Sahara Restaurant

Looking for a small portion of mediocre food for an illogical price? This is the place for you. I’m sure you, the reader, has no illusions about Worcester, MA being a hidden hub for Mediterranean food. These are City prices for good food, not middle of nowhere prices for whatever food. we came in on a Wednesday at 430 and we were the only ones in there. Save your money!

We arrived just before noon to find an empty restaurant. The bartender seated us and he was pleasant. So far, so good. The butcher’s paper used for table covers was… interesting. When I went to open my menu, I found that it was soiled to a point that the pages would not separate without a tearing sound and I found dried lentils. My wife found the same with hers. She looked around the restaurant and took notice of the gold vinyl chairs being so dirty that they were blackened. The same for the fabric seats. When we were given the menus, we also ordered coffee not thinking that it would cost $ 3 per cup. Wow. So we left money for the two cups. The place was too dirty for us. We left.

Being from a middle eastern family, I am always on a quest for good hummus and pita, and boy does this place have it! The vibe is wicked chill with some interesting art, full bar and interesting lights. I got the curry chicken wrap and it was amazingggg! If you’re in Worcester looking for good (and reasonably priced) middle eastern food this is it! Also our waitress was fabulous and super nice

Their WORD is not good! I had a coupon and called before we went there. I described the coupon on the phone and he said it was GOOD. We spent $ 58.00 because the coupon required we spend $ 50 to get $ 25 off. He would NOT honor it. NOW in front of the register, he said it was NOT in his computer! SO BEWARE… make sure you show them any coupons and get approval before you rack up your bill!
Food was ok, band was too loud, dirty appearance.

It was my birthday so my wife decided to treat me to a great meal in a nice place. After a little discussion we settled on the Sahara Restaurant in Worcester.
Our waiter, John, was very cordial and helpful. After trying two tables we settled on the best spot for our special celebration. The atmosphere was very nice, upscale like someone’s living room or dining room. It was quiet so we had no problem with our conversation.
The menu was more than adequate as was the choice of beverages. I settled on a Blue Moon beer with a slice of orange. My wife had her usual glass of Merlot. We had an appetizer, stuffed grape leaves, and were also given pita bread with an oil and mint dip. As for the main course, my wife had haddock and I had salmon topped with a seafood stuffing over rice and a bed of perfectly sautéed mixed vegetables. We couldn’t have been more pleased. Everything was cooked to perfection.
As we were leaving a small group of musicians were preparing to play. It was about 8 pm. We were told that they often have music even mid week– as it was, we were dining out on a Wednesday evening.
Well, as we were walking out we looked at each other and nodded– yes we will return soon with two of our very best friends.

Best fatoush salad this side of the Atlantic! Authentic tasting food, huge alcohol selection and friendly staff– casual and relaxed during the day, worthy of dressing up for the evening. Rustic and unique– live music on the weekends– a hidden gem for sure!

This place gives you a huge basket of pita with a yummy dip. My water glass had lipstick stains on it… so that already put a damper on my mood. until I looked at the prices. Boy is this place overpriced. The kafta in pita is like four tiny pieces of meat inside some thin dough.

Got a falafel sandwich here today because I was in the mood and this was the closest middle eastern restaurant to my work. The food was amazing (and trust me, it can be really hit or miss with falafel), but the portion was tiny. I think this may have been the smallest falafel wrap I’ve ever had (especially for the price) and I was hungry again within a couple of hours.

The food was excellent, I was raised on Lebanese food and so enjoyed our dinner, we dined with another couple on a Saturday evening June 7, we had the platter for an appetizer, and each of us ordered something different all meals nicely done, very tasty, the big HOWEVER, when we submitted a coupon that my friend had purchased, we were met with such disdain, and a tirade from our waiter, look I’m sorry the restaurant doesn’t like coupons if you don’t then for heavens sake, don’t participate in the selling of them, I loved the food, but We will NEVER step foot in the restaurant again, I’ll stay with El Bashas restaurant and get the same tasty food without the hassle.

Let me start by saying the food was some of the tastiest I’ve had at a restaurant. The flavors were just wonderful. As in used to be… Last year. Most of the food is overpriced in my opinion, but my favorite is the grape leaves. El Basha doesn’t make them the same. My issue has to do with the price, quantity (for the price) and more than anything, management. This restaurant is not fancy and i have noticed the past 3 times I’ve gone, the flavors have become blander and the portion size? Cut in half! Yesterday, I had a salad that barely made up half the plate, and a chicken port Saïd that had half a plate but it was spread around, there was not enough rice for the chicken/​mushrooms. I was very disappointed all 3 times. I feel that for almost 20 dollars or more the dish you should get a decent portion and excellent flavor. Also, on what J. L said, the place does need repairs. The walls are peeling, and in general renovation is needed.
The worst part was management, you can see the owner floating sometimes, around talking to people at the bar. I was parked in my parking spot, fine, no issues and I begin to pull out and there is a massive truck PARKED right in the middle of the driveway! I only could go so far until I was nudging his front end on my back door but I managed to get out of my car and the owner acted like I WAS inconveniencing HIM! Didn’t apologize and just treated me like it was my fault and had to stress himself on his precious time to get another guy to move the truck! Unbelievable! Needless to say, 3 strikes you’re out and when that’s how you run your business? Sorry but I will not be going back.

