Oh man oh man, this place is delicious! I adore the decor inside, I love the patio outside (great for people watching) and their food is so delicious. I love walking in and having a hostess walk me to a talk while I stare at the decor inside. Make sure to look at the ceiling when you are in there, it's pretty amazing. There is nothing better than the pita bread you are provided with the mouthwatering bread dip. Their hummus is the best, their soups are so good and their Taza Chicken Salad is a must try. I seriously fall in love with Middle Eastern food time and time again after eating here.
(5)
Carl C.
Stopped in here on the way through Cleveland. Split the Vegetarian Feast and had the lentil soup too. The Feast was perfect to split with one other person. Couldn't get enough of the babaganoush, hummus, falafel, & taboulli with the steaming hot pita! Fresh flavors in the Feast and the delicious lentil soup left me very satisfied. Good view of the city, as the neighboring block is a ground level parking lot. Service was slightly slow, but fit well with the laid back ambiance. Allowed us to relax and enjoy the meal.
(4)
Shelly C.
Good, 5 stars. Service 3 stars, avg 4 stars overall. Great food in a beautiful restaurant. Decor: I really like the decor of this place. It's very warm and intimate. Food: Their food is awesome! They have the best hummus and their kabobs are really good. Prices: Prices are average/normal and it has good value. Service: Service was meh. The girl completely forgot about us and never checked on us or refilled our water. I'd recommend this place, overall it was a good experience :)
(4)
Fallon F.
4 stars for food, but unfortunately 2-3 stars for service/atmosphere. I stopped in here last night for dinner, and the place was dead. There were only 2 tables seated and a couple at the bar. It being Thursday night, I expected more of a crowd, but no big deal. You'd think because they weren't busy the service would be attentive, but when we first arrived no one was even at the host stand. No one was at the bar either. We actually had to step into the dining area and search for a staff member. We could see the two servers standing in the hallway talking, but neither made a move to come greet us. After awkwardly standing there for a few minutes we had to flag one of them down and she finally led us to a table. I think our server could tell we were a little peeved about not being greeted/having to wait 5-10 minutes to be seated, because for the remainder of our meal she was like overly nice, almost fake nice to us. We both got really weird vibes from her, and it made the meal a little uncomfortable. I'd ALMOST overlook all of that because the food was really good. As all the other reviewers mentioned, the portions are huge. Knowing this, we opted for two appetizers to split, the vegetarian feast (hummus, baba, tabouli, and falafel) and the dawali (grape leaves). We didn't even need to order entrees! The vegetarian feast is easily enough for four people. And they bring you as much pita as you can handle, which was perfect to scoop up those tasty spreads. They had a lot of great veggie options I'd definitely love to try. And for the amount of food we got, the price was pretty good. I'll give Taza another shot, because that food was tasty. In all honesty, I'd probably just order carry out and enjoy some of their tasty falafel at home, without the weird atmosphere and shaky service.
(3)
India R.
I had reeeeeeeeeally high hopes for this place after reading all the reviews, but I was left underwhelmed. Yes, the portions are huge. Yes, the pricing is fair. However, everything is under seasoned (I'm used to middle eastern food being very flavorful), except for the salmon, it tasted like licking a lemon. I guess it's just Aladdin's in a gussied up building. The dining room is beautiful. p.s. order a drink, the water taste like metal.
(3)
Omid N.
My buddy and I decided to come here for his birthday. He is from Palestine and I from Iran, so our taste buds have a very high intelligence when it comes to high quality Middle Eastern food. We went there for lunch. For appetizers, we had the Dawali (stuffed grape leaves), the rarely found Lebanese Kibbeh Niyyah (special blend of spices mixes with raw meat), and bread (pocket pitas and regular flat pita bread) that came in from the popular Aladdin bakery in Cleveland that was served with a special dip (oregano mixed with sesame seeds and olive oil). All of this was at our table within five minutes of ordering. We were delightfully surprised at how much Kibbeh Niyyah they brought out for us. But given the hefty price for the appetizer (along with it's scarcity), I'd say it was adequately priced (we're graduate students). The meat tasted super fresh, as if it was recently butchered and prepared within the day. Elegant designs were made on the meat with a fork, I believe. The Dawali is a much more popular commodity in Middle Eastern establishments. Though somewhat petite, we were supplied with about ~7 of these delicacies, all sprinkled with feta cheese on top. I've had Dawali at other restaurants, but the Dawali at Taza's has been my best experience to date. These were the most perfectly rolled grape leaves I've ever had. Very well structured and sturdy enough to be eaten with a fork (yes, I'm the Persian). Didn't pay much attention to what it was specifically stuffed with since a funny conversation topic had come up, but if I had to guess it was the customary rice combined with garbanzo beans and maybe another one or two ingredients). For our main entrees, we ordered the Shish Kabob and the Beef Kafta. Along with it came "Lebanese rice" (regular Basmati rice - Arabic blend), and about 5 large spoons worth of vegetables. These vegetables were amazing, as they were seasoned and well sauteed. For the lunch price, I'd say we received a fair amount of meat. I had two ~6-inch kaftas that were well-done, but juicy with the perfect amount of spices in it. My buddy had about ~8 cubes of lamb on his plate. Great experience on both ends. You also have the option between Tahini sauce (less consistency), garlic sauce (thick consistency), or both. We ordered both, I believe, at no extra charge. Entrees were at our table within 5-10 min. For beverages, we ordered hot tea and iced pomegranate tea. Nothing too special. We appreciated both. Because Yelp is awesome, we were able to redeem a special with the app, a free piece of baklava with Turkish coffee. They have three types of baklava available from Aladdin, pistachio, walnut, and cashew. They bring it in a small plate and drizzle it elegantly with a dash of pure honey. The Turkish coffee came in a cute small cup, but was very high quality. It was very strong with the pureed coffee beans sedimenting at the bottom. Amazing Turkish taste says my friend, as I'm not a big fan of coffee in general (Persian chayi fan :)) It is fair to mention that it was not very crowded when we went for a Wednesday lunch, so that should be taken into account for our fast serving times. Our waitress was a pleasant woman, going out of her way with good customer service. The establishment itself is beautiful. Dim-lighting for you romantics, elegant tapestry, two-floors, and medium-sized banquet room on the first floor with a huge chandelier. Very well-built restaurant. Lots of thought put into the designs. Great experience. Loved it and would definitely go again. Hope you guys and gals have as much fun as we did!
(5)
James M.
One star because I have to :-( The absolute WORST Lebanese food I have ever had! Can not believe they have 86 reviews & 4 stars. Also, co$t is u$ually not an i$$ue with me, but it become$ one when you get $UPER $mall portion$ @ a BIG price! However, we left over half of the tiny portions because the food was sooo HORRIBLE! Service also stunk & we were 1 of only 2 occupied tables in this LARGE establishment! Do yourself a favor & eat @ one of the other many GREAT downtown Cleveland restaurants!
(1)
Nathan R.
Reasonably priced with a more manageable menu than its counterpart Aladdin's, and way delicious. Whenever I go to Taza I get an order of baba ganouj. Their baba is really really wonderful. It was the inspiration for me to try to make my own. Mine has never been as good as their tangy, savory, salty glorious mashed eggplant. You always get zatar - a dark sesame seed oil mixture to dip pita in. They bring out both regular flat pita and puffy bread. I still don't know the name of the puffy bread, multiple servers have insisted that it's really the same as the pita bread, but that is not possible, it's mildly sweet and amazing whereas the pita is just pita. Their salads are unusually substantial and great. I like the Phoenician, Lebanese, and Cedars salads. They're pretty busy during lunch but slower during dinner. They have a patio.
(4)
Ted C.
Great food. We had the shish kabob salad and hummos swarma and they were delicious!! You've also got to try the garlic sauce with the shish kabob, it is a match made in heaven! And to top off the perfect meal, their baklava (especially the lady finger one) is super crunchy and amazing. Can't say enough about this awesome place!
(5)
Ibraheem A.
It's always a great place to choose. I love their Hummus and their Kibbie is the best, too. Service is always amazing! Don't forget to check in here in order to get a free coffee and Baklava.
(5)
Bri P.
I've come here for lunch as well as ordered to go and both ways are absolutely delicious. The sampler appetizer is a great way to try a bit of everything and their salads are very large. They also give fresh, warm pita with everything- who doesn't love pita?!
(5)
EddieGabbie C.
The food was fantastic. We love mediterranean cuisine and were quite pleased with everything that we had ordered. There was a large group of us and we shared the vegetarian and meat appetizer platters. Both were very delicious and plentiful to share amongst 8 adults. We had great service from our waitress and she was very accommodating to the two young children that we had at our table (even providing off the menu options for a picky eater). We will definitely be back on our next venture into Cleveland.
(5)
Erin L.
I've only eaten this type of food a few times, but the flavors were amazing. The humans dips & bread were tasty. The salads were brilliant with flavors. Definitely come back
(4)
Brianne H.
Great food, but terrible service! I was dining alone and waiting forever for everything I asked for.
(2)
Lina A.
Love this place. I've probably been here 7 times now, and I have been living in Cleveland for 11 months. So authentic and so tasty. You MUST get the Lebanese jibneh for an app.
(4)
Dr. E.
I was one of those guys. It was 20 minutes till closing and I called in an order. I know you're judging me but it doesn't stop there. I told them I'd arrive right at closing. The reaction on the other end of the line was so friendly and accommodating. My arrival came minutes after closing and the manager invited me in to get my food. She added a couple baklava for my check in and some extra bread. All the mean time being so hospitable and positive. I ate my grape leaves and hummus on top of a pedestal at city hall. The high school kids leaving prom kept looking at me. Were they jealous I was eating delicious grape leaves while they were dancing to selena gomez songs? Absolutely.
(5)
Katie K.
I had never tasted Lebanese food before. The hummus and fresh baked bread were amazing! I didn't like the grape leaves, however. My Entree was the Shish Kebab. It came with rice and vegetables. It was excellent!! I liked the tahini sauce on the beef. The cinnamon on the rice was a nice touch. Our waitress was outstanding!
(5)
Susan H.
Vegetarian feast and the beef kafta are my two favorite. The hummus is really good here and I love the people. They really make you feel at home. I could eat the bread all the time.
(5)
Gina C.
We had the vegetarian feast and the manakish appetizers for lunch. I would not recommend the zaatar manakish. Not that it wasn't good, but it is exactly like what they bring to the table for free. I tried one of each topping (spinach, feta, zaatar), and definitely the spinach is the way to go because it actually has both spinach and feta on it. The vegetarian feast itself was plenty for two to split as a meal, especially because they bring unlimited breads to the table. I think the hummos, baba, tabouli, and falafel actually all taste very, very similar to Aladdin's. I probably prefer Aladdin's vegetarian combo because it also includes dawali, which Taza's does not. But on the other hand, Aladdin's does not give complimentary pita and zaatar. But no matter what you order, definitely ask for some of their outstanding hot sauce! I've been wanting to check out Taza for a long time, and they did not disappoint. That being said, I probably won't go out of my way to come back any time soon. The food was good, and there were many other things on the menu I want to try, but the service was pretty slow. There just wasn't enough positives to overcome the hassle involved with eating out downtown (traffic, parking, etc). If I'm already downtown and looking for a place to eat, that's another story!
(4)
Tammie E.
