Petra Mediterranean has a selection of dishes common to Jordan, Lebanon, Northern Africa and Greece and they're worth a try. When we walked in the staff at the front were very quick in greeting us and showing us to a table by the window which I appreciated. The interior of the restaurant is very nice when compared to a lot of other Mediterranean restaurants in the greater Seattle area which further adds to the experience. They brought us water and menus and then we were left to explore the menu. As you open the pages of the menu your tastebuds will be tempted to try many things. We decided to get two entrées from the lunch menu and an appetizer. For an appetizer we chose the hummus which was made with chickpeas, sesame oil, garlic and lemon juice. For entrées it was a bit more difficult to choose since we wanted all three. We ended up choosing one vegetarian and one meat option to mix it up with the falafel and the Taste of Africa. Both of our lunch entrées came with a choice of soup and salad. Considering we're in the midst of a cold spell we both chose the soup. Without looking at the menu I ordered a tea with mint and the server came back to ask me if Oregano and mint tea was acceptable. I have not had oregano and mint tea in a long time so it was a nice change. If you've never had it, it may sound a bit odd but it really is good. The two flavors compliment one another well and it's very warming! They brought our soups before the appetizer and the soup was great. I liked the little touch of sprinkling a bit of sumac on top and a bit of fresh herbs in the middle of the bowl. The soup had a mix of spices I could actually taste and it was a great welcoming item if you've never been here before. I actually make my own Italian, Turkish, Indian and Tibetan lentil soups and I'd say this was a solid. I might actually get this as a meal with pita when I come back. Next our server brought the hummus. I think hummus is a menu item to choose as a standard to judge the quality of the food in a Mediterranean restaurant. I've generally found that if the hummus is great the food will also be good and that was definitely the case here. There was a lot of hummus, much more than either of us expected and we were both impressed. The presentation was nice and I liked the sprinkling of paprika, sumac and herbs on top. There were also two slices of cucumber, tomatoes and three pitted olives on top as well. I know it's a small thing but I liked that the olives were pitted! Oh, incase you're wondering, the hummus tasted great. The bread that accompanied it was served warm and cut into small triangles. Good presentation and great taste. The only thing I'd change would be that the quality of the tomatoes on top of the hummus should not have been served. In my opinion they were not very fresh enough. The entrées arrived and both were huge. We had leftovers of everything! The chicken shawarma dish was spiced nicely and smelled wonderful. The vegetables were not soggy which was also nice. It did not need any salt or pepper either. The falafel plate was good and they tasted fresh. Another thing I always do when I get falafel is smell them. I want to make sure they use fresh oil when they fry them. The falafel here tasted like they use fresh oil which isn't always the case everywhere. The falafel was good but they were just a hint on the dry side. Don't get me wrong, they were still good but they could have been great. Both selections were served over yellow rice. Our server checked on us several times and I asked a lot of questions about the freshness of the ingredients and if anything was frozen. I also asked about getting some hot sauce and instead of just placing a bottle on the table I liked that they used a small container, but a small spoon with it would have been great since we both didn't have spoons since they took them when they took our empty soup bowls. Great Mediterranean food, service and plenty of leftovers m! What more could you ask for? read more

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Not a lot of middle eastern restaurants in Seattle, so I guess my expectations weren't too high to begin with. Petra was pretty close to being 4 stars as the food was 3 stars, but the service was 4 stars. The food was garlic city, holy cow, so much in everything. My breath had garlic stank until the next day from the hummus. I had the mixed kabob, chicken was somewhat dry and over cooked, lamb was good though. If you are in the area and looking for a good Middle Eastern place I still recommend it. My thought is the hummus might have been a bad batch or there was left over garlic from the trip to that farmers market that day. read more

Petra is amazing! It's a smaller restaurant so I wouldn't advise coming here with a massive party unless you can make a reservation or something (especially during the busy hours). It's downtown so you have to utilize street parking, which is unfortunate but totally worth it. The service is great, the food is absolutely superb. The shish tawook is my absolute favorite, I've tried a couple other things on the menu but keep coming back to this one. The garlic sauce that tops the rice and chicken is to die for, highly recommend. read more

Went back on our way home thru Seattle. This time we ordered the Ouzi with lamb and an extra salad. PLENTY of food. Incredible flavors! Great service. read more

