Picked up some great food for dinner!!! The flavors were great as were the portion sizes. We tried a combination of things again some new and some tried and true. My sis and I are fans of falafel. The plate came with a bit of hummus but we ordered more separately and are so glad we did! The hummus tasted so good we couldn't stop eating it! They put a little sumac in it and the tweak in the taste really grabbed all of us. Mom liked the falafel so much she wanted to understand what all was in it! We decided to try the fish fahsah and wow were we glad we did! We all agreed this is a must have on the menu for us, though we also want to try the lam version. It had such an incredible combination of flavors! We always like the kabobs and went for the chicken again. The plate includes chicken, rice, pickled vegetables and yogurt. We ordered to go, service as always was great. read more

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Looking for some good Mediterranean food just north of Memphis? Look no further! Balqees is a little hole in the wall restaurant in the back of (not the nicest) shopping complex but don't let that deter you. Lots of options for parking and you can do a little shopping if you need any of the other shops in the complex! Service is great, the staff was very friendly. I was offered complimentary hot tea upon arrival and even got complimentary lamb broth soup and a small (but delicious!) salad with cucumber, lettuce, tomato with my entree. My first time there I ordered the half grilled chicken plate and hummus. The hummus arrived first and was beautifully plated and came with a huge piece of homemade and FRESH bread. Hummus was delicious and the bread was warm and cozy. The half chicken plate came out and let me tell you, I ate that food for the next three days. It was just little ol' me with a giant half chicken, probably a pint of rice, and a salad of veggies. It was soooooooo good. I love taking a bite of hummus with some rice and some chicken. It makes my heart happy. The next time I went I ordered the chicken kabob plate to try to scale it down. The kabob plate didn't come with the soup and salad, but that was okay because it was still a ton of food! Ten pieces of grilled chicken, a huge serving of rice, and some veggies on the side. I can't wait to eat it for the next few days. This place is easy, right off Perkins exit of the 40, lots of parking, and you can sit by yourself and have a nice long lunch. It's not the most aesthetically pleasing place on the inside, but when the food tastes like it does it doesn't even matter. Bonus it's right next to a cozy Yemeni coffee shop and a Mediterranean grocery store. read more

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This is a hidden gem. It sits in the corner of the shopping center, so pay attention or you will miss it. This no frills establishment offers jam packed flavor in their dishes. We had the mango smoothie, hot tea, half chicken, and lamb humus. The portions are plentiful. We had leftovers. Honestly, we could have split one dish and would have been more than fine. This is a new fan favorite! read more

This is definitely going on my list of good middle eastern cuisine! My husband and I shared the lamb & hummus appetizer and the chicken shawarma wrap, and we left full. While the chicken shawarma didn't impress me with its flavor, the lamb and hummus app was incredible! It came with giant pieces of fresh bread. They also offer free hot spiced tea that was delicious. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because we waited about 40 minutes for our food, and we were the only customers at that time. read more

Balqees Restaurant & Grill - Lamb and hummus - Sandwiches Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Food was fresh and delicious, and service was amazing. In addition to the combination plate we had the chicken adgdah--more than enough food for 2 people. They offered complimentary hot tea and the meal started with hot soup which was spicy and flavorful. Highly recommend! read more

Balqees Restaurant & Grill - Combination Plate - Sandwiches Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Would probably never have come to this (Sorry mid-east food lovers - it's just not high on my list), but it was convenient to where our party of 5 were one night last week. We ordered mostly appetizers to share - Hummus, Foul (Fava Beans*), Falafel Plate - but also had the Chicken Biryani and Lamb Chops Plate. I loved the lamb (had 1 leftover and it seemed even better the next day). Everyone else enjoyed what they ate. We also had complimentary cups of Lamb soup! 3 of our 4 adults liked that, including my wife - who was surprised at the non-gamey taste. In fact, I more than liked this, finishing the 4th adults bowl. I recommend you try this. We took some desserts (Baklava - I prefer Grecian versions); Small Kunafa (wheat 'cake' filled with I think cream cheese - interesting, but not my thing). Service was very good - friendly and efficient. * - One of our party had spent some time in Yemen, and this brought back fond memories of having this as a daily staple) read more