We decided to go outside our comfort zone and stop here for lunch. My review is based on the fact that we have probably had true Lebanese food once or twice in our lives, and it was given to us by the Lebanese girl dating our son, so it was homemade and dessert, at that. If you aren't Lebanese, I'll try to explain what we experienced so your taste buds will be alerted. If you are, pardon me if I get any of the spices or seasonings wrong. Firstly, "free" weekend parking in the area is hit or miss. We were there on a Saturday at lunch time and had to circle to actually see someone leaving within 2 blocks of the place. Good luck with that. Secondly, when we entered, no one came to seat us. We stood in the foyer for a good 4-5 minutes waiting. It wasn't until my husband actually walked into the dining area that the waitress saw us and came over. We were seated pleasantly enough, and we were brought a basket of flat breads with olive oil that appeared to have a very mild black pepper as well as sesame seeds in it. I'm not a fan of olive oil. I don't do bitters very well, and olive oil sets that off for me in a very unpleasant way. The husband enjoys bitters and he was the one doing all the dipping. We both got unsweetened iced tea, the regular kind, though they have different flavors. No sweeteners were volunteered, so after 20 minutes or so, I had to ask. We ordered the shawarma for an appetizer, and then I got the kebab pita and the husband got the lamb pita. The shawarma was different for a non-Mediterranean person. It had peppers and onions on the plate, sauteed in olive oil, but then it also had a chopped/diced meat, almost like minute steaks cut up, in olive oil and some bitter seasoning I couldn't place. It wasn't lemon, it wasn't citrus at all, but definitely very bitter. The back sides of my tongue are bothering me now as I type this in memory. The husband ate more of it than I did and seemed to like it. When the meals came, we had a sandwich which was grilled on the outside then cut in half, and fries with an "ancient" seasoning on them. I personally didn't know that French Fries existed in ancient times, nor that the Lebanese had a special seasoning for them back then, but ok. Whatever. They weren't bad. Just different. The husband enjoyed his sandwich, but after the first half, was full, so he disassembled it and ate the veggies he knew and the remaining lamb chunks. He wasn't a fan of the pickled turnips. I know that much. I, on the other hand, was having a heck of a time with my kebab pita. In each side, there were 3 chunks of meat, about the size of a standard ice cub. That would have been fine except it was the toughest meat I've eaten in a long time. On top of that, it was very sinewy and hard to bite into without grabbing the entire chunk and looking extremely uncouth. So I had to hold the sandwich to my face and chew - chew - chew - chew until I could actually bite through the gristle and sinew. Again, the meat was bitter tasting, like the shawarma, and on top of the pickled turnip, some bitter greens inside and a slightly sour sauce, it was too much for me. I put the sandwich down and picked through the rest, eating small bites until it was time to go. The husband enjoys bitter, like I said, but by the time we were hitting the french fries, he had admitted it was enough for him in one sitting, too. So we paid the bill and headed out. Now, truly, I don't know the culture very well, as the girl who was dating our son remained very removed from us for almost the 4 years they were together as she lived 1200 miles away with him, so I can't say whether it was authentic food or whether it was just restaurant food. It was good. It was fresh. It was very flavorful (especially if you enjoy the bitters) and we did enjoy what we had. The waitress and hostess (?) were very attentive once we were seated and catered to our needs very well. However, that said, I wouldn't go back. It was one of those "did it, moving on" type experiences for me, and didn't have enough draw there to call me back for a second time around.
(3)
Mary F.
Short Take: Excellent, garlicky, well-executed Lebanese standards. Pita bread is served with one of my all time favorites: z'atar in olive oil. The value is excellent; these folks do not scrimp. One dish easily serves 2 or 3 people. Suggest you stay with the appetizers, or mezzes, and order only a mixed grill to share--it's a ton of food--unless you're like us and over order and eat it for 2-3 days. Lebanese food is meant to be eaten family style. Use your hands. Throw it all in the middle of the table, tear off pieces of bread and dip, and roll up meat and veggies and dip and eat. Repeat. Just don't double dip. Baseline: We love garlic, lots of it; powerful, raw, sharp; cooked, mellow, lucious. Any way it comes, we love it. Taza serves it up in all these wonderful ways. On our first visit, we ordered the shawarma plate, the labneh (garlickly yogurt with parsely), jibneh (grilled cheese drizzled with pomegranate syrup), mixed grill platter (spiced beef kafta, chicken brochettes, and beef brochettes), foule medamas (cooked pinto and foule beans (like lima beans) with fresh lemon juice finish), babganoush (or "baba") (fire grilled eggplant that is smashed and seasoned as a dip), hummus, manakish--one of each z'atar, spinach, feta--Lebanese pizza, and falafel.. The mixed grill came with french fries; hot and crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Bonus: the fries were sprinkled with more z'atar. Excellent. Each of the dishes arrived meticulosly plated and hot. With the mixed grill, we got a little container of "garlic." It's actually a garlic mousse, which is garlic heaven. It's sharp, raw, pungent, and crazy delicious if you love garlic as much as we do. I make this stuff at home; some people call it garlic sauce, or aioli, or skordalia (Greek), but here our server said they just call it "garlic." I call it swoon worthy. They kept us supplied with warm pitas. We liked the shawarma plate and the foule the least, but both were still good. The shawarma was overly spiced and a bit too finely shredded. My second visit was to pick up take out; everything was packed meticulously and was just as delicious in our hotel room. I added soujouk (Lebanese sausages served in stewed tomato sauce) to our list for take out. Outstanding. So good that I ate it cold the next morning with a hot piece of pita out of the microwave. The 6th Street location has a beautiful backroom that is ideal for large groups.
(5)
J. H.
Place was nearly empty on a Wednesday night. Only one other table during our visit. This meant that service was not an issue. The food was good, as it typically is at Taza. The one minor issue during our meal came at the end, as we had just finished our meals. The general manager came over to our table to scold us because our children were not seated, and they were disturbing other diners. While I understand that they needed to be seated, her demeanor was overly harsh. We were considering ordering coffee and desert, but we decided it was time to go. Considering how empty the restaurant was, we didn't understand the vitriol unleashed in our direction. The good news for the general manager is that she won't have to put up with our large dinner bills again...
(2)
Daniel B.
I asked the server what was the most authentic item or items on the menu. She was helpful and pointed out that only a few were NOT instead of the other way around. We ordered a few appetizers to share as a meal. Three were plenty as a meal! Since I have no way to assess the authenticity, I can only rate by the flavors. All three dishes were quite tasty but the chicken was over cooked and dry. Still, the combinations were nice. Worth a second visit if I'm in the area again.
(3)
Amy G.
Visited this restaurant last Saturday evening and enjoyed every bite. The baba ghanoush was really good! The tabouli salad fresh and the perfect mix of each ingredient. The service was also welcoming and just the right amount of attentive. I am new to Cleveland and am excited to frequent this lovely spot with its warm and even romantic ambiance. Must visit.
(4)
Sorin B.
The service in this place is deplorable. I walked in on a Saturday evening, sat myself at the bar and waited for 15 minutes. The place was dead, but nobody greeted me. I sat there for 15 minutes then walked out, all without one person greeting me. Will never come back, they were dead, I came in to give them money, and they wouldn't even come get it.
(1)
Jen M.
Know what I love? When you discover something new on a menu that you wouldn't think to order. Today I ordered the Shish Tawook rolled pita which I've gotten numerous times before...but I have always subbed out the french fries. Today I got the fries and let me tell you...move over Market Garden, these are some seriously great seasoned french fries! Wow. Now there's even more to love at Taza in addition to everything else on the menu. Yummo.
(5)
Michael C.
Check in and you get a complimentary baklava and Turkish coffee! But this place delivers in every way, the food was deliciouss, the place was gorgeous, wait staff was friendly, food arrived in a timely manner, they weren't too expensive, they were able to split the check, the table and bathroom was clean, what more can you ask? I recommend: Kibbie - which is like a fried bite-sized shepards pie with Lebanese spices, probably our favorite dish Falafel - crispy on the outside, well seasoned on the inside and not too mushy Baba - lots of lemon and garlic, flavor roller coaster, it was delicious The so-so: Hummus - they make it quite thick, and our table all thought it was just 'ok'. I took the leftover home, added some evoo and lemon, and it was perfection Makanek - sausage (the taste was similar to IHOP sausages.. lol) but it was bathed in this slightly sweet and vinegary sauce, it was pretty tasty to me, but didn't seem to appeal to anyone else went with a party of 4 people, ordered 6 of the appetizer dishes to share and it only came out to $12 per person Overall, a place that really wins on flavor and seasoning, I had a good time, if you like Lebanese food, definitely worth checking out!
(5)
maggi s.
This place is AMAZING and super affordable. Everything is fresh and full of flavor. A must if you're in the area.
(5)
Kristen W.
Came here last week for lunch with some coworkers, I can never pass up Mediterranean! Everything from the pita (I'm still thinking about that dip) to the service was good. I chose a salad with chicken, pine nuts, and feta. Everything in the salad worked so well together I would order it again and again! Based off of the amazing reviews I can't wait to come back and try more Mediterranean dishes.
(4)
Ann Marie C.
Was there for the second time on Saturday night. Had a great table by the window, the food was delicious. Highly recommend the beef kafta. The only complaint I have was our waitress wasn't very good. Never came back to fill our water or ask if we wanted to order more drinks. We had to track her down! Asked for grilled veggies instead of fries and that didn't happen. Asked for tahini sauce and never saw her again until she brought the bill. I didn't complain because it just wasn't worth it to me. I like the place and love the food. Hopefully the service will be better next time!
(4)
Nicole G.
Taza is a great place to visit! It's beautifully decorated and their patio is perfect in the summer time! I love the spicy hummus (which I don't find to be all that spicy). The only reason they didn't get a 5th star is because I haven't found a menu item that I'm in love with just yet.
Okay so I was in for a "kiss the summer goodbye" date with my wife and we made reservations at this place. It was Saturday night, and surprisingly for a 630 dinner there was hardly anybody in the place. So that was the first question mark of the night, and the only one. The staff was very friendly and the service was very quick. But not in a pushy "get out of here" type of way quick. Personally I would recommend ordering a couple of the appetizers as the portions are huge, and the food is too good to stop eating. With that said they were very accommodating to boxing up what we had left to go (and it was still as good reheated). I'm picky about my 5 stars but I can see where someone may see it as a five.
(4)
Julie D.
Fast service. Quiet atmosphere. Kind of seemed like place for a romantic dinner date rather then a get together meal. Ordered the Hummus and Taboule for appetizer which were delicious but I wasn't really into the Taboule which makes me feel like you have to have an acquired taste for it. The pita was so fresh and delicious with the Hummus which totally made my night! I then ordered the Shwarma which was a bit different for me because I never had Beef Shwarma before and I couldn't help but compare it to my Chicken Shwarma experiences in Chicago and Texas which was absolutely phenomenal! The beef Shwarma was delicious and bursting with flavor but made me feel weird they served it with fries since I wasn't expecting. Yet, I was a bit disappointed that they didn't offer Chicken Shwarma like the other Middle Eastern restaurants I've been to. Last but not least I ordered the Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake which was so rich in flavor and totally hit my sweet cravings. Will come here again.
(4)
Mike M.
Excellent food. Wonderful atmosphere. The loubie and kibbee naja are my favorite dishes.
(5)
Akhil K.
This place gets a very solid and deserved 5 stars from me. Taza is a middle eastern restaurant on W6th, that frankly didn't look all that impressive from the outside. However, once you stepped in, all those perceptions changed immediately. The interiors are plush and luxurious, with paneled walls and ceilings, and beautiful chandeliers. We went mid-week for dinner, and they had a live pianist playing a mix of bossa-nova jazz and classic tunes. Looking at this place I thought "oh well, it's not every day that I splurge on a meal, so why not". And then I saw the menu - $14.95 for a vege sampler? That can't be right. Must be small. So I ordered one all for myself. While waiting for the sampler, we were served the standard pitas (which were nice and warm) along with 2 other types of middle eastern bread (I loved the fluffy one) along with oil as well as a black sesame dip with sumac, which was mind-blowingly delicious! And then we were served the labneh and the vege platter - and let me tell you, it was frigging huge! 4 falafels, hummus, baba, and a mountain of tabbouleh. And those falafels... Mmmmm... my mouth waters as I type! And the service matched the food and the ambience. Quick, knowledgable, helpful and unintrusive service. We ate in peace. When we wanted to order something, there was someone magically by our table almost instantaneously. Water glasses never ran empty. It was beautiful. In all seriousness - go here. You will not regret it.
(5)
Laura H.
