I hate to be so critical, but in this case it can't be helped. The food is hard to eat. Basic cooking mistakes, no attention to flavor, and honestly just no soul. The service is equally bad (seems under staffed?) To top it off they price and market like it's a up scale place. Don't fall for it. Find a nice food truck. You'll save money, eat better, and won't feel ripped off and disappointed the end. read more

THIS PLACE SUCKED! Food was terrible. I had only bites of my food. My friend ordered a classic beef burger and they GAVE HER LAMB. She didn't touch the burger and they tried charging her full price! We had the "option" to talk to the manager to get it taken off our bill, which we did and it should've been taken off in the beginning. the waitress checked on us only twice, but she was very nice. Hookah was extremely overpriced, low variety of cocktails that cost more than the meal. The best part about the meal was our beer. Never coming back! read more

This place was so crowded. I felt a little uncomfortable because there's no space between sittings. Everything look like how it was before COVID happened. The only difference is that the waiters/waitresses had masks. Sometimes the waiters took off their masks. I love our waitress. She was super nice and working hard. It was a very busy Saturday night. I don't mind that she kept forgetting to bring napkins, water, bag, and forget to come back to give us the check. They're just so busy. The food was good. The music there was good. That place was too packed for me to enjoy myself. When my fiancé arrived, they wouldn't allow him to come in. I had the supervisor come with me to go I'm outside to get him. That was nice of the supervisor. As uncomfortable as I was, I had a good time with the girls. I probably won't come back here until COVID is over. The Brookfield one has a lot of spaces between tables. They have their own parking lot so parking there is a lot easier than the one downtown and cleaner bathroom. This location has no parking unless you get a valet parking which is expensive. In the women's bathroom, there is one toilet that was clogged. The next one you can't lock the door at all. read more

My wife and I had lunch at Casablanca. It has been more than ten years since we were last there, and things have changed, sorry to say. First off, the place is....dirty. The parking lot has a lot of junk in it, the floors in the restaurant were sticky, the metal surfaces were smudged and covered with fingerprints, there were places where the paint on the walls was chipped away and in need of paint. The owners need to pay attention to this because it forms a first impression. I ordered couscous with chicken shwarma. My wife ordered the combination plate with lamb. Both were disappointing. The couscous and vegetables were okay, but the chicken shwarma was poorly season bits of chicken that has a lot of fat, tendons and gristle. My wife's combination plate tasted like it was made of stuff cooked three days ago and warmed up for us. The pita bread was served room temperature and tasted like it had been in the fridge for days. Yuck! Both meals were average, at best. We won't be returning. Side note: It was dang near impossible to get the bartender's attention because he was occupied with (a) listening to his tunes on his iPhone, and (b) taking hits off the six or seven hookahs various customers were sucking on at the bar. read more

Let me begin with letting you know I'm really picky when it comes to Middle Eastern food, five stars from me doesn't come easy. It's really hard to find GREAT authentic food here in the states. The only thing we have in Phoenix are very commercial- you have your Pita Jungle... Pita Pit... Sharwama place. Good if you don't know what humus and falafel is supposed to taste like. I think Milwaukee really takes this place for granted. I travel a lot in the states and internationally and been to so many places. To find that perfect balance between amazing authentic food, and a really chic place and with wonderful atmosphere that's loaded with culture is an extremely hard thing to do. So bravo to you Casablanca, job well done. I walk in, to nothing short of a place on Brady street. The atmosphere was PERFECT. Nice dim lighting, good music playing in the back round and the smell of amazing food cooking that would make anyone instantly salivate. We we're greeted at the door by two smiling faces "welcome to Casablanca" they said... Or was is "Welcome to paradise" either way we were instantly happy to be there. We walked up a beautiful grand lite staircase to the 2nd floor. The 2nd level was more beautiful then I thought it would be. The outside doesn't do this place justice. It was busy, a nice classy group. When we were seated we were well taken care of. The service was great I felt like a VIP. I can't wait to visit this place again! read more

