Cleo's — Restaurant in New Orleans

Popped in before an event nearby for a quick lunch. We ordered the fried cauliflower hummus, a falafel sandwich, eggplant sandwich, a side of fries, and a side of garlic sauce. The sandwiches and hummus were good. The fries were okay, but not exceptional (they were shorter & chunkier and reminded us of the fries that come with a chicken tenders off a kid's menu).

Even though the hummus was pretty good, in hindsight we regretted ordering it. It was a regular-sized (a shallow bowl about 5-in in diameter) portion of chickpea hummus with four battered & deep-fried cauliflower florets on top. For $17 it was expensive (for comparison the blue crab topped hummus at Saba is $20, the whole head of roasted cauliflower with whipped goat cheese is $14 at Domenica). I was also slightly disappointed that the garlic sauce was not toum, but that's what I get for not asking. We had to ask for water a couple times, but it was extremely slow in the restaurant at that time of day and I don't expect the waiter to hover over us.

All that said, we will definitely be back here! The sandwiches were a good price for the quantity & quality and I'd like to try some of the entrees. There are few restaurants in the French Quarter with healthy and have vegan/vegetarian options. The interior decor is absolutely gorgeous. I'm pretty sure our server was in fact the owner and they were extremely friendly and gregarious. I really look forward to going back next time...

Service was virtually nonexistent. Here’s how it went: Person 1 and 2 - received their meal but had no silverware. Asked for silverware twice before receiving it. Food was barely warm by the time they had utensils with which to eat it. Person 1 was also missing salad dressing which we asked for 3 times; waitress suggested a to-go box for the salad since we were finished eating everything else by the time she brought out the dressing. Didn’t ask for a to-go box…but I DID ask for salad dressing THREE TIMES! Person 3 - received their meal after person 1 and 2 but also before the silverware (so hard to eat without those, ya know?). Person 3 was missing fries which eventually came after the rest of the meal was consumed. Good thing he didn’t want ketchup or we may still be sitting there. Person 4 - got silverware but no meal. Their meal finally came after everyone else was finished (except person 1 who at that time was still waiting on salad dressing). Person 4 was missing pita to go with their hummus. The pita finally came after just 1 additional request and was nice and warm…the highlight of the meal (that’s where the 1 star came from). Water was never refilled. The waitress would be gone for several minutes between requests…most of which went unfulfilled until requested multiple times. Unfortunately the 2 other tables that were occupied at lunchtime with us both had issues as well. So...

Cleo's Mediterranean Café – A Masterclass in How Not to Make Shawarma

Wow. Just… wow. If you’re ever in New Orleans and feel like being disappointed, go ahead and try the "shawarma" at Cleo’s Mediterranean Café. I ordered the chicken shawarma with hummus, rice, and pita — sounds simple enough, right? What I got was a sad, confusing mess.

Let’s start with the “shawarma” — and I use that term very loosely. It wasn’t wrapped. At all. Just dry, chewy chicken tossed on pita bread, like someone gave up halfway through making it. No veggies, no salad, no sauce — nothing. Just lonely meat sitting there looking as miserable as I felt eating it. I guess seasoning and freshness aren’t part of their kitchen vocabulary either.

And the pita? It was just there. Not wrapping anything, not complementing anything — just existing. Like a side character in a terrible movie. The hummus was the only thing remotely edible.

Honestly, if you’ve ever had real shawarma — you know, the kind with juicy, flavorful meat, tangy sauces, fresh veggies, and warm, tender pita wrapped like it’s supposed to be — this place will break your heart. If you’re craving the real deal, do yourself a favor and head to New York City. Or literally anywhere else.

Pathetic. Absolutely...