hunk of chocolate ice cream with some fudge sauce pooled up next to it. Not very good at all for $6.00.
If you're really craving mediterranean, reconsider your price range and try another one of the delicious places in Berkeley.
Especially students, BEWARE: You will soon go over your budget and have to live off of packaged ramen and old papers for food. -
Review from Kathleen W.
Albany, CA
3/3/2010
Thanks to all the very helpful Yelp reviews we came well prepared for our dinner here on Monday night.
We knew what to order, was prepared for slow service - so ordered appetizers and came with good company. 3 out of 5 of us ordered the pomegranate chicken which did not disappoint. Great flavor and half a chicken which gave both dark and white meat. The veggies that came with the chicken was the best though ... I've never had such delicious carrots.
We drank a bottle of mead ... and if the server had come by sooner, we would have ordered more bottles ... oh well. It's for the best because the sweet stuff always gives me a headache the next day.
We had the hummus and a walnut / cheese dip for appetizers and both went very well with the complimentary flatbread. Service was slow, but very friendly. The http://restaurant.com coupon was a great idea and this was a fabulous place to try for a great deal.Listed in: Found on Restaurant.com
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Review from Jennifer W.
Berkeley, CA
7/8/2009 5 photos
Here's how the story beings:
We organized an office luncheon for 20 people so reservations were made 2 days in advance even though this restaurant is not so busy during lunchtime. The people over the phone told us that salads, sandwiches, and pizzas were discouraged because it would take too long for everyone's lunch to come out. I don't see why this would be since salads and sandwiches are relatively quick and easy to prep and assemble. They did say that it would be alright if a few people ordered sandwiches and salads, just not everyone. Also, they sent us a group menu, which was just a smaller selection of the regular menu.
Let me also note that there is no separate lunch and dinner menu, so be prepared to eat lunch at dinner prices. The group menu that we got had no prices next to the dish and we did not see the prices until after wards. They brought us the regular menu when they brought us the bill. Also, the price quote for entrees we got over the phone fell between $9-15, but prices were actually $13-17. Today was payday, so I don't think anyone was in the rut, but morale was low because of the odd service. I don't mind shelling out $$$ if I am enjoying myself, but the price was another blow upon other blows.
OK, so we're actually there now:
The restaurant itself is very nice and spacious with good lighting and decor. We got cloth napkins and there was a Monet print on the restroom wall even. Since our party is so large, we get a whole private banquet room to ourselves. However, the tables were arranged in an awkward hook shape resembling the letter J, which made talking quite difficult.
The online menu is misleading and also probably outdated. I really wanted to try the pear cider because I'm going through a pear phase right now, but they do not serve that anymore. The mud pie was not on the group menu, but they will serve it if you ask for it. However, they would not let you take any dessert to go, which I found wierd because some of us took our food to go. Our server took our orders in a clockwise direction and the first two people asked for the moussaka. Then he yelled to the room, "No more moussaka!" Excuse me? There is only 2 more moussaka and it is one of their signature dishes? They knew we were coming and there is also dinner, so I do not see why they would not have more on hand.
The food itself came out hot and it tasted great. The filet mignon kabob was tender, but not as soft and I'd like. The gourmet sabzi was good also, but it was not worth the price as with the former. The salmon was good also, but the veggies were hard. The complimentary babaganouj was more green than usual and the hummus did not taste like hummus. The consistency of the hummus was very coarse. Portions were good and everyone was fully fed.
Our server split our check into 4 separate tables, but all the orders were handwritten, so we had trouble discerning the prices. There was a mix up with the water when orders came and the server pushed our glasses around. He also cleared our table very fast so many of us were thirsty by the time we got back to the office. Our server was also wearing a cap for a sanitary management, which we found less than amusing, but don't me wrong. The restaurant was very clean and orderly.
Bottom Line: I was disappointed especially hearing so many good things about this place, but it an experience I do not regret, though I will not be coming back. Good thing we had good company. I would recommend coming in a smaller group.
17% gratuity for large groups
private shared parking lot (free)
curbside parking (rates) -
Review from gabby m.
