Seriously the most consistently delicious food in Ann Arbor. Quickly becoming my favorite restaurant here. Their specials are wonderful, the staff is professional. Well worth every penny. read more

Zamaan Cafe is a delicious and reasonable treat in Ann Arbor. I've been there a few times - for take out and dining in with friends. Everything is extremely flavorful -- highly recommended! The batinjan bi banadura (an eggplant dish with rice) was incredible - the eggplant and cauliflower were perfect and I loved the added crunch of almonds. The chicken shawarma was really flavorful--the garlic sauce was amazing! The lentil soup is also wonderful - perfect for a cold day. Everything I've had there has been so, so delicious. In our experience, the service was great -- so I'll have to wholeheartedly disagree with the negative comments about service. The staff were very friendly, pleasant and attentive and our food came out quickly. read more

UPDATED REVIEW (see original below): We had a work meeting catered by Zamaan cafe. I only got a Zamaan chicken shawarma sandwich, which was a pita with chicken shawarma, hummus, tomatoes, pickles, and almonds. I quite liked it. Wish my earlier experience when I actually went there for lunch had been better, but this has me thinking that maybe I should stop by again to see if my first visit was just a one-off bad service day. For now, I'm bumping up my rating to 2 stars. ------------------------------------------------------- ORIGINAL REVIEW: Went here for lunch with a coworker. Came in and many of the tables had trash on them, but sat down and a kind waiter cleaned off our table and took our appetizer order. Then I saw him leave with a coat on, and another waiter brought our falafel appetizer. Though the spices were pretty good, and the vegetables and pita were good, the falafel was fried too long, so it was overcooked and a little burnt. Would love to tell you how the rest of our food was, but nobody came back to take our order, and didn't see any waiters walking around (saw neither of the two who briefly sat/served us again). Looked at the clock and we had been there for about half an hour and never even got to place an order for our sandwiches. Because we had to get back to work, we just walked up to the counter, paid for our appetizer and left. read more

Food is delicious! One of my favs is the Chicken Shawarma. Only down, is togo's take awhile. They say 15 minutes but really mean 25 minutes.

I came across Zamaan while staying at a hotel close by. The convenience factor coupled with vegetarian options made this cafe the most suitable option for me. I ordered the lentil soup, BBB, and pistachio baklava. The lentil soup was the best part of my meal. It had a nice mild flavor that was comforting on a cold December day. The BBB was much less impressive. Unfortunately, the texture of the eggplant was less than desirable (surprising since I ordered the dish based on a previous Yelp review). You know something is wrong when you are starving, a full plate of food in front of you, and lose your appetite within 3 bites. I would not recommend the BBB dish to anyone...under any circumstances...and I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul ("a simple wrong would have done just fine" credit: Adam Sandler by way of "Billy Madison") The owner of Zamaan is a nice man who I am sure puts out delicious food, but I did not have that experience. I went in with hopes of having leftovers for tomorrow. Instead, I sit here with 3 bites of an entree gone and food for the birds. Sorry Zamaan...I won't be back on this trip to Ann Arbor. read more

After seeing the reviews of Zamaan online (and realizing my only restaurant options were contained within the strip mall next to Holiday Inn), I decided to try it out. I had an eggplant dish, which came with naan that was suspiciously wrapped up in a plastic baggie. The naan was really dry and underwhelming. I wouldn't be surprised if they purchased it off-the-shelf from a local supermarket. The eggplant dish lacked flavor. The portions were big, and I was unable to finish my plate. After having tried out Zamman and Be Won, I would say that Be Won gives you more for your money and is a bit tastier. read more

One of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. 1.) I asked the woman at the counter if they had a falafel plate ie. falafel served with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and tahini sauce. She rudely said no and suggested a falafel salad that was listed on the menu for $8.95 (which I can say is very expensive for what is was). 2.) I said I would try two of those for a total of $19. AFTER she charged me $19 she then said, "oh you know it only comes with 3 falafel, right"? HOW WOULD I KNOW THAY AND WHY WOULD YOU ONLY TELL ME AFTER I ALREADY PAID?! 3.) the salad was fine, but the falafel balls were AWFUL! They were tiny and had an overwhelming cinnamon flavor to them.... 4.) I asked for hot sauce to drown out the disgusting cinnamon taste and was given a terrible salsa type of hot sauce that I have never had at a Mediterranean restaurant.... I WOULD RATHER STARVE THEN EVER GO BACK HERE. read more

