I am one of those Americans who loves lebanese olives. Â So I asked for some here and got a free plate of this candy. Â The meal was pretty good overall, but I think next time I may not get the beef shwarma. Â Next time it will will be chicken. Â Oh, and the desserts are great here, and reasonably priced.
Review Source:I had been meaning to try Taza for years and finally made the trip with some coworkers. Â This place is awesome! Â Great food, atmosphere and service. Â Much more friendly and attentive service than your typical Cleveland establishment. Â Big portions and yummy pita bread to start. Â The spicy hummus is some of the best I have had. Â There were no complaints at our table....all the entrees were delicious. Â Highly recommend if you enjoy Mediterranean food!
Review Source:I generally like mediterranean/lebanese food, and the number of restaurants serving it has been increasing over the last few years. Â This location is relatively small, in the busy, congested Eton Collection. Â Parking is always a challenge. Â Nice menu selection, with many diverse items that suit a variety of tastes. Â Complementary pita bread is very good. Â I was there for lunch, and the lunch portions were good sized for the price. Â Food was well prepared and served warm. Â Service was timely and attentive. Â I had the seared ahi tuna, and it was very well prepared. Â Would recommend.
Review Source:Middle Eastern cuisine is one of my favorite choices. Â I had not been to this location in quite some time, but have always enjoyed the food here. Â I ordered the taboulleh, which is one my favorite foods and I had the lunch portion Shish Tawook meal, which consisted of grilled, marinated chicken, lebanese rice and grilled veggies. Â I was seated right away and the server brought out 2 versions of flatbread, both fresh and warm and also a small plate of seasoned olive oil for dipping...very good! Â The taboulleh was delivered shortly thereafter and was fresh and well seasoned with just the right amount of tomatoes, onions etc. Â I do think that it is a little bit pricey at $7.95, compared to other places, and my entire Shish Tawook meal was only $2 more at $9.95, but it was very good, so I won't complain too much. Â The grilled chicken was cooked to perfection, tasty and tender. Â The rice and grilled veggies were tasty too. Â I love the pinenuts in the rice, but forgot to ask that the kitchen hold the cinnamon sprinkled on top. Â Â All in all, I left the restaurant full and very satisfied.
Review Source:Located in a very nice shopping center (Eton Square) we enjoyed a nice Lebanese dinner. Service was so nice and accommodating  as we closed up the restaurant since we were having a sort of reunion dinner.
We started with the Tour of Lebanon vegetarian platter with hummus, falafel, toboulie salad and buba gannoush. I've had better, but it was a good quality hummus and toboulie.
I split an Ahi Tuna grilled filet dinner with very very good soft rice and perfectly spiced and done fresh vegetables. The tuna was slightly pink and I preferred it more medium rare but garlic sauce was a perfect accompaniment to the tuna.
Their wine selection is good and their coffee very aromatic and tasty.
I tried this restaurant on a recent business trip in the area. Â I ordered takeout given the lateness of the day and knowing I had a lot more work to complete. Â There are quite a lot of run of the mill restaurants around this area and I was looking for something unique and different. Â I found it here!
The hostess who took my order was very friendly and attentive and took the time out to explain the menu items where I had questions. Â Their turnaround was also very quick. Â 15 minutes for a takeout order. Â My order was accurate and very fresh and tasty. Â I wish we had one of these down here in Florida!
I am pretty picky about my Lebanese food after living in Dearborn, Michigan, and I have to say this is the first shawarma I've had that equates to the goodness of Dearborn middle east cuisine (including attempts in Dubai, Boston, London, and various other places). Â The meat shawarma pita was delicious, and the baba ganoush was honestly the best I've ever had (granted I'm not a huge baba fan typically). Â Appetizer hummus and baba was huge, but I feel like it was reasonably priced for the quality. Â Next time I come to the area I'll definitely be back!
Review Source:I visited Taza for dinner with a colleague on a Tuesday night - it was my first time to their Eton location, although I have eaten at their location Downtown. I just don't make it out to Woodmere very often...
First of all I'd like to compliment the service, which throughout the evening was friendly, personable, and responsive. Very good service.
