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    Sahara Cafe and Grill

    3.1 (44 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

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    Jennifer D.

    My hubby, sister, and I all ordered delivery from Sahara on a Wednesday night. We all ordered gyro sandwiches and shared fries and hummus The sandwiches were pretty good and I was impressed with how tender the meat was. The fries were your standard fried potatoes but were the perfect complement to the sandwiches. Everything was going well until we moved on to the hummus... then it all went downhill. The hummus was flavorless and the pita bread was so hard I could literally bang it on the edge of the table without it breaking. If you are eating here most definitely skip it and order another appetizer.

    This the worst restaurant ever! If you want to eat, have good time, or ... just stay away of them. The manager is super rude, the place is dirty, the food is expensive compared to what they provide. The manager is ready to start a fight with you once you step in. They are understaffed, perhaps since they are thrifty and terrible, so the manager is the cook, and the waitress. After I left my comment about the place, she has started insulting me at google.

    Very stingy with chicken & overcooked
    Carolyn R.

    Ordered chicken plate and sample platter. Order was two hours late and I live down the street. Food was cold and over cooked and under-seasoned. Random bites of the chicken were really salty. The chicken to rice ratio was laughable, like 1:20. Platter was good, but really skimmed on the tabbouleh and didn't look fresh (looked brown) and way too much onion. Will not order again.

    the menu
    Murside J.

    Please check out Sahara Cafe & Grill when you're next in downtown Richmond!!! Fantastic, sweet people & service Delicious and healthy Mediterranean cuisine at super reasonable prices Perfect energy to take in before an audition or whatever the day has in store for you!! For such great food, they could really use more traffic...and they even have Turkish coffee!!!

    Yummy baklava with walnuts
    Sasan J.

    When walking in, you wouldn't expect the place to be a newly opened restaurant. It has a jersey diner feel to it as you enter. Very simple and quiet place, that is still trying to be known. The chef is this really nice yemeni, that does a great job of letting you know what is great on the menu. I ordered the Tajine, which is a Moroccan dish that has a slight citrus flavor which is balance by the salty flavor of the olives. It was served with 2-3 chunks of lamb (easily could be shared among two) and a nice serving of rice. This is definitely a place, I would come back to. They also have home made baklava as well as other middle eastern desserts and pastries. If you are in the area, and want to grab a quick meal this is a great spot to either sit down or take it togo.

    Loved the buffet! So good!
    Cynthia F.

    It didn't look like it was opened when we walked by. But so glad we realized it was opened late! The buffet was awesome and the people are SO friendly! It was reasonably priced at $14 and the kids eat free! EVERYTHING in the buffet was delicious! The buffet came out at 8pm. Everything was coming out as we sat there. So glad we found this place. We will be back!

    Mixed Grill

    We've been to Richmond for atleast 4 times at this point and hands down this is the best food place we've eaten in months let alone Richmond. The place is nice and clean and the hosts are super warm. Maryam greeted us with a big smile as soon as we stepped in and gave us recommendation about, what to order... we went by her words and oh my; we didn't regret a single bite of anythjng we ate there. Razan was our server and equally warm and nice as Maryam. We are definately going to stop browsing in the area anymore for the food and will come here anytime we get a chance. Oh btw my kids are super critical about their food and they loved the food as much Me and Husband did

    Falafel in Pita Bread
    Lanexa N.

    First time here was amazing. My friend originally ordered and brought it home and the food looked so good. The way that he ate his food made me very anxious to try it. So I'm here ordering and I decide to get the Falafel with rice and may I say it was the best combination of flavors I've ever experienced. The falafel is a vegan meal (in my eyes ) made of chickpeas, cucumbers and a lot of other great things. The meal was better complimented by rice vs the fries because it made it a wholesome meal. If you love flavor, spice, and a great texture of healthy meal that you wouldn't normally eat, that's the place. I'm sure you will feel the same and want to return.

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    9 months ago

    Authentic food, always good service. Somewhere I can always rely upon for quality food.

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    Brandon Beswick is a hero and a scholar, a light in dark places, and Woohoo! As good as it gets!

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Sahara Cafe and Grill

    Review Highlights - Sahara Cafe and Grill

    The food was outstanding we order Lamb Mendy with Saffron rice w/cranberry and Fatuous Salad also Tabbouleh Salad.

