Very nice decor and excellent service. Â It was clean inside with comfortable seating. Â
Mom and I ordered cappuccino's at $3.75 I was definitely disappointed. Â The cappuccino's were served in espresso cups...tiny! Â Cappuccino's are espresso w/ a little Milk and a lot of foam on top. Â These had 0 foam (tiny cups had no room to put foam anyway) and it wasn't hot. Â It was super sweet, tasted more like Luke-warm hot chocolate...what a waste of money. Â
We split the beef kebab. Â We asked for the beef to be cooked medium well and it was cooked very well done. Â Besides the overcooking of the meet and the poor excuse for cappuccino, everything else was excellent! Â The rice was delicious and fluffy. Â The meat, even though it was overcooked was of good quality steak and tasted good. Â It was served with roasted green peppers, tomatoes and onions. Â The salad was crisp and fresh. Â The cup of lemon rice soup was served in a very large cup and was very tangy with lots of tastes shreds of chicken. Â
The prices are reasonable with the large dinner costing $19.49 and the cup of soup at $3.00
Sahara's is one of my favorite Mediterranean restaurants!! Â My favorite dishes here are the chicken cream chop, beef shish kafta, and chicken shawarma. Â I love how big their servings are here... I always have enough to take home for lunch the next day! Â :-) Â The dressing that comes with their side salads is really good, I call it their version of ranch dressing. Â I find myself dipping everything in it like I would with ranch. Â Also every time I come here I have to order their hummus, which I love.
Overall I get really good service here, but there have been occasions when the service was just ok. Â There is an older gentleman that has waited on me several times, he's my favorite waiter here! Â He is super friendly and a great memory for orders!! Â Seems like he's been working here for awhile, he always knows the regulars. Â The younger wait staff here is ok, some of them great some just ok. Â
The only reason I gave Sahara 4 stars is because of cleanliness. Â On several occasions I've sat down on a dirty booth. Â The tables are always wiped clean, but they should check the seats as well. Â Also there was one instance when I was leaving and on my way out I grabbed the door handle and it had their white garlic sauce all over it. Â I did wipe it off when I got to the car but my hand smelled like overpowering garlic all the way home! Â This probably happened a good 2 years ago and I have been back to Sahara's many times since, but the fact that I remember it means it was a bad enough experience that I was a little scarred from it. Â Lol
This is a great Middle East restaurant in the Lakeside Mall area. They provide a trifecta of offerings that is not common to find in metro Detroit: Hookah, full-service bar & cuisine. Not many establishments in metro Detroit have all 3 of these under one roof so if you are into drinking, eating and smoking - and making it a hang out place like that - then this place is already a plus on paper for you. The restaurant is rather large so it is easy for them to accommodate requests (such as being near other families, being away from the hookah section, etc.) For those of you who are into hookah - keep in mind this is a restaurant WITH hookah. Not a hookah bar with some food options. So you will feel as you are having hookah in a quiet, tame environment. There is no music or party-like atmosphere if that is what you are looking for.
I put in a take-out order with Janan, who was a very nice lady to work with. It was a simple order of chicken and beef shawarmas. I asked for the sandwiches to be nicely packed with meat and she was obliged to make sure that happens. This was a big plus for me because so many restaurants would be quick to argue saying that they will only put whatever meat they measure out. This was good customer service I could stand by.
The follow-through was great because sure enough the sandwiches were thick and meaty. Flavorful tender meat, the right amount of sauce and pickles, and each shawarma sandwich was fairly priced at around $4-$5 each. My 20% off coupon made the bag of MidEast sammies a better deal as well.
I got a great first impression of the take-out here and Janan's customer service. I will certainly dine-in sometime and update my review of the dine-in experience. FYI, not all Sahara's are created equal. This review is for the location near Lakeside Mall. I have heard bad things about the one up at 26 Mile & Van Dyke, and I have heard good things about the one in Oak Park.
I'll preface this by saying I know I'm super judgmental...but you know what...I'm in the customer service industry with my business so I feel I have a right to be judgmental..
Located next to Starbuck's along the north side of Hall Road between Hayes and Schoenherr...there's ample parking that is well lit - it's safe so I think the location is good.
The restaurant itself is a little dark - but perhaps that's the style for these "Sahara" restaurants....