Great food especially the falafels. Best falafels in town by far. My go to is usually the combination plate with Chicken and Beef kabob and a side of falafels. read more

WON'T BE BACK, EVER. Over cooked salmon Over cooked kabobs Over cooked rice Over priced My family ordered two bottles of wine, appetizers and the higher-priced entrees. We were celebrating something special, but the food and our experience was anything but. Food was dry and over cooked and bland. Our party of five (5) was then presented with a bill that automatically charged an 18% tip and the number of guests on the bill showed six (6) in error. This prompted me to ask the waitress why we were charged a mandatory tip (which is typically applied to parties of 6 or more) when we only had 5 in our party. The waitress struggled to explain and then got quite agitated and said her manager told her to do so. I asked to speak to the manager or the owner and was told they were "unavailable". My profession takes me to some of the finest restaurants throughout the US where I entertain my clients. I have a pretty good understanding of what should be done to address a problem and to keep a customer returning. Extremely disappointed in the food and how we were treated as guests of the Musa family. If I was the owner I'd be embarrassed. We will never return. I'll take my $250 elsewhere. UPDATE: I received a reply from the General Manager and he spoke to my concerns. I will be back to give it another chance. I appreciated the prompt response and his willingness to make it right. Thank you Nas. - George read more

I've been going to this place about a half a dozen times now. The food is great, hookah selections are nice, but the staff is hit or miss when it comes to services and attentive needs. Seating could be updated to accommodate more both type seating vs table and chairs. When coming in for hookah most people would prefer booth style seating to accommodate couples and crowds. Hookah needs to be closer seating, it's just part of the atmosphere when requesting these services. read more

Went here to celebrate a birthday with a friend. We came but the hookah and ordered some food which was really good. We went on a Tuesday at 12AM and there were not a lot of other people which was nice. A hostess sat us and got us drinks right away. The place is very beautiful and so are all the people. Good vibes here, I highly recommend coming here for celebrations or just to chill. read more

Casablanca - Middle Eastern Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This is by far the best Middle Eastearn Restaurant in the Midwest by far!... Great service, Incredible tasty food and the classiest place to be!. I find myself always coming back to this place!! Highly recommended Top read more

This is my new birthday tradition. Too bad it took me about 10 years to discover it. So, it looks a bit like you're entering a brothel when you walk in, but it's fine. Just go up the stairs and it will all be ok. It's just fun to be here. There's an energy. We ordered some hummus and a family style plate and it was so tasty. I've never had shwarma before - mostly because I don't know where to get good shwarma. OMG I love shwarma now. We stuffed our faces and there were still leftovers. We wanted to do a hookah, but we were too full. Next time. We were a little earlier in the evening on a Thursday and by the time we left, the hookahs had taken over and I was getting a bit of a headache. My advice would be to try and find a time they aren't so busy or sit outside. There might be belly dancers on the weekend. Also, they apparently give you a shot for birthday with your baklava. My kind of people. read more

I'm giving Casablanca 5 stars because of their amazing kindness towards furloughed government employees. We have been shut out of work for 34 days. In a time of never ending stress, their generous & free buffet made my (and my colleagues) day. Their food was really delicious, I enjoyed their selection, fresh fruit and veggies, and their rosemary potatoes were AMAZING. I will most definitely be back! You have earned a customer for life! Thank you so much!! We are so grateful! read more