San Francisco, CA
6/12/2010
I went to this place for lunch yesterday. It was a group of us so we shared lots of little plates. We stuck to the appetizers section of the menu. The ambiance is nice, the server was chill. I was surprised to see the place was empty. Once seated we immediately were brought water, very nice. We ordered and the food was brought out quickly. Their hummus plate was really good, as was everything really. We had a roasted veggie plate, greek salad, spanakopita, the feta plate, and some type of nut spread. It was awesome...I would cross the bridge for that again.
We only had the appetizers so I can't comment on anything else, but I hear the place is good in general. -
Review from Anna P.
Manhattan, NY
8/4/2008
Don't judge a book by its cover.
So the cover of this place is dusty and kinda tacky. The outside of Pomegranate is nothing to write home about. Service also leaves much to be desired... but the food is pretty undeniably yummy.
The gentleman helping us was probably as old as my grandpa so I gotta cut him some slack. But he was really giving us the bare bones of waiting tables 101. The food itself was really great, mouth watering authentic Mediterranean fare. The hummus was perfect (not over-oiled), and the steak kabob was perfectly seasoned and prepared. The server brought us a different bottle of wine from what we actually ordered, but it was a lucky mistake because it complimented the meal just fine. All in all it was really good, fresh, food. I just wish the guy asked if I wanted dessert before dropping the check without so much as a fare-thee-well!Listed in: My Neck of the Woods
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Review from Eric G.
Berkeley, CA
8/21/2008
Good food-- Bring snacks to nibble on while you wait. and wait.
I equate Mediterranean Cuisine with preserved, borderline stale food, with ancient anti-spoilage retardants such as oil and spices.
Here the food was really fresh in taste and appearance. The attentiveness of the cook was good, evidenced by the chicken brochettes, which can dry to splinters if you aren't paying attention. Mine were semi-moist.
The menu has a better than average range of choices. Decent wine and drink selection.
The service reminds me of when I used to be a waiter. I was a model of inefficiency, I had no state of mind of the stage each table was at, I had no flow. It's the difference between being active and reactive. A reactive waiter sees food come up from the kitchen so he goes over there. A customer flags him down so he goes over there. Then someone comes in the front door and he goes over there. If our waiter had 6 arms he would simultaneously be carrying three plates, menus, a credit card, a check, and a to-go box.
Atmosphere is pretty nice, but a little low-rent. There's some food on the walls and floor. This may be related to the table full of kids screaming and throwing food on the walls and floor. (We need a Chuck e Cheez in Berkeley) -
Review from Nancy H.
Emeryville, CA
5/29/2010
Watch how fast you drive down University Avenue.. or you'll blow right past this place.
We didn't really know what to expect when we walked into this place.. it said mediterranean, but the menu had pastas and pizzas. The interior is spacious and looks clean. The kitchen is right there so you can see them cook your food.
I ordered the Fresh Whole Trout.. it was very fresh, pretty healthy.. roasted and nicely seasoned, I can taste the garlic.. had a side of fresh vegetables and mash potatoes (strange, is this mediterranean?) The Man had the Rack of Lamb.. had about 10 rib pieces.. he liked it alot and shared it with the kid. Again, fresh vegetables and mashed potatoes. The lamb was done perfectly to order.
All and all, we enjoyed this place. Food was very fresh and nicely seasonsed and averagely priced. Things to gripe about.. it did take a while for our food to be prepared, it was about a 30 minute wait.. AND.. What is up with the mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables? If this is a mediterranean place, it seems a bit out of place (eh?) It's not bad.. but it ain't all that great either.
Service was very friendly.. our waitress (I dislike saying that term).. was very nice and asked us often to see how we were doing. -
Review from Andrew M.
11/4/2009
Came here with a huge group of people with an advance reservation. Our order selection was restricted because of the time it would take to make each meal. And for some bizarre reason, they say they can only make a certain amount of one of the dishes. What the ridiculous?
The service was slow, although fairly friendly. The portion sizes were OK. I got the salmon dish and I thought it was well cooked, although it needed a bit more seasoning.
I ended up spending more money than I thought for food that I thought would be better. Not a terrible place but I probably won't come here again. Nothing happened that was particularly disastrous, but I would say the entire experience was kind of disappointing. -
Review from Van W.