The menu is pretty standard middle eastern, quasi-americanized food. We started with the spicy hummus, which was the first time I've had flavored hummus that I enjoyed. It was smooth, well flavored, and plenty of portions. My favorite part of the meal. As an entree, I had the Kafte roll with chicken, which was pretty average - a big dry and flavorless. Also, the roll it came in fell apart, which made it difficult to eat.
So this place is in the ritzy ditzy area of woodmere. Where money is old and jewish for the most part.
The food is good and plentiful. They started us off with hot pita bread and zaitnza3tar, a middle eastern delicacy consisting of olive oil mixed with ground oregano, thyme and sesame seeds. Albert Einstien used to eat that, thats why he was so smart.
We ordered the combo appetizers : hummos, falafel, baba ghanouj and what not. I really liked it.The shawarma platter is off the hook. The mix grill is very succulent, tender. And delicious. I would definitely come here again.
Why didnt I give this place 5 stars you ask? Well sir, frankly there was a fly harassing me for the first 10 minutes of my meal. Then the waitress got 2 of our 4 orders wrong. Me being the shy introvert type that I am would have never spoken up but I was egged on by my shyer more of an introvert sister.
Party of 4 , 2 appetizers, Â soft drinks : $140. ( including tip).
Nobody offered to pay. I got jews in my family too.
Excellent food and wow portions...
Tried this restaurant while on a business trip. Loved the place. The warm pita with thyme/oil to dip it in was just right to whet our appetites. The appetizer sampler was huge and adequate for our group of 3. Entrée's are super sized and the kabobs are done to the right perfection.
I was happy when a family friend suggested we go to dinner here on our last trip to Cleveland because I love Mediterranean food and have been wanting to try this restaurant. We decided to sit on the patio, as it was the perfect weather to enjoy dinner outside. The patio is very spacious and most of the tables are in the shade, which is nice, although there are umbrellas for each table, as well.
The menu is a pretty typical Mediterranean one, with everything from salads to schwarma, and falafel to shish kabobs. Their appetizer list was pretty extensive- it was hard not to order one of everything! Being that the menu had too many good choices (and I was indecisive as usual), my mom and I decided to split the Taste of Taza appetizer platter and a bowl of the nine vegetable soup for our meal.
It seemed like it took awhile for the food to arrive, but some warm pita and dipping oil arrived to wet our appetites. There was also a sweeter tasting bread which was quite addictive. The bowl of soup was pretty good. It was full of vegetables in a hearty tomato broth. Next time, I will have to try the tomato couscous soup!
Our appetizer platter finally arrived and WOW was it big. We were glad we decided to split it! The platter included schwarma, shish tawook (chicken), vegetable couscous, Lebanese salata, hummus, and baba. The schwarma had a distinctive spice that I couldn't quite figure out (cinnamon maybe?), but nonetheless it was really good. I loved the chicken and fought my mom for it. The only thing I didn't really care for was the hummus- it just didn't seem to have a lot of flavor. So I ate the most of the baba instead! It was the perfect "dish" for the indecisive, and we got to taste a little bit of everything which was awesome. I would definitely order it again!!
Overall, it was a delicious dinner. The prices are more than reasonable for what you would expect at this kind of restaurant. I would definitely recommend coming here when you are in the mood for some Mediterranean...looking forward to going back!
Just had the chance to stop by one of my favorite Grills in the Beachwood area. Â Taza's is amazing, Â The pita is freshly made and the Zatar they bring with it is sooooo YUMMY!
The service is good and fast. Â We ate outside and it was so pleasant and enjoyable. Â
The only negative thing I'd have to say is get a better tea. Â I love a good black tea and when I go to a very nice place to eat, which I think Taza is, I expect a better quality tea then what I had. Â
If you are in the area.. stop by, Lunch is amazing. Â My favorite is the lamb plate. Â Lamb with rice. Â WOW. Â I'm a lamb fan when it is cooked properly. Â
It's also in a lovely shopping area and if you go next door to Penzey's you can walk right inside to the mall that is connected to all the stores you see on the outside. Â
ENJOY!