Had lunch here yesterday and the food was wonderful. It was expertly prepared with very authentic flavors and sauces. The wait staff were wonderful and the atmosphere is lush and ornate. Highly recommend.
(4)
Stacy A.
Great service by Pricilla! I got the hummus falafel wrap with grilled veggies. Perfect all around. The service made the meal. I would def come back
(5)
Joshua G.
Delicious meal and great atmosphere. Would highly recommend the Lebanese Jebneh appetizer and Chicken Kofta.
(5)
Brian B.
My friend and I ate here on a business trip. We each had the Phoenician salad and a pita roll sandwich. I had falafel, he had lamb; we both loved the food. They brought pita bread to the table, which was also very good. My only comment was that the sandwiches came with french fries, and we didn't really need that. More pita bread would be better. The service was fast and friendly; that may be because it was Sunday afternoon and hardly anyone was in there. I have been at empty restaurants that ignore you though, so I want to give them credit. They acted like no one else was there and they had nothing better to do than wait on us. Truly the only bad thing about the experience was that when we left it poured down rain. Despite my umbrella I was soaked when I got to my hotel 3 blocks away. I can't blame the restaurant for the weather though. It would have been a worse day without a good meal.
(5)
Neal E.
**3.5 stars** We came here one evening for a group dinner for 12 people on a Tuesday evening. We were pleased that we were able to get a reservation on such short notice. We arrived a bit early before the rest of our party - so we sat at the Bar and sampled the Great Lakes Christmas Ale - topped with a healthy and generous dose of ground cinnamon (never seen that before - but it works!). As the rest of our party arrived, we moved to our table. We ordered some community appetizers - a couple of orders of hummus in different spice levels. I especially enjoyed the spicy hummus vs. the regular. For dinner - I ordered the Shawarma - which I've never had before. I felt I needed to sample this after seeing Tony Stark insist The Avengers go out and eat Shawarma after their defeat of Loki and his Chitauri Army in the epic film "The Avengers." The Shawarma meat itself is a generous quantity of meat, sort of finely chopped, served with grilled onions and a large side of seasoned fries. I found the whole meal to be a bit on the greasy side. It was tasty, but I did not come close to finishing the food due to the greasiness. Service was good, ambiance was nice. I'd come back here to try some other Lebanese dishes!
(3)
Danielle E.
I am so pleasantly surprised by this place! I live in the neighborhood and have passed it by so many times, expecting it to be an Aladdin's-level place (which I'm not a fan of, being the falafel and shawarma snob that I am). My boyfriend and I stopped in for happy hour food and drinks at the bar on our way over to the Indians game last night though, and had a great experience. First, their pita is too good. I can't even remember how many I ate, but I already want more. We ordered the falafel, shawarma, the feta and zaatar manakish, and hummus fatteh. The shawarma and falafel were really delicious, I devoured them. Manakish wasn't my favorite, and the hummus fatteh was actually tahini (I didn't read the menu description well enough), which I don't love- although my boyfriend did like it a lot. We couldn't finish it all, we were so stuffed. And our food bill? It was barely over $10. I felt like I was stealing. I'll definitely be back!
(4)
Nina G.
Great food, the baba ganoush is delicious. The lentil dish also was very good. A bit pricy as most of downtown can be, but very good food
(4)
Jennifer W.
I have been to both Taza locations and was impressed by both. The spicy hummus is probably the best I have ever tasted. It is so creamy and delicious that I am afraid that it might actually be lard :) The only bad thing about this place is that the freshly baked pillowy bread they serve is so delicious, you'll find yourself sheepishly accepting basket after basket of it, only to find that you no longer have room for your amazing entree! I have tasted many things on the menu, and the falafel and hummus pita is my favorite. The falafels are humongous! The service is great, and there are great happy hour specials ($4 mojitos!). If you are lucky, you'll get Kicksy as your waitress - she is the absolute best!! I just talked myself into a five star review, and my mouth is literally watering, thinking about the hummus and baba!
(5)
F M.
Worth the brisk and cold walk all the way from the Residence Inn....even a San Franciscan said so (who kept asking if we were there yet!). Could eat here everyday!! Shawarma sharwarma sharwarma! Get there before 7 for happy hour prices.
(5)
love n.
Went here for lunch and got the vegetarian feast. It was delicious! I don't usually like falafel. Most places make a dried up and bland version but this falafel was soo good. The staff is very nice and the place is very pretty inside. I got my food to go but would definitely come back with friends.
(5)
Reem B.
Really nice place in this area. Loved the food, the service and the ambiance. everybody was friendly and helpful. we had their famous Lebanese Jibneh and my God it was the best thing I ever ate (for the same concept of grilled cheese!). our entrees were very delicious as well and perfectly portioned. Outside seating here is great! I will definitely be coming here whenever I visit Cleveland :-)
(4)
Andrew G.
Iwas at their other location in Beachwood about 6 months ago, so this time I was in Cleveland I went out of my way to try the downtown location. It was just like I wanted it to be. Start with a nice drink and some olives, then casually pick a (very affordable) entree. I had a shawarma and it was great. The do nice falafel too. And last but not least the free bread and oil is tasty and a nice free way to start. I only wish my wife was with me, since I couldn't finish my dinner.
(5)
Melissa S.
Delicious food and beautiful outdoor seating area. Server Janette is outstanding!
(5)
Ari W.
It's been a while since I was here so I can't remember what we all ate, but I was here on business with a large group and they took great care of us. Here's what I remember for certain.... the hummus was amazing and everything I ate was fantastic!!! You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Jordy G.
I have to say that I had pretty low expectations for this place - after all, a Lebanese place in the Warehouse District? I mean, two doors down is a place called the Nauti Mermaid...how good can this be? Very good. I've actually been here twice now, and was impressed both times. My first time, I got the Chicken Kafta - a shish kabob dish that comes with rice, veggies, and sauce - plus the breads that the servers give your table. It was delicious and actually too much food - I had to take some home to eat the next day, when it was still delicoius! My next visit I got the Fattoush salad, which was equally yummy and well portioned. I just wished I had ordered it with chicken - after my chicken kafta being so good, I sort of longed for some of it during my second visit. As other reviewers have said, the interior is well decorated and looks quite better than the outside. Both times I went, the place was pretty empty, but I was also on the late side of the lunch hour. Well done Taza!
(4)
Adam W.
I think I was walking by just as they opened, and one of their servers dashed out the door, let me know they were open, and ushered me in. I didn't really have a choice, but I didn't mind. The building itself is beautiful. You know the sort of lighting that cameras can't really capture? That's what they have going on here. It's just cool to look at. The servers are kind and they know what they're doing. I didn't know what to get, on account of this being my first time with Lebanese food, so the waiter talked with me a bit before we settled on tuna. And friends, what a slab of tuna it was. I don't think I've had tuna cooked better anywhere, and I've tried since to find it. It was a little on the underseasoned side, but I think it may have just been how I was eating it -- it was served with vegetables and rice, and when you ate everything together, it was like... I hate to say something like 'a symphony of flavor' or nonsense like that -- so I'll settle with "it was really, really good."
(5)
Ramona T.
The food was served in a timely fashion and was absolutely delicious. The prices didn't quite fit the portion size but they are on w.6th so within reason. I definitely recommend and will return. I had the vegetarian meal with a side if rice. My only down side was that all of our drinks ( I was there for a bday party and had one if their specialty teas) were watery. I love flavored water so I was fine with it but if I order tea or anything besides water I expect just that. Next time I will only order water. I don't go to places like this for the drinks though. It's all about the food.
(4)
Michael B.
It's been a year that Taza has been open downtown and I have to say that everything just keeps getting better. I've tried at least 2/3 of the items on the menu and found every one to be outstanding. I'm not exaggerating... they really know how to cook here. From the hostess/host who greets you at the door to the servers at the table, service has been impeccable. The only complaint (and a minor one at that), is when the lunch rush arrives, the kitchen can be a little slow. But the quality of the food and attentiveness of the staff more than make up for it. I highly recommend Taza if you're looking for food that's fresh & healthy, and service second to none. (And say hi to Kixi if you stop by at lunch -- she's a blast!)
(5)
Katie L.
Some of the best Lebanese food I've had. The spicy hummus was amazing. However, the service wasn't the best. But their food and portion sizes made up for it.
(4)
Erin O.
I can't help but love this place, because I went on my first real date with the man of my dreams here. ;) BUT, they have great food. Although, its no better than any other Lebanese Restaurant... Cedarland is equally good. However... it is a much better atmosphere. Clean, upscale... if a tad bit overpriced. Good place for a date, for sure. And their food is spot on.
(3)
Kat M.
While on the business trip my boss recommened to check out Taza knowing that I love Middle Eastern food. Of course I didn't just take his word for it. Looked at yelp reviews and they were good for the most part so I decided to give it a try. Let me just say that if know real Middle Eastern food you will never give this place more than 2 stars. Everything, from meat to rice, to falafel was spiced incorrectly. My kefta tasted like hamburger meat. The gross, over the top white garlic sause taste lingered in my mouth for a full 24 hours no matter how many times I brushed my teeth. In fact, the chef here seems to favor garlic quite a bit. Middle Eastern food is about simplicity and fresh ingridients, preservation of flavor while it's made that's why it's important not to overccok the meat or vegetables. In this place even vegetables tasted bad. How do you screw up that. Anyway, bad bad... If you care for your palate, do not eat there!
(1)
Ted M.
Service is very courteous, room is nice. Bread that they bring to the table is excellent. Food is flavorful and of good quality. On the downside, the chicken salad I ordered had less than half as much chicken as any other chicken salad I have ever had. It did, however, have an enormous quantity of dates, so if that's among your favorite foods, I recommend it. They also char the meat more than any other place I've been, which may be your preference; it is not mine. Probably a four star place for most, and I would like to like it more, but it's about tenth-ranked among downtown restaurants for me.
(3)
Robyn K.
OMG, was amazing!!!! They replenish your bread bowl without asking. The owner pays attention to his guests. The food was so tasty. The salad...OMG! I just LOVE LOVE this place. Great job yelpers in guiding me to the right place
(5)
Lance P.
Just lucked into this place for a Monday night dinner after a 500-mile drive. Perfect! Simple and tasty middle. East dishes. The usual suspects all good: hummus, jibneh, kebabs, kafta, tahini, etc. Satisfying, pleasant meal far more interesting than the usual NY Strip or cheeseburger.
(4)
Zach A.
Atmosphere is great, service is top notch, and the food is phenomenal! I'm in town often for work and this one is on my short list of must eats!
(4)
Adi S.
Went here for dinner service for the first time. I had the lebanese jibneh and the lamb rolled pita. I had never had lebanese cheese before, but I was a big fan...I thought the pomegranate sauce was delicious. I felt less strongly about the rolled pita; it hit the spot, but I didn't think there was anything noteworthy about it. Also, the lamb seemed a bit tough and overcooked for a medium well request. I would like to come back and try some of the entrees off of the shish grill that I saw. Really friendly service and a good decor.
(3)
Kristin R.
Yummy! Pita that comes freshly baked from the oven, still puffed up! We had four appetizers, or mezza, for two of us. Portions are big. The lamb sausage with pomegranate sauce and the garlic spinach were both really good. They have a kids menu and my son ate all of his chicken and rice. Service was friendly and attentive.
(4)
Somaira H.
Coming from Michigan where delicious Meditteranean food is abundant, I was impressed with Taza. The interior is very warm and ornate with enough space to accomodate large groups. But don't mistaken this place for just a pretty interior, it's accompanied with great service, which includes the manager checking up on you to make sure everything is absolutely perfect. We were lucky enough to try the Restaurant Week menu, which included a nice variety. For appetizers, we started with the lentil soup, which was delish and perfect for warming you up on a cold and windy day. Our main course included the chicken shish tawook (Kabob with rice and grilled vegetables) and chicken fatteh (Mix of whole chick peas with tahini sauce). Both tasted amazing and we had more than enough to take home. Finally for dessert our server brought us a piece of Bassama and Baklava. My favorite was definitely the baklava.