Portions were smaller, keep in mind if you want rice to request in addition. HOWEVER food was really good, it was so nice of them to still provide food and service since they were about to close for day due to Ramadan. Felt like a cozy space and good for takeout. read more

This Yemeni restaurant is incredible. The fattoush is the best salad ever. The haneeth, the biryani, the lamb. All top notch. It's my new favorite Mediterranean place. read more

Very chill & friendly atmosphere. The lamb gyro and lamb kabob sandwich was absolutely delicious! I recommend the spicy sauce on the side for dipping! read more

Balqees Restaurant & Grill - Lamb gyro sandwich with hummus and veggies - Sandwiches Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Loved the tea. Loved the seasoning on each dish. The bone broth was delicious and our server was attentive.

My favorite is lamb fahsah 10/10. My boyfriend got the combination plate and his was good as well. Service was very nice and ambiance was relaxing. Definitely gonna keep coming here again in the future read more

Balqees Restaurant & Grill - a wooden table with plates of food - Sandwiches Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

We found this place when we set out to find somewhere interesting to eat on Summer Ave. We ordered hummus and mixed grill. The hummus arrived with freshly cooked flatbread, still hot from the oven. Hummus itself was great; with puréed chickpeas with puddles of olive oil. The mixed grill was a feast of grilled lamb chops, chicken & lamb kebab seasoned well and with a hint of char from the grill. It came with a huge platter of aromatic rice infused with spices. The space itself is unremarkable & it seemed like more of a carryout place. But, the food is spectacular. Highly recommend. read more

Balqees Restaurant & Grill - Mixed grill with rice. - Sandwiches Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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This restaurant caught my eye when I was visiting a coffee shop next door. The atmosphere is a bit hole in the wall but the food was great! The service was fast and friendly! We got the hummus and a huge piece of pita along with the chicken kabob wrap. Very excited to go back and try more! read more

This place has now morphed to one of three (that I know of) Yemeni Restaurants in Memphis area. That is a glorious change to the constantly evolving global food scene in Memphis. Let's celebrate these owners and chefs bringing us their delectable cuisines! The place seems to be undergoing some renovation and format changes. Perhaps, addition of hookah floors on one side? Young lady was running the front of the house. If you are coming for the first-time and have little to no knowledge of Yemeni food, I recommend doing some initial research. They have a lot of items, but the menu is of little help. Young lady has some understanding of the food, but also had a hard time articulating the key differences and uniqueness of the dishes. For appetizers, we ordered the falafel with hummus. We were initially served a lamb broth - outstanding flavor. Would be amazing on a fall or winter day! While flavor was great, we felt the Falafel are maybe pre-made with half the portion still with a frozen core. Mains we had the Fish Fahsah, Chicken w/Molokhya, and the Lamb Haneeth. The fish is served in a clay bowl, that's piping hot. Think tuna salad texture in a tomato-peppers base. Great stuff. The molokhya is a leafy green - think collard greens but chopped very fine, and with a slight slimy texture. The dish was great, and I would put it into the adventurous category if one is willing to go past the texture. The haneeth was standard - served with some great rice. All in all, it was a good experience and recommend as a place to expand your Northern African culinary horizons!! read more

Have had the $4.99 lunch "sandwich" special twice. Shawarma and the gyros. Both were excellent and well worth the $4.99!! Recommend asking for extra "white" sauce. Usually request Tzatziki sauce with gyros but that request elicited a puzzled look, but the white sauce is excellent. Highly recommend this place. Both times I was the only customer so it would be nice if more people frequented the place. Oddly, saw a new take-out menu where the address is the same but name appears to now be "Arsh Bilqes" - a strange name but actually describes the Throne of the Queen of Sheba archaeological site in Ma'rib, Yemen. Everything appears to be the same menu wise but with higher prices - understandable given the challenges facing restaurants now. HOWEVER, as of 09-15-21, Owner Mohammed only charged me the lunch price still listed on the window and on the older menu: $4.99!! read more

