Noma Bistro by Al Amir — Restaurant in Columbia

I will mention that I overhard the cashier say this is their last day in this location, that they are relocating. Also, there is nothing Mediterranean about my final order. All in all, here is my review. I was on Main Street for business and decided it is a beautiful day, let me have lunch downtown today. I walked past Al-Amir and recognized the name from Google. I looked it up real quick to check the reviews, wow, a strong 4.1 rating. Okay, let's do this today. I walk in the door and I was immediately shocked, there was so much debris, and just items being stored up front. It threw me off that an establishment on Main would have things stored in plain sight. I didn't let that deter me. The restaurant is almost like fast food style, walk up to the window, order, and a food runner will bring the food to your table. I used to eat Mediterranean in New York but could not remember any of the dishes that I had and from the looks of this menu, they didn't offer the dishes anyway. They are no pictures of dishes, the menu is not "I am unfamiliar with Mediterranean" friendly. I cave and just order their version of a salad that I always love, they call it a summer salad, Lettuce, pecans (typically candied but not theirs), bleu cheese, apples, and I added salmon for $5 extra. I go to the rest room, it is filthy. Paint chipped so badly it is all over the floor, peeling off the walls, it did smell good though, so that was nice. Two of the stalls were so small I didn't want to use it. I am a size 4, and wondered how a size 12 and up could comfortably handle their business in such a tiny space. The doors were so badly soiled from probably years of not cleaning them. Smh. I walk out bathroom, my salad had been delivered, salmon has little to no seasoning at all. To me there was no seasoning on it. And it had no flavor really, the entire salad. Even the dressing didn't pop, I have better summer salads from Wendy's. On top of that, the position of the table from the booth I sat in was SO UNREASONABLE. The table was over two feet from the booth so I literally had to sit on the edge of my seat to barely reach the table! I am 5 feet but still. Interestingly enough, the restaurant was PACKED, it was lunch time, I am looking around at what people are ordering and nothing stood out. I am assuming, because of the amount of business that flowed through here that there is something people find appealing about this place and maybe I bombed myself for ordering something so unrelated to the authenticity of this restaurant. Sorry to the owners for such a bad review, truly. I will not return to...

I frequent this location a few times a month. Normally, it's to-go but decided to have a dine-in brunch with my mother, sister, and daughter on this day. I drove from Red Bank to Columbia just to eat there. The food was delicious as usual, but our server Mufasa did not provide good customer service, at all. I felt immediately rushed to place my order when my daughter and I sat down, even though I told him we were waiting on others to dine with us. Once we did order our food, he did not come back to check on us until after we were almost finished eating our food. I kept trying to get his attention while we were eating to at least bring more napkins and refill our drinks as I didn't know we could refill our own drinks. After he brought our tickets, I noticed that he charged me for a regular garden salad and not a side salad like I ordered for my daughter. I didn't say anything and just assumed the salad she got was a regular salad portion. I was already annoyed, so I let it go and just asked for a to-go box for our leftover pizza. He said, "ok" and returned only with my card and receipt. I asked him for the to-go box again and he "ok." He never came back to our table with the to-go box. I waited a few minutes and he never looked our way or acknowledged us afterwards. I had to stop someone else to ask for the to- go for the third time. My family and I were ignored the whole time and I found his specific customer service to be unwelcoming and very poor. I have not experienced this type of service before at this location. It is unfortunate of his behavior because we enjoy the food but I will not spend my money where I do not...

I’m not entirely sure what made me stop and decide to eat here but I’m glad I did, I was greeted by a young lady whose warmth and inviting demeanor set the tone for an exceptional dining experience. Her service was gentle yet attentive, and she guided me through the menu with informed recommendations (which I did take) that truly enhanced my meal. Her hospitality made me feel instantly at ease, the eye contact was in tuned and present, and I left that day thoroughly impressed: satisfied.

On my second visit, I arrived right at closing time and felt hesitant about being an inconvenience. However, (Mustaf: I apologize if I butchered his name) was just as inviting and gracious: not pressured but reassuring that I was most welcomed. Despite the hour, the team was the right combination of great service. The same young lady attended to me once again (I never caught her name) but her kind gentleness and warm personality solidified my admiration for this place.

This is not your average big franchise restaurant. It’s a place where quality food meets soul-nourishing hospitality. Whether you’re looking to satisfy a craving or sit down to savor a meal. It’s the kind of spot where you can indulge in delicious food, escape for a moment, reminisce, and engage in meaningful conversations with loved ones or have a single moment to yourself with a smile while your food settles as you appreciate the many things in life. This is what I felt when I was there.

If you’re wondering where to go next, let my experience influence you. This restaurant is deserving of some recognition, which I hope they both see and...