(4)
Paulius N.
the crowd caught a whiff of that crazy casbah jive or the shish kebabs Stepping into Taza is a bit jarring. You come in from West 6th into a gold and glammy palace. I've been twice now. Service was well meaning and sincere, but not quite as polished up as the GOLD EVERYWHERE. Last time I had an awesome spinach/pinenut/garlic appetizer. Baba Ganoush was top shelf. The beef in the kabob, ordered medium rare, was on the tough side. Lots of veggie options. All in all, pretty solid. Carry on, and rock the casbah.
(4)
Kenisha S.
Great atmosphere, great food and excellent service! I ordered the Vegetarian feast the portions are enough for two. I'll definitely be back during my next visit to Cleveland.
(5)
Dan C.
Wow, great restaurant. Eat here.
(5)
Lisa S.
Great food, elegant yet relaxed atmosphere, and terrific service. Staff were very friendly, prompt, and professional. Can't wait to visit again!
(4)
Robert T.
We visited this location on New Years Eve with another couple. The location is great for a night out on the town. You can walk easily back to the Eest 4th area, or stay on 6th street if you are looking to fist pump. I have been to the location in Eton twice and since I live downtown we thought to give this a try. The decor on the inside is very cool and I love the open kitchen. It is always nice to see what is going on back there. The great thing about Taza is you can get a wonderful meal and it doesn't break the bank. I don't know how to spell half the stuff on their menu, so I will just explain what I had. For an appetizer we ordered a large portion of different humus's, pita, fried faffel, and other stuff. Great! For my dinner I had the rolled chicken schwarma? Spelling. Anyways it was cooked perfectly. The had a good selection of beer and even had a belly dance show. Pretty Cool!
(4)
Richard A.
Excellent. If you enjoy good Lebanese food, not Middle Eastern - simply sit down and let them serve you. The food is prep is just delicious. The atmosphere is just right whether it be family, friends or with a date. I could ramble on but this says it all.
(4)
Dana G.
We chose Taza for dinner on our one day visit to Cleveland based on the reviews on Yelp. The food was amazing and we were lucky enough to have Kicksy as our server. She was amazing. Made sure we were all happy with our selections. We started with the vegetarian combo as our appetizer. The hummus, baba, tabouli and falafels were outstanding - quite possibly the best baba I've ever had. For dinner we had the Lamb kabob, Fatteh Shawarma, and Shawarma Pita Roll. All were quite good, but the Fatteh Shawarma was outstanding.
(5)
Manal M.
Excellent food, excellent service, one of the best middle eastern restaurants I have tried in a long time anywhere including NY, Philly and DC. I come to Cleveland for business frequently and for the past 3 month every time I visit I can not not stop by for either eating in or taking out a meal from Taza. By now I must have tried literally everything on their menu and there is nothing that I didn't like.There appetizers are delicious, the entrees are excellent and proportions are very generous and yet they are very reasonably priced. The icing on the cake is the extremely friendly and courteous service. I would highly recommend Taza downtown to anyone visiting Cleveland and wants to enjoy excellent middle eastern food (their shawirma sandwich is addictive!)
(5)
Kimberly S.
One word - consistent! It is the exact same menu as it's sister restaurant in Eaton Plaza, and that dang good pita and amazing olive oil is still a standard. THANK YOU! I think Taza has wonderful food, and they are keen to side substitutions - yep, I'm that gal! I don't want fries with my wrap, I want something that's more in tune with the flare of the menu! Great wrap options: Shawarma (lamb, beef and chicken), Falafel, Hummus. Great Entree Options: Mujadara (personal favorite), Salmon, Tuna.
(4)
Tj D.
Soooooo good. Salad and app sampler were delicious. Very fresh
(5)
James C.
Did this as take out while staying at the nearby Ritz Carlton. SO GLAD I DID!. Food was fantastic. The restaurant is gorgeous, but I was by myself and needed to work. I asked for a special order on Mixed Grill 1, they accommodated and it was delicious. The Baba Ganouch, the tabouli, and the meat were amazing. I can't wait to go back. Cleveland has a HUGE Lebanese population, so the food was bound to be good. I found it to be GREAT!
(4)
Anthony T.
Food was fine. But wait staff was horrible & rude.
(3)
Marisol W.
Service was disappointing. My plate arrived 20 minutes after everyone else's-we were a group of 13. Experience was less than desirable. Time with friends saved the evening.
(3)
EJ W.
It was 8 PM on a Friday night and the place was empty, and I got turned away at the door with NO explanation - just that "they weren't serving" even though there were patrons there.
(1)
Kevin O.
A Good Lebanese restaurant which was different to what I usually eat but it was good never the less. I ordered the Shish Lamb and it had nice juicy pieces of lamb with delicious lebanese rice with grilled vegetables. It's just a great simple place for good ethnic food.
(3)
Aqua V.
Excellent service, vegetarian options, and portion sizes. This is a great value for the quality and price in the downtown area. For a late night dinner w/ wine, I was please w/vegetarian feast and other veggie options. Honestly, this Mediterranean place stands up to quality and value on either coast. Will definitely return.
(4)
Emil F.
Great Lebanese food. I wish there was a bit more variety on the menu. Definitely a place to check out!
(4)
Cm K.
Best I have found outside of my family's kitchen! I married into a Lebanese family not too long ago and when I am on the road, I look for a little taste of home to stave off the homesick. This place rocks! When I sit down, the first thing I ask is if they serve kibbeh nay eh (raw ground sirloin with bulgur wheat). If they have it I know someone in the kitchen has some skills and is true to the culture by offering it on the menu. I was in town with 2 colleagues in tow. Neither had experienced Lebanese food, and I was excited to introduce it to them. I ordered the kibbeh nay eh, one ordered the chicken/beef kabobs, and the other ordered a chicken dish. Everything was served fresh and piping hot. The Arabic bread was fresh out of the oven and smelled divine. My kibbeh was amazing. And true to tradition, I had it with raw onion and Arak to wash it down. My colleagues raved about their dishes; They were curious about mine and even tried a little. While they were a bit hesitant at first, they both agreed it was awesome. The service was top-notch and we really enjoyed the decor. If I ever have a reason to come back to Cleveland, I will make the trip back.
I have been to the location downtown several times. Great food, service & atmosphere. I never have to wait to be seated, the service is flawless, the food is seasoned well, at least to my liking. I love the lentil soup, grape leaves & their baba.
(5)
Jessica B.
I've had Taza twice now (once for takeout and another time dining in). Falafel pitas are amazeballs. Yes, I said amazeballs. Not usually a word I use but it seems appropriate here since these things are delicious. For this outing, I ordered the We Taste of Taza (an assortment of dips and veggies including baba ghanoush and hummus). Good Lord, this plate is huge. And super filling. Thank God it was shared between four people. Even still, I probably didn't need to order a main entree but decided to go with the garden rolled pita. Pretty good but a little too pickled for my taste. Fried were delicious though. All in all, Taza is always worth a stop and the staff is among the most helpful I've been around. Lastly, I LOVE that the folks at Taza didn't change the decor of the restaurant too much. It's a great space and it feels just as comfy and cozy as always.
(4)
Mark T.
I really wish YELP would implement half stars. I'm giving Taza 3 stars only because of their hummus and tabouli. You could split this with someone and leave with a full stomach for a great price or even order it for take out. But then again if you're going to do that you should just go to Aladdin's bakery down the street and get the best hummus you've ever had for 1/3 of the price. The entrees are what really brings this place down. It is not cheap by any means yet the portion sizes are tiny. This restaurant is not terrible but I doubt I will ever go back despite living down the street.
(3)
Cari L.
FANTASTIC Middle Eastern food. I have tried most of the Cleveland areaMiddle Eastern restaurants, and after just one carry out visit, I have a new favorite. I ordered the Shish Tawook entree. And I loved everything about the meal. Their rice is great, the grilled veggies are a great twist, and the chicken is amazing. I asked for some extra pita, and when I dug into my dinner, I was so glad I did. That pita is unlike any I have had. I am already planning tomorrow's dinner.
(5)
Tony P.
Love this place. Plenty of healthy menu options and a great location...
(5)
Mark H.
Amazing service. Amazing food. Amazing drinks. Try the ahi tuna. The garlic spinach was awesome with the fresh pita bread. Just a great experience. The management shows they truly care.
(5)
Jason H.
Some say it's too expensive, but certainly the quality of the food backs it up in my book! The chicken shwarma lunch wrap is spectacular, the hummus with chicken really hits the spot, and for the garlic lovers the shish tawook is pretty great.
(4)
Joao Pedro L.
The best Lebanese restaurant in Cleveland area. The lentil soup is divine. Everything is tasty and delightful and the service is very nice.
(4)
Ken N.
EXCELLENT!!!! Four of us came to Cleveland to visit the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, for the Labor Day weekend. After a full day of rocking and rolling, we were tired and hungry. Enjoying middle eastern cuisine, we looked for something in Yelp and based on other people's reviews, we decided on Taza. We're glad we did. From the general manager, Hakeem, to our waitress, Jess, to the food - EXCELLENT - EXCELLENT. Seafood dishes, mixed grill and chicken dishes, appetizers, bread - ALL GREAT. Reasonably priced, great atmosphere and decor. Can't say enough about this place, except, open one in NY.
(5)
David P.
Love this place. I am fan of Alladin's and Taza has the same star quality Lebanese food. Some of the best hummus I've had out and I'm a bitchy critic when it comes to my hummus. Service is excellent and the prices are on the money. Salads are delicious and fresh and love the space as its been modified from when Crop, another favorite, was there.
(5)
Chris C.
I am visiting from Brooklyn and was missing my local Lebanese place, so I had to come here. Taza is a nice relief from the dozens of bar/restaurants in the area. It was short walk from the Key Center and I'm lucky I wandered over here - not too many people seemed to know about it. The staff was welcoming and attentive, the decor charming, and the music cheerful. I had a specialty salad with marinated chicken and olives and on the side some fried cheese with a pomegranate sauce - quite a delicious lunch. I wish I lived in the area so that I could try more of the menu! If I find my way back to Cleveland, I'll definitely come back.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Alisia A.
Oh man oh man, this place is delicious! I adore the decor inside, I love the patio outside (great for people watching) and their food is so delicious. I love walking in and having a hostess walk me to a talk while I stare at the decor inside. Make sure to look at the ceiling when you are in there, it's pretty amazing. There is nothing better than the pita bread you are provided with the mouthwatering bread dip. Their hummus is the best, their soups are so good and their Taza Chicken Salad is a must try. I seriously fall in love with Middle Eastern food time and time again after eating here.
(5)Carl C.
Stopped in here on the way through Cleveland. Split the Vegetarian Feast and had the lentil soup too. The Feast was perfect to split with one other person. Couldn't get enough of the babaganoush, hummus, falafel, & taboulli with the steaming hot pita! Fresh flavors in the Feast and the delicious lentil soup left me very satisfied. Good view of the city, as the neighboring block is a ground level parking lot. Service was slightly slow, but fit well with the laid back ambiance. Allowed us to relax and enjoy the meal.
(4)Shelly C.
Good, 5 stars. Service 3 stars, avg 4 stars overall. Great food in a beautiful restaurant. Decor: I really like the decor of this place. It's very warm and intimate. Food: Their food is awesome! They have the best hummus and their kabobs are really good. Prices: Prices are average/normal and it has good value. Service: Service was meh. The girl completely forgot about us and never checked on us or refilled our water. I'd recommend this place, overall it was a good experience :)
(4)Fallon F.