Great, but not perfect. I'll break it down: Food: A : from the lentil soup, to the Schwarma, to the hummus with steak. Top notch Middle Easter food for Americans. You will not be too far out of your comfort zone if you are not familiar with the cuisine. Restaurant atmosphere: A - Great bar and nice dining room downstairs, amazing bar and spectacular dining room upstairs, and the Patio!!! Damn, why didn't we come here when the weather was nice.... There are also small stages upstair and down. Bellydancing might break out, you just never know. Service : B- : We have had a mix of the good and the not great. Never bad, but rarely exceptional. Parking: B+ : during the week; there is a nice lot around back. D+ on the weekend. It's Brady street peoples, good luck. There is always the option of paying $10 ($7+tip if you are a human) for a valet. Impress your better half. If you don't find parking within eye-shot of the restaurant, spring for valet. Drinks: C : Not impressed. The cocktails haven't been anything to write home about. The Rosewater lemonade tastes like dirty water, and service is slow. Stick with a bottle of wine. They can't screw it up and you won't have to wait for a refill. People watching: B+ : You might sit next to a cool old couple, a couple out on a first date, and table full of college kids trying to stuff contraband in their hookah, or a baller might roll up in his bling bling Escalade with both arms full of bee-itches. You never know what you are going to get. It is the East side after all. Other: B- : The bathrooms are great, the front room staff is always friendly, even if they are all trying to out-Kardashian each other with their "less than conservative" wardrobes. They have a coat check, which seems out of place. My only questions is: HOW THE F#@& ARE THEY ALLOWED TO GET AROUND THE NO SMOKING LAWS IN HERE?? People gather here to smoke flavored tobacco from hook as here, which by definition should be illegal according to the state law. Are the authorities afraid to push this one? Again, it is the East Side..... read more

Jessica the hostess was very rude. Not attentive at all. Was very distracted and When asked her about the food menu seemed bothered. When I asked what she recommended she rolled her eyes and didn't give me much clarity about the menu. Definitely, not a good first experience. read more

How have I not written a review for Casablanca yet? For shame, Rachel. For shame. For shame... because despite my implicit distrust of buffet-style dining, this place has, hands down, one of the most amazing lunch offerings in the whole dang city. And yes, it happens to come in the form of an AYCE buffet. But who cares, when the fare is this damn delicious? Tabouleh, hummus, Jerusalem salad, cucumber + yogurt salad, baba ghanoush, fresh falafel and pita, and that's just the start! As others have mentioned, the best lentil soup on earth is also available via Casablanca's buffet, which will run you a measly $7.95. It's worth it alone for that lentil soup. And yes, you heard me right. Seven. Ninety. Five. I've not yet mentioned the lunch buffet's hot entrée offerings: tahini potatoes, sweet garlic carrots, stuffed eggplant, spinach pie, Middle Eastern mixed vegetable stew, and so much more. Offerings change daily, but rest assured... you're gonna get fed if you hit up Casablanca's lunch buffet. Don't forget their rotating selection of desserts! Baklava, harissa, and more. I never think to go to here for dinner, probably because I'm so in love with their lunch buffet that thus it must lives forever in my brain as solely a lunch destination. Casablanca can also get crazy crowded during lunch... so buyer beware that if you're on a tight schedule... you may have to wait a bit for a table. Why not five stars? Can (wo)man bestow the highest Yelp honor based on mid-day sustinence alone? I guess, for some reason, I don't feel like it's okay. I'll have to go back for dinner, as there is, perhaps, an upgrade in Casablanca's future. read more

I had lunch here on Thursday, Dec. 29th, 2011. It has fairly elegant décor with rich colors. I partook of the vegetarian lunch buffet ($7.95! ONLY $7.95!!!) with enthusiasm. There was a hearty stew with eggplant and many salads, including tahini potato salad and a dish with tomato, cucumber and onion in a creamy yogurt sauce. You can eat and eat and eat at this buffet, feel good about how healthy it is, and walk away satisfied. The food was so delicious I was completely distracted by it and hardly heard a word of my meal mate's discussion about religion and politics (perhaps for the best). I wouldn't recommend eating here when you actually need to cognitively engage and merely feigning attentiveness won't suffice. Our server was friendly, timely and very helpful. The only possibly not-quite-positive thing I could say about the buffet was I found the outside of my falafel a little tough-perhaps a little overdone. Then again, the only thing I had in my experience to compare them to are my chickpea meatballs. Chickpea meatballs are in essence Italian style falafel and a great way to deal with a Costco-sized carton of chickpeas which your husband bought before he discovered you're actually not a big hummus fan. But it ain't fair to compare chickpea meatballs to falafel,and quite possibly offensive. For which I apologize. I also really didn't like our seating, which was at a teeny table right in the middle of the room. I hate having my back to anyone or anything at a restaurant-it makes me paranoid, as if someone might at any second burst in the door and come after me. In the interest of full disclosure: I chose our table :-). But there were no booths in dark and mysterious-looking corners available which I would greatly prefer. Not really Casablanca's fault that I'm paranoid like an old school gangsta. My husband also did the vegetarian buffet, and said he didn't miss the meat. This endorsement is much more meaningful coming from him than it is from me since I'm a wanna -be flexitarian who will eat bacon, sausage and seafood every chance I get. Ok, maybe not that much more meaningful. read more

