MeZe Eatery Grass Valley — Restaurant in Grass Valley

[UPDATE TO REFLECT MOST RECENT VISIT] Okay, I tried to play neutral during these crazy times because everyone is suffering, but this establishment has clearly decided to take the low road in a divided city. There was not one single mask being worn by a guest or by an employee. It's a blatant, rebellious disregard for our community, and quite frankly, an it's an embarrassment to Grass Valley that one of our most on-display eateries (because it's right on Mill Street) refuses to accept pretty basic scientific principles. The person in line ahead of us was not wearing a mask and was served right away. We stayed back 6 feet, and when we stepped forward on our turn we were merely glanced at and then ignored. We stood there waiting as the older lady moved like molasses to change a tap without acknowledging our existence, and the younger girl moved around doing who knows what, also without acknowledging us. After about 3 awkward minutes, we just turned around and left because to be honest, this place was nothing like we remembered it to be. Looking around we noticed that the place was definitely not clean. The seating area was littered with restaurant miscellany while a couple of employees or managers/owners (people I recognize from previous visits) sat at a table chatting intensely. Behind the counter was untidy, and the prep station had food scattered about. There was no life inside, only maskless apathy. We will definitely NOT be returning to MeZe, even after the pandemic passes. It's a huge disappointment because I was very excited when they first opened...

[ORIGINAL 3 STAR REVIEW] Good vegan options and yummy beverages. Customer service is pretty lacking here though, as is comfortable seating. Very questionable COVID practices, so my review is mostly a pre-COVID opinion. Open kitchen shows a clean workspace, and they have limited outdoor dining options. Perfect spot to park outside for the 4th of July parade - get...

Really new and different food for Grass Valley, MeZe offers Israeli/middle eastern food in a casual environment. Typical menu items are in the range of $15 . You can order pitas sandwiches or plates, which feature meat or falafel, for example, with small servings of salads and dressings. I've had both a sandwich and a falafel plate. I enjoyed both, but the falafel was just a touch over crisp and dry. Still good if dipped in sauce! Food is ordered at the register, and your name is called when it's ready. Someone needs to explain to me why a tip is suggested by the cash register software. Since when do cashiers get tips? Also, the cashier is responsible for the phone, which means divided attention. Have someone else do the take out orders! Seating is quite limited in this small eatery...less than 6 small tables and a counter. Nowhere is comfort a consideration...the chairs are functional but do not encourage lingering! The service can be kind of strange. Pita sandwich halfs are served on a rack, oddly lodged into coffee filters. That's just wierd, and not actually very effective for drippy hand held food like this. Hopefully they will plow some of their profits into a better service solution! Overall, this is worthwhile place. The prime mission of a restaurant is to serve good food, and MeZe does that. It's fresh, made from scratch, unusual flavors, and plenty of vegetarian options. The price is reasonable. It's not a comfy hang out dinner place, for sure, but for a quick tasty and healthy dinner, it is great. And I bet the peripheral details will improve as they are in...

The food was good but many other things were wrong. Health concerns.

It pains me to give a bad review but I hope it helps the business do better next time. First of all I work in food service, I was out of work for a long time due to COVID-19 and it was hard finding a new job I lost a lot of income this year so my review has no political background. I was excited to see this type of food and was eager to try it, I saw the tables outside with some deliciously looking plates so I had to try it.

My wife ordered and I went in to pick up the order, as I waited for the order I noticed how the person on the line plating the food was not wearing gloves, according to the California food code contact with ready to eat food (won't have any further preparation to be eaten) should be done with disposable gloves. Its the kind of stuff health inspectors fine during inspections. The cashier who was handling cash from the tip jar jumped in to help plating the orders not wearing gloves, more importantly not washing his hands before touching the food. One of the cooks was opening some bags of condiments with his teeth. None in the kitchen was wearing a face mask except the cashier. I know the mask is uncomfortable in a hot kitchen by own experience, but its a reality we have to face for a few more months. A close friend lost his father to COVID, a high-school classmate also died recently to the virus.

I didn't enjoy my food wondering if this was safe...