Taza is a really great restaurant. The menu is large, service is friendly, there is a large outdoor eating area, a grill inside, and the food is fabulous. I've been here multiple times and I don't think I've ever ordered anything I didn't like. I'm also very picky when it comes to middle eastern food because I've spent considerable time in Israel and Taza doesn't disappoint. Â The prices are extremely reasonable for the portions and the quality. I love the the soft fresh pita and the complimentary zatar olive oil dip is wonderful. Some favorites I've ordered include the fatoosh salad- so fresh and delicious filed with herbs and the shwarma hummus- delicious, authentic and plenty to share with a group.
Review Source:I needed my falafel fix and this place delivered big time. I can't believe this is part of the Aladdin's family because I was not impressed with what I had there. Much different experience at Taza. Service with a smile and great, affordable food in one of my favorite locations. I will be back.
Review Source:When I am on the East Side, Taza is one of my favorite locations to sit down for something different. Â Often, I will meet business associates and clients in their location as I can always ask and most often be accommodated with a quiet seat in the corner for clear and audible conversation.
My most recent visit was a business meeting where our server Dwayne, displayed just the right amount of attentiveness but also knew how to keep distance during our discussion, while keeping the glasses topped off. Â There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a detailed business discussion and being interrupted to ask if more water is required.
Favorites when I visit are the Vegetarian Feast and Kibbe Nayyeh. Â While I have had more authentic versions of the food at the houses of friends, for restaurant fare it has always been fresh and prepared well.
I had been to Taza one or two time in the past few years for lunches with my mom and loved it, but had never really thought of it as a fun place for dinner and drinks - I was so wrong!
I'm pretty sure our server's name was Tom too, and he was great. He let us switch tables without acting inconvenienced and was super attentive and sweet to us all evening. He was conversational and fun and even brought us some baklava to apologize for a (pretty short) wait when we were first seated. Really just an all-around great server!
If you want to know about the food and drinks, read Kaitlin D.'s review, because I agree with 99% of what she said. The only things I really have to add are that I loved the entree - it was just better when I avoided the pita chips in it, and that the fries that I remember having at lunch with my mom are yummy too. And yeah, I can't not mention that amazing jibneh - it's AMAZING. It's one of those things that I won't be able to not order any time I go to Taza.
Overall, the perfect service, delicious food, and wonderful drinks and entertainment definitely caught me off guard, and I'll be frequenting Taza much more regularly after this great experience!
Fellow Yelper, Shayna R. and I were wary of coming to Taza recently because we had planned on going for some happy hour drinks at Paladar. Unfortunately, we came when everyone else wanted some happy hour drinks at Paladar and we were absolutely famished. We stumbled (our bodies were shutting down at this point--we needed food!!) down to Taza and debated going in since we were in such a Latin mood, but noticed the $4 martini sign and decided to give it a shot.
We ended up incredibly thankful that Taza advertised their Thursday special so well! What a crowded blessing in disguise our original plan became!
Unfortunately, we got seated at the quiet, hidden "date table" and felt like they were trying to hide us from the other guests--were we that sad and hungry looking?! We ended up moving a table closer to the dining area and bar to feel more like part of the group.
Our waiter, Tom (I think) was perfect! He explained the martinis to us and made sure we knew what the best-sellers were so we could make some educated decisions. I went with the Taza-tini and Shayna had the Mango-tini. Both were good, but mango won when we ordered our second round. The pita you get to start your meal is fabulous. Warm, fluffy and SO good. The dipping oil was good, too, though we didn't know what it was...I still enjoyed it!
We shared the Lebanese Jibneh (cheese!!!) and it was probably the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. The pomegranate sauce was so good that I regretted letting Tom (seriously, I'm so sorry if that wasn't his name) take the plate; I wanted to soak the rest of it up with some bread. For an entree, we shared the Shawarma Fatteh. The shawarma was some of the best meat I've ever had--it melted in your mouth and was seasoned perfectly.
We also got to hear and sit right next to the live music! So fun! And the decor was very pretty and didn't strike me as gaudy or tacky, though I really generally don't like the "garden" dining seating.
The only complaint I have is that the entree was incredibly heavy. It was overloaded with chickpeas and pita chips and not as much meat, so we ended up super full and starchy, though that was an improvement upon our state when we arrived.