Oakland, CA
3/4/2010
The service is friendly. Very friendly. It partially makes up for the slow service.
This is a nice place for meat eaters and vegetarians. The hummus and the walnut spread appetizers were really good. The food tasted fresh and was flavorful.
The 5 of us all enjoyed our meals. The veggies were my favorite part. I got the pomegranate chicken and wasn't particularly impressed with the chicken (a bit dry) but despite my sister spilling half the juice of my plate into my lap (sticky) there was still a lot of delicious sauce. I probably wouldn't order the pom chicken again.
We ordered a bottle of mead (the first one, cranberry & honey? something like that) was delicious and the recommendation of the waiter.
Now, here's the main thing out of all this stuff that would prevent me from going back. There was a horrible loud buzzing at the restaurant. Jesus christ. It sounded like we were being attacked by bees. It sounded like female godzilla was using a vibrator above us. My brains were gonna leak out of my skull. It ended up being a really stressful dinner for me. It doesn't help that I am sensitive to that sound (at first I thought it was florescent lighting -- but there was none and it was too loud. I think it was the climate control making the awful sounds). Also, I had a bit of a headache when I walked in and it progressed to a lovely pounding ball of stress by the time I left.
I had wonderful company and wonderful conversation. it was a positive night despite sticky chicken juice on my jeans, slow service, and annoying buzzing. I think this really speaks highly of my friends and not of this restaurant. ah well. -
Review from Becky C.
Oakland, CA
4/13/2007
A couple of weekends ago, my in-laws asked us if we wanted to go to this restaurant. I'd driven past it, but given the location and the exterior, didn't put it on my list of places to run (not walk) to. Boy, was that a mistake! I wish I'd have found this restaurant months (years!) ago, it's that good.
Our meal started out with what I can only describe as the best baba ganoush I've ever had, paired with excellent flat bread. For our meals, we each ordered something different - two lamb dishes, one fish, and a moussaka. We have friends that are Greek from Greece and my moussaka rivaled anything I've eaten with them. It was truly delicious. My dining companions report the same of their lamb dishes.
I can't wait to return. -
Review from Leslie K.
10/11/2009
I've eaten here twice. The first was with a large group of people. There's a back room with privacy that's good for large groups.
I had lunch here with my cousin the other day. I had the large Mediterranean platter -- hummus, baba ganouj, dolmas, olives, salad. All very tasty and a good deal for the $10 or $11. I wasn't able to finish and I ate a lot. My cousin had Mediterranean pizza which he seemed to enjoy.
The waiter was an old guy; seemed quite nice until he started hounding us about finishing our meal. He said he had to go home. He came around at least 3x to get us to pay. The place advertises lunch served till 2:30. It doesn't say the place closes at 2:30.
So, is a restaurant just judged only for the food? I think ambiance and customer service are part of the deal. Who wants to pay $30 for a meal and feel pressured to eat faster and leave? I certainly don't.
If the owners of Pomegranate are reading these reviews -- get rid of the old guy with the mustache. He's a creep! -
Review from Sarah W.
7/9/2009
I won't go here again.
I heard great reviews and had some decent expectations from this place, but outside of the tasty food the place disappointed. I ordered the filet kabob ($18). They give you about 4 2" square pieces of beef matched with saffron-ated buttery bazmati rice and some buttery stir-fried veggies (carrots and broccoli). Somewhat unusual compared to other places that give you a roasted tomato. Even though the food was good, my experience was not.
I went in a group of twenty for lunch. The yelp reviews say this place is great for parties, but alas it is NOT. First off, they ask you "what is your budget?" when you're making a reservation, which is kind of offensive, and they limit you in terms of what you can order. Sure it's practical of them to do that, but what they seem to do is limit your order to the more expensive dishes. Basically, don't go here in groups larger than ten. The whole time I was there I had the feeling that they were trying to charge us as much as possible. The waiter asked me multiple times if I wanted t order appetizers or dessert. Is that how one is supposed to feel when one brings so much business (a group of 20!) to a restaurant at a non-busy time like a Weds afternoon?
