Kafi BBQ is a Texas style BBQ joint in Irving-Valley Ranch which serves up Halal Wagyu Brisket with…read moreIraqi/Middle Eastern influences. I follow the chef/owner on Instagram (@kafibbq), and the amount of effort and detail he puts into his craft has resulted in multiple return visits for me. This review is for my latest visit. My Overall Rating - 5 Stars (Atmosphere, Service, Food, Return) Atmosphere - Kafi BBQ can be found in a shopping strip in Irving-Valley Ranch. Only opened Friday - Sunday, on my most recent Sunday visit around dinner time, Kafi was packed. The patrons were a great mix of families, BBQ lovers, and those looking for high quality Halal meats. Smoke was in the air. 1 Star. Service - The staff is super friendly and nice. Pro Tip - Go for lunch or before 6 before items are sold out. A few items were sold out on my most recent visit (my fault I arrived at 6:45) and the staff weren't aware of what was available, leading to some confusion, but they were so nice it didn't impact my meal. 1 Star. Food - By now, you've probably read or heard about Kafi's Wagyu Brisket. For me, I love following @kafibbq on Instagram so I can see what Salahodeen is cooking up. On this visit, it was the Brisket Sandwich. First off, the house baked bread roll is soft, but firm enough to hold Kafi's famous brisket on a pile of home made cole slaw and pickles. The result was one of the best BBQ sandwiches I've eaten. The bite was soft, smokey, crunchy, and tart (from the pickles). It was a special, and I'm not sure if Kafi will keep this on the menu, but I hope they do. 2 Stars. Will I Return? - Yes. It's pricey, but it's worth it. While the brisket is great, I suggest you follow them on Instagram to see what's cooking and plan your visit around the specialty items. 1 Star.

This is the absolute best barbecue joint with slow cooked and smoked meats!…read morethe service is authentic and staff is very friendly. The ambiance is very nice texas barbecue joint type. I would recommend this place for all halal food lovers a must watch!

Ordered To-Go on a Sunday around noon. There were only about 2 families in the restaurant when I…read moreentered the relatively spacious restaurant. I definitely enjoyed the ambiance and feel of the space. I ordered the Unda Chicken Roll, and I was NOT disappointed. So flavorful, perfect amount of crispy, and the sauce (I believe Chutney) that came with it was amazing. I definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a quick, relatively unique bite in Downtown Dallas.

I've never been here before, but it's right across the street from Monarch and Catbird which I have…read morevisited many times so I was pleasantly surprised and excited to try this place out. It was a great experience for a quick bite that was reasonably priced as well. My friends and I ordered the chicken tikka roll and the masala fries. I really enjoyed the fries (addicting) as they had the perfect spice blend coating them. The Kati roll itself is excellent and really hits the spot with a nice flavor and spice profile. The chicken breast is grilled in a skewer and marinated with spices and Indian yogurt. There's also chutney you can add to the rolls if you'd like. They offer a selection of beer, Indian (i.e. Limca and Thumbs Up), and American soft drinks for purchase. I would definitely visit this spot again!

If I could rate it higher, I would! One of the best dinners I've had in my life! We got the chicken…read morekabobs, baba ghanoush, grilled veggies, saffron rice, pita, and baklava. Every single dish was PERFECTLY cooked and seasoned. The chicken and veggies were seasoned with just enough spices where it had a slight kick, but not overpowering at all. A perfect balance to bring out the natural flavors of each item. The pita was perfection! Soft and warm, with a slight char on some of the pieces, which added such a beautiful bite with the hummus. Speaking of hummus, the Izmir hummus was silky smooth and incredible. I've had a lot of restaurant hummus and this one was MILES in ahead of them. It also paired beautifully with all of the other items. A flawless base. I cannot wait to come back here! Marcelo was an amazing waiter and even gave us recommendations for next time.

I decided to take my girl to Cafe Izmir for Valentine's Day dinner. Best decision ever!…read more From the minute you walk in you're treated like family, everyone is so friendly. The Valentine's Day decorations were so cute and definitely added to the vibe. The food is always so good! They've added a few new items to the menu, don't skip the Burrata or the Chicken meatballs. I'm not usually a desert eater, but their Tiramisu is to die for! The service is spot on, as if they anticipate your needs, but not intrusive. On the way out they give the ladies a rose, a nice touch. I see why this place has become the beloved Dallas institution it is. I can't wait to go back!

Food was so tasty & service was incredible. The falafel was so crispy and fried to perfection! We…read morestopped in the afternoon & there was no wait. The hummus needed more flavor, but was overall good. The beef shawarma plate, omg!, so so good. The rice was what rice dreams are made of. Wouldn't hesitate to return!

Always our option for a late night bite of great food!…read more Whenever we are off of work late, this is the spot! Usually service is great and friendly. Just double check at paying to make sure that autograt hasn't been added already. He mentioned leaving tip to my partner and my partner pointed out that he already had added the grat. Outside of that, always a great option!

