Sahara Taste of Arabia — Restaurant in Baja California

Exquisite!!! This place is my getaway when traveling to Tijuana. All the flavors lacking that authentic taste in most Arabic restaurants across the border found it’s way here. Everything about this place is amazing.

My take on the selections of choice:

The Lintel Soup is deliciously creamy with the perfect bite of onions and arugula blended with the right amount garlic giving it a nice warm nourishing satisfaction on a brisk evening.

If you like cheese dishes you’ll marry the Cheese Burek appetizer here. The crispy fillo dough is followed with a mouth filling bite of warm creamy cheese. Keep a napkin close by.

The Baba Ghanouj has a roasty flavor with dripping olive oil and tahini sauce topped off with crunchy roasted pine nuts giving it a memorable taste to the palettes.

Savory juicy chicken and beef bites with the Shish and Kafta Tawook dishes combined with an amazing rice dish with raisins and carrots topped with more roasted pine nuts may make you drool and blush with every bite.

The Ambiance:

From the inside to out, the owner didn’t hold back from spending on the architectural interior Arabic design features with quality fixtures and lighting and fun Arabic music playing in the background. Don’t be surprised when you see the restaurant’s mascot, Sultan, a beautiful live peacock roaming around for a bite and flaunting his beautiful colorful feathers, making sure Sahara’s guests are eating well with entertainment. If you enjoy Arabic tobacco they’re constantly bringing in new flavors to savor on their 4’ tall hookah’s to have along with a perfect cup of Arabic teas and an array of sinful sweets after your feasting.

Hat’s off to Chef Saeed who was visited by Mexican food critics on television and to the super friendly owner Amaar for providing a clean, tasty and entertaining experience! This truly is a taste and ambiance of Arabia in...

Edit 7/15/23: I came back to the restaurant today and had a MUCH better experience with the wait staff and manager. The food was as good or better than I remembered it. Definitely will be returning here. Probably my new favorite location to get Mediterranean food.

Been wanting to try this restaurant for a while now and overall I was very happy with the experience and food selection. The marinate on the chicken was absolutely delicious and I enjoyed the hummus and pita bread that they served as our appetizer. Also, it was a nice touch that they give a hot tea when you sit down. For me, the restaurant loses a star for their service. Our waiter wasn’t the most friendly and seemed to have a bit of an attitude. Also, for Tijuana the prices seemed a little expensive. I think I could have had a similar meal in San Diego for cheaper and/or same price. I would like to return and hopefully have a better experience with a different server, but I think there are plenty of other Mediterranean restaurants around to try...

This place is great! The food is amazing and the service too! We were greeted with hot, delicious, spearmint tea. Nice touch! Ordered lamb chops and chicken kabobs. We were advised the lamb chops would take a little longer but they were worth the wait!! We had the most delicious hummus. Literally scraped the plate off to the last bit! The falafels are a must! They are so good! Full of intricate flavors that come together in every bite! Last but not least, the baklava is probably one of the best we have had. A must try!

Akram, the owner is very courteous and attentive not to mention the real Arab deal! His Spanish is pretty good. He recommended the mango hookah and it was perfect!

We've been there twice already and definitely recommend this authentic and different type of cuisine!!

Can't wait to come back again!

P.S. Be aware of the beautiful 🦚. He's friendly and very curious and loves to...