This place was really good. The waitress recommended a few good plates. I ordered this garlic chicken and my sisters ordered the Petra's choice. They both were really good. The chicken in the lemon garlic chicken was very flavorful and lemony and juicy it's a big portion so you would be able to share it, but if you're hungry or big appetite you can finish it yourself. I would definitely get this plate again. read more

Petra Bistro - Mediterranean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I took my husband and daughter there tonight because I knew they would love it....and they did! I had the Mediterranean Salmon, which was super moist and full of flavor. My husband had the chicken shawarma, and he said it was the best he has ever had. read more

Petra Bistro - Ouzo and House Salad...Yum! - Mediterranean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

(Would give 3 1/2) The food was solidly executed and flavorful, if a bit unimaginative. The hot pita was excellent. The beers on tap were local, and the service was friendly and old fashioned. The kitchen leaned too heavily on the garlic sauce for the dishes we ordered. Even the best dish we had (the cauliflower) needed something to take it from good to great. The decor is our-of-date in the classic way many ethnic restaurants are - I liked it, my wife not so much. It needs a refresh. read more

Food was okay. They cover everything in seasoning that took two days to get the taste out of my mouth. Service was good. People where nice. I probably would not eat here again. read more

This was some of the best food I've ever had. Amazing service and great ambiance. Our waiter andrew was so sweet. We got the hummus and Petra royal and we were obsessed! Might need to go again tomorrow night :) read more

Nice comfortable atmosphere and good food that came quickly! Wish they had vegan desserts and vegan labeling of the menu items but otherwise a positive experience! read more

Lentils soup was amazing. Chicken Shawarma was good.. will recommend this place for folks who look for Halal food. Lamb Shawarma it seems is halal read more

After checking our "Around Me" app, viewing the "Yelp" reviews and reading the "Petra Bistro's" online menu, we decided to head over and eat a Mediterranean dinner featuring selections from the Greece, Africa and other countries within the region. Upon walking inside, our senses were immediately bombarded with the most amazing aromas--garlic, lemon, African spices, fresh herbs and char-broiled meats. We looked at each other and knew we were in for a treat. The restaurant has an open feel to it, is adorned with paintings of Mediterranean lifestyle and landscapes and complimented with Mediterranean music softly playing in the background. We settled on one order of spanakopita as an appetizer and for the main course we chose the Combo Kabob (individual chicken, lamb, kefta and vegetable skewers served over rice) and the the Gyro Shawarma (thinly sliced beef and lamb sautéed with vegetables and tahini sauce). For starters, I chose the salad while my husband ordered the lentil soup. The let me just say that everything we ate was fantastic. First out was the soup and salad. The salad dressing was bright and fresh with an olive oil and lemon essence. In fact, it is one of the better dressings I have had. The soup was richly flavored with warm African spices and a distinct cumin edge to it. The spanakopita was a nice size and flavorful. Although it was good, it didn't tantalize my senses like the rest of the meal. Also, although it was made with Filo dough, the spanakopita itself seemed a bit doughy and soft unlike the flaky layers of Filo that I am used to. Perhaps it was soft because it was topped with garlic sauce. The stars of the meal we decided were the lamb kabob and the chicken kabob. Like comparing apples to oranges, they were both amazing but truly cannot be compared to one another. The lamb is great alone but terrific when accented with the garlic sauce. The chicken was moist and bursting with a lemony-garlic flavor. The Kefta (ground meat kabob infused with onions, parsley, tomatoes and spices) was warm and inviting and the vegetables, well, let's just say my husband loved them and he's a meat and potato guy. I had the Gyro Shawarma and, although quite tasty, I was surprised when it did not come in a pita. Consider this dish an entire plate of intensely flavored, sauteéd onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices tossed with thinly sliced lamb and beef, all topped with tzatziki sauce. This was an amazing dish but I felt like it was lacking the pita. So, I ordered one. When it came out, it noticed that it was light, delicate and fresh from the oven warm. It tasted like it was house-made (although I later learned they buy it from a vendor). It was the best pita I have ever eaten. Topped with the gyro shawarma, it was a culinary delight. If you order this and want to stuff it in a pita, understand that it comes cut in triangles but I would guess you could ask them to keep it whole. Both dishes came with a tasty yet mildly-flavored rice. As for portion sizes, they are huge. Neither of us eats like birds and we could not finish our plates. Clearly, we could have shared one of the meals and been satisfied. The service was also very good. Our waitress, Paula, was very attentive, friendly and gave us great recommendations. All in all, this is a 5-star restaurant based on taste. Petra is Zagat and Trip-Advisor rated but most importantly, recommended by my husband and I. This meal was so good that I would consider eating there again tomorrow had we not walked out with leftovers enough for two more meals. read more

