Zaytouna Mediterranean Grill — Restaurant in Freehold Township

Vegetarian review

My wife and I ordered a falafel pita wrap and a falafel rice bowl. My gold standard for a middle eastern pita and bowl is Cava Grill.

This place falls far below even when compared to Maoz and Mamoun's.

First off for the price you are limited to four toppings which is very little and only serves about 1 and 1/2 to 2 tbsp at most. however you can pay a dollar extra and get unlimited toppings which really should be the only option if you plant to eat here otherwise your bull is going to be a whole lot of rice and very little of anything else.

The staff that works here is nice and friendly and happy to give you a new experience however it does not make up for what lacks in toppings.

The falafel bowl and sandwich itself did not feel like items where all the ingredients went together to create it really nice overall flavor combination. Even to Peter rap head a ton of bread and in the end felt like that was the dominating ingredient of the sandwich.

They offer a red spicy sauce which when you ask about is just your vanilla Frank sauce. They should just label it that to avoid confusion or surprises from a vinegar based sauce.

If you want something spicy then go for the tomato base spicy sauce which is much better. It is no harissa sauce but it does have a good kick.

CAVA Grill is coming in a big way to New York in New Jersey and I fear if it opens close to this location or even if Naf Naf Grill opens close by this restaurant will...

The place is very clean. The service is usually unfriendly but I can live with that as long as they aren’t rude. They are pricey too which is ok if the food was consistently good but it isn’t.

Some days, their meats are moist and flavorful and their vegetables and pickled items are crispy and fresh. Other days, the meats and rice can be dry and tasteless and vegetable soggy. The pickled turnips will sometimes be bright pink and crisp while other times, they’re wilted and tasteless. Also, their homemade packaged foods such as hummus and the desserts are a hit or miss because they’re being sold past their “sell by” date.

Their food leans towards bland. I do wish they seasoned their food more but that’s personal preference. They are also stingy with toppings especially given their prices. If you’re coming here hoping for Chipotle style build-a-bowl experience where you can ask for more of a topping or sauce, you will be disappointed. Surprisingly, a drizzle of their diluted, watery tahini is extra. Even if you pay extra for it, it doesn’t have the creamy consistency and nutty flavor you may be accustomed to which is unfortunate because that’s such a signature flavor in this cuisines.

All in all, they fulfill my cravings for middle eastern food from time to time because there are no other options around here and that definitely works to...

I have been ordering food from this place for about two years now. This is my complete honest review on the place. To those who wrote a review and said the owner was rude, they’re right and wrong at the same time. The owner is a nice guy however, he takes pride in his business and does not like anyone disrespecting his food, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. He once believed I wrote a bad review for him, and told me I’m not allowed back at his restaurant but it was a simple misunderstanding, however he could’ve definitely handled the situation much better. Apart from that, they’ve always treated me with respect and have recently referred to me on a first name basis as I’m a regular. The slightly older lady who works there always has a smile on her face and talks very kindly. The food here is amazing 90% of the time. Like I said I’ve gone here for two years and probably am on of their top customers when it comes to consistency. Some days I’ve eaten here for lunch and dinner, so I’ve seen them at their best and worst. All I can say is, the food almost rarely tastes bad; I’ve always found it delicious. The chicken is dry but that’s how it’s supposed to be. The flavor comes from the sauce you put on it such as the tahini. Everyone who works here treats me with respect and kindness. Overall 9.5/10. Love this place. It’s my...