I so, so, SOOOO wanted to like this place. While the food was really good, I'm afraid it was too little, too late. I'm REALLY big on service and when I'm "hangry", I don't want to be messed with. I arrived around 7:15pm on Wednesday for Dining Under the Stars. I was quoted a 40-45 minute wait. As not everyone in my party was there yet, that was fine. Until table after table after table got sat ahead of us who had arrived AFTER us. I would have been ok with this if these things had happened: 1. The hostess had told me I wouldn't be sat without everyone in my party there. (One person arrived around 7:35, the other around 7:45pm) 2. If I hadn't had told her that my friends were literally around the corner and would be there any minute...this was after a party of 4 was sat after waiting only 10 minutes and I had already been there almost half an hour) And even after everyone had arrived, we STILL had to wait even when there was an open table. And we were told that that table was for a party of 5 that had only been waiting a few minutes. B---S---! We'd still be waiting if that party of 5 hadn't dwindled to a party of 3...and we were sat at the table meant for 5. To be honest the quote time was in the range, but it boiled my blood to see people being sat that hadn't waited nearly as long as I had. Waitress was generally nice and explained some things on the menu, but we didn't see her much. Sure, things get crazy on Wednesdays, but how many Wednesdays have you been through that you haven't prepared for the volume of customers? We were told we were one of the last last tables...second to last to be exact. So you'd think that the food would arrive quickly. No. We waited an hour for our food. AN HOUR for food that I'm sure was already prepared and just needed to be put together. Did I mention I was hangry? Not wanting to be a complete beyotch, I didn't say anything to anyone. The food WAS delicious. I had the beet and parsley salad which was seasoned nicely and almost gave me heart attack the next day in the bathroom because I had forgotten I had eaten beets! Then I had the braised beef sandwich. Yum on top of yum. I loved the espresso BBQ sauce and wanted more of it. The portion was generous and the beef was tender and flavorful. The hummus was rich and creamy and the pita was soft and light. I really want to come back when it's not crazy and enjoy another meal without the added stress of Dining Under the Stars. I'll update this review when I do. read more

This place is great. Hot falafels, grape leaves and a pita stuffed with chicken, hummus, cucumber and tomato.

had Desert Rose take out upon arrival in Philly. awesome falafel, hummus and HOMEMADE PITA!!!! YUM.

Everything they plated was beautiful and delicious. Whatever you eat make sure you taste the pickled eggplant and the cilantro/jalapeno sauce. Amazing! Best pita bread I've had in my life. read more

Most recent visit, I had the Braised Short Rib with Espresso Harissa BBQ Sauce, Red Onion, Cucumbers, & Hummus. Incredible! This should be on one of those top ten sandwiches to eat before you die list. Really amazing! read more

Decided to try Desert Rose because of the reviews. I went for take-out and decided to try the DR Shwarma platter with the hummus at the suggestion of the waitress and it did not disappoint. The portions were good and the flavors were incredible. Can't wait to go back and try other suggested items. The restaurant itself had a cool vibe with good music. Add this to your list of places to try. read more

I loved it. This my favorite food and it was off the hook great. I had the falafel on pita. It was as good as any I've had. My wife had the Shawma and it was great. Had a side of labani ( yogurt) again on point. The only thing that missed was the Turkish coffee. The grounds never settled. You have to bring it to a boil 3 times!! How a guy from Delco can make food like your in her Middle East . Wow read more

This place is so good and so often overlooked in media! It's truly authentic--my Mediterranean friends verify. A tad pricey, but super good quality. The plates are all beautifully arranged! read more

I love Mediterranean cuisine and always try to support new ethnic restaurants in around the media area. Desert Rose has good sandwiches, but there's not much else I can recommend here. We always asked him to go a little light on the sauce when they make us sandwiches. The meat vegetables and seasonings are all great but it can be a bit drowned in the sauce if you don't ask them to lighten up a bit. read more

Made a first time visit today. Had the chicken schwarma sandwich. Was an excellent choice. Hope to go back if in area.