4 stars for food, but unfortunately 2-3 stars for service/atmosphere. I stopped in here last night for dinner, and the place was dead. There were only 2 tables seated and a couple at the bar. It being Thursday night, I expected more of a crowd, but no big deal. You'd think because they weren't busy the service would be attentive, but when we first arrived no one was even at the host stand. No one was at the bar either. We actually had to step into the dining area and search for a staff member. We could see the two servers standing in the hallway talking, but neither made a move to come greet us. After awkwardly standing there for a few minutes we had to flag one of them down and she finally led us to a table. I think our server could tell we were a little peeved about not being greeted/having to wait 5-10 minutes to be seated, because for the remainder of our meal she was like overly nice, almost fake nice to us. We both got really weird vibes from her, and it made the meal a little uncomfortable. I'd ALMOST overlook all of that because the food was really good. As all the other reviewers mentioned, the portions are huge. Knowing this, we opted for two appetizers to split, the vegetarian feast (hummus, baba, tabouli, and falafel) and the dawali (grape leaves). We didn't even need to order entrees! The vegetarian feast is easily enough for four people. And they bring you as much pita as you can handle, which was perfect to scoop up those tasty spreads. They had a lot of great veggie options I'd definitely love to try. And for the amount of food we got, the price was pretty good. I'll give Taza another shot, because that food was tasty. In all honesty, I'd probably just order carry out and enjoy some of their tasty falafel at home, without the weird atmosphere and shaky service.
(3)India R.
I had reeeeeeeeeally high hopes for this place after reading all the reviews, but I was left underwhelmed. Yes, the portions are huge. Yes, the pricing is fair. However, everything is under seasoned (I'm used to middle eastern food being very flavorful), except for the salmon, it tasted like licking a lemon. I guess it's just Aladdin's in a gussied up building. The dining room is beautiful. p.s. order a drink, the water taste like metal.
(3)Omid N.
My buddy and I decided to come here for his birthday. He is from Palestine and I from Iran, so our taste buds have a very high intelligence when it comes to high quality Middle Eastern food. We went there for lunch. For appetizers, we had the Dawali (stuffed grape leaves), the rarely found Lebanese Kibbeh Niyyah (special blend of spices mixes with raw meat), and bread (pocket pitas and regular flat pita bread) that came in from the popular Aladdin bakery in Cleveland that was served with a special dip (oregano mixed with sesame seeds and olive oil). All of this was at our table within five minutes of ordering. We were delightfully surprised at how much Kibbeh Niyyah they brought out for us. But given the hefty price for the appetizer (along with it's scarcity), I'd say it was adequately priced (we're graduate students). The meat tasted super fresh, as if it was recently butchered and prepared within the day. Elegant designs were made on the meat with a fork, I believe. The Dawali is a much more popular commodity in Middle Eastern establishments. Though somewhat petite, we were supplied with about ~7 of these delicacies, all sprinkled with feta cheese on top. I've had Dawali at other restaurants, but the Dawali at Taza's has been my best experience to date. These were the most perfectly rolled grape leaves I've ever had. Very well structured and sturdy enough to be eaten with a fork (yes, I'm the Persian). Didn't pay much attention to what it was specifically stuffed with since a funny conversation topic had come up, but if I had to guess it was the customary rice combined with garbanzo beans and maybe another one or two ingredients). For our main entrees, we ordered the Shish Kabob and the Beef Kafta. Along with it came "Lebanese rice" (regular Basmati rice - Arabic blend), and about 5 large spoons worth of vegetables. These vegetables were amazing, as they were seasoned and well sauteed. For the lunch price, I'd say we received a fair amount of meat. I had two ~6-inch kaftas that were well-done, but juicy with the perfect amount of spices in it. My buddy had about ~8 cubes of lamb on his plate. Great experience on both ends. You also have the option between Tahini sauce (less consistency), garlic sauce (thick consistency), or both. We ordered both, I believe, at no extra charge. Entrees were at our table within 5-10 min. For beverages, we ordered hot tea and iced pomegranate tea. Nothing too special. We appreciated both. Because Yelp is awesome, we were able to redeem a special with the app, a free piece of baklava with Turkish coffee. They have three types of baklava available from Aladdin, pistachio, walnut, and cashew. They bring it in a small plate and drizzle it elegantly with a dash of pure honey. The Turkish coffee came in a cute small cup, but was very high quality. It was very strong with the pureed coffee beans sedimenting at the bottom. Amazing Turkish taste says my friend, as I'm not a big fan of coffee in general (Persian chayi fan :)) It is fair to mention that it was not very crowded when we went for a Wednesday lunch, so that should be taken into account for our fast serving times. Our waitress was a pleasant woman, going out of her way with good customer service. The establishment itself is beautiful. Dim-lighting for you romantics, elegant tapestry, two-floors, and medium-sized banquet room on the first floor with a huge chandelier. Very well-built restaurant. Lots of thought put into the designs. Great experience. Loved it and would definitely go again. Hope you guys and gals have as much fun as we did!
(5)James M.
One star because I have to :-( The absolute WORST Lebanese food I have ever had! Can not believe they have 86 reviews & 4 stars. Also, co$t is u$ually not an i$$ue with me, but it become$ one when you get $UPER $mall portion$ @ a BIG price! However, we left over half of the tiny portions because the food was sooo HORRIBLE! Service also stunk & we were 1 of only 2 occupied tables in this LARGE establishment! Do yourself a favor & eat @ one of the other many GREAT downtown Cleveland restaurants!
(1)Nathan R.
Reasonably priced with a more manageable menu than its counterpart Aladdin's, and way delicious. Whenever I go to Taza I get an order of baba ganouj. Their baba is really really wonderful. It was the inspiration for me to try to make my own. Mine has never been as good as their tangy, savory, salty glorious mashed eggplant. You always get zatar - a dark sesame seed oil mixture to dip pita in. They bring out both regular flat pita and puffy bread. I still don't know the name of the puffy bread, multiple servers have insisted that it's really the same as the pita bread, but that is not possible, it's mildly sweet and amazing whereas the pita is just pita. Their salads are unusually substantial and great. I like the Phoenician, Lebanese, and Cedars salads. They're pretty busy during lunch but slower during dinner. They have a patio.
(4)Ted C.
Great food. We had the shish kabob salad and hummos swarma and they were delicious!! You've also got to try the garlic sauce with the shish kabob, it is a match made in heaven! And to top off the perfect meal, their baklava (especially the lady finger one) is super crunchy and amazing. Can't say enough about this awesome place!
(5)Ibraheem A.
It's always a great place to choose. I love their Hummus and their Kibbie is the best, too. Service is always amazing! Don't forget to check in here in order to get a free coffee and Baklava.
(5)Bri P.
I've come here for lunch as well as ordered to go and both ways are absolutely delicious. The sampler appetizer is a great way to try a bit of everything and their salads are very large. They also give fresh, warm pita with everything- who doesn't love pita?!
(5)EddieGabbie C.
The food was fantastic. We love mediterranean cuisine and were quite pleased with everything that we had ordered. There was a large group of us and we shared the vegetarian and meat appetizer platters. Both were very delicious and plentiful to share amongst 8 adults. We had great service from our waitress and she was very accommodating to the two young children that we had at our table (even providing off the menu options for a picky eater). We will definitely be back on our next venture into Cleveland.
(5)Erin L.
I've only eaten this type of food a few times, but the flavors were amazing. The humans dips & bread were tasty. The salads were brilliant with flavors. Definitely come back
(4)Brianne H.
Great food, but terrible service! I was dining alone and waiting forever for everything I asked for.
(2)Lina A.
Love this place. I've probably been here 7 times now, and I have been living in Cleveland for 11 months. So authentic and so tasty. You MUST get the Lebanese jibneh for an app.
(4)Dr. E.
I was one of those guys. It was 20 minutes till closing and I called in an order. I know you're judging me but it doesn't stop there. I told them I'd arrive right at closing. The reaction on the other end of the line was so friendly and accommodating. My arrival came minutes after closing and the manager invited me in to get my food. She added a couple baklava for my check in and some extra bread. All the mean time being so hospitable and positive. I ate my grape leaves and hummus on top of a pedestal at city hall. The high school kids leaving prom kept looking at me. Were they jealous I was eating delicious grape leaves while they were dancing to selena gomez songs? Absolutely.
(5)Katie K.
I had never tasted Lebanese food before. The hummus and fresh baked bread were amazing! I didn't like the grape leaves, however. My Entree was the Shish Kebab. It came with rice and vegetables. It was excellent!! I liked the tahini sauce on the beef. The cinnamon on the rice was a nice touch. Our waitress was outstanding!
(5)Susan H.
Vegetarian feast and the beef kafta are my two favorite. The hummus is really good here and I love the people. They really make you feel at home. I could eat the bread all the time.
(5)Gina C.
We had the vegetarian feast and the manakish appetizers for lunch. I would not recommend the zaatar manakish. Not that it wasn't good, but it is exactly like what they bring to the table for free. I tried one of each topping (spinach, feta, zaatar), and definitely the spinach is the way to go because it actually has both spinach and feta on it. The vegetarian feast itself was plenty for two to split as a meal, especially because they bring unlimited breads to the table. I think the hummos, baba, tabouli, and falafel actually all taste very, very similar to Aladdin's. I probably prefer Aladdin's vegetarian combo because it also includes dawali, which Taza's does not. But on the other hand, Aladdin's does not give complimentary pita and zaatar. But no matter what you order, definitely ask for some of their outstanding hot sauce! I've been wanting to check out Taza for a long time, and they did not disappoint. That being said, I probably won't go out of my way to come back any time soon. The food was good, and there were many other things on the menu I want to try, but the service was pretty slow. There just wasn't enough positives to overcome the hassle involved with eating out downtown (traffic, parking, etc). If I'm already downtown and looking for a place to eat, that's another story!
(4)Tammie E.
We decided to go outside our comfort zone and stop here for lunch. My review is based on the fact that we have probably had true Lebanese food once or twice in our lives, and it was given to us by the Lebanese girl dating our son, so it was homemade and dessert, at that. If you aren't Lebanese, I'll try to explain what we experienced so your taste buds will be alerted. If you are, pardon me if I get any of the spices or seasonings wrong. Firstly, "free" weekend parking in the area is hit or miss. We were there on a Saturday at lunch time and had to circle to actually see someone leaving within 2 blocks of the place. Good luck with that. Secondly, when we entered, no one came to seat us. We stood in the foyer for a good 4-5 minutes waiting. It wasn't until my husband actually walked into the dining area that the waitress saw us and came over. We were seated pleasantly enough, and we were brought a basket of flat breads with olive oil that appeared to have a very mild black pepper as well as sesame seeds in it. I'm not a fan of olive oil. I don't do bitters very well, and olive oil sets that off for me in a very unpleasant way. The husband enjoys bitters and he was the one doing all the dipping. We both got unsweetened iced tea, the regular kind, though they have different flavors. No sweeteners were volunteered, so after 20 minutes or so, I had to ask. We ordered the shawarma for an appetizer, and then I got the kebab pita and the husband got the lamb pita. The shawarma was different for a non-Mediterranean person. It had peppers and onions on the plate, sauteed in olive oil, but then it also had a chopped/diced meat, almost like minute steaks cut up, in olive oil and some bitter seasoning I couldn't place. It wasn't lemon, it wasn't citrus at all, but definitely very bitter. The back sides of my tongue are bothering me now as I type this in memory. The husband ate more of it than I did and seemed to like it. When the meals came, we had a sandwich which was grilled on the outside then cut in half, and fries with an "ancient" seasoning on them. I personally didn't know that French Fries existed in ancient times, nor that the Lebanese had a special seasoning for them back then, but ok. Whatever. They weren't bad. Just different. The husband enjoyed his sandwich, but after the first half, was full, so he disassembled it and ate the veggies he knew and the remaining lamb chunks. He wasn't a fan of the pickled turnips. I know that much. I, on the other hand, was having a heck of a time with my kebab pita. In each side, there were 3 chunks of meat, about the size of a standard ice cub. That would have been fine except it was the toughest meat I've eaten in a long time. On top of that, it was very sinewy and hard to bite into without grabbing the entire chunk and looking extremely uncouth. So I had to hold the sandwich to my face and chew - chew - chew - chew until I could actually bite through the gristle and sinew. Again, the meat was bitter tasting, like the shawarma, and on top of the pickled turnip, some bitter greens inside and a slightly sour sauce, it was too much for me. I put the sandwich down and picked through the rest, eating small bites until it was time to go. The husband enjoys bitter, like I said, but by the time we were hitting the french fries, he had admitted it was enough for him in one sitting, too. So we paid the bill and headed out. Now, truly, I don't know the culture very well, as the girl who was dating our son remained very removed from us for almost the 4 years they were together as she lived 1200 miles away with him, so I can't say whether it was authentic food or whether it was just restaurant food. It was good. It was fresh. It was very flavorful (especially if you enjoy the bitters) and we did enjoy what we had. The waitress and hostess (?) were very attentive once we were seated and catered to our needs very well. However, that said, I wouldn't go back. It was one of those "did it, moving on" type experiences for me, and didn't have enough draw there to call me back for a second time around.