Hidden away in a tiny strip mall, I stumbled across this place by accident trying to get sushi next door. Let's just say I'm definitely glad I stopped by. Extremely authentic food. I went with soup, salad, baba ganoush, and a combination platter of chicken, rice, what I believe to be kofta, and some type of doner. Great experience and will definitely be back. read more

Balqees Restaurant & Grill - House soup and salad - Sandwiches Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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We enjoyed this our first time- this time it was not eatable at all's. Zero flavor- Biryani only thing good was chicken was tender -but flavorless. Don't think will be going again. read more

I went with friends who love this place, and it did not disappoint. The service was excellent and fast. Disclaimer, I am definitely not an expert in this type of cuisine. Since I wasn't familiar with many of the dishes, I looked several of them up before I went and chose the main part of the meal from that. I had the lamb broth to start, baba ghanoush, flatbread, and the lamb fahsah. The first course, the broth, was excellent, but every time I received the next item,I loved that even more! As a bonus, the prices are very good, and the portions are large. i'm eating round two as I write this. It is an extremely casual place, which worked out perfectly for me last night. I will definitely be back. read more

It was a nice place to eat. Everything was relaxing. The food will make want to go the next day for seconds. My girlfriend put a view but its so good imma leave my review on here onm!! read more

I had overall a 5 star experience at this place. I asked for a shawerma, got a few appetizers (Soup and salad) before hand that were absolutely delicious. After that I got my shawerma and it was loaded with really good flavors, the food is very fresh. The person that took care of us treated us like royal people, and I'm very thankful that this place is here. I will come back again when I have a chance. read more

Balqees Restaurant & Grill - Shawerma, this thing is delicious, perhaps the best I've tried of the few places I've been. Highly recommend!!! - Sandwiches Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

I like authentic, and I feel that authentic is what I got. The buffet sign outside lured me in during lunch time, but I stayed and ordered even when it became obvious that there was not buffet. I did not regret it. I ordered a lunch plate, which included some nice homemade hummus, a big portion of salad and a very nice portion of grilled chicken. On top of that, I got what seemed a ridiculously big side of bread. I also got a small vegetable soup and a soda with the meal even though it didn't say anything about it in the menu. The whole thing set me back $8.40 and I felt pretty satisfied and took home leftovers. As many said before me, the place is a hole-in-the-wall kind of place and there was only 1 employee, but he was really friendly and I enjoyed my time there. My only complain is that they seemed to be out of a few things I wanted to try, like Tabouleh salad. Will definitely go back though! read more

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This place clearly has the chops to make great food, but also is clearly suffering from Memphis's lack of interest in this type of food. The evening we went we were the only clients for dinner. That's a real shame, as the food showed extreme promise. The only real down side was the rice, which clearly was left over from lunch (probably in a rice cooker on warm, or something). Aside from the rice, everything was fresh and well seasoned. The one guy on duty made it all himself, a short wait but not too bad. The location is part store, part restaurant done up in a bit of an odd way, but not off putting. If it were closer to the house I would go more often. I wish Memphis would support this sort of place more, as I think it would be awesome if it were busy! read more

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I don't think you can order wrong here...this place is goooooood. There is just something about eating Mediterranean food that makes me feel like I'm back in Greece (fun fact: I spent a semester in college there and it is still my favorite vacation destination). I've been here a few times now and I can't get over how delicious that hummus is...or the falafel, or the lamb or the baklava... The location is kinda hidden on Summer Ave. It is in the back corner of a strip mall to the right. The store could use a redesign but it is clean. Just your typical hole in the wall yummy spot! read more