I go to the restaurant often for lunch with my wife. The Desert Rose Chicken Shwarma sandwich is the best plate/ item on State street in media. It is really that good. I also get the falafel sandwich and the kabob sandwich. My wife alsooved the fancy cheese side. The restaurant has a skeletal staff and lots of "love" on the food from the owner/chef. I cannot give the restaurant five stars because of the consistently unfriendly or blaze servers. Regardless of who it is, they all have the same sour personality. Just a bummer when the customer tried to be so nice and considerate and the waitress is cold. Side note - my wife's chicken Shwarma sandwich today was missing the fresh cabbage and the waitress forgot my wife's tea. Also, the baklavah desert I got was delicious but puny - about half the size it usually is. Odd events today so I will give them a pass and chalk it up to an off day. Overall, highly recommend this restaurant minus the sour servers. read more

Not an expert of Shwarma, but everyone on here seemed to love it so I tried it, and it was very good. Also, their version of a gyro done with chicken was good. Great for lunch. read more

This small middle eastern eatery offers a nice selection of traditional favorites with a twist on some, including the awesome succulent short rib I devoured accompanied by hummus, spicy carrot salad (a suggestion of my friendly server) and fresh hot thick pita that's perfect for scooping up until the plate is practically clean. One of the best middle eastern meals I've enjoyed in a long time. read more

Can a Falafel sandwich be worth ten dollars? Yes. Everything at this place is phenomenal. You're not sacrificing anything by eating Israeli in the burbs. read more

I'm not crazy about this place but I can see where others are. The shawarma pita was an interesting spicy combination of flavors and textures. We also shared a tasty kebab and falafel sandwich. Desserts are not homemade. Service is uneven. read more

We frequent this place often because the food is outstanding. I love that they have vegetarian options and they are willing to explain the menu for those who don't quite understand Middle Eastern cuisine. The staff is very friendly. The place is a nice size and very casual. And they also have a takeout option as well. I only wish they delivered. Haha.... The falafel is some of the best falafel I've ever had. The hummus is also very very creamy and I usually get that with the rice whenever I get a platter read more

Great flavors, good service. The hummus is the perfect texture, not too dry. Pitas were hot and perfect! I really enjoyed the Chicken Shawarma Platter. Turkish tea is strong, and a bit grainy, but overall good flavor. read more

Pre-COVID, I was a frequent diner at Desert Rose with others and enjoyed the food. If I was just reviewing food, I would give them 4 stars; however, Customer Service is a completely different story. My most recent experience occurred when attempting to dine in with my husband was a complete disappointment. When we arrived, we were surprised to see a sign on the door indicating they were open for take-out/delivery only. I left the following message on their Facebook page ("My husband and I were under the impression that you were open for dining when we traveled to Media. Sadly, we found out from the sign on the door, only take out and delivery)," to which their response was, "why would you have the impression that we were open for dining? I have been closed for over 16 months because of the pandemic. Also I have not posted anything about re-opening officially? Sadly I have to respond to posts like this. Also posts like this only encourage me to keep my dining room closed. I hope you enjoyed your evening in Media." In my reply I pointed out that their website does not indicate they are closed for dine-in service. I received a long "hahaha" response from someone else, presumably an owner or employee. Maybe the owner was having a bad day, but nothing excuses his rudeness. read more

The day was hot, and I found myself struggling to remain dry against the unrelenting force of my own perspiration as I made the arduous trek across state street. But just as I was about to succumb to the inevitability of my demise, suddenly I was greeted with a breeze- a calm, cool western breeze that gently and seductively wafted through the street. And with that blessed zephyr wind came a scent, the smell of food, a smell of food so sweet and so lovely that I found my feet moving of their own accord in the direction from whence the divine smell came. And so I found myself at the transom of Desert Rose, a small but well-managed establishment quietly nestled within the epicenter of the Media economic machine. Anyway, the food was excellent, and I'd definitely recommend it. read more