There are other things to complain about. But some more good: They sat us in the private banquet room with nice U-shaped seating. That was nice of them. Besides that, this place isn't worth spending cash on. Expect to drop $20/dish.
Go to La Med. -
Review from Valleri B.
El Dorado, CA
3/15/2010
Ok, so only the food at this place should get the stars because the service and staff are horrible. We came with a group of 10 with an advanced reservation on Sat, March 13th. I was pleased that parking is so easy and when we walked in the table was ready - thought that was a good sign. Then, 15 minutes go by and we had no waiter, no water, no orders in.
Here's a tip to the waiters at Pomegranate - when a group of 10 women come in for dinner, a smile and being nice to them will go a long way toward a better tip. Water was never filled, waiter was never polite or nice, and the food took forever to get to the table.
Luckily, we had ordered appetizers and they were fabulous. We ordered pretty much every dish on the appetizer selection, so I can say they were all fabulous. As was the pomegranate vinegrette on the salad. Amazing!
But, an hour and a half later, still no entrees. We had a show to get to, so we had to have them box our entrees. Believe me, we were as unhappy as the chef was about it, but did he have to throw our food into the containers like that? Seriously.
It is a shame because I would have liked to have known what the house specialty Pomegranate Chicken tasted like when it was fresh. As it was, after four hours sitting in the car, it was nothing to write home about.
I will never return to this restaurant again. -
Review from tjay f.
Berkeley, CA
9/27/2009
We love the Gyro salad --- which is a load of perfectly done gyro meat on top of seasoned salad of romaine, cucumbers, onions and tomatoes.
We usually order an extra order of bread and some hummos. Order a side of Tzaziki and you've got a home run dinner for two around $20. -
Review from Kat C.
6/14/2009 4 photos
I just had the most flavorful, FILLING, and CHEAP dinner at Pomegranate tonight. Let me share:
- Arrived at 6:30ish and were seated promptly... not a whole lot of people were dining.
- Friendly waiter ... gave him our $25 http://restaurant.com gift certificate... and was informed the $35 requirement could only be food (no alcoholic drinks or beverages), which was in fine print, anyways.
- Walnut spread with pita bread for appetizer. Pita by itself was really yummy (warm and thick) and the spread was a nice alternative to hummus...thick and very flavorful with small chunks of feta cheese sprinkled on top.
- Chat chat chat... food comes out on HUGE plates. POMEGRANATE CHICKEN is a must. Garlic mashed potatoes with the pomegranate sauce is really tasty. Chicken was nicely roasted and juicy. Mediterranean pizza was good but a little salty. Thinly-sliced with hefty toppings. YUMMY in meh TUMMY.
Of course, we had tons of leftovers... the waiter offered to pack it up for us but we opted for DIY. :) Our total...... wait for it.........
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$20.18 for 2 entrees and appetizer plus tax + tip. (orig. $45)
Some reviews below commented on the slow service. There was only one waiter (I think it's family owned/run) and he did his best to service all the tables... it wasn't bad at all for us but... perhaps coming with a group and having a nice convo will help take your mind off the wait if you get caught on a busy night.
I had a nice dinner and experience. -
Review from Angela N.
Oakland, CA
1/26/2008
Somehow, the planets aligned or something cuz my best mama friend and I were both, unexpectedly, child free the other day! She wanted Greek and we loathed to trek to the Public Market so thanks to you yelpers, I found Pomegranate. It was cold and rainy and miserable...but we were FREEEEEE! Ha! But I digress...your first child-free grown-up lunch in over a year will do that to ya!
We both ordered gyro platters and pomegranate lemonade. The flatbread was delicious, one of the best I've tasted...fresh and warm. The meat was juicy and tender, the salad, fresh and tasty. Yummy, yummy. 5 stars!
The man that served us and took our order was welcoming, pleasant, a wee bit hard of hearing, and looked alot like Gepetto (minus the chef's jacket and the distinct absence of puppets...and cuckoo clocks).