Petra Bistro - Lentil Soup - Mediterranean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We found Petra Bistro to be welcoming and delicious! Everything we ordered was fabulous and plentiful. The wait staff was efficient and well versed in the menu. We would make this place a regular stop if we lived here! read more

Not sure that I get the rave here - or if I have just been to better Mediterranean restaurants. Or maybe it was the service, which was somewhat mean and uncaring. Had the various samplers here, which gave me a taste of everything. Yeah, food was pretty good and home-ish cooking, but things (particularly meats) just lacked overall flavor for me. The baba ganoush was also served to me in a weird warm temperature. The saffron rice was cooked well, but that was about it for me in terms of the "wow" factor. On a rating scale, food was a 4. (I've just had better in NYC, SF, and many elsewhere.) What tainted the experience even more was our waiter was almost sleepy, kind of moving along without any rhyme or reason or care in the world. It was just weird, for what I thought was supposed to be one of Seattle's best. I looked around and I do not think that service is a particular strong point here. read more

Food is absolutely amazing, the atmosphere is phenomenal and the staff gives excellent customer service. one of the best Mediterranean places down town by far!! Well worth the experience, Well worth the food coma feeling. The portions are extremely generous, you can tell the owners want their customers feeling well fed, unlike some places where they skimp you. The food, especially the veggies, all taste fresh which shows the owners really care about their customers health. The staff go above and beyond to make it a pleasant feeling answering questions as needed and if there's something they don't know they'll ask the kitchen staff which to me shows everyone there care about whether their customers come back. read more

Started out w/ assorted appetizer and it was good and filling. Hummus and yogurt was delicious. Could've had 1 plate to myself as a meal. Plates are huge! I had the chicken Sharma and it was too tangy for me. I havent been to a lot of Mediterranean restaurants so Im not sure if the food tasted as it should but not one of my favorites. I will have to try something different next time. Salad was great and I heard from my mom the lentil soup was good. Falafel and baklava was a little on the dry side. read more

What isn't there to love about Petra? The restaurant has a very welcoming vibe - extremely comfortable and homey. Reservations aren't necessary but suggested if coming for dinner! So yes, coziness helps. But then there is the dolmathes, the kafta kabob, the falafel, and their house salads that are mouthwatering and jaw-dropping. The heavy pours of wine helped too! Apothic red = fair-priced and yummo. The dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves) were my least favorite as they aren't as flavorful as some others I've had elsewhere. The falafel had a really crisp exterior which my boyfriend would describe as "the way falafel should be made". I personally like them a tad softer but that's just a preference. We had to ask for more sauce for this appetizer because the falafel hardly has any sauce drizzled so they were a bit dry; once the extra sauce came out we were in heaven. Kafta Kabob is where it's at! Served over soft rice and with pita bread... just, whoa. One of my favorite Mediterranean spots yet. read more

Petra is undeniably tasty! I've been there for both lunch and dinner, and enjoyed both! Lunch is much more reasonably priced ($9 for an entrée instead of $14) and the same portion size. They have a decent craft beer selection and a better wine selection. I love how many vegetarian options they have! Shawarma all the way, folks! And the lentil soup is killer! However, what other reviewers said is true- you will taste garlic for the rest of the day... and the rest of the following day too. For me? TOTALLY worth it! Let's just wait a day or two to make out. Service is outstanding- super friendly. They don't do lunch reservations and I've never had to wait, but they've been precariously full. Street parking is pretty easy. Go for it! read more

