We love middle eastern food and Saharas location is perfect for dinner prior to a downtown event. We stopped in before a show at the Fillmore Theater close by. The food was excellent but the service started off great until it wasn't! As soon as the restaurant filled up, our server became the bartender, too! We waited for our check for 25 minutes and had to get up to find him, we never got our take out boxes and were rushing to get to our show on time. We planned our evening with all of this in mind so we had plenty of time to enjoy ourselves, but the lack of staff for this size of a restaurant was unacceptable. Do better Sahara...people come here for the food and location, please staff it appropriately. read more

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We are in downtown Detroit for the hockey game and needed a nice dinner decided on some Mediterranean food and we're glad we picked this place. The service was A+. The food was excellent. The drinks and the bar were a nice place to hang out and have a drink the interior was really cool. They had the TVs gone with the games on. This is a really good place to go for dinner when you're in the downtown Detroit area. I would definitely come back and eat here again. read more

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So I am only reviewing the service, or rather lack of, while sitting at the bar. Decided to stop in for a cocktail before our concert at the FOX. I sat down while my husband went to the restroom, by the time he got back there was zero acknowledgment from the bartender that we were even there! AND he asked other customers that were sitting there if they needed a refill before even asking us what we wanted. He finally acknowledged us by saying I'll be with you folks in a minute and then we still never got service...so we walked out! That is BS!! But the good news is, we left there and went to JoJo's Shake Bar across from the Sahara and it was GREAT!! Highly recommend and if you get lucky enough to get Nicole as your bartender, well you've really lucked out, she was awesome! read more

Service was excellent... this place accepts reservations. We didn't have one but it was early and we sat outdoors so we can people watch. I ordered the Chicken Kebab which is ground meat and it was a little dry. My Hubby ordered a meat combo and the Beef Kafta and Chicken Tikka were delish. Nice presentation. Slighlty on bland side but better that than overly seasoned. Overall, great experience; will be back to try other dishes read more

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Hummus was good and very smooth. The dolmas were good, though there was a piece of plastic wrap in them. (See photo.) Our falafel... the two pieces I tried were over cooked with a hard thick shell, though the two my husband had were fine. The kibbe was also overcooked. The service was fine, though they seemed slightly understaffed. The kitchen was very slow. We had a 5:30 reservation and a 7pm show at the Fox Theater. We were seated by 5:40. I think we ordered around 5:50. Our hummus arrived quickly. And the rest of our food arrive at 6:35! (45 mins was a long wait!) They did at least bring and process the check quickly for us. I didn't report the plastic because we simply didn't have the time to deal with it. read more

Sahara Restaurant & Grill - Plastic wrap in upper right corner. - Mediterranean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

This is the kind of place that ranks high the moment you enter. It's just beautiful! Lovely colors, bright, inviting with comfortable seating and a great bar area as well. The service was top tier, welcoming, friendly and great energy. The food was fabulous! The hummus and the fresh baked bread are excellent! That could be a meal within themselves. I had the Sahara chicken and it was fantastic! So tender, grilled just right with a warm, creamy white wine sauce with mushrooms. The lamb shish was also delicious with just the best presentation! We stopped here before a Tiger game and I will definitely return here again and again. The food, service and the atmosphere will bring me back! read more

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I was in one of my favorite cities, Detroit. I wanted to try something authentic, so I used this app and found a gem. It was a cold day as well. I was welcomed by a guy who turned out to be the bartender and our server. He was fantastic, very knowledgeable about the menu and gave us great suggestions. I felt like I had the restaurant all to myself. The place is beautiful inside, giving off upscale vibes with a cozy atmosphere. The fresh bread is like a warm piece straight out of the oven, and once it cools, it's almost pita-like -- so unique. The Greek salad, with beets, feta, olives, chickpeas, and tomatoes, was top-tier, and the dressing paired perfectly. You also need the hummus, and he introduced me to the garlic spread or butter! They also had fresh baked goods. I was overwhelmed, but it's definitely a place I want to visit again. read more