On a rainy night in Ann Arbor, dining choices walking distance from the hotel I was staying at were limited but this came up on yelp search and thought I would try the vegetarian combination (not large sampler -- this one had Baba ghanoush and not hummus). The falafels were a major disappointment. Would describe them as small, dry and lacking the rich flavor I have come to expect from better middle eastern restaurants. My food was not warm even though I waited there for about 10-15 minutes for them to prepare it. The pita was also rolled very unceremoniously in saran wrap and also dry and not warm. I would say this place is ok in a pinch but definitely would not recommend. Cannot speak to the hummus sadly as it did not come with the combo I ordered, but the ghanoush, rice and salad were all mediocre as well. read more

I have never tried this type of food until today. I asked the man at the counter to choose for me, and I was not disappointed. I live 2 hours away from here but I'll definitely be stopping back when I come to Ann Arbor read more

Went for dinner on a Monday night. Quiet with attentive and friendly service. The food was so good! I'm not a big Lentil Soup fan but loved this. Grape leaves were wonderful. Baba ghanouj was smoky and creamy. Chicken and feta wrap was filling with such nice thin pita. We'll be back. read more

The owner and wait staff were so genuinely nice and attentive at Zamaan Cafe. The food was delicious, and after just one bite, it is quite obvious that they use fresh ingredients. read more

While I usually just stick with chicken shawarmas at Middle Eastern restaurants, I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and tried one of the eggplant wraps here. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. All the food here is well-made and prices are reasonable, making this a great choice for a quick lunch break or casual dinner. read more

This is a little known hidden gem near Plymouth Road and US-23. I was apprehensive about it since the restaurant was completely empty but we were in the mood for lebanese food and didn't feel like driving far from the house or waiting so we ended up at Zamaan. Boy was I surprised! We ordered a platter which had meat kabobs, falafel and some really delicious grilled dolmades (never had these before but they were soo good). It also came with a bowl of the most delicious hummus and pita I have ever had. I like it so much I come here and order it for parties. read more

JUST finished my meal from Zamaan Cafe, and I'm pretty darn satisfied. Twas my first time this afternoon, and after a recommendation from a friend, decided to get their Chicken Fattoush. I got it take out, so I can't really speak to the service, other than it was straight forward and fast, especially considering how busy it was during lunch hour. The salad was a decent portion, with loads of chicken and a nice dressing that didn't dominate or make everything soggy. What I really respected was the amount of fried pita mixed in. I know some places give you the option of baked or fried pita, but Zamaan Cafe knows what's up...it's not even a question...they know you want that fried crispy goodness. To be fair, I only got this salad and got it to go, and so I can't really gauge the quality of their other main dishes, specialties, or their dining service. read more

They are a little on the pricey side for simply six pieces of chicken as a kabob. It was an okay shawarma, I've had better elsewhere (for way cheaper too). The service was unfriendly and rude which wasn't appreciated. Wouldn't go back. read more

Outstanding! Just the way I like restaurants, cheap, fast, and great food. I ate here three times in 4 days on a business trip and was happy every time. The Batinjan Bi Banadura is out of this world, and I don't usually like eggplant that much. The pita wraps were great lunches, just the right amount of food and so yummy. Not sure why people are giving this place 1 and 2 stars, it's 5 stars in my book. Definitely better than the Korean place next door which is ho-hum at best. If anyone has the recipe for the egg plant dish, I want it! read more

Great hummus, wraps, and salads for a reasonable price. All the meat well-spiced. Wraps are a particularly good value and it has become a staple lunch spot, but call ahead. I've noticed the garlic sauce can have funky aftertaste as if the garlic used might have a bit too much green sprout on it. It's not enough to negatively affect a wrap that contains the sauce, but I've stopped getting sides of garlic sauce as a result. Very occasionally, I've gotten a soggy tabouli that tastes like it was sitting in the fridge too long. It definitely satisfies the craving for Bucharest Grill until my next Tiger's game. read more

