This company goes above and beyond to treat their guests as family. Embodies true Arab culture. Their desserts and drinks are extremely good as is their food. Great hang out spot. I'd recommend everyone to go here more.
MJ M.
Excellent food and service! The lamb tagine fell off the bone and the Yemeni Kabsah was the best I have ever had. Very traditional. No need for knifes because the meat is so tender and flavorful. Lovely family business that caters to patrons like they are part of the family; dining experience was as comfortable as if dining at home with loved ones.
Ashley H.
Good good but slow service and insane service/credit card fees. We came here on a Sunday for lunch, there were only two other tables there and yet service was pretty slow which our group didn't mind too much since we were catching up. I ordered the chicken shwarma platter which I really enjoyed! The portion was really big and I had enough to eat for the next day.The thing I really did NOT like about this place was the amount of fees they tack onto your bill. There is a default 20% service charge for groups of 3 or more (side not why the number 3??? random). This was not relayed to the group before paying the bill, thus I tipped on top of this which I was not super happy about as the service sucked. When I brought this point up to management, the owner of the restaurant showed me the menu on which the very back of it in tiny font it stated the service charge. Who reads the very back of the menu that does not have any items on it? Definitely felt like they were trying to hide that. When pressed about the difference between service charge and tip, the owner said that service charge goes to the whole restaurant staff meanwhile tip goes directly to the server. There is also a 5% credit charge added. All in all our drinks and food came to around ~$60 and our total was over $100, meaning they added more than $40 of charges. Will certainly not be returning after getting gypped.
Ahmed Rana
Best of best , delicious ? food ? and great ? hospitality.Everyone is friendly and they open late ⏰ and plus they have hookah .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Esha Z.
I've been here twice - the first time I came when the new hookah room opened up and they had a ladies night on a weekday to promote it (august 2023). Service was really slow but they did come to check in you and converse which I appreciated. Dessert was delicious. I dined in Monday night in the main dining area, got there at 7:15 and the place got busy around 8. The service is insanely slow - I ordered a chicken Mandi and a mint lemonade. He remembered I had a mint lemonade yet never came back with it lolll so no drink. 45 min wait after you order isn't acceptable, especially when drinks aren't even brought out. Then when asking for takeout boxes we had to wait a while at the payment counter and no one was addressing us bc they were busy. I wanted to go to the hookah room and grab dessert after as well but was unable to since it was already 9:15pm and I wanted to get home. The food was delicious and seasoned well, however service is not great - I would rather come during the day when I can waste a few hours and not care how long things take, or just do carry out and take the food to-do ; do not recommend dine-in.FYI - parking isn't great but it's like that for most places nearby in that area. Also, they automatically add in a fee (grateful he told us so I didn't have to give extra tip - this brought my total for one order of chicken Mandi out to $27 ... for one entree and no drink bc it was forgotten lol).
Mohammad Zaghari
Amazing service, great food and atmosphere! Knaffa was na3maa, you will want to get it. The hookah was also great!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mohamed A.
Great food and amazing staff. Everyone was so warm and welcoming. Farah was so friendly, helpful with the biggest smile. The food was very authentic. We tried the lamb haneez, lamb mandi, and chicken mandi. All were so tasty. The baba ghanoush was just perfect. I highly recommend this place.
M K.
I rarely leave reviews, but my experience at Balqees Restaurant was so below par that I felt compelled to share. I had high hopes given the unique blend of Yemeni and Lebanese cuisines, but unfortunately, the restaurant fell short in multiple areas.First, Service: Right from the start, the service was lackluster. We waited for over 20 minutes before anyone acknowledged our presence, even though the restaurant was not particularly busy. When we finally got a table, our server seemed disinterested and barely paid any attention to our needs.Second, Food Quality: The dishes we ordered lacked the authentic flavors one would expect from such a specialized cuisine. The meat in the mandi was overcooked and dry, while the tabbouleh had an off-taste, as if some ingredients were past their prime.Third, Cleanliness: The dining area had a sticky floor, and I noticed several tables that remained uncleared for the duration of our stay. This raised concerns about the overall hygiene standards of the establishment.Fourth, Value for Money: Given the quality of food and service, the prices were unjustifiably high. I've dined at many other establishments offering similar cuisines, and they provided much better value for the price.In conclusion, while I wanted to love Balqees Restaurant for its unique culinary promise, the reality was a far cry from expectations. I would advise potential diners to consider other options before deciding to spend their hard-earned money here.
sara s
The guy who is setting in the front desk charged us 20% for service without telling us,and we couldn't know because he said he was out of paper and he didn't print us the receipt. Then we generously paid an extra 20% for the service not knowing that a 20% already included in the check we ended up paying 40% for service and I don't mind it if the service was great unfortunately the service was very slow, and there was a lot of flies we couldn't enjoy our food. Sorry not coming again!