I really hope they keep up the good food and service, because I *almost* feel ashamed of how quickly Taza won me over.
This place had a nice ambiance; but it's rather cramped. Â The shistawook is great; all the food is good. Â The bread is tasty, but to be honest, I wish it were pita. Â
A bit pricey, but a good place to take a date.
Also, after I ate their garlic sauce, I threw up. Â Don't worry, it wasn't at the restaurant. ;)
I think I'll stick with Aladdin's.
A friend of mine turned me on to this fantastically delicious restaurant a few years ago and it has still remained one of my favorites! Â The atmosphere is great - decorative decor without being TOO gaudy but at the same time also very inviting. Â Or if you're in the mood for a more organic environment, the patio is a great place to dine also (and personally my choice of seating).
Once seated you are offered a basket of fresh warm pita bread to nibble on while you try and decided which of the mouth watering options you will order for your meal. Â I have sampled something from each of their menu categories and have yet to be disappointed. Â I will mention that you better like garlic if you eat here because there are very few menu items that don't include it, so this isn't a great first date option or somewhere to eat if you plan on locking lips with someone later in the evening (just saying). Â But if you're looking for a relaxed atmosphere with great service, excellent food, and awesome prices then Taza is totally worthy trying!
Fresh food, good service, and good for vegheads.
There is so much good stuff here, I can't eat it alll in one setting! On a recent lunch appointment, we arrived with the bustling beachwood business and shopping crowd, and it was pretty packed by 1145.
The appetizer sampler is great. You get some baba, some hummos, some falafel, pita and i think i am forgetting something, Maybe dawali? Anyway it was all very fresh and delicious. It is an upgraded Aladdin's, and there is always one of the family there working the crowd, saying hello. I particularly like supporting a local cleveland family place that has been around forever! They care, it shows in the food.
Salads are good too. My only disappointment is not being able to get the half lentil/half chili soup that i can at Aladdin's. Gonna have to make a trip!
ps - even if you can't pronounce it, eat it. Its good!
I feel kinda bad writing this and only giving them two stars.. mostly because I'm just not a fan of this type of food and not the most adventitious  person when it comes to trying new things..
so I guess if you're a middle america type eater my review is for you! Â The menu was a bit confusing, not sure that I would have known what to get if I wasn't here with other people.
Eventually I landed on a wrap, that once it go to the table was.. well just plain. Â I could get that at subway and pay much less for it.
The staff was nice, the decor is attractive, but the food was just blah to me.
This place has some good Lebanese food. Â That's about all you need to know, but I will give you some more. Â First, the pita is incredible. Â They bake it fresh there in their stone oven. Â Sometimes it is so hot you have to be careful when it comes in the basket.
The wraps are really good. Â There is one wrap that is only a one liner on the menu- the Baba Wrap. Â Get that, it is the best one by far. Â The hummus and other wraps will satisfy, but the baba is incredible. Â The wraps come with fries automatically, which I sometimes get (with a couple extra hot sauce sides- that stuff is out of this world) or change up to the cous-cous which is chock full of herbs and very pleasant. Â
I am a salad eater, but refuse to eat any at Taza. Â For some reason the lettuce always has a woody mouth-feel to me that I just can't get over. Â I am not a huge fan of their dressings either. Â Most of the apps are good, so try and work your way around the menu a little bit. Â If you don't get a baba or hummus wrap, be sure that you order some for an appetizer. Â They are both fresh and delicious.
In the summer, it is great to sit on the patio and soak up the sun. Â The only issue is that most of the tables get blasted by direct sun, so choose carefully. Â The inside of the restaurant is always packed up, so make sure you get there with some time to spare.
My biggest complaint about Taza isn't with the restaurant itself, but the parking lot. Â I hate when I have to park in the next state because the entire lot is full. Â Again, make sure that you get there early to avoid the annoyance, particularly in bad weather.
Much like Aladdin's the food here is good. Â I especially like the appetizers and the Beef Kafta dinner. Â Everything is dressed up a bit from Aladdin's including the ambience. Â
Sometimes the tables in the middle of the restaurant can get a bit too noisy. Â In the summer, the patio is a really nice change of pace.