It's so sad...the food was decent and inexpensive, equivalent to that of an around-the-corner kabob joint, but the service was terrible. I have experienced painfully sloooooowwwww service, and it is completely understandable. However, this was followed by questionably rude and inattentive waitstaff. Whenever I feel as if I am imposing by asking a question about the menu at a restaurant because the waiter makes a point of being indifferent or irritated, and I would rather turn to one of the bellydancers for advice on what to order, I know that I definitely do not plan on returning to that establishment. read more

... and for my 100th Yelp review (yay!) I had to pick a special place that holds a lot of memories - which is none other than Casablanca! This restaurant/lounge hosted my brother's engagement party... which was probably the most amazing night of my family's life thus far. The owners were incredibly helpful in setting up, organizing the menu and letting us run free to decorate as wildly as we wanted. My future sister-in-law is an expert at DIY projects, and made the upstairs area look unbelievably elegant and beautiful (more than it already was!) My family was so impressed with the way it turned out and could not have been more happy with the service of the owners and wait staff. The food is unreal! They served kabobs, rice, salad, hummus, baba ghanoush, tabouleh and other goodies to die for. Everything was well-seasoned - a perfect blend of Mediterranean cuisine with a homemade cultural feel. Unbelievable! The next afternoon, we stopped by to try out their lunch buffet - oh man. I think my Father and I sat around for two hours just EATING. 10 pounds later, I was a very happy girl. If you can't check out the nightlife and the dinner menu, you must try the lunch buffet. You won't regret it and you'll stay pleasantly full for the remainder of the day. 10 stars if I could - we absolutely LOVE this place! read more

Lentil Soup and a hot appetizer. Our favorite takeout dinner from Casablanca. Great to take the chill off! I like the rosewater lemonade, and the mint tea for cold days. The buffet is great, lunch and brunch. Vegetarians love this place, and there are plenty of meat dishes for the rest of us. Belly dancing some nights. read more

I used to come here every Thursday afternoon during college when I lived in Milwaukee and I miss it so much! I go to Casablanca every time I'm back in Milwaukee and miss it so much! The lighting gets dimmer throughout the night and they definitely pump up the music as well; on weekends, it's a completely different place than during the day and on weekdays. That being said, it's a bit hard to hear anyone talk on weekends, but I don't really care. The renovations look great and the upstairs area is spacious. The vegetarian lunch buffet and main menu have been great each time I've eaten here and I regret not making a point to eat here more. For an appetizer, the combination platter obviously gives you a little bit of everything. The falafel are great and the stuffed grape leaves are pretty good as well. Here is the most important part of my review: the SALAD. I don't know what the hell they put in their house dressing, but I would bathe in it if I could. Too much?? It is the most refreshing salad dressing I have ever had in my life. The chicken and lamb shawarma are both great, but the lamb is definitely my favorite since it's much juicier. For beef, the Original Shish Kabob is my favorite. I've only had the Moroccan Shrimp Kabob only once, but the jumbo shrimp were extremely flavorful and they don't short you on shrimp just because they're jumbo! I love coming here to hookah and have drinks as well. In terms of drinks, I usually stick with beer. This is because their martini's aren't anything to rave about and once it gets busy at night, it can take a hot minute for any sort of service. They are pretty good about starting and getting hookahs to you right away, and have a few people walking around with new, hot coals if you need one. I really love this place and everybody should try it if they want good Middle Eastern food! Be sure to come in summer and sit outside...it's great to eat, smoke hookah and people-watch on Brady! read more