The food was ok. Nothing to write home about....I wasn't calling all of my friends saying "omg - you HAVE to try this place" - it was "eh" for me. We had chicken shwarma (sorry if I hacked the spelling) and crushed lentil soup.
I had a few issues.
First - the waitress was ALL in our business. We have a family of 7....instead of taking our orders and minding her own business, she went on and on about our family being so big and wanted to know how could we afford to have so many kids and wanted to know how big our house was. She actually asked us the square footage of our house, how many bedrooms and bathrooms it had, where we lived exactly, etc..... how many cars we had, what models we drove.... I tried my best to be polite, out of respect for my hubs because I know I can have a sharp tongue and be a little hot headed.... but, REALLY? Why not ask for my bank statement and last few years of taxes????
Totally not your business and WILDLY inappropriate to ask.
My second issue was that they seated a couple of men right next to us who proceeded to drop F-bombs every other word while smoking a Hookah pipe. I don't care about the pipe - but I have an issue with the language when I'm there with my family..... we were on our way out anyway - but no one seemed to care..... I think they knew the owner because someone who worked there came out and was chatting with them like they were acquainted.
My third issue was similar - a man and woman were seated near us and the guy kept telling her to shut up and shut her mouth before he slapped her.
I realize the last two issues are related to the patrons and not the restaurant - but I have mentally associated these experiences with this restaurant - it was the proverbial "cherry on top" after the crazy stalker nosy waitress.
This place was ok, I went here because I bought a groupon. Â The location was convenient and the dining room area was nice, walking through the hallway to the patio was a scene I would rather not have seen. Â They did seem like they had some good deals for 2 people. Â They had a special on wine BOGO for $1...which I liked! Â Their hummus and pita bread was delicious, however I was not impressed with the chicken schwarma or the falafel. Â I've had better of both elsewhere.
Review Source:This place is just okayyy. I stopped by here with my mom because we had a coupon. The service was excellent, the food was just ok and the decor was pretty nice.
We ordered the combo platter for two, meat pies and lamb hummus. The combo for two is a great price as part of their special summer menu and is on sale for like $22 bucks, it def feeds more than 2 people! (more like 4). Their meat pies were NOT made their fresh...we asked the staff and they said it was made somewhere else and it was pretty much nuked for us & still not that hot on the inside might I add. and the pieces of lamb in our hummus was not up to par in my opinion. It needed more seasoning or something :/
Sahara Mediterranean Grill is an unexpected hidden gem in a land of sub-par chain restaurants and fast food. It's fast, cheap, and fresh, and most importantly interesting and flavorful! The service was great too--when you sit down, you're given a huge basket of warm pita-like bread and a spread that puts butter to shame.
Try the shwarma, the hummus, and the beef stuffed grape leaves special. All were delicious!
Initially a Groupon is what led me this restaurant as i am not very adventurous when it comes to trying new food. Â I was very pleased with my Chicken Cream Chop and the hubby loved his Beef Shawarma. Â The portions were huge and we took home quite a bit of extra food, usually my hubby eats his meal and whatever is leftover from mine. The warm pita bread and garlic spread they serve is delish too. Our server was Eldon and he was polite, knowledgeable and an overall wonderful waiter. The restaurant was clean and nicely decorated.
Review Source:My girlfriend and I went here a couple Sundays ago with a Groupon. The meal wasn't cheap even after using it, but I have not yet found a Mediterranean restaurant within my casual price range. Regardless, eating healthy at a restaurant is unfortunately a rare thing nowadays.
The meal was very good, very filling, and our waitress was one of the best I've ever had. I see some other reviews for bad service, which I don't discount, but I could have gotten lucky. My girlfriend and I don't have Mediterranean meals very often, so we aren't too familiar with what is what. Our waitress explained everything in enthusiastic detail, and even recommended some dishes. Her service was the pinnacle of  service, and I wish I had gotten her name to pay her respect. Really, she was the best waitress I've ever had, and I'm not exaggerating.
We started with the Trio Appetizer, which is hummus, taboulee and baba ghanouge. This in itself had pretty much filled us up, and my girlfriend jokingly told that she would be content with having just the appetizer as dinner. Need more bread? No problem! At over ten bucks, it is a pricey appetizer, but the price is well warranted in my opinion as it could easily feed four if eaten purely as an appetizer. If they cut the portion and price in half, though, this could likely make me a very happy return customer.
