Excellent and more. The best falafel I have ever had, including while traveling and living in the Middle East. Flavorful, crunchy and l soft with a slight granular crunch finish. The service is efficient and attentive. The ambiance is calm and appropriate. The dining plates are traditional. The lamb and gyro mix was excellent. The sauces that came with each dish were appropriate and in line with the excellence of the falafel. read more

The Mediterranean Joint - Mediterranean Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Another great Yelp find... The Mediterranean Joint is a small establishment but packed full of great food offerings! Intimate setting and be prepared to wait during peak eating hours. Trust me, it is well worth the wait. All the food we had was simply amazing! Unfortunately, they were out of the Turkish Tabbouleh (on of my faves), but the grape leaves that were substituted on my Meze Plate did not disappoint. The Gyro Pita is massive and also very good. Baklava (warm and cold) was incredible. Try it, you'll love it... read more

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Full disclosure, I am middle eastern so read my review with that in mind. Had the chicken shawarma plate and am shocked about how bad it was. It tasted like NOTHING, literally nothing. The rice was bland and unseasoned, the chicken had some color on it so I thought it would have some flavor but was also so bland. I didn't even want to finish my lunch and I was actually pretty hungry. Shawarma is supposed to be spiced and have a good depth of flavor... none of that. Really disappointed, will not try again. Taza in Middleton is still the top middle eastern place I've tried in the Madison area. read more

We discovered this restaurant while in Madison and it was excellent. The menu and format of the website looked very familiar, and I was thrilled to learn that this "joint" and Mediterranean Cuisine in Milwaukee (a new favorite) are part of the same family. One is cozy and the other one is nicer. The service was friendly. My whole family loved their lentil soups, wraps and dinner plates. Specially my sister-in-law, who is vegetarian. Just like Mediterranean Cuisine in Milwaukee, it has a rewards program. Yay! Highly recommended! read more

A little underwhelming, but pretty good tasting food. I would have absolutely loved it if I had gotten more pitas to eat with my plate or a wrap, but this menu item is definitely not worth the extra $6. Should just stick with the pita or wrap (the pita bread is very solid!) I also tried a bit of the hummus which was okay, and the greek fries which were also not bad. read more

The Mediterranean Joint - Chicken Shawarma Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I went to Mediterranean Joint a couple times when it first opened and I remember thinking it was just okay. But I have been back 3 times in the last 2 weeks and I don't know what I was thinking back then. My most recent visit was on a Saturday night around 5PM and they were pretty busy--I only saw 1 or 2 tables open. They have a couple of outdoor tables as well. It's counter-style, so you order and take a number. On this visit I ordered the falafel wrap and a small fry with tahini. I've also had their hummus and it's so smooth and delicious. When my fries came out they brought them with the standard aioli instead of tahini. I explained that I ordered tahini instead. The worker apologized and said they rang it up as an additional sauce instead of a swap. He told me they'd take it off my bill and then brought me complimentary baklava. I was so impressed by the customer service and how kind everyone was. I also saw one of the workers run a purse out to someone who had left it behind. This place is pretty affordable, quick, has vegan options, and is open until 11PM which is almost unheard of in Madison. My only heads up is that they don't seem to have water/water cups, but they do have bottled water. read more

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The chicken shawarma pita and shepherd salad were excellent. I've gotten them before and just love how flavor packed they are. Highly recommend! read more

The Mediterranean Joint - Chicken shawarma pita - Mediterranean Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Had to try this Middle Eastern place since it was reasonably close to downtown. Nice little place in a strip mall not too far from downtown. The menu has many options for meat lovers and for vegetarians I had the Iskender kebab plate. Food was really good except I wasn't aware of the tomato sauce on this particular dish, which in my personal opinion I could do without. Other than that, the food was good. If I do return, I would make sure to skip the tomato sauce altogether. read more

The Mediterranean Joint - Mediterranean Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Service was good for a party of 8, though the room was very dark and it was hard to see the menu. The food received mixed reviews. Most though the kebabs were overly salty and that the salad was the best thing on their plate. The falafel were dry and not very flavorful. You could tell by the uniform shape (square) they were not making it in house, but buying it in from some food service company. Overall it may be a place to give one more chance to, but not right away. read more