Why this restaurant gets so many 4- and 5-star reviews is honestly a mystery to me. I am both of Mediterranean extraction and passionate about the cuisine of the Levant. After seeing so many good reviews, I came expecting a nice meal, but ended up sorely disappointed. I can only assume the Belltown trendies who seem to make up the bulk of the clientele have no clue what good Eastern Med food is (for that matter, they probably couldn't tell you what Petra is or what country it's in, much less find it on a map). I guess they just go cray-cray with the garlic, cinnamon, and ras al hanout, and are happy ('Josh! Megan! Check this place out, it's got funny names, so it must be awsome!'). Or maybe they're too occupied with their smartphones to actually notice the food. I dunno, it's weird. THE ROSES: On the positive side, this is a popular Belltown restaurant that ISN'T owned by Tom Douglas. They do make good hummus. This isn't necessarily saying much, as it is very easy to make good hummus. On the other hand, their brown lentil soup was very good. Service is competent as well. THE THORNS: I ordered the Combo Kebab, which is generally a great dish and a good way to test the mettle of a restaurant which features Levantine cuisine. You get shish tawouk (chicken), shish kebab (lamb), and kafta kebab (ground beef). The chicken was flavorless and badly overcooked (hint: don't use chicken breast; it's too tough to 'nail' over a grill. Go with thigh meat instead). The waitress suggested I dredge the chicken in the hummus. WTF? All you're doing is tasting hummus, 'coz the under-marinated chicken has no damn taste on it's own. As far as the shish kebab goes, rather than use chunks of lamb, you get a couple of measly thin poker chip-sized slices of lamb, and they were as dry as the aforementioned poker chip. Don't get me started on the kafta kebab; it was so dry as to be nearly inedible. They had three pitches down the middle, and couldn't connect with one. Sorry babes, but they're no minor league nights in the majors, and your kitchen is strictly bush league: one star for you! Lastly, they do not carry Retsina. How the hell can you call yourself a Mediterranean restaurant and not have retsina? That's like having a Japanese restaurant without sake! I realize it's not popular with most of the white-bread Seattle crowd, but you should always keep a few bottles in hand for the folks who know this cuisine. Take West Seattle's Turkish restaurant Ephesus: they keep a few bottles of Turkish (!) wine on hand; they don't list them, but they do include a note on the menu to ask about what they have. SUMMARY: One star is probably a bit harsh, but I wouldn't go higher than two. I'm hoping this 1-star review will get the owner's attention, so they can fix things in the kitchen. Seriously, 3 different kebabs, and your kitchen couldn't get even ONE right? That's really pathetic. This outfit is skating by thanks to an apparently largely ignorant, easy-to-please clientele. Try Mashawi on Roy St., or even the humble Mawadda Cafe. They may not be trendy, but at least they know what the hell they're doing. read more

Yelp should allow me to rate zero star for this restaurant. . .. because they guys deserve zero star.. Service guys are so rude and very cheap behavior... I think they guys should learn how to behave with customers. Do proper business. I never go back with this guy's anymore. I would say god may bless them .. read more

I still tasted garlic after brushing my teeth. I still tasted it after using scope... Good hell, what sort of mutant garlic was in my lamb Ouzi that was taking over my breath? If I had a hot date i'd know for sure where the evening wasn't going to head... This place is good, not great. I think my tamarind martini was the highlight of the meal, which is sad considering it was gone far too quickly and I was left with plenty yogurt topped, garlic infused, Mediterranean food-stuffs. My lentil soup was pretty good-- lemon infused and very cumin-y. The spanikopita was ok -- a bit soggy and not enough feta in my opinion. My ouzi was tasty but the more I ate the more overwhelming the garlic became. You get very large portions, and I have to say my dog was very interested in my strong smelling take-out box. The service is fast, and my particular waiter very soft spoken and brief. Made for a little bit of an awkward table-side manner, though he was friendly and made sure to ask my how I liked my drink. The waiters on a whole seem to give you your space which is fine for a place like this -- cute candle lit decor that might be sort of romantic if your meal didn't leave you needing 27 after dinner mints. read more

