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    Dar Essalam

    4.7 (739 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

    Order Dar Essalam Takeout or Delivery

    Dar Essalam Photos

    Business Info

    DAR ESSALAM ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Intimate
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Dar Essalam

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    Jala D.

    This place is phenomenal. The service is perfect. The ambiance is perfect. Very authentic. The food... TASTES SO AMAZING! This is truly a GEM! To find this in the middle of Oregon is crazy. Everyone should know about this place. Very vegan friendly.

    Chicken kabobs & Eggplant Sandwich
    Tami W.

    Went for lunch. We had chicken kabobs and the eggplant sandwich, both with rice. Very tasty! Kabobs & rice were gluten free. They also brought out veggies with the hummus appetizer so the celiac could enjoy. Very friendly waiter decor is Moroccan; a nice change from the restaurants we usually visit!

    Salad sampler
    Lauren M.

    I had a nice meal with some friends at Dar Essalam recently. This hands down is the largest portion of lamb I've ever received in a meal, I was able to make two meals out of it (as a lover of leftovers). It fell right off the bone, that's how tender it was cooked. My only complaint was that there was a lot of fatty skin, so if that's not your favorite, I would recommend getting the chicken instead. They offer free salad samplers and pita with your meal as well, which is a major plus. The iced mint green tea is extremely refreshing, especially on a warm day. The service was a bit slower, but they were extremely attentive and incorporated fun aspects into the meal such as tea pouring and hand incense. They've got a comfortable space, with a lot of Moroccan influence.

    Shrimp Kabobs Lunch Plate
    Sara P.

    Been going to lunch here for years. Service is always great, food is wonderful with lots of flavors, and their hummus and tea is always apart of our order.

    Appetizers
    Carolyn L.

    We haven't been back here for a long time. Seems like the food quality changed quite a bit. We ordered the vegetarian couscous which is the only dish that is still delicious. We also ordered the kebab feast, lamb shank and Cornish hen. The kebab was ok. The lamb and Cornish hen were so overcooked that the meat is too tough to eat. We were very disappointed.

    decor

    Nice decor, service and lovely north African flavors. I got the roasted eggplant sandwich lunch special to avoid onions.

    Moroccan Casablanca fruit desert
    Gillian C.

    One of best experiences I have had in awhile with food. The service was amazing. The food was great with a full corse meal that came with my entree. Ended up ending up with some delicious dessert. So glad I came here. The Bastilla was amazing. That alone was worth coming back again. The ambiance is welcoming and quiet. A wonderful place for date night or to bring some friends.

    Sultan Kabob Feast
    John C.

    OUTSTANDING!!!! Came in for the first time with the family. Drove by for years thinking I should try it out. Well, tonight I did and so glad we did. Staff were super friendly. Seemed just happy to be there and happy to help us. Inside was pretty cool with the moroccan theme. This seems insignificant, but we ordered a pot of the sweetened mint tea. Was perfect. Not too sweet. Really enjoyed it. I had the lamb shank like over half the people here did. There's probably 15+ sauces you can choose for it. I did the spicy raisin and sweet onion. Really good, but I'd probably choose something less sweet next time. Wife had the Moroccan salad. She really enjoyed it too. Came with a couple kebabs. My son had the Moroccan feast. That looked really good! He said the shrimp with some of the best he's ever had. I don't think any of us were able to finish our meals, they were pretty generous. The meal came out to about $40 each with the tip. Well worth it definitely would come back. Wish they had alcohol.

    Kids Mac and cheese
    Alex P.

    I was not as impressed as I thought I would be based on so many positive reviews. The food is pretty good but service was meh at best. First of, there was no music playing the whole time which felt awkward. Some music would 100 % elevate the ambiance. Food was delicious and interesting to try all the different flavors of the Moroccan cuisine. I love the traditional teapot and the tajine they serve in. We had the lamb dinner in eggplant sauce. Very flavorful and meat was soft, falling off the bone. The eggplant itself tasted a bit bitter. They gave plenty of naan bread for dipping. The lentil soup was ok. Kids and husband liked it. The pickled sides were interesting too. Kid's Mac and cheese is straight from the box which obviously kids appreciated haha. Chicken kebab with saffron rice was pretty flavorful but dry chicken pieces in my opinion. Dessert was soo disappointing for me. Im not sure what I expected from their famous Casablanca fruit dessert but it was not for me. A bunch of cooked fruit in a filo dough covered with powdered sugar and ice cream. Warm strawberries....yukk! The flan was interesting flavor but hard and wrong consistency. Nobody ate it. I recommend to not waste money on the dessert here.