My husband and I hosted our rehersal dinner on the top floor of The Mayor's House on a Sunday…read moreevening in April, with a final guest count of 75--and it was truly perfect. We initially discovered the restaurant back in January when we dined there and immediately fell in love with the food, service, and atmosphere. That same night, we inquired about hosting a larger event (around 80 guests) and secured our April date with a deposit. From the very beginning, working with Jenna, the manager, was seamless. We communicated though text, which made planning easy and stress-free. Jenna curated a limited menu for our guests featuring popular dishes she personally recommended--chicken, beef, lamb, and vegetarian options--which made ordering simple while still offering great variety. She was also incredibly flexible with seating arrangements and accommodated exactly how I wanted guests placed. One detail I especially appreciated was her willingness to honor special requests--she arranged for a tres leches cake from a local bakery for dessert, which was a huge hit. On the day of the event, Jenna met me an hour early so I could set up extra decorations like flowers, a banner, and place cards. That extra time made a big difference and helped everything feel personal and organized. As guests arrived, we had them go directly to their assigned seats--which I highly recommend for a group this size, as it fills up quickly. The staff immediately began service with starters (hummus, salad, and bread), and they were quick to take both food and drink orders. Everything came out promptly, and the service throughout the evening was incredibly attentive and responsive. Every single guest had something positive to say about their meal and dessert, which says a lot when hosting a group this large. After dinner, the staff cleared tables efficiently, and we were able to enjoy the balcony space--an absolute highlight. It provided the perfect backdrop for photos with family, overlooking the Dallas skyline. At the end of the night, Jenna checked in with us to debrief, mentioning that the assigned seating helped her team provide faster, smoother service--which we definitely noticed. Not only did we have an amazing event, but we also felt like we built a genuine connection with her. She struck the perfect balance of being both professional and personable.

Not sure what to order just ask for the servers recommendations and I guarantee everything will be…read moreamazing! Everything is good and the hookah is very clean and fresh. Will def be my summer time spot

Pretty extensive menu with some pretty interesting looking burgers!!…read more I got the Hot Bastard and sweet potato fries. I just got the burger as it came, it seemed like it would be good as is. And it was! Had a spicy kick as you'd expect. It was very busy when I was there so there was a bit of a wait for orders to be taken and for the food to come out however, again, it was pretty packed so I'm not gonna begrudge anyone some delays when things are busy. I sat outside as it was a nice evening albeit slightly chilly and I didn't have a sweatshirt or jacket but that's my own fault. I'd definitely go again but I would also definitely get something other than the Hot Bastard - not because there was anything wrong with the Hot Bastard it's just the are so many good looking burgers on the menu I want to diversify!!!

Nut allergy friendly: I had no issues here!…read more Arrived around 7:20 PM on a Thursday night and it was packed! They seemed to have a good amount of parking but thankfully it was walking distance away from my hotel. Order-to-Entree: 17 Minutes I easily found a table for two and there's ample indoor and outdoor seating. We got our beers pretty quickly, and our main courses came decently quickly as well. The burger was juicy and the sweet potato fries were solid. They've got an amazing diverse burger menu and I can see why it's a local favorite. Would definitely come back again.

I made a reservation through Resy to have an early dinner here. Only a countertop was available, so…read morewe had dinner earlier and got a standard table. It was easy to find; we did get dropped off, so I'm not sure about parking. Upon walking in, we were greeted and shown right away to our seats. It didn't really get full the 2 hours we were there, so I'm not sure why only the countertop was available when trying to make a reservation. Also, I noticed the dress code wasn't really enforced, as the website and text stated. Moving on, our server, Alberto, was very nice. The food was delicious, and the drinks were pretty good. The only issue I kept having was the flies, followed by mosquitoes, which made it a bit uncomfortable, at least for me.

Honestly don't come here. They're set to close in August and it's gone so far downhill…read more Bar doesn't have the crudite (veggie starter) included anymore. They served me a filet smaller than I ordered. Renovation doesn't look good lol It was empty at 8pm on a Friday night.

Very good service. Very good food. It did not take us long to get seated. The server was there…read morequickly to take our order. They brew their beers in house and they are very good. I would try the Dopplebock. They have good Thai tea and other drinks that are so good. The sticky rice amuse bûche is actually quite tasty. The pineapple fried rice is really good. You can tell they use fresh pineapple versus canned pineapples. The drunken noodles were absolutely amazing, it will probably be the thing I get next time I'm there. A friend of mine got the Seabass noodle dish, but didn't love it. They offered to give her drunken noodles to take home and didn't charge us for the Seabass, which was kind. The restaurant and servers in general are just very accommodating and made sure that everyone was taken care of. And if you have room for dessert, please get the mango sticky rice. Theirs is so fresh and delicious and you should save room!

Thai Eggs Benedict, Spring Rolls, Imperial Rolls…read more Never tried the brunch menu here, and it was such a fun one to try! The Thai eggs Benedict were so tasty and fun with the coconut biscuit! Such an interesting twist on eggs Benedict with great Thai flavors. The spring rolls and imperial rolls were yummy too

Great dive spot with quick service. The gyro bowl and hummus were great. Perfect spot for a quick…read morelunch

Parked behind the building to quickly pick up some food and the lot was charging $20…read more I didn't pay since I was only there to pick up food (25 minutes), but I still got hit with a scammy $95 ticket from the parking company I know it's not the restaurant's fault, but this whole situation made the experience way worse. The food itself was only about 3 stars for me, I got the mixed bowl with some fries (very bland and hard), maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. Either way, it definitely wasn't worth all the hassle

Beautiful Steakhouse and great service! Everything we ordered was delicious and our server was…read moreawesome! One of the best Steakhouses in Dallas!

Excellent service, outrageously delicious food, and a super-quaint spot for a chill Thursday night…read moredinner!! It's clean and inviting, extensive cocktail menu, and all the seafood and steak you are looking for. We'll be back!!