Hosted my nieces annual girls day here. They loved the floral decor and gorgeous desserts. The food is delicious. Fun vibes and home- like Arabic food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aziza Khan
The LOOK: When you first walk into Balqees it has a very mom & pop vibe but they actually have a really nice back room and covered patio that is definitely a vibe and well decorated. The FOOD: Was sooo good and well flavored. My friend and I shared the Lamb Haneeth which came with a refreshing salad and the milk cakes were to die for and went well with the pot of black tea with mint we ordered. The HOOKAH: It was decently packed, smooth, clean and with good flavor. Decent Hookah brand and flavor selection as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Bowers
I recently dined at this Middle Eastern restaurant and had an incredible experience worth sharing. While the service was a tad slow, it's a common trait in good Middle Eastern establishments, so I didn't mind. Our order included the appetizer platter, breakfast platter, chicken Shawarma, and refreshing mint lemonade. Although the hummus and falafel overlapped between the platters, every dish was amazing, and we savored every bite. I'm eager to return and explore more of their diverse menu, especially their hookah offerings. The food was truly authentic, accompanied by fantastic music that added to the overall experience. Additionally, the artwork showcased throughout the venue was truly remarkable. I’m looking forward to returning and trying the sheesha.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Nina D.
Upon arrival, parking was very difficult and cars were double parked. Confused about the entrance and entered through the outside patio. Although we were greeted right away, he asked how many and he sat us right away outside at a fire pit. The fire pit was not ideal at all to eat a meal at. It was dirty and they didn't wipe it until after our food came out.Initially came to eat inside in the dessert room but the pictures on IG don't even match. Bathrooms are one stall and kinda blocked off by storage. It was also dirty. Never checked on us and had to call waiter over to order and when we wanted our check. Milk cakes were good. We got the dessert platter of the cheesecake, fruit pebble, pistachio, and Nutella. They came out and then someone came over and added the liquid dropper into two of them afterwards. As we were leaving, got in the car started bucking the little one in and a lady that was heading to this restaurant started honking out horn to hurry so she could take out parking spot. Gave one star because of the milk cakes being descent.
This company goes above and beyond to treat their guests as family. Embodies true Arab culture. Their desserts and drinks are extremely good as is their food. Great hang out spot. I'd recommend everyone to go here more.
Excellent food and service! The lamb tagine fell off the bone and the Yemeni Kabsah was the best I have ever had. Very traditional. No need for knifes because the meat is so tender and flavorful. Lovely family business that caters to patrons like they are part of the family; dining experience was as comfortable as if dining at home with loved ones.
Good good but slow service and insane service/credit card fees. We came here on a Sunday for lunch, there were only two other tables there and yet service was pretty slow which our group didn't mind too much since we were catching up. I ordered the chicken shwarma platter which I really enjoyed! The portion was really big and I had enough to eat for the next day.The thing I really did NOT like about this place was the amount of fees they tack onto your bill. There is a default 20% service charge for groups of 3 or more (side not why the number 3??? random). This was not relayed to the group before paying the bill, thus I tipped on top of this which I was not super happy about as the service sucked. When I brought this point up to management, the owner of the restaurant showed me the menu on which the very back of it in tiny font it stated the service charge. Who reads the very back of the menu that does not have any items on it? Definitely felt like they were trying to hide that. When pressed about the difference between service charge and tip, the owner said that service charge goes to the whole restaurant staff meanwhile tip goes directly to the server. There is also a 5% credit charge added. All in all our drinks and food came to around ~$60 and our total was over $100, meaning they added more than $40 of charges. Will certainly not be returning after getting gypped.
Best of best , delicious ? food ? and great ? hospitality.Everyone is friendly and they open late ⏰ and plus they have hookah .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I've been here twice - the first time I came when the new hookah room opened up and they had a ladies night on a weekday to promote it (august 2023). Service was really slow but they did come to check in you and converse which I appreciated. Dessert was delicious. I dined in Monday night in the main dining area, got there at 7:15 and the place got busy around 8. The service is insanely slow - I ordered a chicken Mandi and a mint lemonade. He remembered I had a mint lemonade yet never came back with it lolll so no drink. 45 min wait after you order isn't acceptable, especially when drinks aren't even brought out. Then when asking for takeout boxes we had to wait a while at the payment counter and no one was addressing us bc they were busy. I wanted to go to the hookah room and grab dessert after as well but was unable to since it was already 9:15pm and I wanted to get home. The food was delicious and seasoned well, however service is not great - I would rather come during the day when I can waste a few hours and not care how long things take, or just do carry out and take the food to-do ; do not recommend dine-in.FYI - parking isn't great but it's like that for most places nearby in that area. Also, they automatically add in a fee (grateful he told us so I didn't have to give extra tip - this brought my total for one order of chicken Mandi out to $27 ... for one entree and no drink bc it was forgotten lol).