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Ferris, our server was exceptional. Very attentive and enthusiastic. We ordered the whipped feta, Labneh, and fattoush salad. Salad was a bit bland. The restaurant is large with a welcoming ambience. Located on Columbia Street -decorated for the season which adds to the charm. read more

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The restaurant itself is gorgeous! Plenty of seating, very clean, and a great atmosphere for dining in. The staff was super friendly and even suggested a few meals, which I appreciated. Now as far as the food -- it wasn't bad, just a bit mediocre. I was expecting more based on how beautiful the place looked. Still, it's worth visiting for the ambiance and service alone! read more

Sahara Restaurant & Grill - Chicken Shawarma Lunch - Mediterranean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Delightful experience during our visit to Detroit for Movement Fest. Will always be on my list to visit in the future. We ordered the menu. Loved the hummus of course, the baked feta, the chicken schwarma, the lamb shish, and turkish coffee espresso martnini's. read more

Located around the corner from Fox Theatre this lovely restaurant was such a great find. Great for date or just to visit after a sporting event. Beautifully decorated inside makes it very inviting atmosphere. Staff is very attentive and helpful. They have some interesting cocktails. I had one glass lip rubbed in Zataar seasoning. For an appetizer the whipped feta with honey dip is amazing paired with there Iraqi "puffy" bread. For dinner I had the Salmon Stir Fry which is there version of the middle eastern dish I know as Ghalaba. Stewed fish with onions, peppers and tomatoes. Was very good with salmon cooked perfectly. Overall, highly recommend trying, read more

Sahara Restaurant & Grill - Whipped feta with honey - Mediterranean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Their Cajun shrimp linguine is a must get. They start you off with some warm bread and garlic which were delicious. We got the deboned chicken and mixed grill. Both were amazing. The server was really accommodating and this place is so pretty read more

Sahara Restaurant & Grill - cajun shrimp pasta, deboned chicken, mixed grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

As soon as you walk in the place looks roomy, clean, and refreshing. I was immediately sat. They have happy hour deals. Service was fast and efficient. I had the steak bites and wings. The steak bites were in a sauce that was good but the steak had no seasoning on it. It was cooked well. The wings were the highlight for me. Seasoned well,taste fresh, and came out hot. read more

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This restaurant is absolutely beautiful. The decor was very nicely done and photo worthy! I dined on a Wednesday evening and the restaurant was very slow with only two other tables occupied. I was served very quickly but the hostess that also became my server. We ordered the lentil soup, baked feta, sea bass with a fattoush salad. The lentil was pretty good. The baked feta was okay and the fish was overcooked and lacked flavor. The menu is a little higher for what is offered. But certainly the ambiance of the dining room would make the prices okay if the food was a little better. The water was horrible and the restaurant could stand putting a filter on it to improve the taste. Overall, I would say it was an average experience. Would I go back if invited by friends...maybe, would I initiate going back probably not. read more

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Went here because of high Yelp reviews. The service was excellent and I couldn't have asked for better. I only ordered the chicken shawarma. I didn't really care for it, but I've been spoiled at other restaurants. My friend loved her fattoush salad with grilled chicken. Everyone's plates around us looked incredible. The reason they aren't getting the most stars is the ambience is really lacking. I felt like I was in a high school cafeteria. Some paint, art work, and plants would transform this place! Parking was easy and it seems family friendly. Try it for yourself and you'll see what I mean. read more

The restaurant is beautiful with both indoor and outdoor seating. Located in a pretty alley covered with lights thats great for pictures. The food was good and is on the pricier side. We chose the combination platter which was $24/person and had a sampling of different kinds of meat like lamb, beef, chicken, and fish. Overall it was delicious and the service was good. read more

Sahara Restaurant & Grill - Sahara Super Combo - Mediterranean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