(3)Mary F.
Short Take: Excellent, garlicky, well-executed Lebanese standards. Pita bread is served with one of my all time favorites: z'atar in olive oil. The value is excellent; these folks do not scrimp. One dish easily serves 2 or 3 people. Suggest you stay with the appetizers, or mezzes, and order only a mixed grill to share--it's a ton of food--unless you're like us and over order and eat it for 2-3 days. Lebanese food is meant to be eaten family style. Use your hands. Throw it all in the middle of the table, tear off pieces of bread and dip, and roll up meat and veggies and dip and eat. Repeat. Just don't double dip. Baseline: We love garlic, lots of it; powerful, raw, sharp; cooked, mellow, lucious. Any way it comes, we love it. Taza serves it up in all these wonderful ways. On our first visit, we ordered the shawarma plate, the labneh (garlickly yogurt with parsely), jibneh (grilled cheese drizzled with pomegranate syrup), mixed grill platter (spiced beef kafta, chicken brochettes, and beef brochettes), foule medamas (cooked pinto and foule beans (like lima beans) with fresh lemon juice finish), babganoush (or "baba") (fire grilled eggplant that is smashed and seasoned as a dip), hummus, manakish--one of each z'atar, spinach, feta--Lebanese pizza, and falafel.. The mixed grill came with french fries; hot and crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Bonus: the fries were sprinkled with more z'atar. Excellent. Each of the dishes arrived meticulosly plated and hot. With the mixed grill, we got a little container of "garlic." It's actually a garlic mousse, which is garlic heaven. It's sharp, raw, pungent, and crazy delicious if you love garlic as much as we do. I make this stuff at home; some people call it garlic sauce, or aioli, or skordalia (Greek), but here our server said they just call it "garlic." I call it swoon worthy. They kept us supplied with warm pitas. We liked the shawarma plate and the foule the least, but both were still good. The shawarma was overly spiced and a bit too finely shredded. My second visit was to pick up take out; everything was packed meticulously and was just as delicious in our hotel room. I added soujouk (Lebanese sausages served in stewed tomato sauce) to our list for take out. Outstanding. So good that I ate it cold the next morning with a hot piece of pita out of the microwave. The 6th Street location has a beautiful backroom that is ideal for large groups.
(5)J. H.
Place was nearly empty on a Wednesday night. Only one other table during our visit. This meant that service was not an issue. The food was good, as it typically is at Taza. The one minor issue during our meal came at the end, as we had just finished our meals. The general manager came over to our table to scold us because our children were not seated, and they were disturbing other diners. While I understand that they needed to be seated, her demeanor was overly harsh. We were considering ordering coffee and desert, but we decided it was time to go. Considering how empty the restaurant was, we didn't understand the vitriol unleashed in our direction. The good news for the general manager is that she won't have to put up with our large dinner bills again...
(2)Daniel B.
I asked the server what was the most authentic item or items on the menu. She was helpful and pointed out that only a few were NOT instead of the other way around. We ordered a few appetizers to share as a meal. Three were plenty as a meal! Since I have no way to assess the authenticity, I can only rate by the flavors. All three dishes were quite tasty but the chicken was over cooked and dry. Still, the combinations were nice. Worth a second visit if I'm in the area again.
(3)Amy G.
Visited this restaurant last Saturday evening and enjoyed every bite. The baba ghanoush was really good! The tabouli salad fresh and the perfect mix of each ingredient. The service was also welcoming and just the right amount of attentive. I am new to Cleveland and am excited to frequent this lovely spot with its warm and even romantic ambiance. Must visit.
(4)Sorin B.
The service in this place is deplorable. I walked in on a Saturday evening, sat myself at the bar and waited for 15 minutes. The place was dead, but nobody greeted me. I sat there for 15 minutes then walked out, all without one person greeting me. Will never come back, they were dead, I came in to give them money, and they wouldn't even come get it.
(1)Jen M.
Know what I love? When you discover something new on a menu that you wouldn't think to order. Today I ordered the Shish Tawook rolled pita which I've gotten numerous times before...but I have always subbed out the french fries. Today I got the fries and let me tell you...move over Market Garden, these are some seriously great seasoned french fries! Wow. Now there's even more to love at Taza in addition to everything else on the menu. Yummo.
(5)Michael C.
Check in and you get a complimentary baklava and Turkish coffee! But this place delivers in every way, the food was deliciouss, the place was gorgeous, wait staff was friendly, food arrived in a timely manner, they weren't too expensive, they were able to split the check, the table and bathroom was clean, what more can you ask? I recommend: Kibbie - which is like a fried bite-sized shepards pie with Lebanese spices, probably our favorite dish Falafel - crispy on the outside, well seasoned on the inside and not too mushy Baba - lots of lemon and garlic, flavor roller coaster, it was delicious The so-so: Hummus - they make it quite thick, and our table all thought it was just 'ok'. I took the leftover home, added some evoo and lemon, and it was perfection Makanek - sausage (the taste was similar to IHOP sausages.. lol) but it was bathed in this slightly sweet and vinegary sauce, it was pretty tasty to me, but didn't seem to appeal to anyone else went with a party of 4 people, ordered 6 of the appetizer dishes to share and it only came out to $12 per person Overall, a place that really wins on flavor and seasoning, I had a good time, if you like Lebanese food, definitely worth checking out!
(5)maggi s.
This place is AMAZING and super affordable. Everything is fresh and full of flavor. A must if you're in the area.
(5)Kristen W.
Came here last week for lunch with some coworkers, I can never pass up Mediterranean! Everything from the pita (I'm still thinking about that dip) to the service was good. I chose a salad with chicken, pine nuts, and feta. Everything in the salad worked so well together I would order it again and again! Based off of the amazing reviews I can't wait to come back and try more Mediterranean dishes.
(4)Ann Marie C.
Was there for the second time on Saturday night. Had a great table by the window, the food was delicious. Highly recommend the beef kafta. The only complaint I have was our waitress wasn't very good. Never came back to fill our water or ask if we wanted to order more drinks. We had to track her down! Asked for grilled veggies instead of fries and that didn't happen. Asked for tahini sauce and never saw her again until she brought the bill. I didn't complain because it just wasn't worth it to me. I like the place and love the food. Hopefully the service will be better next time!
(4)Nicole G.
Taza is a great place to visit! It's beautifully decorated and their patio is perfect in the summer time! I love the spicy hummus (which I don't find to be all that spicy). The only reason they didn't get a 5th star is because I haven't found a menu item that I'm in love with just yet.
(4)Arun M.
I was wondering in the downtown area around lunch time and came across this Lebanese grill. I have noticed a lot of Mediterranean places in Cleveland and surrounding area but this one is special. The ambiance is very nice. They have some good work done on the ceiling with chandeliers and fake walls to give it a theme. The place is quite clean and specious. There is outdoor seating available but we preferred to sit inside. The appetizer, we ordered baba, was delicious and good for both of us. We decided to change our plans and order soups instead of a full entrée, we still had left overs! I am not saying the portions are huge but pretty good. Wait staff is very courteous and the owner personally checked on us. Their soups are very nice and filling. I would love to come back here at busy time and see if they are still maintaining this great service. But so far they have won at least a second visit from me. This is one of a kind experience.
(4)Tony Q.
Okay so I was in for a "kiss the summer goodbye" date with my wife and we made reservations at this place. It was Saturday night, and surprisingly for a 630 dinner there was hardly anybody in the place. So that was the first question mark of the night, and the only one. The staff was very friendly and the service was very quick. But not in a pushy "get out of here" type of way quick. Personally I would recommend ordering a couple of the appetizers as the portions are huge, and the food is too good to stop eating. With that said they were very accommodating to boxing up what we had left to go (and it was still as good reheated). I'm picky about my 5 stars but I can see where someone may see it as a five.
(4)Julie D.
Fast service. Quiet atmosphere. Kind of seemed like place for a romantic dinner date rather then a get together meal. Ordered the Hummus and Taboule for appetizer which were delicious but I wasn't really into the Taboule which makes me feel like you have to have an acquired taste for it. The pita was so fresh and delicious with the Hummus which totally made my night! I then ordered the Shwarma which was a bit different for me because I never had Beef Shwarma before and I couldn't help but compare it to my Chicken Shwarma experiences in Chicago and Texas which was absolutely phenomenal! The beef Shwarma was delicious and bursting with flavor but made me feel weird they served it with fries since I wasn't expecting. Yet, I was a bit disappointed that they didn't offer Chicken Shwarma like the other Middle Eastern restaurants I've been to. Last but not least I ordered the Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake which was so rich in flavor and totally hit my sweet cravings. Will come here again.
(4)Mike M.
Excellent food. Wonderful atmosphere. The loubie and kibbee naja are my favorite dishes.
(5)Akhil K.
This place gets a very solid and deserved 5 stars from me. Taza is a middle eastern restaurant on W6th, that frankly didn't look all that impressive from the outside. However, once you stepped in, all those perceptions changed immediately. The interiors are plush and luxurious, with paneled walls and ceilings, and beautiful chandeliers. We went mid-week for dinner, and they had a live pianist playing a mix of bossa-nova jazz and classic tunes. Looking at this place I thought "oh well, it's not every day that I splurge on a meal, so why not". And then I saw the menu - $14.95 for a vege sampler? That can't be right. Must be small. So I ordered one all for myself. While waiting for the sampler, we were served the standard pitas (which were nice and warm) along with 2 other types of middle eastern bread (I loved the fluffy one) along with oil as well as a black sesame dip with sumac, which was mind-blowingly delicious! And then we were served the labneh and the vege platter - and let me tell you, it was frigging huge! 4 falafels, hummus, baba, and a mountain of tabbouleh. And those falafels... Mmmmm... my mouth waters as I type! And the service matched the food and the ambience. Quick, knowledgable, helpful and unintrusive service. We ate in peace. When we wanted to order something, there was someone magically by our table almost instantaneously. Water glasses never ran empty. It was beautiful. In all seriousness - go here. You will not regret it.
(5)Laura H.
Had lunch here yesterday and the food was wonderful. It was expertly prepared with very authentic flavors and sauces. The wait staff were wonderful and the atmosphere is lush and ornate. Highly recommend.
(4)Stacy A.
Great service by Pricilla! I got the hummus falafel wrap with grilled veggies. Perfect all around. The service made the meal. I would def come back
(5)Joshua G.
Delicious meal and great atmosphere. Would highly recommend the Lebanese Jebneh appetizer and Chicken Kofta.
(5)Brian B.
My friend and I ate here on a business trip. We each had the Phoenician salad and a pita roll sandwich. I had falafel, he had lamb; we both loved the food. They brought pita bread to the table, which was also very good. My only comment was that the sandwiches came with french fries, and we didn't really need that. More pita bread would be better. The service was fast and friendly; that may be because it was Sunday afternoon and hardly anyone was in there. I have been at empty restaurants that ignore you though, so I want to give them credit. They acted like no one else was there and they had nothing better to do than wait on us. Truly the only bad thing about the experience was that when we left it poured down rain. Despite my umbrella I was soaked when I got to my hotel 3 blocks away. I can't blame the restaurant for the weather though. It would have been a worse day without a good meal.