It was almost empty (one other customer) and the service was a bit slow...which we didn't mind in the least, cuz it it was cold and rainy and miserable (did I mention that already?) but it could have had we been on a schedule. Also, the restroom could have been cleaner...I mean ALOT cleaner...minus one star.
This is NOT a place to take little ones.
If the cosmos comes together like that again for me, I will definitely be back to try more dishes! -
Review from Hana J.
9/17/2009
3.5 stars
Since I'm using Holy Land as the standard for all Mediterranean food, my ratings are a little skewed. The cute old owner with the round belly greeted us with warm, crunchy pita bread. It was so fresh and perfect with our baba ghanoush appetizer which according to my friend, was a little too herby. Everytime our bread plate was empty, he would immediately refill it with a new batch. Thanks buddy! We ordered the pomegranate chicken: cooked to perfect juiciness and falafel plate (2 little falafel balls and salad), which for $12 was not worth it. I actually tasted the pomegranate juices. mmm especially good mixed with the mashed potatoes. For an hour and a half we were there, there was one another couple who shared a small plate. Maybe they should have student specials...too expensive for a regular lunch, even with a coupon! -
Review from Sarah L.
Albany, CA
5/17/2006
I came here after reading some of the beaming reviews on Yelp. Wow, I guess my hopes were too high.
I ordered the mousaka which was smothered in a "spicy" (I thought rather acidic and far too salty) marinara sauce. Now, I am a fan of mousaka and have been since my upbringing in Chicago where many Greek folks live and serve up some good mousaka in some excellent restaurants, so again, I think I had some high hopes that may have hindered my dining experience.
The waiter was not very helpful or attentive, and for the prices and the ambiance (which was very nice) I would have thought we'd get a bit more friendliness and attention. The hummous was good and I liked the pita bread, as well as the pomegranate lemonade.
Maybe it was an off night, but for low quality Mediterranean, it's not really worth a second visit for me. I'll stick with my favorite La Mediterranee. -
Review from Kat M.
Portland, OR
7/20/2006
I've been eating at Pomegranate for over four years. So I thought I should update this review. I love taking visitors here as it's a nice upscale decor without being pretentious or over priced for the quality of food.
The food is consistently great although they occasionally have problems with slow service, but not that often. I'd only recommend avoiding them on holidays as the place gets jam packed.
Their signature dishes are roast meats with pomegranate sauce (definitely recommend the duck if they're serving it), grilled kabobs (the lamb is to die for), and their combo appetizer platter with homemade dolmas, hummus, and babagenoush. Everything they serve is incredibly fresh.
They also do a delicious melt-in-your-mouth spicy lamb shank, and their saffron rice is the bomb! Their meat dishes are probably the most expensive usually around $18, but totally worth it. The pasta and pizza are just okay, and great for kids, but that's not why I go there.
One more thing...You absolutely HAVE to try the pomegranate walnut feta appetizer. It's so unique and tasty you'll be licking the bowl. -
Review from Stephanie N.
San Jose, CA
8/29/2008
I really wanna give this place more stars, but it was a 2 star experience. My friend and boyfriend came here on a whim cas we were super hungry and she was craving pomegranate chicken. We ordered two appetizers of two types of hummus (REALLY REALLY GOOD) and it had been about 40 minutes since we ordered our pomegranate chicken and we still didn't get it. SERIOUSLY. Yeah we were shabbily dressed but that doesn't mean our food should be coming out that late!
I had to go back to San Jose and we told her we'd just take the order to go and even THAT was slow. I decided to pay before I got the to go box and it was about 10 minutes after I paid that I finally got the to go box. She told us there was a really big party that ordered before us and it delayed our order. That's reasonable- but seriously 40 minutes? I don't think I've ever experienced customer service this shitty. She didn't even really apologize to us!
BUT when we got home I was sad to find out that their pomegranate chicken and mashed potatoes were bomb, if I were to give stars based on this chicken and the hummus it'd probably be a 5. sososo gooddd!! Still- it was not enough to make me wanna come back and La Mediteranee on College is just as good. -
Review from Carol C.
San Francisco, CA
10/4/2008
I came here expressly to try the Pomegranate Chicken, which a friend had recommended to me. It's a roasted half chicken that comes marinated in pomegranate sauce with garlic mashed potatoes (garlic nestled inside the mashed potatoes!) and green beans and carrots.