The fattoush was the best salad I've ever had. I'm not a salad guy. I'll get one every once in a while, but I usually opt for the soup. That's not to say I don't have a lot to compare against though. The San Marino Club has a pretty good salad, but the fattoush still wins this battle. Eating this salad was like the first time I've had gelato. Eating normal American ice cream was never the same (until I discovered Treat Dream). Believe me when I say that this salad screams fresh, and will turn you into an instant health-nut convert! Well, for the duration of your meal at least.
To be honest, I don't remember what our entree was. I do remember shrimp and rice, and it was 'really' good, but I don't see the particular dish on their site currently. Remember the whole thing about me not being familiar with Mediterranean food? After eating so much of our appetizer, I could only get through half of my large entree, and I was really hungry that day.
In all, the lack of a star is for price, as I genuinely wish I could afford going again without using a hefty coupon. I respect the quality you are paying for, as there wasn't a single thing I didn't absolutely love. One tip which I recently found is that you can ask the waiter/waitress for a half entree, which will bring down the price a bit. It's not offered on all entrees, but most. From what I understand, this will give you half as much meat. Also, if you have some extra cash or a coupon, I'd recommend this place for a good meal. At the time of this writing, you can get a 15% off coupon from Yelp (even Foursquare I believe) if you check in. Also, my girlfriend just told me that there are often Groupons available. I will definitely be back, and will hopefully be able to write a more in-depth review next time.
A girlfriend and I after we were waiting at Lebanese grill for a while, and found out that Lebanese grill didn't serve wine, which we wanted. There was a bit of a wait, which was expected for a Friday. I was suprised at how over priced their entrees were. I got the chicken kafta. Pretty good not great. And, the most annoying, the fattoush, which is the staple Lebanese salad, if you wanted w your entree was a $2.50 upcharge, bc it was a "premium" salad. Won't be coming back again.
Review Source:To start with, this was our first time visiting Sahara Mediterranean Grill and it won't be our last. The restaurant itself was very nicely decorated and pleasant to look at. Â Our waitress was excellent, she was quick and helpful at explaining things on the menu. Â The food was also excellent, it had so much flavor. Â We got an appetizer trio and a shrimp kabob dinner, they were both great. Â I look forward to going back and trying other things, the waitress said they have a lot of good vegetarian entrees that I would like to try. Â I would recommend trying this place (or giving it a second chance).
Review Source:1. Let me start with saying that I have only ordered carryout and ate on the cozy porch.
Now that that is out of the way, I need to talk about all of the DELICIOUS food.. and the generous portions. I know it's frequently mentioned how in the US, portions are way too large. Well when the size of my meal is enough to pass around, take home, and not to mention - healthy... I find it certainly more than acceptable.
 The service was decent, I don't remember much about that.. so it wasn't phenomenal.. and it wasn't bad. I do think as far as summer service, it would help to add some more ambiance to the porch atmosphere.
Over all, the food is amazing, it's a great location, and they always have great specials. I recommend Sahara any day.
I went there during the January Grand Opening. I thought the food was good but what concerned me was watching the servers drop bread off the paddle out of the oven, drop it on the floor, pick it up, put it in the basket and serve it. I was sure it was just my imagination but it happened a couple of times. I then saw a waiter tear a piece off the bread for him to eat and throw the rest in the basket to serve. Need less to say I called the Health Dept., who SAID they talked to the owner about this practice. Just go to Lebanese Grill across the parking lot.
Review Source:On a Sunday afternoon at 4:30.....not a busy time right? We were promptly seated at a table but sat there for over 15 minutes without so much as a "hello" so we finally got up and left. Our waitress saw us get up, walked near us at the same time and offered no apology or anything. We'll never go back! Unfortunate that I cannot assign a Zero stars ratings so I have to give it a 1.
We left and headed down the street to the beautiful Palm Palace. The food was amazing and the waitstaff couldn't have been any nicer. They treated us like royalty from the welcome upon our entrance until our departure. I can't wait to go back to the Palm Palace. Sorry Sahara but I will never recommend your restaurant and will make sure any time anyone asks.........I'll tell them about our experience.
