Alhambra Palace Restaurant

This was a five-star birthday for me.  I found Alhambra via Yelp, and after my visit, the 2 and 3 star reviews are totally unjustified!

We made reservations for 8:15 on a Saturday night, since the bellydancing show begins at 8:30.  We did the valet parking for $10, and later that evening our wait for the car was very short.  We walked in and I was in love with the palace-style decor and lush bar and lounge area.  We waited about 10 minutes to be seated, but we did lots of people watching.  If you're anything like me, you like to play the "fake or real?" game in your mind when a woman walks by with a Chanel handbag.  I got the impression that this was a "rich" place to go, just judging by the women who were  dressed to the nines - I got the impression they look like this every day and have the money to support a high fashion habit.

As for the dress code, I wore a dress with leggings and a blazer; my husband wore a button-up dress shirt with jeans.  So leave the suit and tie at home, boys!

We were seated in a balcony area, which at first was alarming because I thought we'd have a crap view of the show.  I was totally wrong, and I actually loved the cozy, intimate space we had upstairs.  The main floor was buzzing with large groups, and I'm not a fan of shared dining tables.

Our waiter was fantastic, and he was apologetic when our drinks took awhile.  Speaking of drinks, the red sangria and Morrocan martini were totally worth the $12.  Drinks are pricey, but at least it kept me from getting completely wasted.  And, at $35/person (the minimum when there is a show), you can easily do this with a drink and appetizers, or an entree and a drink.  Don't let the minimum deter you from going.

The appetizers were good.  The hummus was very good, but the pita bread was stale.  This is really my only complaint, because it's a Middle Eastern restaurant yet I felt like I was eating some Sahara pita that I'd forgot in my fridge for a week.  The rolled eggplant was my favorite part of the meal, tender eggplant stuffed with goat cheese with a tomato sauce.  Yum!

The entrees were also very good.  I had the seafood kabob with the biggest scallops I've ever seen.  And for simple sides like grilled veggies and basmati rice, I really enjoyed both of those.  My only complaint?  The menu stated that the kabob had a sauce with pistachos and raisins.  When I got my meal, there was no sauce.  Likewise, my husband's filet was supposed to come with asparagus, but did not.  This doesn't change how I felt about the food, it was very good, but I was looking forward to the sauce or I may have ordered the seafood tangine instead!

Since it was my birthday, we had a free dessert coupon and had the creme brulee.  While it wasn't worth $8, it was very good!

There can be a wait for your drinks and food, so your best bet is to be READY!  When the waiter comes to your table, order your drinks and appetizers at the same time.  When he comes back, be ready with your entree choices.

For 4 drinks, 2 appetizers and 2 entrees, our bill was around $140.  See how easy that $35 minimum is?  I probably wouldn't be thrilled paying $27 for a kabob at any other restaurant, but when you consider that it's a show and dinner, it's a great night out for a birthday, or a bachelorette party for a more sophisticated bride who doesn't want to get wasted or naked.

Oh, and the bellydancing?  Loved every minute of it.

Had dinner there last night.  I felt like I was inside Barbara Edens bottle on the hit show I Dream of Jeanie.  Very comfortable and cozy atmosphere.  Love the food.  We had the humus plate and shared a falafal dinner and grilled chicken.  The service and the bell dancers were great.  I have also had lunch at this location a number of times and was in and out very quickly.  I would definately return and would rather eat here than the Chicago Winery less than a block away on the same side of the street.  Give it a try.

A friend and I came here and was SOOO excited to try this place out. The decor was amazing but that is where the compliments stop. The service was TERRIBLE, and the food was even worse. The fish dish that my friend ordered tasted like it was purchased a week prior and hadn't been refrigerated. When she complained, the server took the meal away (that had BARELY been touched) and presented us with the bill. To our astonishment the meal that she didn't eat WAS STILL ON THE BILL. He told us that his manager told him to keep the meal there and that it was the policy of the restaurant. When we asked to speak to the manager, miraculously the meal was removed from our bill without the manager even coming to talk to us. The only thing that I can say that I enjoyed was the Hummus. Unfortunately I wont enjoy it again, because I will never come back.