From my limited experience with Mediterranean food in Seattle, Petra seems like a pretty decent option when it comes to the basics. The mezza platter is kind of ridiculous -- an absurd amount of food for $15, including hummus, labne, babaganoush, falafel, dolmades, and some greens, all covered in a garlic-lemon-tahini. It was enough food to fill up my party of four and leave us moaning when the entrees came out. The Petra Chicken Salad was fine, but overpowered by the aforementioned garlic-lemon-tahini sauce (I believe this is their signature sauce, and thus covers many of their dishes). Chicken was a little dry, but the spice rub gave a welcome punch of flavor through the dressing. Overall fine, but forgettable. My dining partners gave mixed reviews, and we all agreed that the apps are where it's at. I will definitely be back, but most likely to gorge on the mezza alone. What Petra lacks in sophistication, it makes up for in volume and price (and some friendly service). I don't usually choose my restaurants based on portion size and wallet value,* but Petra does well for what it is. -- * or I'd be at the Olive Garden for salad and breadsticks every night... read more

I actually think this place deserves a 2-star, but I felt compelled to offset their overly inflated 4.5 star rating. The food is passable, the service isn't offensive, and the atmosphere is clean and acceptable. All of which translate into a solid 2 rating at best. The problem I have with this place is its fabulous 4.5 star rating on yelp (not to mention a similar one on OpenTable). These ratings are SO far off the mark, that I have concluded that there must be some funky business going on with thei rating (despite the high number of reviews). I feel strongly that it is for the collective good that some discipline be applied to these dodgy ratings manipulators. So, in sum, you won't walk away from this place offended, but I would suggest you heavily manage your expectations going in (and on your way out, get on yelp and fix this rating). read more

We were looking forward to good mediterranean food, we arrived around 7 pm and were promptly seated. This was the higlight of the evening. 20 minutes later (yes it was that long, as we timed it), we still had not even water on the table. 3 different waiters passed us several times. We finally decided to leave (at the 20 min mark), with not a single wait person even bothering to ask us why. Keep in mind that the restaurant was not busy, there were 4 other tables with customers who were receiving service. We attempted several times to get attention of the waiters, with no avail. Save your time, don't visit this place. read more

The lemon garlic chicken (shish tawouk) was juicy, tender, and tangy the way it should be. The garlic sauce on top was a little more buttery tasting than I'm used to, but delicious. The accompanying red lentil soup was just slightly over-salted but also very flavorful. This will definitely be my goto spot in the neighborhood to get my Mediterranean fix. read more

I was a little disappointed since this place had high reviews. They were really behind when we arrived. The kitchen was late and the servers were frantically trying to catch up as well. They seated us and it took them 15 minutes to bring us menus. But that's not all that went wrong. I ordered the lamb kabobs and they were super overcooked, the rice that came with the plate was also cold and unappetizing. the soup was overly salted and to top it off the portions were not what I was expecting. I understand that sometimes restaurants have off days but bad experiences last a lifetime. read more

This little bistro is a pleasant find in Belltown. Came here for dinner with a group of 8, the atmosphere and service here are superb. Loved the lentil soup! Definitely get this instead of the salad. The Petra Wings is surprisingly big for an appetizer, flavorful and juicy meat. I got the Gryo Shawarma, it's good but so-so compare to Mediterranean Kitchen or Garlic Crush, not too much flavor here, but the meat is very tender. Also had a taste of the Lamb Shawarma, and have to say it meat very well marinated, much better than the Gryo. Dinner pricing wise this place is couple dollars less than Mediterranean Kitchen, but the portions are also smaller. For eastsiders like me I'll still prefer to go to MK and GC for a quick craving fix (parking is also easier =p). Next I want to try their Mezza trays, more variety is always better! read more

Horrible service! I placed an order to go for a gyro. And when i got there they guy brought me kabobs instead. I told him i ordered a gyro and he was arguing w me that i ordered kabobs instead. Boy was i angry! He didn't offer to fix my order or anything. Just argued w me and insisted that I ordered wrong in front of other patrons. Even my coworker who heard me put in the order said i ordered a gyro. 0 stars for service and two stars for the food. The customer (me) is always right :) He should learn that golden rule. read more

Holy crap. This place has to be one of the best Mediterranean Bistro I've ever had. Everything I've tried so far on the menu (which sums up to be about 6-7 different dishes now) are ridiculously delicious. I mean ridiculous. The staff are very prompt and courteous, even knowledgeable with wine pairings to enhance the dining experience. Just go try it today. You won't regrent a minute you spend there. Do it, your mouth deserves it. read more

