Mediterranean Kitchen — Restaurant in Kirkland

Okay, so let’s get some things straight from these past reviews.

I was scared of coming here because of the negative reviews saying the kitchen is skimping on meat, too much onions, and quality has gone down. It made me sad because I’ve been coming here since I was a kid and always loved the big portion sizes and food.

I came in with a party of 4 and the new manager explained to me that the reviews that were written were people who came on literally the busiest days like Mother’s Day etc where the restaurant was packed. He explained the proteins are proportioned out per order, but if you have 10 orders, they all get mixed in together and when it’s served onto the plate, it’s hard to divide evenly the proteins. I was reassured that there would be plenty of protein for my shawarma.

Not only did they come through with quantity size, the food was excellent. Wonderful spices and flavors and not overly heavy. The lentil soup was amazing, garlic dip excellent with the pita and the mezza tray has fresh ingredients and never fails.

We finished off with traditional Turkish coffee which had a hint of cardamon in it? It was so refreshing. I can’t give anything less than 5 stars. My husband and I split an entree and STILL had leftovers.

So lesson learned? Don’t always believe the reviews. Give this place a try and have a conversation with the manager. I love...

Stopped in for lunch - delicious food, well-prepared, and incredibly inexpensive for gargantuan portions. A typical $10.50 plate could easily have fed two hungry people. You will have a magnificent case of garlic breath after eating this cuisine - it's not for people who prefer blander food.

Freshly baked pitas, creative use of potatoes (waffle fries with labne (homemade strained yogurt), ketchup and seasonings are a great comfort appetizer). Fresh vegetables and herbs, grilled meats that are still juicy... I've had much more expensive meals in much fancier places that didn't treat the ingredients half as well.

Service is order at the counter, reasonably quick table delivery. The space could get uncomfortably loud when the restaurant is full; takeout is your best option if you're hoping for a quieter meal.

This appears to be a family-run establishment; nothing will remind you of a chain. There are minor inefficiencies and a little yelling back and forth along the service line that's visible to the customers. When I asked about the mint tea, they immediately offered a taste. The cashier was courteous (or at least as kind as possible at a stand-in-line order counter) in explaining unfamiliar dishes.

If I wasn't traveling, this would be my...

I feel like this place sold out. When I first started coming here, I was working nearby. Their food felt authentic and the people owning it spoke Arabic with each other. Something about the taste, authenticity and spices was magical. I can no longer say that. What the menu says the food is, is actually incorrect. I got the Mousakka. Instead of the cauliflower, they put loads of mushrooms. I'm not the biggest fan of them. I brought it up to the cashier, and instead of saying "sure, let me get you a refund" or "we will remake that or you can pick a different dish." she argued with me. I understood that they have a pre-made mix of some sort, and the mushroom is already there, but at least update your menu to say that. I bit into garlic pieces multiple times as well, and additional sauce to cover up the awkward taste would have been $0.85. I was not satisfied at all. The replacement was okay, but it wasn't the best. That's the last $14.62 that they ever get out of me. The additional star is in case the original owners still own this place and have just hired some new people that might need extra training on some...