The dish was quite good - I had no complaints about it. The pomegranate flavor with chicken was new to me - and tasty. I really liked the touch with the nestled garlic. My husband's gyro pizza was more disappointing. The pizza was average fare, but the price was astronomical for the quality of the cheese, sauce, crust, etc. The gyro meat was tender though. And I really loved the strong honey flavor in my Columbia Winery Riesling.
The really strange thing about our experience is that we stood at the front of the restaurant for at least 5-10 minutes before anyone acknowledged us. An elderly man (hostess? waiter?) wandered around the entire time (including after we were seated) not doing very much of anything. He did eventually seat us, but the man at the bar took our order. Another party was seated before us, but because they were seated further away, their order wasn't taken until after ours and a couple other tables. So, the service had room for improvement. One plus though, was that I wanted to try the Greek wine, and the man who took our waiter offered to give me a taste since it's not everyone's cup of tea.
So: food - 3 stars, service: 1-2 stars. -
Review from Ryan M.
Berkeley, CA
2/1/2008
My wife and I went here and we both thought the food was excellent, but the wait staff and cooks were a bit too stretched to provide adequate service.
Advice: If it looks remotely full, go somewhere else. -
Review from Radha M.
Oakland, CA
9/25/2009
The food was good but the service was OK. Surprised that there was only 1 waiter for the whole place. It wasn't packed, but we still had to wait a long time to give our orders. He seemed to have forgotten our drink order, and we had to ask half way into our meal for them.
Very cozy and warm atmostphere...loved it. They have a bar at the front too..
Got the Combination Sampler for appetizer cuz we couldn't decide what to get...very good :) ~ $12
We got the pomegranate Chicken, Fresh salmon, whole trout and a lamb/eggplant dish..all about ~$15. All but the lamb dish came with mashed potatoes and steamd vegi (carrot & string beans)...it just reminded me of a steak dish..altough they were all good...i was expecting something more "authentic" and unique...but I guess I should have gone for a kabob dish or something if I wanted that.
Overall, the food was good and the ambiance was nice. But I prolly wouldn't go again....just becuase it didn't WOW me. And it was pricey... -
Review from Son E.
Emeryville, CA
1/24/2010
I have to start by saying that service was absolutely terrible. It kinda ruined the experience , now it is not the waiter's fault if he is over 70 and slow but come on, at least add another waiter.
So there are a few people in the restaurant, some are already eating and some arrived probably 5 minutes before I did or so I assumed. The waiter did not come to our table for probably 10 minutes, brought napkins and water and left for another 15 to 20 minutes. It wasnt even that crowded, it wasnt the weekend or anything. But anyway, we finally got to order after being there for what seemed to be an hour!
Food: it was pretty good. My friend had a dish served with typical mediterranean rice, like the one i used to eat in Lebanon, and it was really really good. I had the gyro plate, I wish they had given me bread to go with it! As an appetizer (yeah, i'm not going in order..oops) we had the hummus which was good too.
we ordered one drink for the both us, and that was a smart move because that pomegranate lemonade wasn't to my liking. We couldn't even finish it. It was bitter.
To sum it up the food was good but the service extremely slow and disappointing. -
Review from Dan Q.
11/26/2007
I thought the food was good, but not great. I had the mousaka, but I thought it had too much lamb and not enough eggplant (it was the first time I had the dish, so maybe that is what it tastes like).
The greek white wine they had was really good though. -
Review from Mr P.
Philadelphia, PA
3/25/2006
Pomegranate surprised me. The food was very good. We had walnut spread, calimari salad, grill veg, and the cornish gam hen with pomegranate source. They were all good, and lot's of it too. The saffron rice is heaven. We split the three dishes and still had left over to take home. I have to confess, I am not a big fan of pomegranate in anything, but they did such a great job here, I can't wait to get back again.
ps. the house red goes very well with the food, and cheap too, only 18 smackers for a bottle. -
Review from Dan L.
