MEZZÉ#1-Conroe — Restaurant in Conroe

Beautiful restaurant, very friendly staff, yet food falls short.

Normally, I would have given this place 4 stars because of the food, but the staff went above and beyond to make sure we were cared for (Shout out to Abby! You did an amazing job!).

Walking in, I was very impressed with the decor as this place is absolutely stunning. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the scenery and only took a picture of the bar yet I could tell a lot of care was placed in how the restaurant looks and was highly anticipating the food. Upon sitting down, I was a little surprised to hear that only the chicken and shrimp were halal. As there were many beef and lamb options, I was hoping to be able to try some of those dishes as well, especially when this is the only halal restaurant in the area.

While ordering, our waitress let us know that the food was going to take some time as there was a party of people right next to us. I appreciated the notice beforehand, as a surprising amount of restaurants don't do stuff like this and even with the party, the wait wasn't bad at all. We ordered the Adas soup, Halloumi cheese appetizer, and Shawarmacos with fries. All of the food was beautifully presented, which gets an additional point compared to what I would originally give for my taste review.

The Adas soup was 5+1=6/10. We have a lot of lentils in our diet, and I don't believe flavor wise the Adas soup really went beyond what we can have at home, especially considering that we paid $9. It had a good, strong taste but I think it needed a little more creativity in the ingredients as I only tasted the lentils, nothing else. The pita chips were good though.

The halloumi was a 3+1=4/10. The original halloumi we were served was too salty to be edible, and they brought us another serving of halloumi and took the halloumi out of the bill. Even then, I wasn't too particularly fond of the dish as it was still very salty although it wasn't as bad. I think it could have really used some pepper or spice instead of the salt as it was also really sweet and the pepper/spice would have cut through the sweetness making a more balanced dish. At its original price point at $12, I think it can use some more work.

Finally we had the shawarmacos ($14) & fries (+$2). They are basically Mediterranean tacos, and I think they get a 4+1=5/10. Like the halloumi, they were very salty. Normally, I love my fair share of salt as it is a flavor enhancer (it brings out the other, more subtle flavors really well) but this much salt instead overpowers the other flavors and instead makes the dish harder to eat. Additionally, most of the salt was in the sauce, and I think the chicken itself could have actually used a bit more salt as it tasted a bit bland. My biggest changes would be to change the sauce if that's the source of salt and give the chicken more seasoning as it was a bit underwhelming. The fries on the other hand, 9+1=10/10. Perfect and beautiful. They were perfectly salted, crunchy on the outside soft on the inside, and I don't think fries can get better than that.

Overall, our bill came out to be $23, which makes me think they might have not charged us for the fries either. But overall impressions, with some tweaks in the menu and especially how much salt they use, I think this place can really be something special. They have a gorgeous restaurant and great staff, with beautiful food, so the places I think need the most improvement for being a great restaurant is more taste testing and halal beef/lamb options.

1/10: horrible 2/10: bad 3/10: below average 4/10: slightly below average 5/10: average 6/10: slightly above average 7/10: above average 8/10: good 9/10: really...

⭐️ A Mediterranean Delight! ⭐️

I recently dined at MEZZE, and it was an extraordinary experience from start to finish! Nestled in a charming location, this restaurant offers a true taste of the Mediterranean!

From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm hospitality and a cozy ambiance. The décor is tasteful and inviting, with a perfect blend of rustic charm and modern elegance. The staff was attentive and knowledgeable, making excellent recommendations that enhanced our dining experience.

The menu is a Mediterranean lover's dream, featuring an array of delectable dishes crafted with fresh, high-quality ingredients. We started with the mezze platter, which was a vibrant assortment of hummus, tzatziki, and other delightful dips, accompanied by freshly baked pita bread. Each bite was a burst of flavor!

For the main course, we indulged in the lamb kebabs and the seafood paella. The lamb was tender and perfectly seasoned, while the paella was a rich tapestry of succulent seafood and aromatic saffron rice. Every dish was a masterpiece, showcasing the chef's exceptional skill and passion for Mediterranean cuisine.

The meal was complemented by an impressive wine list, featuring a selection of excellent Mediterranean wines. Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and helped us choose the perfect wine to pair with our meal.

We finished with a dessert of baklava and a cup of Turkish coffee. The baklava was heavenly—crispy, sweet, and utterly satisfying. The Turkish coffee provided a strong, aromatic finish to a truly memorable meal.

What sets Mezze apart is not just the exquisite food, but the overall experience. The attention to detail, the welcoming atmosphere, and the genuine care from the staff made our visit exceptional.

If you're looking for a place to enjoy an authentic Mediterranean feast, look no further than MEZZE. It's a culinary gem that promises to delight your senses and leave you craving more. Five stars all the...

MEZZÉ#1 – Conroe, TX A surprising lunchtime gem in a sea of conference chaos

In a bold act of culinary self-preservation, I ditched the sad, beige box lunch provided by the conference hotel (you know the type—dry sandwich, questionable cookie, and a water bottle with abandonment issues) and made my way to MEZZÉ#1 in Conroe. And let me tell you, it was the kind of midday pivot that makes you question why you ever trusted hotel catering in the first place.

I ordered the chicken shawarma bowl off the lunch menu—moist, flavorful chicken nestled on a bed of rice, accompanied by a crisp green salad with just the right amount of dressing, a warm pita, and a side of tzatziki that could probably moonlight as a skincare product. Our table also shared a glorious basket of thick-cut fries, seasoned to the point of addiction and hot enough to burn the memory of that hotel lunch right out of your brain.

The menu at MEZZÉ#1 is a Mediterranean comfort food love letter—shawarma, gyros, kabobs, bowls, wraps, fresh salads, and a choose-your-own-adventure of sauces (garlic, tahini, tzatziki, spicy harissa… yes, please). It’s fast-casual but with actual flavor, and enough variety that even your pickiest coworker would find something to rave about.

Despite being criminally understaffed with just two waitstaff running the entire floor, the service was shockingly efficient. Food came out fast, hot, and without a hint of stress—unless you count the one dramatic moment when a plate hit the floor. Sadly, not a single “Opa!” was uttered. A missed opportunity for flair, but I’ll let it slide.

All in all, MEZZÉ#1 delivered a surprisingly delightful lunch in a strip-mall setting that punches way above its weight class. If I ever find myself in Conroe again (which is, let’s be honest, unlikely unless I’m abducted by a particularly persuasive GPS), I’d gladly return for another shawarma bowl and fry fest. Sorry, conference hotel—you never...