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This restaurant, which opened about two weeks ago on Summer Ave., is part Middle Eastern restaurant, part grocery store and part bakery. While the regular dinner menu is limited to some Middle Eastern basics - think shawarma, tekka, lamb and rice - there's a different, more exotic, special every day. I had the Wednesday fish and rice special. I'm not sure what I was expecting - maybe a tilapia fillet on a bed of rice - but what I got was way better: a halved, mostly-whole fish (it was headless and gutless) topped with tomatoes and onions and a giant plate of rice. It was seriously some of the best fish I've ever had. The meat, especially under the bones - was perfectly moist and tender. The plate of rice it came with was massive. And while I ate most of it, it would have been plenty of food for two not-quite-so-hungry people. I tried the hummus, too. It was excellent - fresh, dripping with olive oil, and a much larger portion than the $4.99 pricetag would suggest. After dinner, I spent about 10 minutes in front of the big bakery counter. The friendly woman behind the counter was incredibly patient with all of my questions about the treats. I wound up with two big pieces of baklava (the best I've had in the city), cream filled phyllo rolls, and a sweet cheese square covered in soft, shredded phyllo. Middle East Bakery is open daily until about 8 p.m. (we got there at 7:30, and they were closing up when we left). They take credit cards and cash and all of their meat is Halal. read more

Balqees Restaurant & Grill - Dinner for two from the Middle East Bakery and Grill. - Sandwiches Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Meh. It is Middle Eastern worth a couple stars. The good: fresh hummus and baba dripping in olive oil, great little selection of grocery items. The not so good: Dry, very dry. Overall the dishes were lacking taste, even a simple hot or cucumber sauce would add a LOT. The falafel, painfully dry. Flatbread was stale. Unusually long wait for food to arrive and we were all overcharged for our orders. It's a work in progress, will give them some time to get service together. At least there are some great Persian soap operas to watch during the wait! read more

Balqees Restaurant & Grill - Menu - Sandwiches Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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I will make this short AND sweet. The food is fresh, authentic and affordable! The staff are kind, and if you are on Summer Ave...show your support for great Middle Eastern food! They also carry a decent selection of Middle Eastern staples and seasonings. BTW...The Chicken Plate (Tikka) with FRESH flatbread and charred tomato is the bomb.com! read more

Five great reasons to come: 1) Fresh tabouleh salad with lots of parsley and a good amount of lemon juice. Had tomatoes, bulgur and onions in it too, the latter nicely toned down (soaked in sth?). 2) Labnah was mild as you would expect, which let their olive oil dressing shine, pleasantly different from the Italian/Spanish varieties. 3) Enjoyed the kabobs on rice. Eager to try their lamb and fish options next. 4) The bread was a little dry but that worked great when using it to scoop up beautifully smoky (!) baba ganoush and hummus, which had tahini flavor coming through clearly. The falafel were excellently crisped on the outside with an olive oil side note to them, deep fried in olive oil? There were still delicious the next day, same goes for the tabouleh. 5) Pair it all with the ayran yogurt drink in mint or plain. Other thoughts: Friendly and forward thinking service, but not overbearing like at some other places. The place can be empty, which is a bummer given the food quality, so try it out, bring friends and spread the word! We will be back for sure. Ambience: They focus on the food, they are not interior designers ~ especially not at this price range. Some fancy Memphis restaurants should stick to this rule, drop their all show and soso substance approach. I enjoyed their intimate booth seating, the high ceiling lightened the atmosphere. Yes, "Soviet block" ambience but much better service and offerings ~ unlike in the Soviet block and I grew up there. read more

Okay. This place is hidden in a shopping center just off Summer near the Aldi Grocery Store. I have been here repeatedly for the fresh pastries and dolmas and on several dates. I love the food, but the service and the atmosphere is little to be desired, therefore, I would suggest getting your food to go. read more