Berkeley, CA
5/5/2007
My girlfriend and I ended up here not really having a plan. It was great. I highly recommend the Pomegranate chicken or chicken linguine. I guess we're big fans of chicken! The hummus served with flat bread as an appetizer is incredible. I've been wondering why people are so interested in hummus for years and I finally get it.
The head server was very endearing and pay a lot of attention to each customer. Speaking of customers, the eavesdropping in this place is great. It's full of Mediterranean crazy persons with such zingers as "I dont' eat dessert but I don't mind to look (at the dessert menu)".
On dessert they definitely know something about cheesecake. Highly recommend. -
Review from Jennifer P.
Los Angeles, CA
6/29/2009
The flat bread is always fresh, warm and slightly crispy. It is PERFECT with the Anatolian Walnut Spread. Do not get the gyros. Try the Lamb Shank and the Marco Polo Pasta (smoked salmon and cream over fettucine)! I think the Pomegranate Chicken was good too, but I would stick with the lamb. Yes, I understand that it is a bit fusion and not authentic, unadulterated Persian food, but I think it's very tasty!
I LOVE the ambiance! Pomegranate is perfect for a date or for an intimate family dinner. The servers are attentive and friendly. I usually make a reservation, but I have been able to get a seat pretty quickly even without one. -
Review from Jeremy W.
Berkeley, CA
2/24/2008
The food is tasty and if you're a salmon fan, definitely get the salmon. The sampler entree is generous in size and the prices are pretty reasonable. Held from five stars because the service was fairly slow both times I went (despite it being fairly empty) and everything had just a tad bit too much oil on it. Would definitely go again, though. Generous pita.
The menu is sizable and I want to try more of it. Solid choice for a Mediterranean place, but not quite cheap enough to be a weekly stop. Nice, fancy seating area in back, casual seating area in front. -
Review from Racha L.
Los Angeles, CA
3/30/2008
I'm gonna be stingy and give them a two, seeing as I haven't had mediterranean anywhere else.
My falafel sandwich was massive for the great price (lunch) but it was a little dry. (eeww) The Greek salad was traditional, big chunks of feta and the side order of olives is still in my fridge 2 months later. They give you a lot, so don't order any unless you are prepared to be dehydrated for a lifetime or you have friends to help eat them. lol
I got everything to-go, I doubt I will eat here again. It wasn't bad; it just was unremarkable....like your first school lunch. -
Review from Marie A.
Oakland, CA
3/31/2008
I came here for the first time a few days ago with my parents and brother because I was really craving mediterranean food and wanted to try this place after always driving by it.
Service was nice, but a bit slow...I was on a time schedule though, so maybe it was just me being stressed. We didn't need a reservation either.
The food....eh. I wasn't that impressed. I'm a full-blooded Jew; I know my mediterranean food pretty damn well. We had the sampler appetizer to start and they gave us a huge basket of warm pita....which became completely dry and crunchy by the time our entrees came. The hummus was okay; the baba ganoush...I've had better from Trader Joe's. I had the chicken kabob which was decent, except for the "saffron rice" it came with, which tasted like instant rice with way too much butter, and a yellow sauce on top. Uh...no. I was expecting the saffron to be cooked in and actually soaked through all the rice. My brother's pizza was pretty good; my mother's falafel was a bit dry. The pomegrante lemonade was tasty, as was the tiramisu, although I could have done without the blueberry sauce.
Overall, it wasn't horrible, but I don't think I'd return unless someone else was paying for it. -
Review from Andrew C.
Emeryville, CA
2/21/2008
The light, or lack of light definitely created a wonderful dining environment for the restaurant. When the food came, it was AWESOME!! my whole trout is a whole giant trout who has been nicely cooked with crispy skin and tender flesh, and my friends were nice enough to let me try their pomegranate chicken the lamb shank, after biting into those, my tears run down my face and I thank god for creating Mediterranean Sea and make the people there expert of making their meat tender and full of flavor. dining there is like going out on the first date with your high school crush, you just can't get enough of it but sadly when the plate is empty, it's the time to say goodbye.
All of their dishes are delicious and I really recommend their pomegranate sorbet, it was light but flavorful, marked a good ending for a enjoyable evening. -
Review from Chen N.