My first visit to Casablanca was for their lunch buffet on a weekend. The place was somewhat busy but we were seated right away. The buffet had tons of choices and everything was really tasty. I filled my plate up with all of the cold stuff and barely had room by the time I got down to the hot section. No worries, just got the rest after finishing my first plate. I would definitely come here again. read more

If you have read my other reviews on a few other restaurants you would know I am quite a harsh critic. But Casablanca in my view is one of the top 5 restaurants in Milwaukee. First off the new renovation is amazing. You forget you are on Brady street in Milwaukee because maybe with the exception of Balzac and Hi Hat all the other places on Brady looks mediocre for even Brady Street. Casablanca, looks great downstairs and upstairs both. We went there on a Monday after work again and it was quite packed for a Monday. Friendly staff, very good menu, very reasonable prices, specially for their sandwiches and burgers. We ordered appetizers, my wife ordered the Shawarma and I ordered the Casa Burger. Falafal was the best I have ever had, my burger was cooked beautifully to medium and it had great flavor. But oh man that Shawarma was something else. I tried my wife's shawarma and wanted one for my self for later. It was that good, I was drooling for a few more bites out of hers. The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is because of our server seemed very inexperienced in serving a fine establishment like Casablanca. Even though the atmosphere is very casual and the prices are reasonable Casablanca is a fine restaurant with the look and the quality of their food. Our server was carrying dirty plates from another table on one hand while trying to pour water to our glasses. Serving 101 teaches you not to carry dirty plates from one table to another table. Also when you pour water to a glass always pick the up the glass from the table and pour it because those pitchers may end up over pouring the glass, then you risk spilling water on the table or the customer. Also our entrees came out before we were even halfway done with the appetizers so I know she didn't time the "firing" of the courses. Otherwise food is excellent, it really looks like the "Casablanca" in there. read more

I visited Casablanca this past Friday night with an old friend. We didn't have reservations and waited a reasonable ten minutes for a table. Two pleasant waiters arrived at our table almost immediately to greet us and take our drink order. They also recommended they we start off with the Combination Appetizer. We decided to peruse the menu first before committing to anything. What jumped out at me immediately was LAMB! Sorry lamb, I know you are cute docile creatures, but I just love to eat you. My friend and I decided to split a lamb dish and the recommended combo appetizer. We asked our waiters which lamb dish we should order and were immediately told "Baked Lamb." Baked lamb it was then. The first thing that came out was a delicious, well-spiced lentil soup. We then dug into the appetizer, which was a perfect sampling of some Middle Eastern staples: falafel, pita, hummus, baba ghanoush, tabouleh, and a potato salad. My favorites were the slightly lemony hummus and the tasty falafel. Onto the lamb. Mmm, the lamb. The Baked Lamb came with a basmati rice and a yogurt sauce. Everything on that plate was scrumptious. The lamb could have had a little more flavor and been juicier, but it was still quite good. Plus it's hard to top the lamb prepared by my husband's Greek Yia Yia...you're up against the major leagues there. Towards the end of our dining experience we were surprised when a belly dancer came out to perform. We both appreciated her moves but were seated at the table right next to the stage and she was making a little too much eye contact with us for our comfort. They should have put some men there who would have appreciated that more. Although the belly dancing was entertaining, the music made it too loud for us to hear each other talk. That ended our trip to Casablanca. I thoughourly enjoyed the food, service, ambiance, and my company. Well done Casablanca, well done. read more

