Kenz Egyptian-Mediterranean Restaurant — Restaurant in Houston

Wow! I love finding gems like this one in my own backyard. I have no context for comparing this to a real experience in Egypt, however I will share how it felt to me. Walking in it already felt like a you’re stepping onto foreign soil. The live music (I went on a Saturday night) was amazing and was the main contributor to feeling like I was not in the Galleria. The beautiful decor and cozy feel of the place rounded out the atmosphere to make it feel like I was transported to Egypt. I ordered the Egyptian Mint Tea (it’s served hot). It was wonderful to enjoy alone; however save some for the Koshary. I picked Koshary because it says it’s the national dish of Egypt. It was a wonderful choice. I added chicken to it, but I will tell you that it was fantastic on its own. And the portions are perfect for two. Pro tip: take the garlic sauce that comes with it and spread it on top of the dish. Do the same with the fire sauce, unless spicy is not your thing. I loved both but enjoyed the garlic sauce the most. I put the fire sauce on about a quarter of the dish. Back to the tea. Please sip it after taking some bites of the Koshary. Something about the combination of the two highlights the flavors of both. Super good food. Lastly the service was great. I showed up, table for one, waiting at the hostess station. She was busy serving food so the owner quickly popped up and asked how many and sat me down. And since this is also a cultural experience for me, I appreciated the owner coming by and asking if it was my first time eating Koshary, to which I said yes. He politely took my garlic sauce and spread it on half the dish. This is how the dish is meant to be experienced - I had been dipping my bites into it. Choose what you like, but I appreciated his sharing this experience and with me. And yes, it did make a difference and was absolutely delicious. I will be back to try the sampling menu...

DONT GET SCAMMED

The food here was good, but it looked a bit dry and reheated, although the tea was decent. However, the service was extremely shady and uncomfortable. The lady who served us added an automatic gratuity for a party of six or more, even though it was just myself and my two parents. Nowhere on their menu or in the restaurant was this policy stated, and it’s not a legally enforceable charge.

It felt like a deliberate attempt to overcharge in order to get a double tip on a higher bill that didn't make sense. To verify, I texted myself the receipt to review the breakdown. After that, the server began hiding in the kitchen, avoiding eye contact, which seemed like an effort to avoid any confrontation.

I waited, knowing this wasn’t right. Eventually, she came back and handed me $15 in cash (not even covering the up charge), claiming, “next time I have to charge you for 4 or more automatically,” and lied about the system’s requirements, assuming I don't know the system she's using. This account then falsely claimed on my mother’s review that they had “made it right and gave us free drinks,” which is simply not true.

I’m deeply disappointed that this restaurant would risk losing our entire family as customers over such a small amount. I was prepared to tip cash as well, as I always do when my parents are treated with respect and dignity. Instead, we were left in an uncomfortable environment where dishonesty seemed more important than repeat customers. They’d rather lie for an extra $20, losing not just my family but also our extended family and network in Houston. Such a shame.

My mother and I are not the same person, each person is allowed to write a review of their experience. Esp when...

This is my family's first experience at Kenz Mediterranean-Egyptian:

My dad ordered the lamb dish, which was really tender and especially delicious when paired with the vegetables and sauce that came with it. My mom ordered the Yellow Rice Platter dish with Chicken and Greek Salad. The rice and chicken flavors had a subtle kick that enhanced the dish.

I ordered the Kenz Mediterranean Quesadilla with Gyro, which came with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and cheese folded in a nice and thin Mediterranean Flatbread similar to that of a tortilla. I've never had pickles in a quessadilla, but I must admit the ingredient did add to the flavorful experience throughout the dish. It is the perfect amount for someone with a semi-big appetite, but even if you have a smaller stomach , it is also a great dish to save one or two slices of quessadilla to reheat for a future meal. (It also came with a sauce, I'm unsure what it was. However, it was really good when I dipped the quessadilla in it!)

We enjoyed a platter of walnut baklava with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert. The ice cream had a subtle yet present vanilla flavor, and the texture was slightly more solid than that of "scooped soft serve." The ice cream was not too overwhelmingly sweet, which paired well with the slightly sweeter crispy squares of baklava.

One item from the menu we truly enjoyed was the Hot Egyptian Tea, which was really enjoyable even amidst the hot summer heat of Houston. The tea was slightly sweet, and there was a subtle hint of mint, creating a unique and comforting flavor. Highly recommended to try!

Thank you, Kenz Mediterranean, for the fantastic meal! We will be sure to...