Amazing service, great food and atmosphere! Knaffa was na3maa, you will want to get it. The hookah was also great!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food and amazing staff. Everyone was so warm and welcoming. Farah was so friendly, helpful with the biggest smile. The food was very authentic. We tried the lamb haneez, lamb mandi, and chicken mandi. All were so tasty. The baba ghanoush was just perfect. I highly recommend this place.
I rarely leave reviews, but my experience at Balqees Restaurant was so below par that I felt compelled to share. I had high hopes given the unique blend of Yemeni and Lebanese cuisines, but unfortunately, the restaurant fell short in multiple areas.First, Service: Right from the start, the service was lackluster. We waited for over 20 minutes before anyone acknowledged our presence, even though the restaurant was not particularly busy. When we finally got a table, our server seemed disinterested and barely paid any attention to our needs.Second, Food Quality: The dishes we ordered lacked the authentic flavors one would expect from such a specialized cuisine. The meat in the mandi was overcooked and dry, while the tabbouleh had an off-taste, as if some ingredients were past their prime.Third, Cleanliness: The dining area had a sticky floor, and I noticed several tables that remained uncleared for the duration of our stay. This raised concerns about the overall hygiene standards of the establishment.Fourth, Value for Money: Given the quality of food and service, the prices were unjustifiably high. I've dined at many other establishments offering similar cuisines, and they provided much better value for the price.In conclusion, while I wanted to love Balqees Restaurant for its unique culinary promise, the reality was a far cry from expectations. I would advise potential diners to consider other options before deciding to spend their hard-earned money here.
The guy who is setting in the front desk charged us 20% for service without telling us,and we couldn't know because he said he was out of paper and he didn't print us the receipt. Then we generously paid an extra 20% for the service not knowing that a 20% already included in the check we ended up paying 40% for service and I don't mind it if the service was great unfortunately the service was very slow, and there was a lot of flies we couldn't enjoy our food. Sorry not coming again!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Dietary restrictions: Halal
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Great food!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Hosted my nieces annual girls day here. They loved the floral decor and gorgeous desserts. The food is delicious. Fun vibes and home- like Arabic food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The LOOK: When you first walk into Balqees it has a very mom & pop vibe but they actually have a really nice back room and covered patio that is definitely a vibe and well decorated. The FOOD: Was sooo good and well flavored. My friend and I shared the Lamb Haneeth which came with a refreshing salad and the milk cakes were to die for and went well with the pot of black tea with mint we ordered. The HOOKAH: It was decently packed, smooth, clean and with good flavor. Decent Hookah brand and flavor selection as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I recently dined at this Middle Eastern restaurant and had an incredible experience worth sharing. While the service was a tad slow, it's a common trait in good Middle Eastern establishments, so I didn't mind. Our order included the appetizer platter, breakfast platter, chicken Shawarma, and refreshing mint lemonade. Although the hummus and falafel overlapped between the platters, every dish was amazing, and we savored every bite. I'm eager to return and explore more of their diverse menu, especially their hookah offerings. The food was truly authentic, accompanied by fantastic music that added to the overall experience. Additionally, the artwork showcased throughout the venue was truly remarkable. I’m looking forward to returning and trying the sheesha.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Upon arrival, parking was very difficult and cars were double parked. Confused about the entrance and entered through the outside patio. Although we were greeted right away, he asked how many and he sat us right away outside at a fire pit. The fire pit was not ideal at all to eat a meal at. It was dirty and they didn't wipe it until after our food came out.Initially came to eat inside in the dessert room but the pictures on IG don't even match. Bathrooms are one stall and kinda blocked off by storage. It was also dirty. Never checked on us and had to call waiter over to order and when we wanted our check. Milk cakes were good. We got the dessert platter of the cheesecake, fruit pebble, pistachio, and Nutella. They came out and then someone came over and added the liquid dropper into two of them afterwards. As we were leaving, got in the car started bucking the little one in and a lady that was heading to this restaurant started honking out horn to hurry so she could take out parking spot. Gave one star because of the milk cakes being descent.