This place is amazing. We went on a Friday night and sat at the bar. The place was busy, but it didn't look like there was ever a wait. The bartenders were attentive and knew exactly what to suggest for some vegan dining. We had some dolmades which were served warm. They were truly something special. Inspired me to figure out how to make them at home. Food that stuns and inspires. Hard to beat that. The falafil was also excellent as was the hummus; even the tabouleh (so easy to be boring) was delicious. We ate everything despite being stuffed by the end. There were even belly dancers who weaved in and out of the hooka smoke. It was quite an experience. This might have been the only one we tried, but I personally believe the website when they boast that they are "The best middle eastern restaurant". Pro Tip: Try The Hamilton down the road for after dinner drinks. That was our one-two punch of an evening and I can't wait to get back to Milwaukee to do it again. read more

Friend and I went here to get a drink on a Saturday night. A drink turned into a few drinks, and a few drinks turned into getting a melon-mint flavored hookah. The door staff are friendly and welcoming, the bartender was great, the crowd seemed to be mostly mid-twenties to mid-thirties professionals, and the place had an energetic vibe. I've been here for the lunch buffet, prior to the remodel, and had no complaints with the place or the food that time. Will definitely be back. read more

Good hookah and food! I love this place. The rooftop is super nice too. It's warmed as well. Makes for a great date night on an autumn night. read more

As I sit here, I am filled with sadness. I have tasted the all-you-can-eat vegetarian lunch buffet, but now I sit here at lunchtime 2,000 miles away from Casablanca back in California. Nearly everything I ate in the buffet (which was, well, everything there was) was very good and on par with, or, the best Middle Eastern food I have ever had. The things that stood out to me were the tabbouleh salad, tahini salad, falafel, and glazed carrots. Also the coconutey cake in the dessert- but i don't know what that was called. Oh, and the lentil soup. And the baba ghanouj. The BEST THING is that it was all only $7.95! Are you kidding me? No. And you don't even feel like a fat cow after because lots of it is so dang healthy. So dang healthy and so dang good. Thank God for Middle Eastern food. I need some more. read more

I hail from NYC, where the food is phenomenal - no other metro city in the states compares, so read my review knowing that. Was in Milwaukee for my best friend's med school graduation. She recommended coming here and boy was I impressed! For a lil' old midwestern town, who would think that the chicken schwarma and thaibul (sp?) salad would be so good! Not to mention the hooks after 9p (i think) was awesome! Also, a DJ comes in later and spins some lounge-like tunes. Service was great too! For a second, I felt I stepped back into an NYC restaurant/lounge. Very cool! Only thing I must say is that that outside is deceiving. The outside doesn't do the inside justice. Otherwise, 5 stars for a Milwaukee Mediterranean restaurant! read more

I love Casablanca! I find myself there at least 5-6 times a month. For one, the atmosphere itself is very [relaxing], which is something I really adore in a spot (personally just not that keen on the chaotic/bright sports bar scene). The lighting soothingly low, and is accompanied by Middle Eastern and Arabic music - sometimes sultry and slow, sometimes more upbeat. The combination of the lighting and sounds creates a really chill ambiance. Like myself, a lot of folks are drawn to Casa for the hookah, which is lovely there. Lots of interesting flavors, and the servers are more than happy to explain flavors and make suggestions. They're really good about watching your coal and changing it when necessary, so you get the most out of your hookah. The food is really tasty, reasonably priced - and caters to both vegetarians and meat-eaters. If you're not sure what to get the first time, their combination platter is a nice option. The staff is always helpful. Added perk: they have a small parking lot along the side and back of the building. One of few places on Brady Street that offers this. read more

Vices. Casablanca has those. You want to smoke hooka? What flavor? They have them all, and the coal service is great You want to drink dranks? Full bar. Full stop. You want to eat foods? Delicious garlic up in this mother. No vampires, check your cloaks at the door. You want to oogle belly dancers? Weekends at 8pm they'll be gyratin' in your face. This place is much bigger now that they have the second floor, but it's still crazy busy. Get a reservation, or you'll be waiting. It's a great place to hang with friends and let off some steam. There's nothing else like it in town. Check it. read more