So good I had the upside down with chicken, very flavorful and we'll seasoned. My one criticism is that the pitas tasted like they came from the grocery store, neither fresh or warm, but the food made up for this 10 fold. read more

Zamaan Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

We ordered the "feast" for takeout, which includes chicken, lamb, rice, felafal, grape leaves, salad, hummus and garlic sauce and pita. It says it's for 4-5 people, but it easily fed 8 of us, with leftovers. Everything was fresh and delicious and my family was happy! This is a great option if you don't feel like cooking dinner...call about an hour ahead and pick up...easy peasy! read more

Wonderful food, good service. Delicious homemade lemonade with rosewater. I was with an Armenian friend who is an excellent cook and she also raved about the food. read more

Best Middle Eastern in Ann Arbor. If you don't order the Fulful you dont know what you are missing in life! Its the best spicy hummus ever conceived. Seriously take a shot and get it. They also make the best hummus I've ever eaten, no really order it and you wont regret it. Wraps are tasty and cheap. Takeout is the best way to go. read more

I had a rare lunch hour to do whatever and eat whatever I wanted. I was craving a chicken shwarama sandwich and with Zamaan across the road stopped in. I placed my order at the counter and was told it would be a 15 min wait. It took probably half that time to get my sandwich and order of fries (yes, sinful to get at a middle eastern restaurant). The sandwich was pretty good, but could have used more garlic sauce. Luckily, I got more on the side to dip my french fries in (so good). French fries were less than stellar but I didn't expect a miracle for those. Price was pretty good too so I'll have to stop in again. read more

I played it safe and ordered the Greek salad which was tasty. However I've had better Greek salads in restaurants that weren't Mediterranean. Food was fresh, chicken had some flavor but cold. Overall the restaurant was clean with pleasant customer service. read more

Zamaan Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

My sister and I entered and were told we could sit anywhere we like. So, we chose a booth. It took a minute for the woman to come and ask what we wanted. She didn't check on us at all to see if we were okay, if we needed anything, which was kind of offensive. I ordered a coffee and the shish kebabs (beef). They were burned. I couldn't even eat the second skewer because they were burned. The rice was okay, but not good enough to give them more stars and to cover the fact my beef was burned. My sister ordered the Shay Zamaan, which was a tea with lemon and rose water. It was alright. The lemon was the strongest taste, which was great because usually rose water is overwhelming. She also ordered grape leaves and shawarma. The waitress was confused and said the grape leaves couldn't be made with meat because it wasn't done. Excuse me, you've been open for 3 hours, no reason the meat should not have been done. She went to the kitchen and came out to say the meat was made and she could order the grape leaves. She seemed to enjoy what she ordered. read more

I've eaten a lot of Middle-Eastern cuisine and I like Zamaan a lot, especially for the chicken shwarma. Don't forget to order a side of the garlic sauce! The service is very friendly, the restaurant itself has a nice atmosphere. I generally eat by take-away but I noticed the ambiance was very good for the diners. read more

The food is better than average and the prices are decent. It's basically a carry-out place with a few tables. Other reviewers seem to be confused. That stuff you get in the baggies is not naan. They are commercially produced pitas. Don't go here for the naan, it is not what this place is about. The service is not great, the place is a bit too small... If you want a sit down restaurant with professional service staff... wrong place. It's a lunch joint, run by a very nice gentleman, and I suspect, his family. Order the food to go and enjoy it. Or for about the same price, I suppose you could go to the McDonald's down the street; but I wouldn't recommend it. read more

Family run restaurant with delicious middle eastern food. Here for a work event, and it didn't disappoint. I especially liked the cauliflower dish with the tahini sauce (I think that's what it was!) everyone in my group agreed it was the best thing of the evening. Check it out read more

I love this place. If anything get the Sujok sandwich. However the Chicken Shawarma is pretty good as well. The raw kibe is good. Small restaurant with friendly people. read more