Berkeley, CA
5/13/2009
So I came here with a group of 23 people for banquet on a Thursday night. Mind you, there were only 4 other patrons in the restaurant when we arrived and we made our reservation 2 weeks ahead of time.
What's my problem with that place?
a. As Alexander S. noted in his review, the wait staff was rude. What's strange is that they only sent 1 server for our whole group.
b. They told the person who organized the banquet that we can just order there and it would not be a hassle. Guess what? We sat around for 30 plus min. waiting for our food. Well, this could have been eliminated if we ordered early, right?
c. The rude server cut the cake before everyone got to see the message. He didn't even ask if he could cut the cake and went on with his business.
So onto the good side of things -
I had the pomegranate chicken and it was delicious! The sauce that came with it was tangy and really worked for the chicken.
Would I come back? No. I don't need no rude waiter sassying me. -
Review from chris m.
Seminole, OK
10/28/2009
Had lunch here today, was yummy.
Nothing Super super fabuluos, but I really enjoyed the hummus, and the pita bread was good.
Had something I can't quiet remember how to spend, chanzi? Some kind of spinach soup that you put on rice.
Rice was excellent, overall it was solid - two thumbs up.
Not sure it justifies the price though. -
Review from Chester R.
Berkeley, CA
1/3/2007
I've been 9 times. One time we went 3 times in two weekends.
Love the hummus and the babaganoush. I usually order the Greek Salad. Food is realy very good. Service is mediocre and depends on how busy it is. Doesn't seem to be enough servers. That be the case, I will still keep going.
I'd really like to see and try the places that the people who gave this place a bad review for food go to cuz so far my experience has been outstanding. I'm open minded though and if you know of a better place for persian or mediterranean food, please let me know. -
Review from Rabi'a M.
Berkeley, CA
4/10/2008
I am being generous with three stars. I've been to this restaurant three times. I am a Berkleite and I love good food. I know my Med food very well. The proprietor first of all sort of sulked behind the counter, when greeted he sort of harumped in our direction. The bread was nice, warm, fresh, but the other food, "ho hum". Went there recently with another friend and we were frozen and wanted tea and some appetizers, again the owner, "we are serving dinner now." No sorry come back, no niceties. I was so offended by this man I will never go back there. I don't think he realizes that being the owner his rudeness is even more bothersome than just bad waiters and staff.
I think there is a Pomegranate in WC too, hope its better, don't know if the owner is the same. Maybe he was just having several bad days in a row. -
Review from Leo T.
Fairfield, CA
12/20/2009
I initially planned to go to this restaurant for my girlfriend's birthday celebration with a couple of friends. I wanted to make reservations just in case we weren't able to get the seating that we wanted. Right off the bat, the employee on the other end seemed disinterested and unfriendly. Not that he was mean, but if I'm going to make reservations to your place, at which at least 10 people will spend at least $20, you could at least make a decent effort to be friendly over the phone.
With that minor annoyance set aside, the restaurant is gorgeous and cozy. The lamb shank was so tender I didn't even need a knife. Our waiter was prompt and courteous, a big step up from their phone service.
However, as confusing as paying in a large group already is, they wouldn't split the bill how we wanted, but instead separated the entire bill onto three cards. I don't know much about credit card systems, but if your system can only accept three cards and only divide it evenly, then may be it's time to upgrade your system. We wrote what amounts were supposed to go on what cards and yet the waiter placed it evenly on each card, probably out of laziness. Not everyone ate the same thing, so it made it extremely confusing seeing who owed who money at the end of the night. It was a frustrating way to end the night and definitely left a sour taste in our mouths as we exited.
If it wasn't for the indifferent phone service and credit-card snag, this would've been a three star rating.
Alright, but not spectacular. -
Review from Heather G.
Berkeley, CA
1/11/2009
I appreciate a restaurant that puts enough attention into their sides that you take them home with you. I love their food and it never fails to leave me full and happy.
This is one of my favorite restaurants to take visitors to. (I find it a bit too pricier for regular visits.) Even my very fickle parents enjoyed it immensely.
And I must say, I've never experienced any bad service from the staff.