This place has a very nice environment, and very good music. They usually have a DJ upstairs at night. The food is amazing- especially the hummus and lentil soup. But everything there is good. If you are getting hookah i would recommend dragons breath, adios motherfucker, or cactus breeze. Those are by far the best i think. They also have balcony seating which is nice. read more

Casablanca - Middle Eastern Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Been wanting to visit way before the new addition. Finally got the the chance to go on a Monday for their vegetarian lunch buffet thats only $7.95! Arrived around 11:30 and there was only a few other people in the place but by the time we left an hour later it was half full. The service was friendly and attentive. Clearing plates and fulling water. Offerings: fresh fruit, a fruit salad, tabouleh, hummus, jerusalem salad, cucumber yogurt salad, baba ghanoush, cabbage salad, plus other condiments, falafel, pita, veggie soup, lentil soup, sweet garlic carrots, roasted potatoes with eggplant, mixed veggie stew, spinach rice dish, baklava, harissa, custard, Didn't miss meat and left stuffed but didn't feel guilty one bit. Now to visit on a Friday night to see the belly dancers. read more

I really enjoyed the evening I spent here. I'm probably the opposite of most patrons frequenting this place on a Friday night (single dude dressed casually, reading a book and sipping tea with my hookah) but I still felt welcome. The place was a total madhouse, so service was a little choppy. But luckily I really didn't require much and just wanted to relax and read my book. The shisha was very good, very flavorful, and a single bowl lasted my entire time. I felt bad for the waiter, because all I really wanted was mint tea, and I drank probably 8 cups of it over 2.5 hours. I asked if he could just bring me a pot, and that way he wouldn't have to keep going back to get me more, but he insisted they did not have pots, and he didn't mind ferrying single cups of tea from the kitchen to my table, in the middle of servicing at least two rowdy bachleorette parties near my table. I also had a small plate of pastries, which were average. There was a small semolina cake that was easily the best thing, a somewhat soggy baklava, and a dry crumbly walnut cake, which was just alright. But overall I really enjoyed the experience of being able to smoke hookah in an outdoor patio, and have the option of a full food and drink menu at the same time. read more

So so soooo good! I have been going here for years and it never disappoints. A vegetarian paradise!

I thought the hostess was a little rude when I asked if there was an available table. Luckily the other hostess saw 2 empty chairs at the bar. We ended up getting a hookah and a few glasses of wine. The bartender was very attentive and refilled our glasses of water frequently. The last time I came here the food was 'ok'. One of our dishes was extremely bland and a little cold. The food is still good but I think the quality has gone down a little. read more

I really wanted to love this place because I love Mediterranean food, but I was disappointed. My boyfriend and I decided to check out the renovated restaurant for dinner a few nights ago. I was curious how they got around the smoking ban with their hookahs, but they must have installed the required ventilation system and it works really great! We could hardly smell any of the tobacco and there wasn't any smoke hanging in the air. We started by splitting an appetizer sampler. It was pretty good, but all the ingredients could have been found at the salad bar of any Middle Eastern take-out joint -- falafel, baba ganouj, tabouleh salad, etc. When we got around to the entrees, I wished I hadn't split the platter and had kept all that food to myself. They had two vegetarian entrees and the waitress informed me they were "out" of one of them. Now I'm wondering if they even have a cook in that kitchen, or if they're just taking prepared salad and falafel out of the fridge? The other option had lots of onions in it, which I hate, so I just ordered another salad and left hungry. My boyfriend would probably give this place a much better review, mainly because he got a meat entree and has limited experience with ethnic food, sometimes ignorance can truly be bliss, eh! Oh, also, we were really excited for the belly dancer and she was quite talented. But why were people putting singles in her coin belt? Is this common? In my view, belly dance is a traditional ethnic art, not a lap dance. Left a bad taste in my mouth. read more

