Sandstone — Restaurant in Maan

After being at Petra by night I wanted to have a bite and opted for this restaurant very close to the visitors' centre. I expected neither quality nor low prices, given the proximity to the archaeological site. I know from experience that tourist traps are almost always close to tourist places. I go in and I am the only customer. So far so good, as it was pretty late. I order a chicken shawarma and a tea, for a total of 7JD. Quality of the shawarma was below average and price was excessive, but whatever, my fault and my hunger made me stop at the first place. I ask to pay by credit card because I have very little cash on me and I am told that it is not possible. Since I had already been in Jordan for six days and payment by card is available in the most unthinkable places, I ask the waiter if he was sure. He repeats "cash only". Until a voice from inside the restaurant says 'visa ok, credit card ok'. The annoyed waiter leaves, complaining to two other people that I wanted to pay with 7JD by card. More than a complaint it was a mockery. You know when you don't speak a language but you can tell very well that someone is speaking ill of you? That's exactly what happened. I understood 7JD in Arabic, the waiter's tone of voice, the body language, and the fact that he was annoyed by my request and being contradicted about paying with a card, after having said that it wasn't possible. I did not appreciate the waiter's extremely rude and disrespectful reaction and pointed this out to one of the managers who had witnessed the scene and to whom the waiter had directed his displeasure. I am aware that a commission is charged for every card payment, and perhaps for an amount as low as my charge the commission would have been excessive. The fact is that the waiter could have told me that they would have preferred payment by card for this reason, instead he treated me with little respect and complained about me in Arabic. In my six days in Jordan I had always been treated with kindness, respect and I felt welcome everywhere. Except in this restaurant. The total lack of politeness and hospitality made my shawarma go sideways. Because of the war in Israel there are very few tourists in Jordan and to be able to get a negative review is quite an achievement... considering that reviews nowadays are becoming a yardstick in choosing a restaurant and many other services, I would advise the restaurant managers to find staff who reflect the kind and hospitable spirit of Jordanians. To those of you reading this I recommend, if you are on foot, to take a few extra steps and go somewhere else. If you are in a car, drive about 400 metres uphill where you will find more quality at lower prices and above all more courtesy. It is unpleasant to write a negative review because behind every business there is hard work and passion, which should not be ruined by unmotivated...

We thoroughly enjoyed the food at Sandstone! So much so that we went again the next day. At the time of visiting it was low season and tourist numbers were very low but we were warmly welcomed by Assley and her staff. We wanted to try some classic Jordanian dishes, and, after some disappointing meals in Amman, we were able to try Mansaf, Kofta and another beautiful chicken dish (can't remember the name!). Very tender and meaty lamb, fragrant rice with roasted almonds and a tasty sauce of yoghurt and lamb cooking juice to pour over or dip warm bread in (bright yellow liquid in the picture). Juicy chicken and a rich seasoning for the other dish. The seasonal salad had some tasty items to try, all with fresh vegetables and contasting dressings. Baklava also great! Would highly recommend if you'd like to sample Jordanian dishes 😋 Only reason the atmosphere wasn't fully rated was some pesky cats when eating outside - I'd recommend eating inside if you don't want beady eyes staring at your food (besides your trip companion!). I don't make a habit of leaving reviews unless a place was particularly good (or particularly bad!) and this was...

I visited the Sandstone Restaurant and ate on Thursday 2/23 at dinner time Sandstone and was totally blown away by the quality of service. The restaurant is amazing - the food is freshly prepared and absolutely delicious, the atmosphere is cozy and inviting, and the staff are friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend Sandstone to anyone looking for a great dining experience in Jordan! It's one of the most amazing restaurants my family and I have ever visited. The restaurant is very clean. The food, OMG, is very, very tasty and smells decent. The dinner and the employee are wonderful. The man who received and served us, Muhammad Hassan Al-Bass, is wonderful and shaves the live face. He was very kind, helpful and humble. He advised me of some foods instead of sandwiches such as mansaf, grills, kofta, muskhan, salt mix, appetizers, problems..you thank you thank you. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 Mohamed Hassan and return for sure I...