Balqees Restaurant & Grill - Sandwiches Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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If you like good food at good prices, this is a great stop. I had a gyro and my girlfriend had chicken shawarma. They were both well made, fresh and were well worth every penny. However, we also wound up ordering some falafel and then baklava and both were the stars of the evening. The falafel was made to order and was so fresh and so good. The baklava is quite honestly the best I've ever had. My girlfriend took it step further and remarked that it was not only the best baklava she's had, but also one of the very best foods she's ever eaten. Based on the gyro and shawarma, I would say their food is comparable to other Mediterranean foods I've had - though I do think the freshness here shows up more than some others. The falafel and baklava put these guys over the top, though. I cannot say enough good things about that baklava. One last note, the waitress who was working when we were there was amazing. If not for her, we would not have tried the falafel or the baklava and that would have been a tremendous shame. Her friendliness and genuine love of the food made you want to try more things. read more

I try to support local business over chains when possible and this is one local business worth supporting! The food was all prepared fresh to order. With in-house made hummus and a great oil based vinaigrette. I ordered the chicken plate, it came with a small salad, very well seasoned chicken, the best hummus you will ever taste and a humongous flat bread. I enjoyed the vinaigrette so much that I asked about buying a bottle of it and the guy made me a fresh container and wouldn't even let me pay for it. Great food, great price and great service! Don't let the hole in the wall exterior keep you from trying this little gem! read more

I love Middle Eastern food and really wanted to like this place more. Alas, like another reviewer pointed out, it has plenty of potential but seems like it needs more business. The hummus is fine, if more on the oily side than I would've liked. The falalel is ok, but again not exactly memorable. The best part is the shwarma meat--both varieties were good with a tasty spice mix on them. The salad and rice are both forgettable as is the flatbread. Lunch specials are a good deal: $7.99 for a plate and they also have $4.99 wrap specials. Falafel balls are 2 for $1, so you can add 'em on to anything. Interesting variety of bottled soft drinks as well. I've never seen another customer in here and I've come here several times now. It's a good place if you want to chill out for awhile or as counter programming to other Middle Eastern places like Casablanca if you've gotten tired of them. read more

I've seen Soviet Block Countries with better inventory. Arrived at noon on a Saturday, place was a ghost-town. Ordered baba app & Swarma Lunch plate (Chx & beef). Bread was stale & food lacked any zazz. Bottom line. If you love hole in the wall locals. You'll like this place. However over all experience was underwhelming. read more

This is where you go when you want a dinner just like the dinner your grandma used to make, if your grandma happened to come from the land of the old Persian Empire. This is the real deal. It's not trendy or romantic or trying to impress. What it is, is authentic, and very very good. I happened in because I've been meaning to try it out. It's not what I expected, given the name and the pictures of food on the glass exterior. They are warm, friendly, hospitable, and very interested in making their customer feel welcomed, at home, and above all, well fed. Definitely worth a try. I'll be going back. read more

I was in the shopping center and decided to give this place a try. So glad I did. The place is very clean and cute. Spoke with the owner--he just bought the restaurant 2 months ago. Is going to update the menu and re-establish the buffet. I got the chicken shwarama and it was so, so good. I will definitely visit this restaurant again! read more

This rating is for their buffet: The salad bar was pretty lacking and there wasn't even any dressing. Some of the containers were empty and dusty and I had to ask the guy behind the counter for dressing. The chicken and potatoes were mediocre at best, the lentil soup wasn't good, and the vegetables were meh. Also, I had to sift through the stack of "clean plates" until I actually found a clean one. If you're going to come here, avoid the buffet at all costs. read more

I recently went for lunch. I was the only person there and there was only one gentleman working. He took my order and went to the back to prepare it. I bought a fountain drink. No ice in the machine. I told him, but he was on the phone and waved me off. I drank without ice. Humus And chicken shwarma (not sure of spelling) were very good. Salad had no dressing. There was olive oil on the table. Not the greatest experience, but I will try it again. read more