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    6 months ago

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    15 days ago

    The food was amazing. First time I liked Hummus (we practically licked the plate). The chairs left a lot to be desired.

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    26 days ago

    Soooooo good!!! Decent prices too. The staff was so great. I wish I had room to try their desserts.

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    8 months ago

    Hummus was bussin and the pita was delish. Service was quick and respectable. Clean energy and tea was fab. Order the pomegranate lemonade.

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    1 year ago

    Drove over an hour and they are closed even though yelp and Google say opens at 4 pm. Disappointed, please update your times

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    8 months ago

    Our server was very polite and helpful. We had kabobs and they were delicious. The decor was beautiful.

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    9 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Food is great and the entire restaurant has a really cool authentic feel. The staff was also very friendly and attentive.

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    3 years ago

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    10 months ago

    The service was quick. Everyone was warm. All the dishes were delicious. Love the layers of flavor.

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    Page 1 of 19

    Ask the Community - Dar Essalam

    Are there any items that are gluten (flour/wheat) free? (Cross contamination is ok)

    80./. Of our menu is gluten free .

    Do they have outside seating?

    No. But inside is spacious and guests are very well separated. A excellent choice for a great dining experience!!!

    Does this place serve options for egg, dairy, and wheat sensitivities?

    No, they do not.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Kasbah Moroccan Cafe - Split pea soup, seafood tangine, kefta tangine, merguez tangine - IG @bougiefoodieboi

    Kasbah Moroccan Cafe

    4.8(441 reviews)
    15.7 miOld Town - Chinatown
    $$

    Found this place online while exploring Portland and I'm so glad we decided to try it! Kasbah is a…read morefamily-owned Moroccan cafe. The whole place has a really cozy, traditional Moroccan feel, with colorful decor and little details that make it feel like you've stepped somewhere completely different for a bit. You choose your seat and can place your order online or at the front, so it's pretty casual and relaxed. We ordered the Moroccan mint iced tea, which was absolutely refreshing! We also ordered the Makouda, which I had never tried before. They're Moroccan fried potato patties that are crispy on the outside and soft and seasoned on the inside. They came with a spicy tomato sauce on the side, which was really good, although definitely had some heat! We also got olives with it. And we had to try the Chicken Tagine! It came with tender, flavorful chicken, potatoes, and olives in a deliciously seasoned sauce. The flavors were warm and savory, and the chicken was really tender. One thing to know is that the food does take a while to come out. It was surprisingly slow, especially since this is a casual cafe, but honestly...once the food arrived, I understood why. Everything tasted freshly prepared and full of flavor, so I'd say it was definitely worth the wait. Overall, I really enjoyed finding this little Moroccan spot in Portland. Definitely worth checking out if you're curious about Moroccan food!

    Came back to try their chicken tagine and it blew my mind. I've come here in the past for their 7…read morevegetable tagine (vegetarian) which was also very nice. Flavor was amazing and so was portion size. I ended up bringing some leftovers home. It's rare to get this style of food in the US, cooked with this quality

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    Kasbah Moroccan Cafe - Seafood Tagine

    Seafood Tagine

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    Tangier Moroccan & Mediterranean Cuisine - Zattar Pizza

    Tangier Moroccan & Mediterranean Cuisine

    4.4(496 reviews)
    15.5 miOld Town - Chinatown, Southwest Portland
    $$

    We'd been wanting to try Tangier Moroccan Restaurant since moving here a year ago, and it was…read moreabsolutely worth the wait. The space is warm, charming, and intimate, and the hospitality was just as memorable. The woman serving us was incredibly welcoming--and may have also been the cook and owner. The food was outstanding, fresh, flavorful, and served in very generous portions. I loved the lamb shawarma and warm pita straight from the oven. My mint lemonade was delicious, and my husband's Turkish coffee may have converted me from my lifelong cappuccino devotion. A wonderful downtown find with authentic hospitality, beautiful ambiance, and truly delicious food. Highly recommend.

    My friend and I decided to eat here for lunch as it was convenient and a nice day outside. It had…read morebeen awhile since I've been back here. The interior is spacious. We started off work some Moroccan tea while we waited for our food. The tea was good (slightly sweet for me), but had a good aroma to it. I ordered the meat combo plate which included - lamb, chicken, and kaftan. The meat were properly seasoned and flavorful. We also preferred a pita bread and asked for some of their spicy sauce. The spicy sauce definitely had a kick and if you like spice, I would suggest getting it. Overall, we had a decent lunch.