My husband and i walked into here on a whim for lunch, the aesthetic of the entire restaurant is beautiful. Drinks and food were both delicious. Specialty Cocktail menu was impressive and had unique options. Service was friendly and steady. The lunch specials menu is a good deal, and had a good selection. Bathrooms are very clean. We both agreed we'd like to return at a later date and try their dinner menu! The restaurant itself is large, including a bar area. We enjoyed our experience here read more

Great food as usual. I ordered the 2 person tray and received enough food for 4 people. The service was great with the waiter checking on us often and ensure our drinks were refilled and the ambiance was nice with the cool Arabic music. My only complaint was they left a door open near the kitchen and that breeze made it very cold, but not a big deal. read more

I love Sahara! I started going to their Coolidge location many years ago and I will go to the one on big beaver too. All of their food is good! The atmosphere at the new downtown location is BEAUTIFUL and comfortable! I love their lunch special. I had the beef kafta, my husband had the lemon oregano chicken, and my siblings had the lamb chops. All of it was excellent! Highly recommend! They are tucked away in the alley near the Fillmore and the fox so please pay them a visit and tell all your loved ones. Service was excellent and fast! Family owned business and they treat you like family, too! read more

Beautiful restaurant in downtown Detroit. The food was delicious and plentiful. I would definitely go back again.

I am fairly picky about restaurants, so I rarely give this kind of review. But this is a great family-run place. The owners are engaging. The food was excellent. The atmosphere was perfect for a neighborhood place. The bread they served was perhaps the best bread I have ever had. read more

The inside is beautiful the decor is elegant and cozy. I went for lunch my waiter was very polite and assisted me with selecting my meal. I got the steak bites which were some of the best steak bites I've had!!! The meal overall was delicious I'd definitely go there again for lunch. Also try a cocktail I can't remember what I ordered but it reminded me of a Moscow Mule. read more

Sahara Restaurant & Grill - Caesar salad, steak bites and cocktail - Mediterranean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

We had the mixed grill: chunks of chicken, beef, lamb, hummus, rice, pita, so delicious! Then we had Fadumas salad, refreshing and lovely. The service was slow but we were in no hurry. The decor as modern middle eastern. Tables outside too. A delight! read more

Oh my God the chicken kabob was the most amazing thing I've eaten in a long time. They put that special sauce, don't remember the name, but it could not have been better. The chicken was cooked to perfection, as tender as absolutely possible. There was a whipped garlic on the plate that was to die for. The rice was good, and there was some lavash bread underneath that was the icing on the cake. Not a great fan of the lemon chicken soup. Service was perfect. read more

We stopped into this restaurant before a show at the Fox theater. It took at least 15 minutes for someone to take us to our seats and after we sat, we waited for 20 minutes before someone even came to take our order. They brought us out a basket of pita bread served with BUTTER! I mean seriously like anything else would have been better in a Middle Eastern themed restaurant. After our order was taken, it took a while for our food to come out. It turns out that they never put our drink order in so we did not get our drinks until after our food came out. Apparently this restaurant was understaffed. However, none of this was communicated to us and they seem to avoid eye contact with us.Thankfully, I ordered a quick appetizer of Lebnah with garlic, which was tasty. I also ordered kibbie It was overcooked and under seasoned. The tahini sauce was a watery, bland mess. It did not taste authentic at all. The decor was beautiful so I was sad that the service was so terrible. It is unlikely that we'll be back. read more

Sahara Restaurant & Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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My daughter had her 17th birthday there last night may 23 2026 the bill was over 700 dollars the food was nasty the waiter had attitude he didn't know anything about the items on the menu he mess up the orders. They didn't have some items on the menu. We got a 54 dollars steak that was thin definitely not worth it . The restaurant was empty but I understand why. My daughter wanted to go because it looks nice but I wouldn't recommend read more

The food was absolutely amazing! One thing is to just be sure to ask questions to avoid getting charged for a substitute food item or something. I also wish they had a better dessert menu. I didn't enjoy the crème brûlée much. The atmosphere aligns perfect with my pretty princess dreams! read more

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Beautiful restaurant with great food/drinks. The bartender was amazing. I don't know how he kept up with how busy it was. I can't wait to go back. read more

Sahara Restaurant & Grill - Palm Tree - Mediterranean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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Couldn't get a table even with a reservation, other parties were seated before us even after we had checked with the hostess twice.