It is like a better Aladdin's but also higher priced. To start we got Lebanese Jibneh, which is fresh cheese with pomegranate sauce. It's supposed to be grilled but it came out cold and no sign of grill at all. The pomegranate sauce tasted like balsamic vinegar. Don't get me wrong, it was still good, but just different than what I was expecting, especially on the grilled part. I split the mixed grill which was perfect for two and the meat was cooked well. I recommend the garlic sauce (comes on the side) but beware a LOT of garlic. We kept asking for sides of the fresh warm bread on the side to eat our meal, glad to see it wasn't store bought pita.
A place that I can count on for a solid meal and nice atmosphere but not anything outstanding.
I joke that Taza is Alladin's with nice plates, but that is not really true. The food is finer and the fresh hot pitas remind me of Detroit (sorry I have never been to Lebanon).
The basics are Tabouli, Baba Ganoush and Hummus. They are all delicious and deserve to be shared by your table. If you start with the lentil soup, you will love it but it may fill you up. I rarely get the Mujadara plate, but when I do, I love it. The combination of rice, lentils and crispy onions is addictive and it makes for a nice dinner plate.
For lunch you will struggle between the rolls (Falafel & Lamb rolls kick major butt) which come with delicious spicy fries (no ketchup required - dieters may elect the healthy cous cous) and the Salads. I get the Falafel Salad because the balls are crispy on the outside and fresh on the inside. I get the house vinagrette and the tahini dressing which is rich and creamy.
What do you need to know? The Hot Sauce on the side is worth the extra 50 cents. I sometimes get a side container for home, yeah that is how I roll. The Hot sauce is the worst best kept secret in Cleveland and truly "Hot in Cleveland."
I ate here a few years ago and had a decent experience, however after this evening's experience I definitely won't be returning. Â
The food, while moderately priced, was mediocre at best. Â My friend's salad with grilled chicken was terrible. Â
Our waiter provided us with inexcusably bad service. Â After we were seated he brought menus and water straight away, pressured us to order, and when we said we needed just one minute to decide, he us for at least ten and avoided when we tried to catch his eye across the patio, something that continued to happen throughout the evening.
When I ordered I asked him to clarify the price on the different shish kabobs, I thought I'd chosen one that cost $12.95. Â Later when the check arrived, it had magically turned into a dish costing $16.95. Â When I politely asked about the price he rudely retorted, "no, you're wrong," and looked at me like I was insane for even asking about it. Â A simple apology would have been all it took to fix the situation. Â
Needlessly to say, we won't be returning. Â
Save your money! Â Go to B-Spot or Paladar which are both in the same mall.
The only Aladdin I've been to before was in San Diego and it was pretty darn good. I'm pretty positive it is the same that everyone on here is talking about. But we are not reviewing Aladdin here, we are reviewing Taza.
Mezzas we have tried:
Kibbeh Nayeh- Raw, tender beef served with raw onions, olive oil, pepper and salt. At first, we thought the meat was really spicy, but after tasting the meat by itself, it was just the onions that were spicy. Caramelized onions would be better, as it wouldn't be as spicy.
Jibneh- Yummy seared cheese drizzled with olive oil and pomegranate sauce. Jibneh is always a two thumbs up for me.
Hummus- A staple for Mediterranean food. Can't go wrong with hummus.
After our Mezza dishes, I had the shawarma plate. Lamb and beef pieces were all thinly sliced and cooked tomatoes and onions were hidden beneath a bed of seasoned fries. The shawarma plate was pretty "sour". Try it with some delicious provided bread and a side of yogurt would be helpful to balance out the sour taste of the shawarma.
Aladdins was always a fave of mine at Ohio State. Â Now with my man in Cleveland and a friend working at Taza, we stopped in for a nice outdoor dinner this past holiday weekend. Â
I was expecting a menu different from Aladdins but it was pretty similar, in fact containing my favorite meal! Â I couldnt have been happier. Â The rice is my all time favorite food. Â I tried to recreate it at home and failed terribly. Â It is amazinggggggg. Â I enjoy the shishtawook and the garlic sauce in it is stronger then strong so if you feel like kissing anyone, or even speaking to someone in the following 48 hours, take mints! Â
The pita was warm and fresh and smelled incredible. Â Hummus was eh, but my man liked it a lot. Â Of coarse the service was impeccable too! Â :)
I get to work in Cleveland infrequently but when I am here I usually have a couple weeks that I need to find different but quality food to eat. Â Taza has been mentioned to me many times and since I have yet to eat at a Lebanese restaurant, I encouraged a group outing of the same.