Honestly, this place is the only reason i got a yelp account. I find "yelpers" as a community to be folks that generally carry these traits: *Grouchy. **Never worked in the restaurant biz. (THIS IS A BIG ONE!!!!) *Set their bar waaay too high. *Enjoy making waitstaff cry. *Hate their lives. *Or are all around general below average humans. That being said, if you live in and around the media area and don't subscribe to the above, and can appreciate quality food at a fair price -- this is the single BEST restaurant in Media area. PERIOD. Chef Jason is preparing the freshest, tastiest, and AWESOMEST food anywhere outside of Philly.... Heck, he's doing it better than most of those hot shots in the city. Every single item on the menu has it's own unique quality and characteristic. Everything is made fresh, including the tasty pita bread. The shawarma will change your life. The salads will open your mind up to a 4th dimension. The tasty, crisp and not-at-all greasy falafel will have you doing cartwheels. The fresh hummus is better than your middle eastern friend's grandmothers recipe. If you appreciate quality food at a fair price and can lose the attitude of eating fried mozz sticks at the local outback for a night, this is the place to be. Not to mention it's BYO. read more

Very good! I got take out falafel sandwich, yummy! Only 8$ and it filled me up. I am looking forward to going back soon. My husband got the chicken sandwich and enjoyed it. The traditional hummus was great although I would have liked more pita to dip. We will be back. read more

What a fantastic little restaurant! My wife and I ventured in on the coldest night of the winter and found a bustling restaurant where the exceptional food is made with love and served by the friendliest, warmest staff. We split the Israeli cous cous salad, I had the Lebanese Lamb dinner, my wife had the Portobello Mushroom sandwich and we split a couple of delicious cookies for desert. All were wonderful. I can't recommend this little gem enough. read more

Not happy with the service!!!!!!! Waited all night for a hot glass of water. They do not have ice. The Kabob is beef and the waitress told me it was chicken. I do not eat beef. The waitress replaced my meal with the Falafel and charged me for two meals. When I complained they said that I would need to speak with the manager. I waited 20 minutes and the manager never came out to speak with me. Will NEVER go back to this restaurant. read more

Great addition to Media! My lunch portion was huge, prepared hot and fresh, tasted great. The owner was very nice, can't wait to go back.

Great find! Family owned and run business with authentic Mediterranean food. My favorite, braised short rib sandwich or platter served with fresh homemade hummus. I also get the spicy chicken shawarma sandwich. YUMM!!!! read more

Yummmmmmmmmm, byob places are just better. Idk why, but the nitty gritty of cooking stuff from scratch and having it look and taste more like home cooking...that you can't beat. Sometimes I don't want to dress up really nice to go to a fancy schmancy restaurant and eat good food. Sometimes I just want to eat good food wearing my Sunday clothes while sipping on wine. This is where you'll find that. The presentation of the food is phenomenal. I got the spicy chicken shawarma platter. Left side were 2 pita breads, middle consisted of cucumbers and tomatoes(I'm not big on veggies and they were able to convince me to eat it clean) and the spicy chicken surrounded with hummus. Pita was so good and the veggies were so fresh, it felt like they were just cut up with a light seasoning. Now my favorite was this spicy chicken. Not enough where you'll not enjoy it, but spicy enough to get a light kick and a tasteful of amazingly spiced flavors jumping into your mouth all at once. Surrounding it is literally the best hummus you will ever have...if not...take me to the bank. It's so light and fluffy it's melting in your mouth with just the right amount of saltiness where it's not overbearing. You will not be disappointed. read more