This place is a DUMP! Seriously, we went here during the day for lunch so they couldn’t hide anything in the dark like the peeling paint on the walls, filthy rugs, cracked windows, worn, dirty upholstery & rickety chairs, the many bulbs that were out in the big chandeliers and the poor sound system. The place is poorly laid out and clearly not well maintained. The food was barely adequate, and lacked flavor and care in the preparation. The falafel sandwich was dry and sparse with ingredients and was not pressed on a grill. The Hummus (6 oz $ 7.00) was thick, dry and needed more zest, The pita bread was stale, the grape leaves (4-​$ 8.00) needed more spices and were falling apart. and the fries were like those you get at Burger King. Overall a lousy experience. We will never return here. The best part of the experience was the delightful waiter, he was just wonderful, he deserves to be in a better place!
Perhaps there would be different vibe on a saturday night with live music and belly dancers? It’s probably more acceptable as a bar than a restaurant and maybe you would be more forgiving about the many shortcomings with a few drinks in you. But I don’t recommend going here for their food; it’s an embarrassment to Middle Eastern food and culture.

Ok, I haven’t had the food, but props to the establishment for converting the restaurant into a music/​bar scene certain weekend late nights. Worcester needs something like this!

I took my kids and parents here. Food was great. We got a sampler appetizer. Many different types of meals, salads, et were all good. It was a sunday night and it was slow (not many people) but the service was also slow. I used a
coupon and it was still expensive.

I’ve never had the food here so I can only comment on atmosphere, drinks and the staff.
They have a full bar and a stronger than average pour for the mixed drink you order. Their beer selection is mediocre but they aren’t really catering to that crowd.
The interior is very dimly lit and can make it hard to see at times but the layout isn’t complicated so it’s not too bad. The low score is more for the entertainment than the restaurant itself. They will typically have live performances and the volume is just too loud to be able to have a conversation with anyone. It’s so bad sometimes that it’s impossible to order something from the bar tender.
I’ll update my review if I ever end up trying the food.

Totally over priced and not impressed at all with the food or with the service. Blahhh all around. Should have known when I walked in and it was empty.

For the price of the entrees and the quality of the food, I would have much rather whipped up some middle eastern cuisine on my own. The food wasn’t bad, but there was nothing that stuck about the dishes that my date and I had. I got the beef kebab: it was just rice and beef with some not fully cooked vegetables. I know that’s what the dish is supposed to be, but it was really bland. My date got the Sheikh el Mishi which is an eggplant dish with beef cooked in red sauce over rice. The eggplants melted in my mouth, but eggplant is just sort of divine like that. Aside from the eggplant, there was nothing that really pulled the dish together. Just some ingredients thrown on top of each other, much like my dish.
I’ve also heard that the mood of this place is really lively and exciting. Maybe it was a slow night, but it was a Saturday night and not much was really going on that fit the Sahara that I had heard about.
Even though my dining experience wasn’t bad, there’s a chain back home in Chicago called Pita Inn that does a beef kebab ten times better than Sahara for 10 dollars as opposed to 20.
If I ever go back, it’ll be because I’m really desperate for some Mediterranean/​Middle Eastern food.

The atmosphere is intimate and dimly lit with a rustic opulence. Worthy of dressing up and enjoying a fine evening. The pace is relaxed, not crowded and unrushed. Food arrived in a timely fashion and was delicious start to finish. I ordered the Chicken Schwarma with a side salad and a glass of Lebanese red wine. I enjoyed every bite. Everything from the salad dressing to the spices in the olive oil through the main course exuded attention to detail.
The waitress was nice and personable. The prices are fair.

I was soooo disappointed with this restaurant. I had always wanted to try it out, and I finally did.
It is very beautiful inside – the décor is neat. It’s a little run down, but that’s alright.
We were not welcome there at all. I had to walk up to the bar where there was the only waitress, sitting down and joking/​laughing with her friends. and I asked for a table. There were, I think, 4 people sitting at the bar, just hanging out. Two had drinks in front of them, but they looked WAY too young to be drinking. The bartender was chummy with them as well, so perhaps they really weren’t of age…
We were literally the only 2 customers. I thought maybe they were closed, but the waitress said the kitchen was open for another half hour and she seated us. So we stayed. I wish we hadn’t.
The food: so weird. I ordered lamb kebabs and got… two little chunks of lamb (each only about the size of a kiwi). And mixed veggies that were… PICKLED. Yes, that’s right, I ordered lamb kebabs and got picked veggies. Onions, carrots, cabbage, and a piece of a green pepper. W T F.
Oh, and they turned half of the restaurant’s lights off while we were eating our dinner. I suppose to let the public know they were closing soon… but they still had customers. Mind you, they shut them off only about 15 minutes after we arrived.
This place is just awful all-​around. Don’t bother.

I went to Sahara last night with a friend and his wife visiting from the UK. We’re all fans of different international foods and were in the Highland St area, so Sahara seemed like a great choice.
The inside of the restaurant is beautiful, nicely decorated and feels really open. It was slow on a Monday night and we had a waiter and a trainee waiting on our table, so service was attentive and friendly. We were catching up after not seeing each other for a long while, and service was nicely paced to accomodate that.
Pita bread and herbed oil first, standard fare. We were started with small salads with an olive oil and herb dressing. Light and flavorful with a big slice of tomato and cucumber that had a nice, fresh bite.
I had the chicken shwarma plate and really enjoyed it. Not too much sauce, and the accompanying veggies were lovely. My dining companions had stuffed cabbage leaves and a veggie stew with pasta «pearls» that he raved about.
Overall, a solid meal for a decent price in a beautiful setting. Thumbs up!

I just popped in for a weekday, business travel dinner and found Sahara to be a nice place.
The Lebanese cuisine was tasty and decently rich without being too filling. I’m usually one to favor a place with something to snack on while you wait for your main course, so the pita and olive oil which the waiter brought out immediately was a plus.
Service seemed decent, but almost too casual.
The attire says dressy, but they accepted me in my gym shorts (I actually was out for a walk before that).
I’d go again. In my opinion, this is a $$$ place though with lowest priced entrees at about $ 15.