Visiting here from Vancouver which is a serious foodie town. No shortage of middle eastern restaurants there. But this is completely different. Every note is a new flavour. If you think you've been there, done that, you haven't. Fantastic. Oh, the baklava. I know, I know. You've had your share right? Not like this. Seriously. Will be back next time we're in town read more

It's obvious they put a lot of pride into their food and service, however both fall very short in my biased NYC opinion. Make sure you ask how things are prepared! A chicken schwarma on a flat plate with no pita? And how long does a schwarma take really to prepare?? Waited 15 minutes! The whole plate, rice too, was covered in white sauce (which to be fair was good and obviously house made). When asked for pita they brought me out wedged pieces, leading me to believe these servers don't know what they are doing and just work really hard at looking cool. Also the food was overly salty. Maybe this place is too posh for my taste. I think I'll stick with those less expensive tasty food trucks and street vendors read more

Hard as I tried, I just couldn't put my fork down. We started off with Petra fries and a plate of dolmades. Garlic ketchup and feta on the former: delicious; mushy, unrecognizable rice mixture in the latter: not what I was expecting. Skip these and try the ones at Lola's instead. Because I ate way too much of the appetizers, I wasn't hungry enough to eat a whole entree for dinner. So I order the Hummus Royale with lamb and stole a few bites of my bf's lemon garlic chicken. The hummus ended up being as big as an entree, which worked out because it made awesome leftovers. It was creamy, nutty, and fragrant, and the grilled bits of lamb put it over the top. My bf's lemon garlic chicken is officially my current favorite dish on the planet. The chicken was fork-tender and juicy, and infused with lemon flavor without being overly sour. Same with the rice. YUM. The whole thing was drizzled liberally with a creamy garlic sauce that I think would make just about anything taste better ... kind of like bacon! After inhaling half the hummus, I was super stuffed. But the baklava beckoned, and I figured it would be a crying shame not to order it. I was right! Crunchy layers of phyllo + a not-too-sweet walnut filling + a sprinkling of crushed pistachios = best baklava ever. Glad I made the room! And even more glad that I finally made it over to Petra. The food was awesome, the service was great, and the portions were unbelievably generous. The menu offers a ton of options for vegetarians and carnivores alike, so come hungry, or come often. I plan on doing both! read more

Oh gosh, how can I even begin this review? The restaurant offers food that is absolutely delectable. I used to be neutral about Mediterranean food because the quality of it was always sub-par to me, until I dined here. No joke. The hummus is outstanding, their bread is fresh, the meat is soft, and the sauces are rich without being overly powerful. The service is also good, in that they're quick and extraordinarily friendly. I intend to come here in the future as well as bringing my friends and family! read more

I've lived in Seattle for over a year now and Petra is one of my favorite restaurants! Some thoughts: Food: the restaurant serves a variety of Mediterranean dishes. As other reviewers have noticed, the portions are quite large; you can easily share 1 dish or box up half of it for leftovers later. Many of the dishes also come with a lentil soup that is very flavorful and delicious. Every time I have eaten here or ordered take-out, the food has always tasted fresh and consistent. Some of my favorite dishes are the chicken shwarma, the veggie combo, and the lamb kebab. Their meats are tender and well-seasoned, and their combo dishes have many different foods you can sample. The highlight of all of these dishes is definitely their butter rice--it's just the right texture and is cooked with tasty spices. Their hummus is also a highlight--very fresh and smooth. Service: I have never had any complaints about the service here. The waitstaff is friendly and accomodating. Atmosphere: The restaurant is spacious and clean with themed decor--perfect for a relaxing sit-down meal and conversation with the other members of your party. I should mention, however, that during dinner the restaurant has a belly dancer that appears at certain time intervals and does a short performance around the restaurant, complete with finger cymbals, swords, and loud music. While the dance is happening, the music is rather loud and it gets hard to carry on a conversation, but the dances are over fairly quickly. Overall thoughts: I love this restaurant and would definitely recommend! read more