This place is a little gem! Hidden in a run of the mill strip mall next to a Quiznos, Zamaan is a Lebanese restaurant with an excellent menu that has items you probably won't see at any other Arab restaurant in the Ann Arbor area. With a surprisingly beautiful interior decor and ample seating, it's great for dining in. Added bonus: the meat is halal! read more

I recently moved to Ann Arbor from metro Detroit, and have been reluctant to taste the Mediterranean foods here, simply because there were so many excellent places to go to back home. Today I had a persistant craving though, and because of the many good reviews here on Yelp I tried Zamaan. I was not at all disappointed. The chicken shwarma was primo, packed full of goodness, and the garlic sauce was perfect. The pita was toasted just right and the grape leaves were exactly as I had been craving them to be. The only only things I didn't love: the location (in a weird strip mall) and that they put thin pickle slices in instead of the chunky pieces. I like the pieces, not the slices. But the service was pleasant and fast and I'm glad to have found a great new spot... I will certainly be back to try other dishes. read more

I love this spot! I may even like the food a little bit more than the typical Ann Arbor Mediterranean staple, Jerusalem Garden. Their Chicken Fattoush salad is incredible and must be paired with their garlic sauce (which is like crack for any garlic lover). The Chicken Sharma and Kufta wraps are just as delicious. Super friendly staff and food comes out almost instantly. So if you ever find yourself in the North side or just curious--do yourself a favor and indulge in some outstanding flavor. read more

I accidentally happened upon this place and it has definitely been added to our work lunch rotation. The first time I went I got the shish kabob and the shish kafta. My husband I both LOVED the food. Our second trip we ate in, I had a falafel wrap we ordered some babaganoush and my husband got the shish kabob again. The guy who runs the front of the place is great and the prices are reasonable. Definitely worth a visit! read more

If you wanna be ashamed of yourself this is the best place to go. Absolutely disrespectful staff there and they keep you in the line for ever to just give you a simple sandwich. My last try for ZAMAN cafe. read more

Chicken shawarmas was great with the feta cheese and the guy at the cash register he was so nice the place wasn't too busy or nothing

This place has really grown on me over time. It has high quality food and friendly, kind employees. All the staples (wraps, hummus, fatoosh) are very good. read more

What a surprising gem this is. Tucked into a strip mall, decor that is middle eastern meets cracker barrel. But the food...oh the food! Started with the fattoush salad which had possibly the best dressing evar!. The karnabeet salad was great, lots of flavors and textures. Their hummus is smooth and silky and nice and thick. The pita, while not homemade is still quite fresh and supple. The kafta hana was delicious. The small had two kafta and a generous side of rice. But be warned it is hot. That was surprising. It had great flavor but the heat was quite unexpected. This place will definitely be a regular stop. So long Palm Palace...you are good, but Zamaan is better...and closer. read more

Huh. I picked this place because of the glowing yelp reviews. I must say I was a little disappointed. Perhaps most of the people who reviewed it work nearby and were comparing this to the dismal options in the area. Yes, this place is outstanding compared to big boy and coney island. Otherwise, head over to the corridor on washtenaw and try the delicious vegetarian sandwiches at pita pita, the mouthwatering fattoush at haifa, or the hot, fresh from the oven bread at palm palace. Kthx. read more

This is the best middle eastern food I've found in Ann Arbor!

In the area and thought I'd try it out based off the other reviews. I asked the young man working what he recommended, as there's not a lot of Mediterranean food where I'm from, he made a couple suggestions. I decided on the Makale; fried potato cubes with eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and lemon juice on top of hummus. Thee best hummus I have ever eaten. All the flavors were the perfect combination, my mouth watered as I ate. It was delicious. I reheated my leftovers for supper (minus the hummus) and it was great. I'm not a leftover person. I'm choosing 4 stars because I took it to-go and didn't have the full fine-in experience. I'd visit again. read more

Zamaan Cafe - Makale:Fried potato cubes with eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and lemon juice on top of hummus. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Not good iceberg for salads. Food subpar at best. Service even worse! Need to invest in better produce and better wait staff!