(5)Neal E.
**3.5 stars** We came here one evening for a group dinner for 12 people on a Tuesday evening. We were pleased that we were able to get a reservation on such short notice. We arrived a bit early before the rest of our party - so we sat at the Bar and sampled the Great Lakes Christmas Ale - topped with a healthy and generous dose of ground cinnamon (never seen that before - but it works!). As the rest of our party arrived, we moved to our table. We ordered some community appetizers - a couple of orders of hummus in different spice levels. I especially enjoyed the spicy hummus vs. the regular. For dinner - I ordered the Shawarma - which I've never had before. I felt I needed to sample this after seeing Tony Stark insist The Avengers go out and eat Shawarma after their defeat of Loki and his Chitauri Army in the epic film "The Avengers." The Shawarma meat itself is a generous quantity of meat, sort of finely chopped, served with grilled onions and a large side of seasoned fries. I found the whole meal to be a bit on the greasy side. It was tasty, but I did not come close to finishing the food due to the greasiness. Service was good, ambiance was nice. I'd come back here to try some other Lebanese dishes!
(3)Danielle E.
I am so pleasantly surprised by this place! I live in the neighborhood and have passed it by so many times, expecting it to be an Aladdin's-level place (which I'm not a fan of, being the falafel and shawarma snob that I am). My boyfriend and I stopped in for happy hour food and drinks at the bar on our way over to the Indians game last night though, and had a great experience. First, their pita is too good. I can't even remember how many I ate, but I already want more. We ordered the falafel, shawarma, the feta and zaatar manakish, and hummus fatteh. The shawarma and falafel were really delicious, I devoured them. Manakish wasn't my favorite, and the hummus fatteh was actually tahini (I didn't read the menu description well enough), which I don't love- although my boyfriend did like it a lot. We couldn't finish it all, we were so stuffed. And our food bill? It was barely over $10. I felt like I was stealing. I'll definitely be back!
(4)Nina G.
Great food, the baba ganoush is delicious. The lentil dish also was very good. A bit pricy as most of downtown can be, but very good food
(4)Jennifer W.
I have been to both Taza locations and was impressed by both. The spicy hummus is probably the best I have ever tasted. It is so creamy and delicious that I am afraid that it might actually be lard :) The only bad thing about this place is that the freshly baked pillowy bread they serve is so delicious, you'll find yourself sheepishly accepting basket after basket of it, only to find that you no longer have room for your amazing entree! I have tasted many things on the menu, and the falafel and hummus pita is my favorite. The falafels are humongous! The service is great, and there are great happy hour specials ($4 mojitos!). If you are lucky, you'll get Kicksy as your waitress - she is the absolute best!! I just talked myself into a five star review, and my mouth is literally watering, thinking about the hummus and baba!
(5)F M.
Worth the brisk and cold walk all the way from the Residence Inn....even a San Franciscan said so (who kept asking if we were there yet!). Could eat here everyday!! Shawarma sharwarma sharwarma! Get there before 7 for happy hour prices.
(5)love n.
Went here for lunch and got the vegetarian feast. It was delicious! I don't usually like falafel. Most places make a dried up and bland version but this falafel was soo good. The staff is very nice and the place is very pretty inside. I got my food to go but would definitely come back with friends.
(5)Reem B.
Really nice place in this area. Loved the food, the service and the ambiance. everybody was friendly and helpful. we had their famous Lebanese Jibneh and my God it was the best thing I ever ate (for the same concept of grilled cheese!). our entrees were very delicious as well and perfectly portioned. Outside seating here is great! I will definitely be coming here whenever I visit Cleveland :-)
(4)Andrew G.
Iwas at their other location in Beachwood about 6 months ago, so this time I was in Cleveland I went out of my way to try the downtown location. It was just like I wanted it to be. Start with a nice drink and some olives, then casually pick a (very affordable) entree. I had a shawarma and it was great. The do nice falafel too. And last but not least the free bread and oil is tasty and a nice free way to start. I only wish my wife was with me, since I couldn't finish my dinner.
(5)Melissa S.
Delicious food and beautiful outdoor seating area. Server Janette is outstanding!
(5)Ari W.
It's been a while since I was here so I can't remember what we all ate, but I was here on business with a large group and they took great care of us. Here's what I remember for certain.... the hummus was amazing and everything I ate was fantastic!!! You won't be disappointed.
(5)Jordy G.
I have to say that I had pretty low expectations for this place - after all, a Lebanese place in the Warehouse District? I mean, two doors down is a place called the Nauti Mermaid...how good can this be? Very good. I've actually been here twice now, and was impressed both times. My first time, I got the Chicken Kafta - a shish kabob dish that comes with rice, veggies, and sauce - plus the breads that the servers give your table. It was delicious and actually too much food - I had to take some home to eat the next day, when it was still delicoius! My next visit I got the Fattoush salad, which was equally yummy and well portioned. I just wished I had ordered it with chicken - after my chicken kafta being so good, I sort of longed for some of it during my second visit. As other reviewers have said, the interior is well decorated and looks quite better than the outside. Both times I went, the place was pretty empty, but I was also on the late side of the lunch hour. Well done Taza!
(4)Adam W.
I think I was walking by just as they opened, and one of their servers dashed out the door, let me know they were open, and ushered me in. I didn't really have a choice, but I didn't mind. The building itself is beautiful. You know the sort of lighting that cameras can't really capture? That's what they have going on here. It's just cool to look at. The servers are kind and they know what they're doing. I didn't know what to get, on account of this being my first time with Lebanese food, so the waiter talked with me a bit before we settled on tuna. And friends, what a slab of tuna it was. I don't think I've had tuna cooked better anywhere, and I've tried since to find it. It was a little on the underseasoned side, but I think it may have just been how I was eating it -- it was served with vegetables and rice, and when you ate everything together, it was like... I hate to say something like 'a symphony of flavor' or nonsense like that -- so I'll settle with "it was really, really good."
(5)Ramona T.
The food was served in a timely fashion and was absolutely delicious. The prices didn't quite fit the portion size but they are on w.6th so within reason. I definitely recommend and will return. I had the vegetarian meal with a side if rice. My only down side was that all of our drinks ( I was there for a bday party and had one if their specialty teas) were watery. I love flavored water so I was fine with it but if I order tea or anything besides water I expect just that. Next time I will only order water. I don't go to places like this for the drinks though. It's all about the food.
(4)Michael B.
It's been a year that Taza has been open downtown and I have to say that everything just keeps getting better. I've tried at least 2/3 of the items on the menu and found every one to be outstanding. I'm not exaggerating... they really know how to cook here. From the hostess/host who greets you at the door to the servers at the table, service has been impeccable. The only complaint (and a minor one at that), is when the lunch rush arrives, the kitchen can be a little slow. But the quality of the food and attentiveness of the staff more than make up for it. I highly recommend Taza if you're looking for food that's fresh & healthy, and service second to none. (And say hi to Kixi if you stop by at lunch -- she's a blast!)
(5)Katie L.
Some of the best Lebanese food I've had. The spicy hummus was amazing. However, the service wasn't the best. But their food and portion sizes made up for it.
(4)Erin O.
I can't help but love this place, because I went on my first real date with the man of my dreams here. ;) BUT, they have great food. Although, its no better than any other Lebanese Restaurant... Cedarland is equally good. However... it is a much better atmosphere. Clean, upscale... if a tad bit overpriced. Good place for a date, for sure. And their food is spot on.
(3)Kat M.
While on the business trip my boss recommened to check out Taza knowing that I love Middle Eastern food. Of course I didn't just take his word for it. Looked at yelp reviews and they were good for the most part so I decided to give it a try. Let me just say that if know real Middle Eastern food you will never give this place more than 2 stars. Everything, from meat to rice, to falafel was spiced incorrectly. My kefta tasted like hamburger meat. The gross, over the top white garlic sause taste lingered in my mouth for a full 24 hours no matter how many times I brushed my teeth. In fact, the chef here seems to favor garlic quite a bit. Middle Eastern food is about simplicity and fresh ingridients, preservation of flavor while it's made that's why it's important not to overccok the meat or vegetables. In this place even vegetables tasted bad. How do you screw up that. Anyway, bad bad... If you care for your palate, do not eat there!
(1)Ted M.
Service is very courteous, room is nice. Bread that they bring to the table is excellent. Food is flavorful and of good quality. On the downside, the chicken salad I ordered had less than half as much chicken as any other chicken salad I have ever had. It did, however, have an enormous quantity of dates, so if that's among your favorite foods, I recommend it. They also char the meat more than any other place I've been, which may be your preference; it is not mine. Probably a four star place for most, and I would like to like it more, but it's about tenth-ranked among downtown restaurants for me.
(3)Robyn K.
OMG, was amazing!!!! They replenish your bread bowl without asking. The owner pays attention to his guests. The food was so tasty. The salad...OMG! I just LOVE LOVE this place. Great job yelpers in guiding me to the right place
(5)Lance P.
Just lucked into this place for a Monday night dinner after a 500-mile drive. Perfect! Simple and tasty middle. East dishes. The usual suspects all good: hummus, jibneh, kebabs, kafta, tahini, etc. Satisfying, pleasant meal far more interesting than the usual NY Strip or cheeseburger.
(4)Zach A.
Atmosphere is great, service is top notch, and the food is phenomenal! I'm in town often for work and this one is on my short list of must eats!
(4)Adi S.
Went here for dinner service for the first time. I had the lebanese jibneh and the lamb rolled pita. I had never had lebanese cheese before, but I was a big fan...I thought the pomegranate sauce was delicious. I felt less strongly about the rolled pita; it hit the spot, but I didn't think there was anything noteworthy about it. Also, the lamb seemed a bit tough and overcooked for a medium well request. I would like to come back and try some of the entrees off of the shish grill that I saw. Really friendly service and a good decor.
(3)Kristin R.
Yummy! Pita that comes freshly baked from the oven, still puffed up! We had four appetizers, or mezza, for two of us. Portions are big. The lamb sausage with pomegranate sauce and the garlic spinach were both really good. They have a kids menu and my son ate all of his chicken and rice. Service was friendly and attentive.
(4)Somaira H.
Coming from Michigan where delicious Meditteranean food is abundant, I was impressed with Taza. The interior is very warm and ornate with enough space to accomodate large groups. But don't mistaken this place for just a pretty interior, it's accompanied with great service, which includes the manager checking up on you to make sure everything is absolutely perfect. We were lucky enough to try the Restaurant Week menu, which included a nice variety. For appetizers, we started with the lentil soup, which was delish and perfect for warming you up on a cold and windy day. Our main course included the chicken shish tawook (Kabob with rice and grilled vegetables) and chicken fatteh (Mix of whole chick peas with tahini sauce). Both tasted amazing and we had more than enough to take home. Finally for dessert our server brought us a piece of Bassama and Baklava. My favorite was definitely the baklava.
(4)Paulius N.
the crowd caught a whiff of that crazy casbah jive or the shish kebabs Stepping into Taza is a bit jarring. You come in from West 6th into a gold and glammy palace. I've been twice now. Service was well meaning and sincere, but not quite as polished up as the GOLD EVERYWHERE. Last time I had an awesome spinach/pinenut/garlic appetizer. Baba Ganoush was top shelf. The beef in the kabob, ordered medium rare, was on the tough side. Lots of veggie options. All in all, pretty solid. Carry on, and rock the casbah.
(4)Kenisha S.
Great atmosphere, great food and excellent service! I ordered the Vegetarian feast the portions are enough for two. I'll definitely be back during my next visit to Cleveland.
(5)Dan C.
Wow, great restaurant. Eat here.
(5)Lisa S.
Great food, elegant yet relaxed atmosphere, and terrific service. Staff were very friendly, prompt, and professional. Can't wait to visit again!
(4)Robert T.