To be honest, I was a little frustrated when reading the comments that gave minimal stars on this restaurant. Why go to a Middle Eastern restaurant in the first place? Because, you want to try something different. You want to taste and experience Middle Eastern Cuisine/Culture. Bottom-line: This is a really fantastic restaurant if you desire an "authentic" Middle Eastern experience and food. How do you know it is "authentic"? Let me explain: I am in the military, active duty and have served in multiple deployments/tours to the Middle East and Afghanistan. During my service in the Middle East, I have sampled multiple dishes and cultural cuisine in the following countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Iraq. Because of this experience, I can honestly tell you if the restaurant is considered a great authentic Middle Eastern restaurant or not. Restaurant Cuisine: Flat Bread is an important part of the Middle Eastern meal. This restaurant has some of the best bread I have tasted this side of the ocean. It is made fresh weekly by a Middle Eastern lady who sells it to the store. You can also purchase 6-8 loaves in a package which I recommend. Humus (chick peas): This restaurant makes it fresh and there is a certain amazing taste when humus is made fresh and olive oil is incorporated. Speaking of olive oil, the restaurant owner uses Sultan Olive Oil which is a favorite in many Middle Eastern Restaurants. Falafels: Absolutely outstanding, some of the best falafels I have tried. Because falafels are deep friend chick peas, it is served piping hot. Recommend caution before diving in. Baba Ghanoush (egg plant): Also very good. I recommend requesting half Humus/half baba ghanoush as an appetizer. Main Dish: Personally, I love the Chicken Kabobs. It is served with grilled tomatoes, raw onions, and a lemon. Please ask the restaurant owner to bring you some lemon juice. The main dish is a large portion size. If you want to enjoy it the way it is eaten overseas, recommend tearing off a piece of bread. Put a piece of chicken, some grill tomato and raw onion, wrapping it like a small pita. Then add some lemon juice to it and enjoy! This is traditionally how this is eaten. Restaurant Ambiance: This restaurant is simple and basic: chairs, tables, menus, and a few pictures of Iraq on the walls. As Americans, we are spoiled in our concept of what ambiance is supposed to look like. If you travel to the Middle East, you will find that this restaurant is pretty darn authentic. You don't have to travel thousands of miles to see what an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant is suppose to look like: it is here in Memphis! Restaurant Service: Again, take off your American glasses and enjoy the Middle Eastern experience. It's a slow process because it is made fresh. We are so use to hurry up, give me service and food now. That is not the Middle Eastern culture. Dessert: Recommend the walnut baklava which is really delicious with some Turkish coffee. One final note, the owner and his family are from Baghdad, Iraq and escaped the tyranny of Saddam Hussein's rule. read more

This is the BEST hole in the wall ever. My fiancé and I have been eating here for the past year and a half and it is hands down our favorite Mediterranean in Memphis. You cannot beat the price. Their soup is amazing, the hummus and pita bread is to die for, and the workers are so so so nice. They always greet us with such warmth and we always feel at home. I could not recommend this place enough! read more

Quaint little Mediterranean restaurant. It had a little store for specialty products like pickles, spices, sweets, flavored tobacco, etc... The food are pictured on the menu which made it easier to order. They had the traditional gyro, falafel, kabob, shawarma, and so on. My wife and I tried the combo plate, it had a beef kabob, chicken tikka (hot and juicy), gyro meat, huge freshly made pita bread, grilled onion and tomato, and salad. It was a lot of food. My son ordered the gyro and fries. We also tried the Turkish coffee, tasted good but it was like drinking mud; it was thick. They had a sweet called hearsa, it was exquisite because it was not too sweet and it is made out of pistachios nuts and coconut. It was scrumptious!!! The service was okay. The cashier/waitress was very nice and informant. It is also easy on the pocket book. We will definitely come back to try some more hearsa and other menu item. read more

It's not the best middle eastern food I've ever had but I really want to root for them because Memphis has so few options like this. I like the changes they're making to this place...it's becoming a bit more dine-in friendly and they just upgraded their menu. The first time we had the food, it was pretty good. Hummus and the kebabs are delicious. The bakery has some good options too--but some of the desserts can be hit or miss--depending on how long they let the food sit there. I like the filo dough dessert with the cream filling. I have faith that they're just going through their growing pains right now...I anticipate that it will just get better read more