El Baraka — Restaurant in Essaouira

AVOID at All Costs - Complete Tourist Trap

We went here based on misleading Google reviews, and it was a disaster from start to finish. First of all, good luck finding it - it’s not called "Knive Shop" but "Restaurant El Baraka," and it’s tucked away like they’re trying to hide. The food was terrible. The salad was bland and barely seasoned. The dishes came out sporadically, with the vegetables arriving when we were nearly done eating. Whatever you do, DO NOT order the squid! It arrived cold, and after complaining, they brought out a new portion that was just as bad - tasteless and rubbery from being overcooked. The seating was extremely uncomfortable, making the entire experience unbearable. The service? Rude and unhelpful - no one even bothered to speak English.

To top it all off, we both had no problems just a few hours later.

This place is nothing more than a blatant TOURIST TRAP. Save yourself the trouble and stay...

Please, please don't hesitate to eat at this restaurant. It is easily one of the best meals I have ever had in my life.

The chef is very modest and the menu is simple and priced very modestly, but every little detail is absolutely perfect from the seasoning to the technique. Take it from someone who has worked in the fine dining industry for a long time.

I ordered the Dourade (Bream), French Fries, Moroccan Salad, and a Coke. Everything was perfect, the fries were freshly cut blanched and perfectly crispy and well seasoned, the salad was well seasoned thoroughly mixed and very fresh, and the Dourade was very fresh perfectly seasoned and cooked to absolute perfection. They actually care about the food here and it shows.

Please give this restaurant your business. You'll have an unforgettable meal at a very affordable price.

I hope this place thrives for many...

It’s a little more down the alley than the corner shown on the map.

My dish was nothing special (-1). Average for what it was, doesn’t stand out from any other place. They make everything fresh though so expect a wait (no problem!). It’s a tight fit, so if you’re a large group it might be hard.

Some confusion on my drink. I pointed to what I wanted and he tried to explain something to me in French. But I ended up with a drink twice the price. I think he was just trying to make sure what I wanted (so only -1 star). But when I looked at him confused, he should have just given me what...