I was very excited to try this place because i love this type of food and had a coupon from the entertainment book. While you get a good size portion is isn't that great.  We did a carry out for 5 people and everything was ok but was lacking. Hummus was bland, swarma was too oily and tasted off and the salads were not what we expected. I missed the spices and dressing you normally get from a place like this (like a fatoosh without the pita) but instead we got lettuce, tomato with a side of ranch. What the heck? It I wanted lettuce And tomato i would just go to a coney island! Then when I picked up the order I noticed a sign on the cash register stating they will only give bread and garlic to those who asked for any carry out orders. That is fine I understand not wanting to waste so I asked for it. My order was already bagged and the lady said the garlic was in there and so was the bread. We get home and we have 2 tiny containers of garlic for all 5 of us! We even asked for extra for someones cream chop chicken. Btw is was really dry and aweful. The worse cream chop chicken I have ever tasted. The person who ordered it ended up just eating rice because it was so bad.  The rice is also not up to par. Dry and no nuts on top.  :( We also didn't get bread we just got pita. When we called to ask about it they said the give pita to all carry out orders instead of bread. When it was mentioned we asked for the bread we were told we needed to be more clear to say the oven bread because bread to them means pita. Ok my bad, but after shelling out 50 bucks  for not worth the price food it might have made everyone more full. Then they might have been more full and not as upset. Save your money and go some where else. So many other good places that ate close and worth every penny. Bottom line skip this joint.
Review Source:I love Mediterranean food! Let's skip the decor because I really dont care when a place serve such good food! I love everything I've tried on their menu. Lamb chops, Shawarma chicken, beef, or lamb, fattoush, tabulee, kibbee, and their garlic butter spread (no butter in it at all) made with greek yogurt, garlic,and olive oil is to die for...The only bad thing about this place is...they dont give enough garlic butter!! The price is awesome too!
Review Source:Decent Mediterranean food served by friendly and helpful staff. On the up-side the fatoush was pretty good and the garlic sauce was out of this world. Didn't care for the grape leaves. Lentil soup was very different and absolutely delicious. A few of the menu items, though, felt like they had been fast-food-ized. Â (Fried chicken wings and fried shrimp to be specific.) Â Maybe they're aiming at a presumed middle-American palate, but I found myself a little disappointed in some of the offerings despite an expansive menu. Â Recommended meal: Â bowl of lentil soup and a fatoush salad. Â Overall, a nice find in a fast-food/chain restaurant wasteland! Â I'll go back the next time I'm in the area.
Review Source:I wish I could just write a review for this place without an actual rating because I have a feeling my dislikes are simply preferences and not inadequacies.
The food is pretty good here, it's just not what I've come to expect of Mediterranean food.
I ordered the Lamb Tika, which was just a fancy name for lamb kabob. It had great flavor but I really wanted char-grilled veggies with it and the waiter said they couldn't do that, I could only have the veggies steamed. Really? I mean are the cooks really that lazy because I know they have a damn grill back there so WTF?
I also love those bright pink, pickled things that come on almost everything at other Mediterranean restaurants but there were none to be found here.
The rice sucked. It was boring and had little substance.
The tabouleh (sp?) was room temp (I like it cold) and had too much onion in it.
The BF had beef and chicken kabob which was fine but not the best he's ever had. He also had a frozen strawberry juicy thing that was yummy.
The service was great (other than the stupid veggie thing), the coffee was good and they have that puffed bread that I like so much.
The BF and I will stick with our favorite, Lebanese Grill, which is right across the parking lot. They give me mounds and mounds of grilled veggies and all the bright pink, pickled things I can eat.
My new favorite Mediterranean go to. This place has the best Kafta and everything else I have tried. Most perfectly seasoned food I have had in a long time. Portions are super fat and the fresh warm bread basket is amazing. The word really needs to get out about this place. Prices are very reasonable too.
Review Source:4/2010 Update
I had a revised review up here a while back as we had not such a good experience, a few times. I took the note down because I tend to be a regular customer and I like the place and wanted to give them another chance. Well,it happened again so I have to let people know. Â The food here will be great for a while and then the food will be overcooked and the food was on the cold side. I am becoming a little disappointed with the consistency of the food. Â Also another reason we will choose another restaurant lately is..Not the wait-staffs fault, but the owner or whoever runs the place seems to have the place understaffed.
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