Sana Middle Eastern Restaurant — Restaurant in Fremantle

I rarely leave reviews, but my recent experience at Sana Freo was deeply disappointing and upsetting, especially considering the high expectations we had based on its online reputation.

My family, visiting from overseas, and I travelled over an hour to dine at this restaurant. There were five adults in our group, and we ordered full meals and appetisers. Unfortunately, the food was served cold and tasted as if it had been prepared long before — certainly not fresh. Adding to this, the overall atmosphere felt low in energy; the staff appeared disengaged and unhappy, which immediately set a negative tone for the evening.

What truly shocked me, however, was the behaviour of the owner. My three-year-old daughter, who is a picky eater and typically doesn’t eat from restaurants, was quietly sitting in her corner eating a few chicken nuggets from Grill’d. This has never been an issue in any other restaurant we’ve visited. Without any courtesy or discretion, the owner abruptly approached our table and rudely reprimanded us, saying he “would not allow it,” effectively insisting we leave.

To have a toddler “kicked out” for something so trivial was both humiliating and unnecessary. It wasn’t the policy itself that was offensive — I fully understand that outside food is generally not permitted — it was the manner in which the owner addressed us. His tone was condescending, dismissive, and entirely lacking in respect or empathy.

Had he spoken politely or explained the policy in a considerate way, we would have understood completely. Instead, his attitude and language turned what should have been an enjoyable family outing into an embarrassing and unpleasant encounter, especially in front of our overseas guests.

While policies are understandable, basic courtesy and human decency should never be optional in hospitality. This experience has left a lasting negative impression, and I sincerely hope the management reflects on their approach to customer service — particularly when dealing with families and...

I visited this restaurant today with a friend, and while the food was, as always, fantastic, the service we received completely ruined the experience.

We had asked for a table outside and were told we could sit out the front. After sitting down, another waitress came rushing over, quite rudely telling us that section was closed. Fair enough if there was a miscommunication, but it was confusing given another family was seated in the exact same area.

After we were seated elsewhere and handed menus, the waitress asked if we needed anything. We requested tap water and began reading through the menu. When she returned, she was extremely abrasive — instead of asking if we were ready to order, she aggressively flipped the menu and started pointing out the cheapest items ($20–$35 range) as though we were incapable of choosing for ourselves. She spoke down to us in an incredibly patronising manner, treating us more like children than paying customers.

I had to interrupt her, flip the menu back, and clearly state that we were ordering the platter for two ($109). She reacted as though it was shocking we would order something so “expensive,” creating a very awkward scene. When asking about drinks, she continued to be demeaning, suggesting “soft drinks like Fanta or Coke” as if that was all we could possibly want.

My friend and I were casually dressed after a day of shopping in Freo (jeans and tops), but it felt very obvious that we were judged purely on our appearance. It was incredibly hurtful to watch the same waitress provide warm, attentive service to other tables while treating us like second-class citizens.

Again, the food itself was amazing — but the unprofessional and condescending behaviour from the waitress completely ruined what should have been a lovely lunch. It’s upsetting to be made to feel like you don’t belong somewhere based purely on how you look. I won’t be rushing back...

I came in today and ate $148 worth of food and I have never ever been this disappointed in my life when eating out.

The portions were an utter joke for the prices, the meats were poor quality. I ordered the beef ribs but it only comes with 1 single rib so the plural of ribs is a joke…. It came out as pure fat and no actual meat…. The chicken tawouk came out cold and literally tasted like styrofoam it was so tasteless…. The lamb cutlets, decent quality, good lamb cuts, no flavour, no salt, nothing! It also bothers me that I’ve had to pay $12 for a side of rice and look at the size of it. Pathetic.

I’ve been here previously, I had a good experience, I called the owner to discuss this, instead of making a review as I wanted to give the opportunity but it seems to me that he didn’t really care and was rushing me off the phone. There was no will to compensate for the $148 I just spent on rubbish, He advised me to come back in another time and I will be looked after, again I don’t want to return to this place and give them my money after this experience so it’s unlikely I’d come back just to spend my money on the same rubbish.

The server had us feeling like we were inconveniencing her day by needing a things, she asked if we wanted water when we sat down. I answered sure and then she comes out opening a bottle of water that we are expected to pay $6 for? She claimed it was on the menu and then I expressed that she asked us if we wanted water as if it was complimentary water. She isn’t asking us if we want other items off the menu because I’ll order it if I want it.

Honestly, I’m more disappointed at the fact that this is the first and only middle eastern restaurant that I can’t recommend to my friends and family when they ask me for recommendations. The food was the worst middle eastern food I’ve ever tasted and feel somewhat disrespected that our cuisine is being put...