I am unable to name all the foods I tried, but I did not eat one bad thing.
This place is definitely worth a try. Â
I would like to go back as several tables around us ordered some delicious looking salads I want to try.
I agree with most of the other posters - this place is just an upscale version of Aladdin's. Â I expected there to be slightly more variety between the two. Â It's possible Taza has different/better entrees, since it's more of a sit-down restaurant, but I've only had mezza items. Â And they were pretty solid, but identical to Aladdin's. Â So I think I'd rather just go to Aladdin's and pay less. Â The space is gorgeous, so I guess I could see it as a good option for a date or something more formal than Aladdin's would provide.
The bread is better here. Â It's not pita bread, don't let them fool you, but it was soft and warm and delicious. Â Unfortunately I filled up on it waiting for our food. Â And since we only ordered mezza items, that's a bit disconcerting. Â The service could have been better. Â The oil spice mix with the bread was flavorless. Â Maybe they read these reviews and cut out salt entirely (which was oddly not provided on the table, I noticed). Â A surprise favorite of mine were the sausages in a cherry sauce. Â I don't remember what they were called. Â Spinach pies also quite good. Â Kibbee and grape leaves were a bit mushy, a problem I've also found at Aladdin's. Â If they fixed that, I think the flavors are pretty spot on.
All in all, I'll skip Taza for Aladdin's. Â But I understand it serves its purpose for the Eton clientele.
This is Aladdin's all dressed up and and ready to impress. Â Chalk that up to common ownership. Â However, Taza is definitely not a great fast food place-- it's a great place for a fabulous lunch.
THE FOOD: Â To start the waitress brought us a plate of zahtar, sumac and sesame seed mixed with olive oil and a little basket, covered in a napkin. Â I opened the little basket and what to my wondering eyes should appear? Â Four miniture pita, still hot, my dear. Sorry, I was Christmas shopping.
This is not the very flat pita you get at Aladdin's or Jasmine's bakery for shwarma-- it is ever so slightly breadier (not a bun, though like Father Sam's). Â It definitely shows the French influence on Lebanese cuisine. Â Since we ordered hummous as an appetizer, we got a batch straight out of the oven. Â The hummous was smooth, dense and creamy. Â
My daughter's mujedrah (Yes, I have 6 year old who orders mujedrah-- she was not interested in the very nice children's menu.) was not mushy in the least, and well seasoned with onion and cinnamon. Â The Lebanese salata on top -- tomatoes and cucumbers seasoned with sumac dressing-- was a bright counterpoint to the smokiness of the lenitls. Â And yes, they have those awesome banana-honey smoothies. Â
My shwarma was divine-- a perfect blend  of finely shreaded meat, allspice, cinnamon and garlic.  My only complaint is that it was a little oily-- though not enough to stop me from cleaning my plate.  I asked for bulgur pilaf instead of fries.  Was that a good choice!!!  The pilaf was at once smokey, complex, lightly spiced and lightly buttery.  It was spiked with chick peas and carrots.  Lordy!
Mon cher's shish tawook was well marinated and grilled so that it was nicely charred on the outside and juicy on the inside.
THE ATMOSPHERE: Â It is a very pretty space-- exotic without being kitschy. Â It is a soaring space, decorated in shades of rich amber and golden glass. Â There are lush curtains and ancient looking vases. Â The open kitchen lends an air of comfort and coziness to the place.
THE SERVICE: Â Our waitress was very sweet and helpful, paying special attention to my daughter to make sure she had what she needed. Â (It wouldn't be a Lebanese restaurant if they did not welcome children with open arms.) Â She even snagged some fresh pita as it came out of the oven for us! Â The owner was gracious and charming.
NB: Â I have only been here once for lunch.
You call this Lebanese?
Now I may be picky when it comes to falafel. It is a favorite of mine but this place had more problems than just overcooked falafel.
