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    Sahara Cafe and Grill

    3.1 (44 reviews)
    Closed • 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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    10 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

    Read more highlights

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    Pinky’s - Grilled shiitake mushroom bowl and a side of broccolini

    Pinky’s

    4.4(375 reviews)
    2.4 mi•Scott's Addition
    •$$

    Absolutely loved my dinner at Pinky's while attending a concert in Richmond! We arrived around…read more5:30pm on a Friday and were seated immediately ... major win. The place had such a great, relaxed but upbeat vibe, making it a perfect pre-show stop. Happy hour was in full swing (Wednesday-Friday, 4-6pm), so we started with the Fries and a dip deal ($4). We chose three dips: Calabrian chile mayo, house ranch, and roasted garlic aioli. The garlic aioli stole the show for me--creamy, punchy, just amazing! The fries themselves were perfectly crisp and piping hot. For drinks, my friend loved her "Secret Garden" tito's vodka, strawberry, basil, and lime, super refreshing and lightly sweet. I went bolder with the "Caffe Trieste," a dangerously good combo of Belle Isle Cold Brew Coffee Moonshine, Kahlua, Tito's, Amaro Averna, almond, cinnamon, vanilla bitters, and a coffee rinse. If you like dessert in a glass, you need to try this! Dinner did not disappoint. I had the Pesto Chicken Panino: char-grilled chicken, basil pesto, sun-dried tomato, aged balsamic, red onion, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a zippy red wine vinaigrette, all on fresh, pressed bread with a vibrant arugula salad. Every bite was bursting with flavor, and I loved the balance of the peppery salad on the side. My friend ordered the rockfish special and was gracious enough to share a bite, so flaky and perfectly seasoned! All in all, Pinky's hits every note: quick and friendly service, creative cocktails, and food that's both comforting and elevated. Can't recommend it enough for a casual night out, especially if you can catch happy hour!

    Really good Mediterranean food! The food exceeded our expectations. The service was just okay. Here…read moreare some of the pros and cons! The restaurant has ample seating both indoors and outdoors. We dined here twice in one weekend because of convenience and the food being good enough to repeat! We did not have reservations either time, and we were seated right away. There was space for our stroller. The inside of the restaurant is like a big garage, and it's quite loud (but our baby likes the loud noise). Outside, they have big umbrellas to provide some shade. Highlights from the menu include the grilled octopus, caesar salad, meatballs, and desserts (both cheesecake and olive oil cake). The meatballs were so tender and saucy. The octopus was cooked well, and the seasoning was great. The only dish we didn't love was the scallops. The scallops were overwhelmed by the accompanying chorizo in the dish. The server we had the first night was not friendly or warm. It seemed like she did not care to be there. But there were no mistakes or major issues. We enjoyed Pinky's, and it was a good choice for brunch on a busy weekend and for dinner without a reservation. I'd recommend checking it out.

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    Pinky’s - The view outside. Perfect for people watching

    The view outside. Perfect for people watching

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    Natalie's Taste of Lebanon - Rice Bowl

    Natalie's Taste of Lebanon

    4.1(345 reviews)
    4.4 mi•Stratford Hills
    •$$

    My bf and I came to Natalie's on a Sunday for dinner within the last 30min before closing. Since…read morevisiting in 2020 they have now moved to Forest Hill and have new management. We were starving and knew what we wanted. They were very accepting and welcoming and sat us down. Since we were the only ones on a quiet Sunday, it was almost like a private dinner! Very romantic. The owner shared w us some details of the move and how their current spot used to be a bank, so awesome! We started w the grape leaves, babagounush and tabouleh which were SO fresh and delicious! The tabouleh was zestier w more lemon, which is how I like it and the rice in the grape leaves matched perfectly. The baba was PERFECT bc we could taste the smoked eggplant and savored every biteThen we split a shawarma dish which came w rice and pickled onions; SOOOO goood! Everything was cooked to perfection and super fresh! So grateful for the owner and our server and being welcomed even on a slower night, I'll be back!

    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.

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    Natalie's Taste of Lebanon - Child friendly

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    Demi's - Italian Meatballs and Linguini

    Demi's

    4.4(157 reviews)
    3.4 mi•Bellevue
    •$$

    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.

    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.

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    Demi's - Dining room

    Dining room

    Demi's - Bread

    Bread

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    Uliveto - Mussels marinara linguine

    Uliveto

    4.1(129 reviews)
    2.0 mi•The Fan

    The front desk young lady didn't know anything! Unfortunately. We booked another room but she…read moreexplained to us something we never understood. The seat she gave us was very tight, and I was hit by the kitchen door twice before ordering! Fortunately! Later, we asked one manager, he came and helped us to move to the room where we booked. Our dinner went good. I loved my Baked Rigatoni! The vodka sauce was great. Fish dish was a bit soggy not crispy. Lemon Pasta was pretty lemonade and fresh. Pasta with seafood was so-so. All the drinks went good. Home made bread was really yummy. Inside decoration was pretty good. Our server was nice and friendly. Unfortunately their bathroom was a bit wet and slippery. I will say it is a good place for family friends gathering.

    Uliveto has been one of my favourite restaurants since it opened in 2022. I've brought friends…read morevisiting from overseas, celebrated personal milestones there, and have always appreciated the consistency of both the food and the service. Unfortunately, our most recent visit left us extremely disappointed. Yesterday, my family and I went to Uliveto to celebrate my mom's birthday. When we arrived, I told the host that we had a reservation. We were shown to a table, but I immediately explained that our reservation was specifically for Susannah's Room. The host responded, "I don't think so. There's no open table there." Confused, I checked my phone and pulled up the reservation. It clearly stated that our reservation was for five people in Susannah's Room. Despite showing the reservation, we tried speaking with the host and other staff members but we felt largely brushed off and as though no one wanted to address the issue. Eventually, we were able to speak with the owner Gersi. At first, I didn't feel that there was much effort to resolve the situation. He asked whether I preferred Susannah's Room, and I explained that I did because it is quieter and more intimate, and that I've specifically reserved that room whenever it has been available. He responded that, to them it was simply another dining room. We were seated directly next to the kitchen door in a very tight space. My mom was repeatedly being bumped by the door and by staff walking through the area. We were later told that we had been placed there because the host didn't think all five of us could fit at a table in Susannah's Room. After about 15 minutes, we were eventually moved into Susannah's Room. What made the situation even more frustrating was seeing a family of seven with a baby seated at one table, along with other open tables in the room. Later, another larger party of seven or eight was accommodated by simply putting two tables together. The food itself was delicious, and our server, David was wonderful. But good food and great service from one person couldn't completely make up for how the situation was handled. What bothered me most was not simply being seated at the wrong table. It was feeling dismissed when I had a reservation that clearly specified where we were supposed to be seated, and then seeing other larger parties accommodated in the very room we had been told we couldn't fit into. I also couldn't help but notice that our family was the only table (Susannah's Room) at where everyone was Asian/Hispanic, which made the experience feel particularly uncomfortable and left me wondering whether there was something more to how we were being treated. I recognise that I can't know anyone's intentions, but that was unfortunately how the experience made me feel. Uliveto has been a place I've genuinely enjoyed and recommended for years, which is why this experience was especially disappointing. We came to celebrate my mom's birthday and left with a very different impression of a restaurant that had previously been a favourite of mine. As much as I've loved Uliveto over the years, I think this may sadly be our last visit. 1 star for the kitchen staff and 1 star to our server David.

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    Uliveto - Chalkboard menu

    Chalkboard menu

    Uliveto - Soup of the Day

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    Sahara Cafe and Grill - mediterranean - Updated September 2026

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