The food here is excellent and reasonably priced! The service is excellent and the people working. Here are friendly. I will definitely be back! read more

Cute little place offering a limited but authentic menu. Good sized portions and great flavor! Friendly, looks like just the two brothers running the joint. read more

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As I still sit in The Mediterranean Joint, I didn't even take a picture because I was so hungry, but had to immediately write this review. Best Mediterranean food I've ever had! The Beef Kabab Wrap was absolutely perfect. Service was fast and I can't wait to be back! read more

If you have an issue with your order, don't bother calling their number as no one answers and the voicemail is full. Its someone's cell. 3rd time I've order delivery from them and every time I end up having a problem and have to drive to the restaurant anyways. Now I have to pack up my sick kids and take them to their restaurant and get my refund. 3 strikes your out. I'm done with this place. Food is ok only reason for 1 star otherwise avoid at all cost. read more

Very flavorful! We ordered takeout and tried the beef kebab plate, chicken wrap, and fries. The chicken wrap was really good, so flavorful and the sauce was amazing. Beef was not as great, it had a lot of fatty pieces and seemed almost a little underdone? It was really tough. Fries were good, we loved the dipping sauce that came with them and the feta topping. We were also impressed by the portion sizes! Online ordering was really fast, we're able to pick up our order at the counter right away. The inside seemed cute too, it would be nice for a sit down meal read more

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I've been here several times now. It's sooo good. Worth the drive for me (20 min). My partner loves the kofta wrap and I love the chicken shawarma plate. You order at the counter, they give you a number and you find a place to sit. You'll get your food when it's ready (made to order). That's it. Don't expect "service" like other places. It's counter service. I guess others who left negative reviews didn't understand that concept/experience. This place is packed every time I go, including the parking lot. No worries, there's parking on the back side of the building! read more

The Mediterranean Joint - Chicken Shawarma Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Love being in medicine, few options available in my head, but decided for this Mediterranean joint. A nice walk almost lakefront to find a small, nice and reserved restaurant with a good menu, plenty of selection between the plates, specials, appetizers and so on. To the food now! I ordered a Chicken Shawarma plate, a side of hummus and a side of baba ghanoush Insanely good pita bread coming along with the plates and the flavors are right on point. 5 stars and I'll be back when in town again read more

Sadly this place was a miss for my husband and I who visited as we passed through town from Chicago to Minneapolis. We got Baklava, two Gyro Plates, & a lentil soup. Everything was bland, edible, but bland. Service was good. Ambiance was ok. It's a basic order at the counter and sit down place. Food however can make or break place like that. Sadly it's a no for us, which is disappointing because the pictures make it look great. So sad. read more

It is still no surprise. The Mediterranean Joint is and always will be busy. However, in all of this craziness, all of the employees were very helpful and had a lot of patience. One stood out as he was extra attentive to the customers dining in. Orkun is a pleasant and friendly server who made sure our table was clean from the previous customers. There was a mixup with our order and he worked as fast and diligently to get our order correct and out to our table. This goes to show that not only is the food good enough to pack the cute little store full of hungry customers, but the service matches the high-quality food. We got the falafel plate and the beef kebab plate. read more

The Mediterranean Joint - Falafel Plate, Beef Kebab Plate, and fries - Mediterranean Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

One of the Best Mediterranean Meals I've Ever Had - 100/10!" My husband (a huge Mediterranean/Mexican food lover) and I visited The Mediterranean Joint in Madison, and it was an absolute flavor explosion! Every dish we tried was fresh, vibrant, and packed with authentic taste. Here's the breakdown: Food Highlights: Greek Fries: Crispy perfection topped with tangy feta and delicious condiments. Grape Leaves: Soft, savory, and paired with an incredible dip. Falafel Veg Plate & Wrap: Loaded with fresh veggies, the creamiest hummus, fragrant rice, and crispy falafel. Pro tip: Ask for extra spice if you like heat--my only tiny note! Baklava: The ideal sweet ending--flaky, nutty, and just the right amount of honey. Atmosphere & Service: Cozy spot with super friendly staff who gave great recommendations, especially helpful for first-timers! Price: ~$70 for two people (with generous portions)--totally worth it for the quality and flavor. Final Verdict: If you love Mediterranean food, run here. We're already planning our next visit! read more

