El Laham Restaurant — Restaurant in Cranston

A Disastrous Experience at Ellaham Restaurant

If I could leave zero stars for Ellaham Restaurant, I would. What my wife and I endured there was not just disappointing—it was offensive, deeply unprofessional, and downright unacceptable.

The nightmare began the moment we walked in. Instead of a warm welcome, we were met with suspicion. A woman at the front desk immediately questioned us about our service dogs, as though we had no right to bring them into the establishment. We had to explain and justify, in detail, that our service animals are legally allowed in public spaces. This hostile encounter set the tone for the evening, making us feel unwelcome and judged.

We then asked the same woman to help us find a table in the hookah section. Despite knowing that we are legally blind, she didn’t offer any assistance. Instead, we were left to navigate the space ourselves, struggling with our limited vision. Eventually, we found the hookah section, only to be greeted by an overwhelming stench of cigarette smoke—a first for us, as we’ve never encountered cigarette smoke in any other hookah lounge.

I ordered a double apple mint hookah, something I’ve enjoyed countless times at other establishments. When the hookah arrived, I immediately noticed something was wrong. It tasted purely like mint—there wasn’t even the slightest hint of double apple. To make matters worse, there was a strange, smoky aftertaste that was so off-putting it reminded me of charred meat. Yes, meat.

I politely informed the staff about the issue, and while they offered to remake the bowl, the replacement was just as bad. Once again, it was overwhelmingly mint, with no trace of the double apple flavor I had ordered. At that point, it was clear they either didn’t care or didn’t know how to prepare the hookah properly.

Meanwhile, the cigarette smoke in the air was unbearable. My wife and I are regulars at hookah lounges, and we have never experienced cigarette smoke in any other lounge—it’s both unpleasant and illegal in a restaurant setting.

Hoping to escape the smoke, we asked to be moved to the front of the restaurant. The staff refused, showing zero concern for our comfort or well-being. After just 15-20 minutes of this miserable experience, we decided to leave.

When we informed the front desk that we wouldn’t be paying for the two poorly prepared hookah bowls, the woman at the counter became defensive and combative. She insisted we pay and even said, “Don’t make this harder for me.” Harder for her ? What about the terrible service and unwelcoming treatment we received? When we asked to speak with the owner, she outright refused to get them.

We left without paying, furious and disappointed. Let me be clear: we do not believe in paying for bad service, and this was some of the worst we’ve ever encountered. Ellaham’s staff is rude, dismissive, and unprofessional. They have no understanding of how to treat customers, especially those with disabilities.

To make matters worse, allowing cigarette smoking in a restaurant is illegal, and we will be reporting this to the health department. No one should have to endure the toxic mix of cigarette smoke and poorly prepared hookah bowls that taste nothing like what you ordered.

Ellaham is a disgrace to the hospitality industry, and we will never return. If you value good service, quality hookah, or even basic decency, stay far, far away...

TLDR: Ok food but not worth it, there are better options available.

Food: 3/5. Atmosphere 2/5. Service 2/5.

The good: The food was mostly tasty. It came out pretty fast. They gave me a garlic sauce that was very garlicky and really good.

The bad: Service: To start, we were told to sit anywhere we wanted. When the waitress came a few min later, we were told the table we chose was reserved and we can't sit there. OK... the restaurant is otherwise empty except for 1 other party.

We go to order food. No chicken shwarma, really? I ask about the shish tawook, sandwich, waitress tries to upsell me to a kabob combo platter. My guest asks for a side salad, she tries to upsell her to a felafel side order. Doesn't seem to have a regard for what we want, just wants us to buy something more expensive. We should have left at this point.

During the meal she checks on us a few times, great. After the meal, we can't find anyone to bring the check or a to go box. Then they can't bring a check because "the machine is broken". I pay at the register. The total comes to nearly double what I was expecting, but I just paid, didn't dispute it. Left a tip and then left. After leaving, I do the math in my head. Must have been charged for the water, and gratuity added for a party of 2. So I left a 40% tip for sub par service. They won the battle but will lose the war. Apparently the tea is free though. Even if it doesn't add up to a ton of money, it never feels good getting screwed like this. And do you really want to be spending time arguing over the bill?

-Atmosphere: Some areas dimly lit, an empty green fish tank sets the stage, some boxes stacked up in the corner with tools laying around for added flair. Pretty cold inside, maybe 67F. A TV that is on but not playing anything, just a flow of random ads. To top it off, no napkins, just Kleenex. I wonder what the kitchen looks like.

Lastly, we also saw an older (local looking) lady bring a dish up to the counter, ask for the owner and angrily said something in a another language holding up a piece of the food. Then the owner says to make another one rudely to his staff and walks off. So, even the locals don't like the food?

Summary: If it weren't for the flim flam check scam, I MIGHT, come back just for take out. Instead, I'll go somewhere else. There are better middle eastern...

Respectfully sharing an unpleasant experience from our recent visit

We've been loyal patrons of this restaurant for a long time, usually visiting every other Sunday with a group of 9–10 friends to enjoy good food and time together. The ambiance and general quality of the food have always been excellent, and we’ve genuinely appreciated that.

However, during our most recent visit, we had a rather disappointing experience that I feel compelled to share—constructively and respectfully—so it can hopefully be improved going forward.

We ordered a spicy fish dish that unfortunately was not up to the restaurant’s usual standards. It appeared to be a frozen tilapia, not fully cooked, with a strong raw fish smell that made it quite unappetizing. I returned it and politely explained I wasn't satisfied with the quality. I even mentioned I didn’t mind paying for the meal if it met basic expectations—but I was met with a dismissive smirk rather than any understanding or acknowledgment.

Later, when we went to pay, we were surprised to see an unexpected charge for tea. This was especially disappointing since tea had always been served complimentary during our previous visits. There was no signage or prior communication indicating a change in this policy. When I politely asked for clarification, the lady at the counter responded very rudely and was not willing to listen.

Wanting to resolve the matter calmly, I spoke with a gentleman who appeared to be closely affiliated with the owner—possibly his son. He respectfully listened to my concerns and communicated them to the owner, who ultimately agreed to deduct the charges for the fish and the tea. While I appreciate that decision, the attitude of the front staff, especially the lady at the counter, remained rude and unprofessional. There was no apology—only resistance and continued arguing.

As returning customers, we didn’t expect perfection—but we did expect respect and consistency. I hope this feedback is taken in the spirit of improvement, because we’ve enjoyed this place many times in the past and would like to continue doing so in the future. Good service is just as important as good food—and I truly hope future guests are treated with a bit more courtesy and care.

— A...