    $8 Tabbouleh

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    Stella's

    Stella's

    4.5
    (1.2k reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    I can see why everyone raves about Stella's. The ambiance was mesmerizing starting from the outside…read morewith the classic cars parked out front. If they aren't part of the decor, it was a treat nonetheless. We stepped inside from the rain with a parking spot very near the door. I snapped a pic on the way in to capture it's essence. We risked another walk-in with no reservations, and we snagged two prime end seats on the communal table. There were two open seats at the bar as well; might come in handy some other rainy Thursday night. The server, Murphy M., judging by the receipt, who helped my partner and I with our order, was a gracious host and incredibly well-practiced. It was a master class in serving, made effortless by him. He could not have been more accommodating, as we saw him appear inevitably at the exact right moments. Our server offered us bread and oil before the appetizer. The bread here is made fresh daily. It was so soft, I could not tell the difference from store bought. The food was exquisitely well prepared, the chefs and kitchen staff are immensely skilled. The appetizer was presented to us within a relatively short amount of time. We had time for a short discussion before the it arrived. The Tiropita was described as "four pieces of heaven." Accurate. The phyllo was thin and crisp, and the feta was creamy and delicious. I was careful not to bite too hard and ruin my pants. I had the Kotopoulo, which is a feta-brined oven-baked chicken with lemon and herbs served with lemon potatoes. The dish was cooked to perfection. The cooked potatoes were exactly as I like them, soft yet held their shape. It was an excellent meal, if a bit unwieldy (it's like half a rotisserie chicken, basically). My partner had the Hilopites, an egg noodle dish with giant beans, pine nuts, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, and feta, in a creamy, savory sauce that I couldn't begin to describe with mere words. The meals were both stunning, made unclear by my disastrous photography. All that being said, I did not really enjoy my meal as I was expecting. Maybe it's me, maybe it's today, or maybe the flavors simply weren't what I am accustomed to with the dozens of Greek restaurants from my past. I'm uncertain, and that's okay sometimes. Either way, it was a fantastic experience, and I will dine here again.

    Service terrible, so rude and overbearing... food was over priced but fine, but atomsphere was…read moregreat. I won't come back again unless Im dragged in.

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    Pinky’s

    Pinky’s

    4.4
    (367 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    AMAZING, AMAZING!…read more The octopus was absolutely incredible...such a perfect, solid texture and SO much flavor! Honestly, that dish alone was worth the visit. We ordered 3 appetizers, and somehow, that was basically lunch of kings! Everything we tried was delicious, filling, and packed with flavor. Every dish had something going on....bold, fresh, and seriously satisfying. Sometimes appetizers are just appetizers... not here. A few of these and you've got a full-on meal. Absolutely loved it. Highly recommend!

    I had high expectations based on the glowing reviews, but unfortunately, the experience didn't live…read moreup to the hype. We ordered one starter and two entrées. The ambience was disappointing, and our table was right next to the kitchen, which made the dining experience less enjoyable. By the time we left, our clothes smelled strongly of food. As for the food, it was mediocre at best. Considering the price, we expected something more memorable or innovative. The flavors were fairly standard and nothing stood out--they were comparable to what you'd find at any decent mid-range Italian restaurant, without the premium quality or creativity to justify the cost. Overall, it wasn't a terrible meal, but it definitely wasn't worth the price, and we left feeling underwhelmed. I don't think I'd return.

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    The view outside. Perfect for people watching
    The view outside. Perfect for people watching
    Chicken Tirokroketes
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    Natalie's Taste of Lebanon

    Natalie's Taste of Lebanon

    4.1
    (345 reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$

    Today a friend and visited Natalie's for the first time. We were very pleased either our…read moreexperience. The food was excellent and service was very attentive. The decor was attractive. We started by sharing a hot Mezze platter that included falafel, beef kibbeh, cheese rolls, brussel sprouts, and house-made pickles. For the our main course I had the beef shawarma wrap and my friend had the chicken shawarma wrap. Both were delicious as were the Za'atar fries. The wraps are large enough that we were each able to bring home a half of our wraps and fries. We learned on our visit that Natalie's has a new owner. We had selected Natalie's because they "believe in building and strengthening communities by creating spaces where people of all abilities can thrive and grow in the workplace." I hope the new owner will continue this mission.