We found this place on a total whim and it is amazing! Great portions and delicious food. Can feed my family of 4 with 2 entrees (plus a baklava dessert - so good!) Left the farmers market to run down to grab lunch from here. read more

A unique and delicious spot for authentic Mediterranean cuisine. They are located right off Willy Street in a center with plenty of parking. We dined in, although looking at reviews it looks like a popular take out spot. There were about 10-15 tables in the restaurant. You walk back to the counter to order your meal and then pick a table and the staff will serve you. We ordered the chicken kebab wrap and the falafel wrap. It was nice you can add/remove anything from your orders, for example we added rice to the chicken wrap. My husband and I shared both wraps and they were flavorful and delicious. Good chicken and the falafel was perfection. They are good sized wraps so we could have gotten away with just splitting one but it was fun to try both. The restaurant overall is very casual. They bring bottled water to your table when you arrive and it's seat yourself/order at the counter. The staff was very kind and attentive. Overall we had a great experience and a delicious meal. However, the only thing that wasn't great were the bathrooms. They were filthy. I was guessing they were in a shared space since you had to exit the back of the restaurant into a hallway. read more

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Ordered the Beef Kebab wrap and it was delicious. Fresh vegetables, super tender beef, and the sauce was absolutely delicious, just the right amount of tang and spice. Greek fries were phenomenal as well, crispy and the cheese was fresh and the alioli paired perfectly. If I could give half stars on yelp I would as it's very hard to achieve perfection. The service was just a tad slow for how quiet the restaurant was but the staff came over and gave us another order of fries stating that had extra. Much appreciated, and again if I could rate it a little higher I would. There are really only two things I would have liked to be done differently. First being the wrap, I wish it was constructed a little better as to not let all the juices flow out the bottom, was very messy to handle. Also, the beef, while full of flavor and super tender, it was cut a little thick for my liking. I would have preferred smaller cuts as some bites were strictly beef and no accoutrement. read more

Amazing food! The beef and chicken were both delicious, tender, and seasoned well on the kebab plates. We both agreed we liked the beef option better but the chicken was still a good option too! The falafel is great and the tzatziki was so fresh tasting. A thoughtful staff working gave us baklava at the end which was flakey and sweet that it melted in your mouth. This place is now in my top places to eat in Madison. We can't wait to go back!! read more

Wow--what a gem! This Mediterranean spot is totally unpretentious, but don't let the casual vibe fool you--the food is fantastic. The kebabs were perfectly cooked and juicy, the rice was buttery and comforting, and every bite was packed with flavor. Nothing fancy, just really, really good food done right. We'll definitely be back! read more

The Mediterranean Joint - Mediterranean Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Thus review is for a doordah order, so I can't speak for ambiance and service. This was a pretty good chicken shawarma plate! I thought the chicken could've been a bit more flavorful, and I wanted more of of the tasty tzatziki sauce, but all in all, a good lunch! read more

The Mediterranean Joint - Chicken Shawarma Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Amazing food!! Chicken kebab was delicious! Highly recommend if you are in Madison or driving through!

Coming from Detroit, I'm always on the lookout for a good chicken shawarma so we investigated this place with a friend of mine who was in town! It's slightly hidden at the corner of Willy St and John Nolen but parking was easy in their lot. It's definitely more of a takeout place but they have several simple tables for eating in. We ordered baba ganoush to start and the chicken shawarma plate and wrap. They were out of quite a few items in our visit - fries and beef were particularly notable absences. The service was quick and our food came out quickly as well. The flavors were good although it's worth noting that this restaurant was more Jordanian than Lebanese (which is not bad, just different from my preferred shawarma style). We also enjoyed the pieces of baklava they brought out at the end of our meal as a bonus! Definitely a solid Mediterranean option in town, but I'm still on the hunt for more Lebanese style shawarma! read more

The Mediterranean Joint - Shawarma plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Visited this place tonight, big Surprise No red Sauce, food is very dry. It's really disappointing, will never go this place again.