We were sat at a table where you could see the oven and the pita. Well I found the gas open air oven laughable and the pita. . .way too leavened. After we had ordered the waitress brought some of the not so great pita and this oil spice mix. The oil spice mix was WAY TOO SALTY.
Our food did come fast which was a pleasant surprise. Though the food was disappointing. My falafel was so over cooked. The exterior was nearly black while the middle was like paste. eww. The 2 dressings that came with the salad were nothing special. The tahini was exactly what you get at Aladins, and the lemon dressing just tasted like lemon infused olive oil. . .only more greasy. I don't know what my date had nor could I care much less after watching him check out every girl that walked by. Â But I will say this french fries under no circumstance are Lebanese.
After the horrid date I had had I was more horrified with the wait to get the check. OVER 20 MINUTES!! way too long for it being nearly empty.
Don't miss
Um the chairs were nice. . .
Hit or miss
Service
Avoid Like the plague:
This place
On a final note I can't believe how many people thought this place was good. Honestly if you want good middle eastern food go to Kan Zaman your money will be better spent.
I spent a year in Cleveland, and Taza was one of the first restaurants I tried...through it all, it remained my favorite.
I am not one to put much stock into atmosphere (unless it is obnoxiously bad), but the open-air design of Taza works very well. You are not sitting on top of other diners so privacy is not an issue, and when the place is full (which was fairly often), the room takes on a warm, family-type vibe. Outdoor seating is available, too (in season, of course). Everyone from the host to the servers were extremely friendly, and it wasn't long until we had our "regular" table and server every time we went.
Of course, none of this matters if the food is not up to par, and thankfully it is fantastic. Soups and appetizers are flavorful and generous (I'm not sure how I lived this long without kibbe), and the main dinner entrees offer more than enough food. I was never once let down by either the fresness or quality, and I came here once a week, at a minimum. If you have never tried Lebanese food, you are missing out...a new world of flavor awaits you. Fish, meat, vegetables...you can't lose. Specialty drinks are offered, as well as the "normal" stuff from the full bar. One downside...the blender at the bar can be a bit noisy, as there is nothing but a few feet of air between it and the tables. A minor quibble but worth pointing out.
As another poster mentioned, you will be thirsty during your meal. The open fire no doubt contributes, and I imagine the spices in the dishes may factor in as well. Thankfully, your glass will never be empty for very long.
Taza will be sorely missed now that I have left Cleveland, and should I ever return to the area, it will be my first stop. You can get Lebanese food cheaper elsewhere, but if you want the "full package", this is it.
I like Taza but I don't see how it is that different than Aladdin's other than having slightly nicer decor & higher prices.
The food is incredibly similar to Aladdin's. The open fire tandoor oven is part of the dining room and adds a nice ambience and some fire roasted dishes, but but has the effect of making the air very very dry, so much that the whole time we were there I wanted to beg every server that passed to please bring more water (honestly, I can't remember the last time I was thirsty, my throat almost hurt and the same for my dinner companion).
The meal was very good. It is a little challenging to eat at the table at this restaurant are very small, but each meal involves many small plates (a small place of sauces, of olives, of bread, etc) as well as candles, silverware and glasses, it was really hard to manuever without knocking something off the table.
The portions are larger than Aladdin's, but for similar food I think I would just go there instead. Of course Taza would be better for a dinner date as it is a bit more upscale.
Excellent food. Â This restaurant is the more upscale sister of Aladdin's, both owned by the same person. Â While Aladdin's is cheaper, the quality of the food at Taza Grill surpasses Aladdin's by leaps and bounds. Â I had the chicken Fatteh, a grilled chicken dish with chickpeas, toasted pita, and a tahini-type sauce. Â The chicken was very juicy and tender, and even the chickpeas were by far the best I've had, definitely not from a can. Â Even their "bread"- small pitas served with olives, sesame-oil, and a yogurt sauce, was incredibly good. Â
They were very accommodating when I made reservations for a large group, even though I had to change the number of people coming a couple times. Â
Save room for dessert too, because their strawberry cassata cake is so tasty!
Dinner:
Chicken Fatteh $14.95
Strawberry Cassata cake: $5.50
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