I want to love Petra, I really do. Mediterranean food is my go to. I worked in a Greek restaurant in college. I ate my way through Greece (and I went there mostly for the food, and secondarily for the history). I work half a block from here. And yet... I just can't love this place About once a quarter, I order lunch from here, and I'm decidedly underwhelmed every time. The food is overwhelmingly salty and garlicky. It's like they only learned one spice, and it was garlic. The soup of the day was, I believe, Lebanese lentil. The soup was full of cloves of garlic - but was still so bland I couldn't finish it. I ordered the gyro shawarma for lunch. The meat was also incredibly bland and soggy and wasn't spiced in the way you'd expect traditional gyro meat to taste. Overall, the food isn't inedible, it's just not spectacular. If I'm going to spend $15 for lunch ($12 plus tip for takeout), I want to eat something that tastes great. read more

I celebrated my birthday here this last weekend and it was wonderful! Again everything was delicious and Khal and the staff were accommodating to our large party and very kind. My friend and I shared the brown lentil soup and the Veggie Combo. I also had some of the chicken and rice dish which was very good. Khal even gave me a little jar of their house seasoning as a birthday gift. I think I have a new favorite restaurant in the city! read more

The interior is rather comfortable in a somewhat dim and nondescript way; at least that's the case when a server isn't bumping into you as she tries to flit between the too-close tables to fill water or take a plate. Sure, the ambiance is nothing to write home about, but it's overall positive. The food, however, is a completely different story. "Fresh," "vibrant," and "without a doubt worth every penny" were just a few of the thoughts that crossed my mind at Petra. If the difference between a place that makes fresh food and a place that buys pre-made or frozen is like day and night, then eating at Petra is like sunning yourself on a Caribbean beach. It doesn't get any fresher than this regardless of a restaurant's price. The lentil soup popped with cumin-scented flavor, the rice was perfectly toothsome in that way that reminds one how overcooked it is at the typical restaurant, and the Mediterranean shrimp were beautifully seasoned. I finished the night off with a piece of baklava and instantly and deeply regretted not having made it two pieces. Or even three. I spent a few years near Dearborn and have tasted some great Mediterranean fare. I'd put this up against any of them and walk away happy. If you're reading this and haven't been, you should go. And I mean soon, because they're bound to realize sooner than later that they can probably charge a bit more than this in Seattle. read more

Came here on a Friday night a little before 7PM and luckily got seated right away. Our server said he would get us some water but we saw him several times after that helping others, figured he probably forgot about us. He finally started walking toward our table to take our orders and realized he forgot the water and headed back into the kitchen. We went onto their website to look at their menu and decided on the Petra Royal Dinner for Two 29.95 but when we arrived we noticed that the website forgot to mention that it was $29.95 PER PERSON. Big difference. My boyfriend ended up ordering the Gyro Shawarma and I got the Beef Kabob. The food came out pretty quickly. Both our entrees came with House Soup or Salad and we ordered one of each. The salad was good but there was only one slice cucumber and tomato and the rest was mostly lettuce. The house soup was good but it wasn't as tasty once it got cold. The Gyro Shawarma was delicious but my Beef Kabob was super tough to the point it was difficult to cut with the knife and chew. The rice, veggies and Halal sauce were good though but the beef was just disappointing. Overall, the experience was just okay. Our server wasn't the most attentive but other servers did come to refill our waters. If I lived in Seattle, I might give this place another chance but would probably order something else beside the beef. read more

Good Mediterranean food. glad it is halal. It is misleading because some things on the menu say "halal" next to them, while others do not. However upon asking the waiter, I found out that all the dishes are Halal. Can someone confirm this? Great food. Good service. A little on the pricy side but the portions are big. read more

I had high hopes for Petra, based on the previous reviews. I came here on a Friday night with 3 friends and was pretty pleased with how quickly we got a table with no reservation. The service was excellent. Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and patient as we were yakking way too much to make our orders. He also quickly deferred our vegan, gluten-free friend to the person most knowledgeable about Petra's menu. He was happy to bring multiple pitas to our table, which went great with the best part of our meal- the hummus. yummy! My entree, a plate of what I believe was lamb and rice, was rather disappointing. There was an excess of tahini on my plate, as well as meat that, despite its succulent appearance, was just too bland. I ended up enjoying the rice the most, but honestly, it wasn't even that good. I rarely finish my dinner at a restaurant, usually happy to take leftovers. But at Petra, I quickly declined that option. That should say it all. read more