We visited this location on New Years Eve with another couple. The location is great for a night out on the town. You can walk easily back to the Eest 4th area, or stay on 6th street if you are looking to fist pump. I have been to the location in Eton twice and since I live downtown we thought to give this a try. The decor on the inside is very cool and I love the open kitchen. It is always nice to see what is going on back there. The great thing about Taza is you can get a wonderful meal and it doesn't break the bank. I don't know how to spell half the stuff on their menu, so I will just explain what I had. For an appetizer we ordered a large portion of different humus's, pita, fried faffel, and other stuff. Great! For my dinner I had the rolled chicken schwarma? Spelling. Anyways it was cooked perfectly. The had a good selection of beer and even had a belly dance show. Pretty Cool!
(4)Richard A.
Excellent. If you enjoy good Lebanese food, not Middle Eastern - simply sit down and let them serve you. The food is prep is just delicious. The atmosphere is just right whether it be family, friends or with a date. I could ramble on but this says it all.
(4)Dana G.
We chose Taza for dinner on our one day visit to Cleveland based on the reviews on Yelp. The food was amazing and we were lucky enough to have Kicksy as our server. She was amazing. Made sure we were all happy with our selections. We started with the vegetarian combo as our appetizer. The hummus, baba, tabouli and falafels were outstanding - quite possibly the best baba I've ever had. For dinner we had the Lamb kabob, Fatteh Shawarma, and Shawarma Pita Roll. All were quite good, but the Fatteh Shawarma was outstanding.
(5)Manal M.
Excellent food, excellent service, one of the best middle eastern restaurants I have tried in a long time anywhere including NY, Philly and DC. I come to Cleveland for business frequently and for the past 3 month every time I visit I can not not stop by for either eating in or taking out a meal from Taza. By now I must have tried literally everything on their menu and there is nothing that I didn't like.There appetizers are delicious, the entrees are excellent and proportions are very generous and yet they are very reasonably priced. The icing on the cake is the extremely friendly and courteous service. I would highly recommend Taza downtown to anyone visiting Cleveland and wants to enjoy excellent middle eastern food (their shawirma sandwich is addictive!)
(5)Kimberly S.
One word - consistent! It is the exact same menu as it's sister restaurant in Eaton Plaza, and that dang good pita and amazing olive oil is still a standard. THANK YOU! I think Taza has wonderful food, and they are keen to side substitutions - yep, I'm that gal! I don't want fries with my wrap, I want something that's more in tune with the flare of the menu! Great wrap options: Shawarma (lamb, beef and chicken), Falafel, Hummus. Great Entree Options: Mujadara (personal favorite), Salmon, Tuna.
(4)Tj D.
Soooooo good. Salad and app sampler were delicious. Very fresh
(5)James C.
Did this as take out while staying at the nearby Ritz Carlton. SO GLAD I DID!. Food was fantastic. The restaurant is gorgeous, but I was by myself and needed to work. I asked for a special order on Mixed Grill 1, they accommodated and it was delicious. The Baba Ganouch, the tabouli, and the meat were amazing. I can't wait to go back. Cleveland has a HUGE Lebanese population, so the food was bound to be good. I found it to be GREAT!
(4)Anthony T.
Food was fine. But wait staff was horrible & rude.
(3)Marisol W.
Service was disappointing. My plate arrived 20 minutes after everyone else's-we were a group of 13. Experience was less than desirable. Time with friends saved the evening.
(3)EJ W.
It was 8 PM on a Friday night and the place was empty, and I got turned away at the door with NO explanation - just that "they weren't serving" even though there were patrons there.
(1)Kevin O.
A Good Lebanese restaurant which was different to what I usually eat but it was good never the less. I ordered the Shish Lamb and it had nice juicy pieces of lamb with delicious lebanese rice with grilled vegetables. It's just a great simple place for good ethnic food.
(3)Aqua V.
Excellent service, vegetarian options, and portion sizes. This is a great value for the quality and price in the downtown area. For a late night dinner w/ wine, I was please w/vegetarian feast and other veggie options. Honestly, this Mediterranean place stands up to quality and value on either coast. Will definitely return.
(4)Emil F.
Great Lebanese food. I wish there was a bit more variety on the menu. Definitely a place to check out!
(4)Cm K.
Best I have found outside of my family's kitchen! I married into a Lebanese family not too long ago and when I am on the road, I look for a little taste of home to stave off the homesick. This place rocks! When I sit down, the first thing I ask is if they serve kibbeh nay eh (raw ground sirloin with bulgur wheat). If they have it I know someone in the kitchen has some skills and is true to the culture by offering it on the menu. I was in town with 2 colleagues in tow. Neither had experienced Lebanese food, and I was excited to introduce it to them. I ordered the kibbeh nay eh, one ordered the chicken/beef kabobs, and the other ordered a chicken dish. Everything was served fresh and piping hot. The Arabic bread was fresh out of the oven and smelled divine. My kibbeh was amazing. And true to tradition, I had it with raw onion and Arak to wash it down. My colleagues raved about their dishes; They were curious about mine and even tried a little. While they were a bit hesitant at first, they both agreed it was awesome. The service was top-notch and we really enjoyed the decor. If I ever have a reason to come back to Cleveland, I will make the trip back.
(5)Fran B.
Taza is a new spot, recently opened in the Warehouse district of Cleveland. It is in the spot where Crop was located before Steve Schimoler moved it to Ohio City. It has gotten a nice redo to give it a Middle Eastern vive. Walls and ceiling are draped with gauzy fabrics and the lighting is softly covered with lengths of fabric and beads which give an intimate feel to it. Taza is part of the Cleveland-based Aladdin's restaurant chain (which has locations in Chicago, Charlotte, Raleigh, Toledo, Detroit, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Arlington and San Antonio!), Taza is known for its wide variety of traditional mezza (Lebanese for 'tapas,' or appetizers). Her twin sister is located in Woodmere. The menu says that Taza uses no sulfites or any type of preservatives in the food and only the freshest vegetables and meats. The freshness was apparent in the foods we were served. I was there is week as part of a group who came on the recommendation of one of my husband's co-workers, Tom R., who had eaten there once and said it was really good. It turns out that "really good" was a bit of an understatement. The food rocked! We ordered assorted entrées and this is a review of those seated around me. With a bit of encouragement, I took some photos which I would love to share. The server brought out some warm puffy pita bread with Zaatar (an ancient Middle Eastern herb) and olive oil, sprinkled with sesame seeds, for dipping which was really good. Some of the bread was puffed and some was traditional flat pita. I don't know if they go by different names but it was all good. I particularly liked the warm puffs of bread which I tore and dipped into the oil. Upon the recommendation of Tom, I ordered the "tour of Lebanon" which gave a nice variety of things to sample. I was a large serving of Shawarma (shaved beef that has been skewered and cooked for hours) with grilled onions, Shish Tawook (grilled chicken (marinated in a yogurt puree over couscous), Lebanese Salata ( a mixture of chopped tomato, green pepper, cucumber, onions, olives and feta in a lemon-herb dressing), Hummos ( a puree of chickpeas, tahini and lemon) and Baba, short for baba ghanoush (char-grilled eggplant with tahini and lemon). Everything was spot on for flavors. The serving was quite ample and I took half of it home for lunch the next day. My husband had the falafel which came with chopped tomatoes and onions in a lemon herb dressing along with the Shawarma plate which had rice. He offered me a taste of the falafel, which had a crispy outer layer with a flavorful soft center. His loved the Shawarma as did I. Suzanne, seated next to me, had Makanek (baby sausages made with spiced beef and lamb, sautéed in a lemon-pomegranate sauce. She offered me a taste of the sauce on some pita and it was well balanced and tasty. She also got a salad with was huge and she took half of it to go. We finished the meal with Baklawa (a thin, phyllo dough desert, sweetened with syrup and dusted with pistachio dust). It had a nice buttery flavor and was not overly sweet. Our server was great in making suggestions for us to try if we were unsure of something. She was attentive without being annoying. While we were eating, the owner, Fady Chamoun, checked frequently to see that we were all pleased with our meals. He showed us his new, soon to be finished private party room which promises to be quite lovely. We must go back again soon
(4)Veronique D.
I have been to the location downtown several times. Great food, service & atmosphere. I never have to wait to be seated, the service is flawless, the food is seasoned well, at least to my liking. I love the lentil soup, grape leaves & their baba.
(5)Jessica B.
I've had Taza twice now (once for takeout and another time dining in). Falafel pitas are amazeballs. Yes, I said amazeballs. Not usually a word I use but it seems appropriate here since these things are delicious. For this outing, I ordered the We Taste of Taza (an assortment of dips and veggies including baba ghanoush and hummus). Good Lord, this plate is huge. And super filling. Thank God it was shared between four people. Even still, I probably didn't need to order a main entree but decided to go with the garden rolled pita. Pretty good but a little too pickled for my taste. Fried were delicious though. All in all, Taza is always worth a stop and the staff is among the most helpful I've been around. Lastly, I LOVE that the folks at Taza didn't change the decor of the restaurant too much. It's a great space and it feels just as comfy and cozy as always.
(4)Mark T.
I really wish YELP would implement half stars. I'm giving Taza 3 stars only because of their hummus and tabouli. You could split this with someone and leave with a full stomach for a great price or even order it for take out. But then again if you're going to do that you should just go to Aladdin's bakery down the street and get the best hummus you've ever had for 1/3 of the price. The entrees are what really brings this place down. It is not cheap by any means yet the portion sizes are tiny. This restaurant is not terrible but I doubt I will ever go back despite living down the street.
(3)Cari L.
FANTASTIC Middle Eastern food. I have tried most of the Cleveland areaMiddle Eastern restaurants, and after just one carry out visit, I have a new favorite. I ordered the Shish Tawook entree. And I loved everything about the meal. Their rice is great, the grilled veggies are a great twist, and the chicken is amazing. I asked for some extra pita, and when I dug into my dinner, I was so glad I did. That pita is unlike any I have had. I am already planning tomorrow's dinner.
(5)Tony P.
Love this place. Plenty of healthy menu options and a great location...
(5)Mark H.
Amazing service. Amazing food. Amazing drinks. Try the ahi tuna. The garlic spinach was awesome with the fresh pita bread. Just a great experience. The management shows they truly care.
(5)Jason H.
Some say it's too expensive, but certainly the quality of the food backs it up in my book! The chicken shwarma lunch wrap is spectacular, the hummus with chicken really hits the spot, and for the garlic lovers the shish tawook is pretty great.
(4)Joao Pedro L.
The best Lebanese restaurant in Cleveland area. The lentil soup is divine. Everything is tasty and delightful and the service is very nice.
(4)Ken N.
EXCELLENT!!!! Four of us came to Cleveland to visit the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, for the Labor Day weekend. After a full day of rocking and rolling, we were tired and hungry. Enjoying middle eastern cuisine, we looked for something in Yelp and based on other people's reviews, we decided on Taza. We're glad we did. From the general manager, Hakeem, to our waitress, Jess, to the food - EXCELLENT - EXCELLENT. Seafood dishes, mixed grill and chicken dishes, appetizers, bread - ALL GREAT. Reasonably priced, great atmosphere and decor. Can't say enough about this place, except, open one in NY.
(5)David P.
Love this place. I am fan of Alladin's and Taza has the same star quality Lebanese food. Some of the best hummus I've had out and I'm a bitchy critic when it comes to my hummus. Service is excellent and the prices are on the money. Salads are delicious and fresh and love the space as its been modified from when Crop, another favorite, was there.
(5)Chris C.
I am visiting from Brooklyn and was missing my local Lebanese place, so I had to come here. Taza is a nice relief from the dozens of bar/restaurants in the area. It was short walk from the Key Center and I'm lucky I wandered over here - not too many people seemed to know about it. The staff was welcoming and attentive, the decor charming, and the music cheerful. I had a specialty salad with marinated chicken and olives and on the side some fried cheese with a pomegranate sauce - quite a delicious lunch. I wish I lived in the area so that I could try more of the menu! If I find my way back to Cleveland, I'll definitely come back.
(5)