Legit the worst service of all time. I've given this place three tries and you'd think i'm asking the workers for there kidney when i all i want is a table and a chicken shawarma sandwich. First of all, when you get there, plan to sit there for minimum 45 minutes, to get water with melted ice. The shelby township location also sucks too. i went in an hour before they closed, not only did they take 14 years to take me order, they rushed us out of there and asked to pack our things again. Never again. go to jojo's shake shack across the street they'll help you right away read more

Great spot for a meal downtown. The fattoush salad was similar to what I've had in the Middle East and the hummus was solid, too. Service was very attentive and sitting outside was definitely the way to go. read more

Sahara Restaurant & Grill - Chicken and hummus with bread - Mediterranean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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Went there Fathers Day after the Tiger game. Had been there a dozen times for happy hour for $4 beers. Ordered 2 beers and a vodka soda.Was charged $32 for what have a round that cost 13 bucks at Volmers a block away. Stay away at all costs. read more

Had such a great dining experience my first time at Sahara before a concert at LCA. We had a reservation but it was not busy at all. Our server Tori was an absolute gem and such a girls girl. We loved our interaction with her and her recommendations were fabulous. We split a combo meal and added on a side salad. Pro tip.. order a medium hummus to share so you have some with your meal! I ordered mocktail and the bar tender could tell I wasn't super crazy about it so he stopped by the table to check on us and ended up remaking it to be less citrus and it was delicious. This will be a go to spot whenever we head downtown. Great value and delicious food in an absolutely beautiful establishment. read more

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Wonderful food I went here with a team of 16 and we all left very satisfied and happy! The cocktails are delicious, wine selection is just okay, but overall still a great experience. I highly recommend anyone stopping by in Detroit to visit. The food is authentic and absolutely amazing. You really can't get Mediterranean food like this just anywhere! Pita bread is the best thing ever with the dips, makes the place very vegetarian friendly as well! read more

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We stopped in, first time here before attending a concert at the Fox. We were greeted at the front door and quickly seated by a very friendly man named Fares A. who took excellent care of us all evening! The food was delicious...best lamb chops anywhere, hands down! YUM YUM YUM DELICIOUS read more

Food was decent, service was kinda slow. The waiter was more into flirting with some chicks. Never offered a dessert and took forever to get the check. Very nice ambiance and spacious. read more

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We were the only people in the restaurant for lunch but the service was still slow. The food came out fresh, so I'll assume the long wait was because they were busy preparing our food. Everything was delicious and worth the wait! The lunch traffic was light but our server said it gets busy for dinner. read more

Sahara Restaurant & Grill - Shara salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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You can't beat it's location in reference to the Fox, Comerica, etc The food is excellent, however it is overpriced for what you are paying for and portions, but again you can't beat the location if you are downtown for an event and only want to park in one spot. The service was good and the decor is unique and beautiful. read more

Second time here. The Turkish espresso martinis are fabulous. I love the fattoush salad and the falafel here- both taste very fresh every time. The spicy hummus is also very good. Was a little disappointed in the vegetarian grape leaves, as the rice inside tasted more like a Spanish rice than anything else. But overall I loved my food and would return. read more

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We can for a quick stop and just got whipped garlic and some sort of App with Sahara fries. We were absolutely *raving* about the fries. They were amazing. They had Oberon on tap! Outdoor seating was nice read more