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    Tangier Moroccan & Mediterranean Cuisine - Interior

    Interior

    Tangier Moroccan & Mediterranean Cuisine - Tagine of Lamb

    Tagine of Lamb

    Tangier Moroccan & Mediterranean Cuisine - Moroccan tea (serves 3 people)

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    Marrakesh Restaurant - It's stuffed w egg and meat and topped w powdered sugar

    Marrakesh Restaurant

    4.0(671 reviews)
    15.9 miAlphabet District, Northwest
    $$

    This is some of the most phenomenal service I have ever received. My partner and I headed to…read moreMarrakesh late one evening (unfortunately we missed the traditional dancing! Next time we'll plan to see it.) The ambiance is immediately perfect-- the room is cozy and comfortable, and it feels intimate without being too cramped. There are rugs everywhere, and the tables are low to the ground so you sit on little stools. I will note, I think that the seating might be a challenge if someone in your party has a back or knee issue. The music was a little too loud for my taste, but the server was incredibly gracious when I asked for them to turn it down a touch. The food experience here is amazing. You pick an entree from the list (one for each person) and everything is shared. Regardless of what you select on the menu, everyone gets a bowl of lentil soup and tabbouleh. The lentil soup was so, so good. It's hard to put into words-- spiced heavily but still delicate, filling but still light-- what a treat. I'd kill for the recipe. The tabbouleh is excellent, with an eggplant puree in the center that I really enjoyed. It's even better because our server kept bringing around fresh bread and asking us if we needed more. After the soup and salad, we were brought vegetarian B'stilla Royale, a dish I'd never had. I'll admit that the sweet/savory/eggy-ness of this dish didn't work for me as much as everything else, but it was still interesting and I would eat it again. When it came out, the portion was so large that my partner and I thought it was one of the mains! For our mains, we shared CousCous Vegetarian and Breka Vegetarian. Both were lovely, but the breka is in another category entirely. Served perfectly crispy with a dipping sauce that tastes of heavily smoked paprika, I was in love. Dessert was next, a heavy semolina cake and sweet mint tea (after this, I would permanently switch from an after-meal coffee). The portions were HUGE. This is truly the best value for food I have ever seen in my life. It was so much that at one point my partner and I thought that we must have ordered wrong because we couldn't believe we were getting a 5-course-meal for $32/person. Above all, though, I have to laud the service. Our waitress was so, so friendly and warm. She was incredibly attentive: as we started ordering, she immediately clocked that we were vegetarians and assured us of their processes to keep all the food separate. She did the same when I asked about some of my allergens. Food came out quickly and was delivered with a smile and a description of what everything was. Before you eat, they bring a basin and pour water over your hands, and again after the main. Before you have your dessert, they even spray orange oil on your hands to complete the experience. This was, in my opinion, a fine-dining level of attention and experience. I cannot speak highly enough of the value here, and I am so grateful we found this place.

    We had a fantastic first experience with Moroccan cuisine and are already planning to come back…read more For $35 per person, the restaurant selected a wonderful assortment of traditional dishes for us to sample, making it a great choice for anyone new to Moroccan food. We were served an array of dishes including harira soup with fresh Moroccan bread, apricot chicken, honey chicken, grilled chicken kebab, incredibly tender roasted lamb in a rich sauce, couscous, rice, Moroccan salads, and the traditional bastilla with its unique combination of savory meat, warm spices, almonds, and powdered sugar. Every meat dish was exceptionally tender, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. The roasted lamb practically melted in your mouth, and each dish showcased different spices and flavors without being overwhelming. We finished with a light, creamy milk pudding dusted with cinnamon that was the perfect ending to the meal. The evening was made even more memorable by the belly dancer created a fun, festive atmosphere and turned dinner into an experience rather than just a meal. If you've never had Moroccan food before, I highly recommend ordering the special that allows you to have the full flavor experience. We discovered dishes we never would have ordered on our own, and the generous portions made it easy to share and taste a little of everything. It was a lot of food. A delicious meal, warm hospitality, wonderful entertainment, and a memorable cultural experience. We'll definitely be back.

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    Marrakesh Restaurant - Dining room.

    Dining room.