In terms of ambiance, this is the nicest, most upscale Middle Eastern restaurant in town. Note that the name refers to the Bogey movie ("Here's looking at you kid"), there are no authentic Moroccan dishes here. I'm guessing the cooks are Palestinian, the falafel is pretty good. We've been here a couple of times, both times we were with someone else and our table mixed up taking the lunch buffet (all vegetarian 8$), adding a meat side to the lunch buffet ($5 more), and ordering off the menu ($10 sandwiches, $15 entrees), and both times this resulted in the order not being filled correctly. Both times I know it wasn't the waitress' fault (this last time we had an actual Arabic-American waitress which was a nice touch), and I know because I heard both waitresses ( in both cases) yelling in the kitchen, "Hey, how long on my chicken kebab?" Actually I think the first time it was a missing shawarma but whatever. A key for me at Middle Eastern restaurants is the rice (I'm Asian-American) and they don't have my favorite succulent Persian dill rice, they serve the brown sumac style. Overall the food is okay, but I think Mona's was better, Shahrazad is just as good with slightly lower prices and the same mediocre service. I don't think this place would be able to compete on the Chicago Northside on Kedzie Avenue, I know they wouldn't last long in Dearborn Michigan, but in this town, it's your best bet if you want Middle Eastern in a nice dining room (on a date, on a business lunch, hosting guests). read more

What a great meal!! My wife had always wanted to eat here and so far we had never actually made the trip to do so. Seeing that it was her birthday, she made the decision to go. Are we ever glad we did! First off, the look of the place brings to mind something out of an old movie set in the middle east somewhere. The lights were set low, but not dark. The music was audible, not overbearing.Great place for a nice get together with friends or family or a nice date with, in my case, my wife for her birthday. The service? Well that was top notch. Our server was Jadee and she was very attentive and quick. Always smiling and very knowledgeable about the menu items. She was absolutely top notch. Next: The food. This was by far the most flavorful food we had eaten in some time. Everything was seasoned just right. Nothing was overpowering, or bland. You could discern many different spices / tastes with each bite! We started off with the meat kibbie. A rich, deep flavor. Crisp on the outside, hot and tender inside. Perfect. We also had the Baba Ghannoj. I was impressed with the complex taste yet smooth feel. It was my first time eating it, it will not be my last. The entree's were next. My wife had the Lamb Kifka. She said it was great, I don't do lamb so I have to take her word on that. I had the Chicken Shawarma, something I had never eaten as well. It was well worth it. Very tender, seasoned strips of chicken served with seasoned rice. With the supplied Tahini sauce, this is one dish I will be eating again soon. When we had finished eating, our server, being aware that is was my wife's birthday, brought out a piece of Baklava with a candle in it with 'Happy Birthday' spelled in raspberry sauce on the plate at no charge. What a nice touch. We were not expecting that and my wife was very happy. All in all, this was a great restaurant and I cannot recommend this place enough. I highly suggest that you get up and go there as soon as possible and cure the hunger!! read more

Entering Casablanca was a lot like exiting Casablanca, crowded and a complete struggle to simply walk five feet, but this is only a testament to the popularity and unique atmosphere the place has to offer. On New Year's Eve, you might feel like salmon swimming upstream, but any direction you walk is considered upstream. On that particular night, I'm going to venture and say Casablanca was clearly over capacity. One can only imagine what would happen if there was some kind of emergency like a fire.... but what are the chances of THAT happening?... On an unrelated matter -- the hot coals that heated my hookah and almost every table nearby was a nice addition to the ambiance. read more

Yes! A great Middle Eastern restaurant in Milwaukee! My wife and I recently relocated back to my hometown of miltown and were crossing our fingers that we would find a "go to" spot for mediterranean food, since there didn't seem to be many options. We rented the belly dancer for our wedding from Casablanca over a year ago and were excited to finally try the food. We (my wife especially) have high standards in this type of cuisine since everything is compared to my mother-in-law's unbelievable arabic food. Casablanca aced the test - the food was outstanding. We tried the grape leaves, chicken shwarm, shrimp/beef kabob, lentil soup and everything was right on the money. The service was slow at times, and was the only thing preventing a 5 star score. read more