Staff was helpful. The food was on par for sure. Spices were perfect. We tried some different items and weren't disappointed. The place smelled amazing. Drooling as soon as I walked in. read more

First time here. Great service, really nice people, and wonderful food. Free bottled water. Will come here again.

Came for dinner for the first time and all I can say is I'll be back! I ordered the chicken shawarma plate. It was delicious! The taste and texture of the chicken where phenomenal! The rice was cooked perfectly. When you get there you order at the front of the restaurant and they bring your food to your table. They offer inside and outdoor seating (: Great food, great service. Definitely recommend! There is a parking lot right out front. If it's full you might have to walk a few blocks to find parking (not far). read more

The Mediterranean Joint - Chicken Shawarma Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I dined in for lunch on a weekend. The place was not full. I went for a gyro platter. The gyro was good and flavorful. I got a side of falafal, which contained 3 falafal. The falafal was good as well. The pistachio baklava looked yummy. So went for one of that as well. It was warm and was good. read more

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I've been looking for good falafel since I came to Madison a couple years ago. I have now found it! The falafel was light and moist and very tasty. My friend had the gyro wrap that he said was terrific. Service was prompt and friendly. The place is a little bit loud but I'll definitely be back. read more

Try it for an introduction to Turkish and other Mediterranean flavors. It's probably five stars for food explorers trying new flavors, like falafel or lamb kebabs. Realty kind service. Order at the counter. There's as couple outside tables. Clean. As for my review, I'll go back and try the shawarma. It's reasonably priced and in a good location. These flavors are hard to come by in Madison. I'd like more seasoning and perhaps some heat. I encourage the owners to deploy a kitchen that their grandmother would be prouder of. When midwestern folks walk into new territory, we'd like to imagine a little grandma conjuring secret ingredients behind the curtain. Some mystery to the kitchen would go a long way. read more

Amazing food, and friendly staff. We ordered the Falafel wrap and Falafel Pita. The falafels were crisp from the outside and soft from the inside. The pita was perfect and the wrap did not get soggy at all. Was perfect. read more

Had a dine-in gyro wrap earlier this week. Was phenomenal! Today, I had the same but take out. It was terrible! The meat was not seasoned and there was no tzatziki sauce. It was a very bland wrap. So disappointed! I am very frugal and eat out rarely so I was so disappointed that I wasted my money. I would like to try them again because I always hear positive things, but after today's experience, I am very hesitant. UPDATE: I was contacted right away about my experience and told I will receive a refund. Now that's top notch customer service! Thank you. read more

Chicken Schwarma plate qas good. Chicken had great flavor but was unfortunately pretty dry. The guy who took my order was nice. The pistachio baklava, tasty. Atmosphere is quaint and pleasant. To go with a can of diet coke, $29 before tip. read more

The Mediterranean Joint - Chicken Shawarma Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

OUCH!! Man, that was good! Had their Wednesday night special (at least that Wed. nite) creamy fettuccine w/chicken. Terrific! Some of the best fettuccine I've ever had - and I had the supreme good luck to live in Rome, back in the day! Service quick, portion size perfect, price can't be beat! Keep up the good work, Joint! See you again soon! read more

Wow. This place was OUTSTANDING. All of our food was amazing, I loved the meza plate - I don't think I can pick a favorite of the 3 appetizers we chose. The chicken shawarma was really well-seasoned. They were also offering free water bottles which I really loved. The service was great, they had good recommendations and a positive vibe, which I loved. The restaurant is cozy and cool. We will definitely be coming back! A hidden gem on Willy Street that you don't want to miss. Parking is easy as it's in a strip mall! read more

The Mediterranean Joint - Meza Playe - Baba Ghanoush, Hummus, Turkish Tabbouleh - Mediterranean Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Delicious food and friendly service! I was in town visiting and wasn't too sure about where to go. I will definitely visit again next time. Also easy parking. That was a nice plus, they are near the Capitol and could walk there, but they also have plenty of parking, which in Madison can be a little hectic. read more