Middle Eastern Bakery and Deli
| Address: | 3052 N 16th St, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA |
| Phone: | +1 602-277-4927 |
| Site: | facebook.com |
| Rating: | 4.6 |
| Working: | 9:30AM–7PM 9:30AM–7PM 9:30AM–7PM 9:30AM–7PM 9:30AM–7PM 9:30AM–7PM Closed |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 7
MA
Mark Finch
Excellent food. It is a small Middle Eastern grocer with about 6 four place tables. There is only 4 or so parking places in front, but if you drive thru a small alley there is ample parking behind the building. As you enter you will walk into the grocery and order on the left side at the bakery counter. The left wall has a menu with a large selection of delicacies to order. After you place your order you will go into the dinning area in the front left side of the store. The dinning area is a bit cramped with the six tables. The chairs are traditional diner style. Comfortable enough to eat but you wont want to linger. Food is excellent. Everything was made in a traditional style. They properly use tahini in hummus no peanut butter here. The babaganouj was absolutely terrific. My wife and I loved it. The falafel was good but about a half to quarter the size of traditional. As this was our first visit we ordered several different dishes to share. She ordered the Shish and Lamb Kabob with tabouli while I had the Gyros plate with Greek salad. The tabouli was great, while the salad lacked feta but was still good. Her plate was well portioned and both kabobs were good. Both the lamb and shish kabob were a bit dry. The gyro meat looked to be food service. A bit disappointing since I find a good rotisserie style hunk of meat to be better. Dont get me wrong it was good but the more traditional is simply better. For beverages we tried the lemonade and fresh brewed tea. The lemonade was fantastic. Really fantastic doesnt do it justice. It is hand squeezed lemon juice sweetened and in rose water. We ended up ordering a refill it was so good. The tea tasted like Lipton. Not my favorite but still nice, but I would have preferred one of the more traditional Middle Eastern styles. We were so full and took about half home. We couldnt resist the Baklava though. Easily one of the freshest and best we have ever had. Maybe decades ago in La Jolla, CA I had as good... maybe. Since we were so full we ordered 1 to split and 2 to go. The owner split the Baklava for us and gave us two pastries and two coffees as well. All were excellent. We ended up having the left overs for dinner and still had hummus, babaganouj, baklava and a pasty left over. We both highly recommend Middle Eastern Bakery. In fact she was so impressed she already broadcast the place to all her friends. I want to thank all the people at Check Please Arizona since if they hadnt reviewed it we would never have found it as it is quite a drive for us.
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A Private User
Was here in end of march 2010, was very excited about the place after having read amazing reviews. What a disappointment! We ordered veggie combo appetizer plate, a soup, kibbeh, sambouka (meat pie) and lamb shish kebab. The soup was ok. The plate consisted of falafel (ok, but just about average), babaganoush (very watery), hummus (quite good), yogurt with cucumbers (ok too), tabouleh (perhaps the best part of the whole meal), dolmas (disgusting - very soft and tasteless) and spinach pie (awful! it was not crusty, probably warmed up in a microwave, i could not force myself to eat it). Sambouka was also microwaved and soft, even wet, also was left almost untouched. Kibbeh was horrible: it did not have a crust and filling, just a uniform mass of ground, not so well tasted, meat; no pine nuts! I did not try the shish kebab, but it looked burnt and chewey. My husband who is a meat lover said that it was way below average. I tried the rice which came with the kebab, and almost threw up: it was sour, as if it was spoiled, definitely reheated. The salad was like in any fast food place. My husband also got a rice pudding, which was just ok. What a pity! I love middle eastern food, and I am afraid it will be long time I will dare to try anything middle eastern again - so bad memory I have of this place. definitely will not be back. As to service, it was not good either: we had to ask several times before they finally brought us water, they first brought us the wrong order, and we had to wait for a long while before we actually were able to place the order. I cannot believe all the good reviews here. Dont know what happened to this place. Some of the reviewers mentioned that the ownership has changed some time ago. Perhaps, this is the reason...
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Ittamar Wolk
This lousy place really got to me. They a huge menu eon the walls tables and music and restaurants prices so when the owner asked me why I return my tahini I told him I dont like getting my good in stereo foam bowls and plastic silver so then he tells me he is really a bakery and a fast food restaurant well then screw you., have some respect for middle Eastern food and for ur customers. If you are going to give me no kind of service at all make me stand in line give me plastic fishes and expect me to clean up then u should cut your prices in half and oh yea you know the food wasnt that good maybe OK or below.
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A Private User
After a miserable year and a half in New England, after a 2,800 mile road trip back to Phoenix, I was at the MIddle Eastern Bakery within three days of my arrival. The place has changed hands. I met the new owner who was extremely polite, friendly and even gave me a lemonade on the house. The stuffed grape leaves were heavenly as was the Ouzi plate I ordered two days later (could not get enough of the place!). I was impressed with the new owner who was definitely right on with providing great food and superb customer service. Highly recommend this wonderful eatery!
LU
Lucas Linwood
Four stars because I know the owner must care about his customers and his food. I was sitting outside by the restaurant next door with my dog. He noticed my dog kept trying to find share and came out with a bowl of water. I was not his customer and he still cared about my dog. Amazing. I can only imagine how well he treats his customers!!. Definitely coming here next time I go out for lunch or dinner and I will update this review with info in the food
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A Private User
I love this place! They have the best falafel that Ive found in Phoenix (my non-vegetarian husband will even get a falafel sandwich over anything else on the menu!), the halvah is incredible, and the owner is kind and a great person to talk with when youre having a bad day :) I usually purchase off the menu but they also have a large selection of frozen/grocery items as well. You cant beat an amazing Middle Eastern dinner for two for less than $20!
CA
Carlos Galindo
Great stuff! Really, Im very picky! the flavors have to be there consistently or I will stop going to a restaurant. I can always count on the flavors being great and consistent at Middle Eastern. Although the owner is a pain in the arse, just kidding. Isam, the owner is a great host and is always giving out free samples of dessert and coffee. if you havent gone, your missing out. Its a bakery and a store so take some home like we do.