    Chuck, our server, helped make our experience really great. He was very attentive and lots of fun…read more We started with the hot mezze sampler. It included felafel, cheese rolls, and Brussels sprouts. I'm not a big felafel fan but loved the other 2 items. We subbed the beef kibbeh for muhammara and I'm so glad we did. It's something neither of us had tasted before - roasted red pepper dip with walnuts, pomegranate & Aleppo pepper - WOW! The house made pitas served as a great base for the dip. For our entree, we ordered the seared halloumi to share. Instead of giving us a single plate, they gave we us two beautiful plates - surely enough to have been a full entree each. The rice, grilled vegetables, and halloumi with pomegranate molasses were artfully arranged and absolutely delicious. For dessert, we shared the pistachio creme brûlée which was lovely. The other desserts sounded amazing, so we'll definitely be back.

    Photos
    Natalie's Taste of Lebanon
    Natalie's Taste of Lebanon
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    Demi's

    Demi's

    4.4
    (157 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$

    10/10 would return!! Another solid choice in the adorable Bellevue neighborhood. The decor is…read moreperfect in reflecting the clean modern Mediterranean esthetic but still honors the old world. The Bellevue Sour and Aviation were our cocktail choices. Both were tasty and well executed. I had the branzino with the summer squash casserole, a summer special side. It was sooo good!! Hubby had the swordfish and shrimp. He got the green beans as a side. Each fish dish was prepared perfectly, and served hot. DH didn't like the green beans bc he's not a fan of stewed veg, but I found them tasty. Nephew had meatballs and linguine. He proclaimed it " delicious ". Our server Sarah made it a very enjoyable evening, and it was nice that the manager came by to see how we liked everything. Another great place to add to our "avoid chain restaurants " repertoire.

    Back again after about 9 years and I was taken aback by the similarities between their branding and…read moreStella's. I thought they must be related. I mean it's down to the font, the bags, the decor, the menu items. Turns out they're not associated, which honestly put me off knowing how long Stella's has been around. I asked around and apparently others have noticed the same. The food was just okay. The sautéed calamari was rubbery and bland. The salmon was good but also a little bland and slightly undercooked. It was hard not to compare the menu items to the Stella's versions which are heavy hitters. Overall I'd say it's convenient since I live nearby, but I'm in no rush to go back.

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    Dining room
    Dining room
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    Uliveto

    Uliveto

    4.1
    (125 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    What a delightful dining experience! This cool restaurant in the fan accommodated our party of 6…read moreeasily. We were seated in the annex (for lack of a better word) next door to a seemingly semiprivate room. In the main restaurant, the chandeliers were everything and the vibe was Victorian boho chic elegant. We loved the gilded mirrors, the wallpaper, and the fabulous decor. Our server was on point and was not only pleasant but also efficient. The menu was thoughtful and distinctive. We ordered the bruschetta and it was incredible! The plum tomatoes were a perfect match to the basil and other herbs! I highly recommend! I ordered the Chicken Milanese with roasted potatoes, arugula & tomatoes and it was superb! My table mates also ordered the eggplant, the spaghetti, the linguini and the veal. Our appetites were satiated with delicious food, along with good company and a cozy, intimate atmosphere!

    A sister restaurant of Gersi but felt a little bit more upbeat. Definitely need to make…read morereservations. Started off on a high note with our apps - the complimentary bread was good but I'm still thinking about the kale salad and broccolini. Great way to start the meal with some refreshing veggies. The Jalapeno in the kale didn't contribute much but the dressing with mint was super fresh and lite. The broccolini had a spicy chili oil topping which gave it the zing it needed. The pasta unfortunately fell a little flat for me - we got the amatriciana with rigatoni. Didn't have the spicy kick you'd typically expect. The pancetta didn't really stand out. And the most disappointing part was seeing the kitchen use De Cecco pasta boxes. Not that I expect every restaurant to hand make pasta but for a $20 dish hoped they'd be using something nicer than what I have in my pantry. The roasted chicken was unexpectedly good! The chicken had a great sear though I'll admit it was a little dry in the inside. However i can look past all that because of how delicious the pan sauce was and the mashed potatoes were also really good. Last but not least- really happy bartender convinced us to get their version of a tres leches cake. It was a really nice way to end the meal and i would simply come back just to have the cake again. Next time we come - we'll need to try for redemption round and opt for more of their entree dishes!

    Photos
    Chalkboard menu
    Chalkboard menu
    Soup of the Day
    Soup of the Day
    Basil smash

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    Basil smash

    Sahara Cafe and Grill - mediterranean - Updated August 2026

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