Alquds Mediterranean Grill 2 — Restaurant in Rio Rancho

I was looking for something new to try in the way of food. As I went in, I was pleasantly surprised by the interior Decor as it felt like I was transported to another country. Unlike other places that have a little Mediterranean food and lots of American, this was all Mediterranean food. I had a hard time choosing what to order as there were so many options available. I ended up going with Dolmas as an appetizer, the lamb Shawarma and the pistachio baklava for dessert.

Everything I ate was so rich and flavorful; the flavors just burst in my mouth. The Dolmas were served warm with a dipping sauce. They almost melted in my mouth they were so good. I had the hummus with the Shawarma instead of rice. The rice looked very good; however, I was glad that I went with the hummus. With the meal came two pitas. These pitas were warm, soft, pillowy and so delicious. I probably could have eaten a dozen of those pitas just by themselves if I hadn't ordered the meal. The pitas are handmade in the restaurant daily and they are so amazing. I've had a lot of pitas before, but these were the best I've had.

There were several desserts available; I chose the pistachio baklava on the suggestion of the server. He said that it is one of the best baklava is you'll find in New Mexico. He was right, The Baklava was some of the best I've ever tasted. There wasn't too much honey; however, it wasn't dry. The flavors were wonderful and the pistachios really enhanced the flavor. I can't wait for the rest of my family to try this pistachio baklava.

As I mentioned before, the decor transports you to another country. The color palette was warm, everything in the restaurant was a cohesive mix from the walls to the chairs to the benches, making you want to sit and relax in the atmosphere. The restaurant was neat, clean and well designed.

I will be going back, taking my family with me and I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone that enjoys...

First of all I wanted to say how cherished we felt as soon as we walked in the door. I had only heard stories of Mediterranean hospitality from movies and stories told to me as a kid and for the first time ever I felt that when I went to Alquds. Our server was so kind and attentive. Despite my own trials ordering from their menu the way I would have ordered from the previous restaurant he amended our order until it had EVERYTHING that we wanted in it.

The real treat for me was this: they make the best hummus I've had since I was a child. My grandmother and I frequented a Mediterranean bakery in Gainesville, Florida that specialized in only pita and hummus. That was always my best reference for authentic hummus and pita my entire life and I never tasted it to that level of quality again until yesterday when I tried Alquds Hummus. The texture was the best I've ever had. Period. The tahini was so balanced and the olive oil was the most wonderfully earthy and spicy flavor I prefer over fruity oil.

The Chicken Tawook and rice was amazing. I couldn't have been happier. But to finish it all off the pistachio baklava made everyone in our party melt with satisfaction. Alquds is truly your authentic portal to the Mediterranean. I will be going there...

We've been eating here once a week now for quite a while. The atmosphere is quiet and cozy with wonderful music at just the right decibel level. The guys who run this place are really committed to providing top-quality food. We love all of their middle eastern cuisine and, besides, they have the best cheeseburgers and fries, if you're in the mood. The guys are so friendly and fun to talk with that it feels like a real neighborhood hangout. It's hard to find that feeling of community in this world, anymore. Bravo Alquds!

Ordered takeout on 6/20/23 and it was wonderful, again!

We came in for an early dinner, maybe 2 months ago (or something like that). It happened that the owner (who served us) was running on no sleep due to his wife having just had a baby. He was the most delightful man and we had a wonderful conversation with him. He did the cooking and it was delicious and he even treated us to some little sweet treats to celebrate the birth of his baby. We will be back soon and we also have been to Alquds in Albuquerque (which is also very good)! Thanks for being a wonderful Rio...