Taziki's Mediterranean Café - Gruene Heights — Restaurant in New Braunfels

Ahhhh where do I start? I don’t leave reviews often, but this place warranted one.

So this place just opened, and we live in Gruene, filled with upper class people who live in their little Gruene bubble. New Braunfels itself is a bubble of a lack of diversity. That being said, I feel as though most of the demographic wouldn’t know good Mediterranean food from bad. Maybe I’m wrong. With the current ratings I might be.

We went on a Friday night, so we didn’t expect it to be slow. That being said we were maybe 4th to 5th in line. It didn’t take very long to reach the order counter, but still about 15 minutes. There are no menus between the front of the store and the order counter, so figure out what you want prior to arrival. Maybe that’s what took so long for 5 people to order. No one knows what’s on the menu until they reach the counter. Service was fine. Employees were great. We sat outside because inside was crowded. No one had their food. Alas we ended waiting maybe 40 minutes for ours. Every single table next to us, including ours was approached by an employee who apologized for the wait. One was giving a free hummus sampler plate. We were given vouchers for something free for our next visit. The point here is the wait was extraordinarily long.

Onto the food:

Good lord. I ordered the spicy hummus with pita. Once it finally arrived the pita was stale and cold. I ordered the lamb gyro, and my girlfriend ordered the spicy chicken gyro. Both served on again stale pita. The lamb/beef isn’t a traditional Greek gyro meat (which is ground and well seasoned). These are just chunks of poorly seasoned meat. The chicken, while not usually ground was also just awful. You could tell it had the “previously frozen” taste, and yea. Stale pita all around, and just poor quality ingredients and flavor.

Finally:

The owner (or one of them) came out to clean off a table that had been left for 15-20 minutes, only at the request of patrons who came over from The Chicken Salad chick. He elaborated on how it was a franchise and also owned an “On the Grind” coffee drive thru. Kinda obvious based on the quality of food and lengthy service, this was likely an expected easy cash grab for someone who has the capital to own and operate multiple franchises (albeit poorly). Based on the reviews at the time of mine (3.6 stars) people are already noticing the overall poor experience of this place. If the food stays this way, I hope it continues to trend downward. Touted as “locally owned and operated”, but zero regard for authenticity. It’s more of a reflection of the community here. Gruene has a reputation for being a tourist trap, delivering poor quality inauthentic stuff for high quality prices. This is no different. I really had high hopes for this place. I thought it would be like a Daphne’s or Demo’s. Unfortunately we’re still relegated to places like that or Pasha if you want actual quality Mediterranean faire. It sucks. Because we aren’t tourists. We live 1 minute down the road. We want good food nearby. This...

I’d say this — not as a critique, just some straight talk from me.

Beautiful spot. Clean, sharp, friendly crew behind the counter. No argument there. But that alone doesn’t make it a Mediterranean café or a Mediterranean restaurant.

If you’re gonna serve lamb, make sure it tastes like lamb. Same goes for the beef. And please — add fries to that menu.

I get it — somebody probably said, “Hey, let’s toss in some chips.” Okay. Keep your potato chips if you really want to. Just make them a side choice, not the default. When I open my tray and see chips scattered next to a gyro, it feels more like a sandwich shop than a real Greek café.

Fries, y’all. Hot, crispy, a touch salty. Fries that belong next to a juicy gyro wrapped tight in warm pita. They’re not optional — they’re part of the whole experience.

And please, don’t come at me with the “healthy option” talk. Fries and gyros just go together. Always have. Always will.

Now — I did notice they offer roasted red potatoes. Okay, nice touch. But so what? That’s still not fries. Totally different ballgame. Fries belong with gyros. Red potatoes belong next to a Sunday roast.

Now, about those salads.

We tried the pasta salad and that cucumber-feta-tomato mix. Both were… fine. Fresh enough, not bad, but just not flavorful. Nothing that made me reach for another bite.

Not terrible — just out of place and out of their league. Honestly, even if you handed me a free gift card, I probably wouldn’t order either again.

And just to be clear — the restaurant isn’t out here calling these things “pairings.” That’s me doing that. They list them as “options,” but hey, in my book, an “option” still means you’re pairing it with something. So if we’re pairing, let’s pair right.

Now we gotta talk tzatziki.

Hey. No breaks here. That gyro is begging for some real sauce — the kind that makes you stop talking for a second. Right now, it’s just okay. Needs some pop. Add more yogurt, sour cream, dill, mint, vinegar, cucumber, garlic, and a little lemon. Let it rest a day or two. That’s when the magic happens.

Pita bread? You’re close. I like it a bit more doughy — that soft kind with a little flour dust on your fingers, but still sturdy enough to hold its own. You drop that gyro, it’s over.

Now picture this: a fat, well-stuffed gyro on a real plate, hot fries on the side, bold tzatziki, and a tall glass of Texas sweet tea. That’s what brings folks back — and keeps ’em talking.

Do that, and you’ll light up FM 306.

So ditch the deli trays, finger-food sides, and sub-shop vibe. Focus on pairing — or “optioning,” whichever you prefer — pair, pair, and then pair some more.

You’re close. Real close. I see promise here.

That’s it for now.

Got questions? Hit me up. I check messages about once a week.

Still recommend this spot. Go try it for yourself. Nothing wrong here that a few easy fixes won’t fix.

Just my...

I don’t normally leave reviews, but after my recent visit to Taziki’s, I felt like I had to share how genuinely impressed I was—not just with the food, which was incredible—but with the outstanding service from the cashier, Blake.

Let’s start with the food: I ordered the grilled lamb gyro with a side of basmati rice and a Greek salad. Everything tasted fresh, balanced, and flavorful. The lamb was tender and perfectly seasoned, the pita was warm and soft, and the tzatziki sauce? Cool, creamy, and just tangy enough to tie everything together. You could tell nothing had been sitting around—it was all made with care. The Greek salad was bright and crisp with a nice kick of feta and olives, and the rice had that subtle buttery flavor that makes you keep going back for one more bite.

Now, about Blake—this guy genuinely elevated the whole experience. From the moment I walked in, he greeted me with a level of friendliness and professionalism you don’t always see in fast-casual places. He was patient as I took my time deciding, offered helpful suggestions without being pushy, and really seemed to know the menu well. I asked for a recommendation, and the way he described the flavors of the grilled lamb versus the chicken made it obvious he actually cared about what I ended up ordering.

Blake also made sure my order was correct, double-checked for any dietary preferences, and even made sure I had everything I needed before I walked away from the counter. He had this calm, confident energy that made the whole experience feel smooth and stress-free. It was honestly the kind of service you’d expect from a much higher-end restaurant. You can tell he takes pride in what he does—and it shows.

Taziki’s is already a go-to for fresh, flavorful Mediterranean food, but having someone like Blake at the front makes it a place you want to keep coming back to. Great food, amazing service, and a welcoming vibe all around. Huge shoutout to him and...