Abou Shakra Restaurants — Restaurant in Giza

I was told that this is one of the most popular outlets of this chain of restaurants. This particular place is located in a very prime location. It faces the Sphinx. It gets pretty crowded both during lunch and dinner. Most tour groups who visit the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx make it a lunch stop. Similarly, after the Sphinx night show, dinner is served here. Unfortunately, the restaurant is sub par. The waiters are never around and only the tour groups get their attention, due to their tour guides, who monopolize their services. Since there were only two of us, we had a hard time getting the attention of a waiter. We talked to two other couples who were facing the same problem. As we had both lunch and dinner here, I can conclude that dinnertime is by far worse. We ordered the mixed grill platter of rice, kebabs and chicken. It was really bad. The rice was stone cold, the chicken rubbery and the kebabs dry. Dessert was an indifferent rice pudding for lunch and a watered down jelly for dinner. Never again! We complained to our travel agent, and advised him to never take his guests there. The washrooms are a disgrace, they look like no one cleans them regularly. On top of this, the prices are pretty high. The only saving grace is the location, and the huge windows on the first floor that offer a wonderful view of the Sphinx and the Pyramids,...

Food was great. Especially the abou shakra chicken. That is the only reason for 2 stars. It goes down hill fast from there. First, they charge 3.75 per person just for sitting down. Does not make sense but okay no big deal. Second they charge 12% tax and on top a 14% service fee. This is not gratuity which usually goes to the servers. No where during my stay in Cairo were we ever charged this many additional fees. When asked why the additional fees, they said all 5 star restaurant have this fee. Bare In mind the AC was not even on and the bread was uncooked directly from the package. They brought water and placed it in our table when we never asked for it. We thought it must be complimentary and they told us why we drank the water if we didn't order it. Well why did you place it on our table when we didn't order it? This is not anywhere close to a 5 star restaurant. Also, if you are going to charge this many different types of fees, please disclose it ahead of time by putting it on the menu or better yet, tell the customer yourself...

This restaurant is worth a visit but only for the view! From the right spot, you get a stunning panorama of all three pyramids and even the Sphinx — it’s genuinely one of the most impressive sights you can enjoy while dining. The setting is unique and feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience, especially if you're in Cairo for a limited time.

However, when it comes to the food, we were a bit let down. The grilled chicken was unfortunately overcooked and burnt, which took away from the overall experience. So, if you're looking for top-quality cuisine, this might not be the place. That said, it’s still a fantastic spot to stop by for a drink or a light snack while taking in the incredible views.

Also, keep in mind that the place gets extremely busy around lunchtime — it was packed when we first tried to go. We ended up coming back at around 4 PM, and it was completely empty, much more relaxed, and they were still serving food. So, if you want a peaceful experience with the best view, aim for a mid- to...