Desert Rose - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

The food here is so delicious! I love so many things on the menu it's hard to decide what to get so I don't roll out of there. Some of my faves are: the hummus platter with pita, the stuffed grape leaves, the tabbouleh and the desert rose chicken schwarma which has a nice little kick to it. My only complaint would be the baklava portions are too small; I want a giant piece of this deliciousness! I crave eating this food constantly; it's that good. You will not be disappointed & the female owner is as sweet as can be. read more

I really want to like this place. The food is a good quality and tasty, for the most part. Hummus isn't great, tastes like a preservative in canned chickpeas. They make their own pita, but it's too doughy and mushy, not the texture pita is supposed to be. Everything else said, their service is TERRIBLE! The OWNER (chef) is not the least bit friendly or appreciative of your business, nor are the servers! I got 2 takeout sandwiches today totaling over $20 and didn't get a "thank you" " thanks for coming in" NOTHING! Owner is an arrogant f**k if you ask me! I've tried several times and won't be back! Not the way to run a business!!! I would rather give my money to a business that appreciates it's customers! read more

The place is great. Went with the folks after stumbling upon it on yelp. Used to be the old co-op. Try anything and be hungry when you arrive as portions are fairly large. Had the chicken shwarma platter and it was dope. Great hummus too! read more

Spicy chicken shawarma...only thing I will get. Everything on this platter works so well together! However, the hummus alone is lacking so I wouldn't order just the hummus. I also like their grape leaves. I wish the food wasn't so expensive...I don't believe a sandwich/pita should cost $10 but it doesn't stop my husband and I from frequenting as it's the only Mediterranean we know of in the area and it is pretty good! read more

Omg. This place is SO GOOD!!! I had the spicy shawarma platter with hummus and spicy carrots. I will be coming back very very soon!!

I love the food here! Delicious and fresh! My favorite is the Chicken Shawarma and hummus with the cucumber tomato salad or the Braised Short Rib. Love that's it's a byob as well!! read more

My wife and I enjoy this BYOB. Lamb kabob was tasty. We always like the hummus and short ribs. If you are not familiar with the area there is a pa wine store (a short walk on Baltimore pike )so grab a bottle and check it out read more

Not so good. If you want authentic Arabic food consider Cedars in Malvern. The best falafel can be enjoyed at Fattoush in Malvern.

Food is awesome. Tried almost everything on the menu . You cant go wrong with anything you order. Prices are great. Media is a quaint town and Desert Rose is a perfect excuse to visit Media. read more

We are so glad Yelp led us to this little family run gem. We have traveled the Middle East and this is the real deal ... and may have been better! Shawarma and falafel plates were flavorful and good portions. Pitas were so fresh. Baklava was also a hit. Only the Moroccan soup wasn't great, okay, but nothing special. When we visit the gardens of the area, we will definitely eat here again! read more

Great food, felt like I was eating a home-cooked meal. Service was friendly and really fast. I had the spicy chicken shawarma with hummus, rice, tomato/cucumbers and pita. It was excellent. Everything was really fresh and portions were really generous. One thing though, the iced tea they have is Honest Tea which is barely sweetened. read more

Met friends here for dinner my first experience eating Mediterranean food. It was awesome! The Hummus was amazing! The waitress was very helpful explaining the menu.. Can't wait to go back! The beet salad was delicious and the Pita bread was also very good! read more

I've had lunch there twice, and both times ordered the schwarms sandwich, which was delicious. My wife had the beet salad, and that looked good too. And it's a BYO. read more

Was in town for a meeting so wanted to try something local. This place is small but has a good feel to it. The staff is very courteous and attentive. The menu isn't too elaborate which is a good thing but they've got simple middle eastern stuff like shawarma, falafel, shakshooka etc. But oh they're hummus was really creamy and flavorful, went really well with their home made pita. I had the short rib sandwich which was a lot of meat stuffed into a pita along with hummus and some lettuce. It's a good size sandwich but could've used some more flavor so ask for that green chili/pepper salsa sorta stuff. The food came out pretty quick too and they were particular about making sure our glasses of water were always full, which I appreciate. read more