    Marrakesh Restaurant
    Marrakesh Restaurant - Interior

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    Mediterranean Exploration - Labneh & Butternut Squash (fall/winter season dish)

    Mediterranean Exploration

    4.5(1.1k reviews)
    15.6 miPearl District
    $$

    We celebrated a birthday at Mediterranean Exploration Company with their set menu, and it was one…read moreof the best dining experiences we've had in Portland. We were able to try a wide variety of dishes, and every single one was exceptional. I have dietary restrictions (no onions or garlic), and the kitchen and staff were incredibly accommodating. They prepared separate versions of several dishes for me without hesitation, and I never felt like I was getting a lesser experience. It's rare to find a restaurant that can accommodate food sensitivities so thoughtfully while still delivering incredible flavor. The food was absolutely delicious from start to finish, and the service was impeccable. The staff was warm, attentive, and made our birthday celebration feel special without ever being overbearing. Everyone in our group left talking about how amazing the food was. We couldn't have asked for a better meal or a better overall experience. Mediterranean Exploration Company has definitely earned a spot on our list of favorite Portland restaurants, and we can't wait to come back.

    4.4/5. 1st place - baked feta (delicious only complaint is…read morethat the feta stuck to the bottom of the pan) 2nd- lamb chops 3rd place - radicchio salad (crunchy bits were delicious) 4th - hamachi crudo (the sauce with this was amazing to dip the pita in) 5th - cauliflower (the fact that they brought this last should be illegal) Overall, really enjoyed but wish everything was brought out together so it could be eaten together.

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    Mediterranean Exploration
    Mediterranean Exploration - Artichoke hummus (dates in it) delicious  ~17$. Baked feta and peach in back w challah. Heirloom tomato burrata salad 19$.

    Artichoke hummus (dates in it) delicious ~17$. Baked feta and peach in back w challah. Heirloom tomato burrata salad 19$.

    Mediterranean Exploration - Radicchio

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    Yalla - Hummus with Burnt Beef Ends

    Yalla

    4.4(270 reviews)
    11.4 miMultnomah Village, Southwest Portland
    $$

    Such delicious food! Their takes on Greek and Mediterranean foods are nuanced and innovative while…read morestill having that comforting effect that traditional preparations provide. Special props for their amazing pita bread!

    Came here with a friend visiting from out of town after having a great experience at Shalom Y'all a…read morefew months ago and unfortunately was pretty disappointed. It's a nice location and was quite busy on a Tuesday night. We were sat right on time for our reservation. The server recommended 5-7 plates for our party of 3 and let us know that plates come out as they are made (pretty standard). Despite this, there seemed to be no pacing to how dishes came out. All of our dishes came out rapid fire one after another to the point where we didn't have time to finish the small plates and didn't have room on the table. The food itself was largely okay, but nothing to write home about. The two biggest plates we got were the pastrami and the short rib. The pastrami was somewhat dry, though the mustard it was served with was delicious. The short rib was tough and in the rub had one slice that was way too strong and overpowered all the other flavors. The hummus with burnt ends was good from a hummus perspective but the ends were super salty. The cornbread was delicious and probably the favorite plate of the table and the cauliflower was a close second. All in all, a pretty disappointing experience. Maybe it was just a tough night there and we'll give it another try.

    Photos
    Yalla
    Yalla - Radicchio Salad

    Radicchio Salad

    Yalla - Roasted Cauliflower

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    Shalom Y'all Restaurant - Baharat Chicken Kebab

    Shalom Y'all Restaurant

    4.5(537 reviews)
    15.2 miIndustrial District, Central Eastside, Buckman, Southeast Portland
    $$

    This place was fantastic. The flavors were amazing. We ordered the 1/2 lamb chops and the shalom…read moreplate. The hummus is so smooth and the labneh was lemony and delicious. They hand roll out the pitta bread in the open kitchen and it comes out warm and fresh from the oven. The service was lovely the staff was helpful and refilled our water consistently. 11 out of 10 stars. Would eat here again.

    We always wanted to try this place and we're glad we did. We went on a Tuesday night after visiting…read moreOMSI and just walked to the restaurant. We didn't have a reservation, but there's was room at the bar alongside the kitchen. That's always the best place to sit because it's like getting a show with dinner. Speaking of dinner, it was excellent. We started with a roasted eggplant dip served with a round, fluffy pita bread. So yummy. Next came falafel with tahina and green S'hug sauce, which gives it a spicy kick. The six falafel balls were light and airy, not dense and dry like lots of falafel we've had in the past. Finally, we ended with chicken shawarma, a wonderful confit chicken dish, nicely seasoned, sitting atop large pita pillow. We just folded it up and went from there. The service was fast, friendly and efficient. They suggest ordering two dishes per person, but you don't need to. Three dishes is plenty (even two) depending on what you get. We washed it down with a pilsner beer and homemade blackberry soda. The portions are generous. We'll definitely go back and sample several other dishes.

    Photos
    Shalom Y'all Restaurant
    Shalom Y'all Restaurant - Hummus & Pine Nuts & Fresh Pita

    Hummus & Pine Nuts & Fresh Pita

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