Freekeh — Restaurant in San Francisco

We were a group of 10+, and that was our bad. The lanes between tables are narrow and not suited for a rowdy crowd meeting for a global reunion.

Parking is nuts. But this is the mission. And the signage is subtle so you may miss it.

They have decent cocktails and cocktails, with flavors from the Levant, with cardamom and other warming spices. Unique in some ways, familiar in others.

We ordered half the menu, from the veggie mezze platter to ful, chicken skewers to shrimp skewers. While most of the group enjoyed the food, the experience is on the understated side. The service was polite, but be prepared to ask for pita repeatedly. Don’t expect attention to detail where someone will fill your cup without asking or even ensure everyone has silverware. To be fair, they aren’t geared for large groups. We should’ve done our research. It’s a decent place for date night or a small intimate gathering of up to 4.

I am torn about the food. If I didn’t have a comparison with the excellent almost-Michelin star Beit Rima, I would’ve thought this was excellent. However portions are on the smaller side and the flavor is on the milder/blander side. It’s that one thing that needs to be amped up. Some lemon on the shrimp skewer, some spice on the chicken, the labneh was a little too sour. We enjoyed the muhamara, and the falafel wasn’t too shabby. The fattoush salad was fresh but lacked oomph. We had heard good things about the two Palestinian cheese, however be warned they can be very salty, yet somehow delicious. Some folks liked the veggie musakhan, a wrap that’s stuffed with cooked mushrooms, and others enjoyed their freekeh and red lentil soups.

While the desserts were average, kannafeh and qatayef, the standout was halwa with ice cream.

Overall this was a mixed experience. Mostly our fault for having a large group that overwhelmed the kitchen and staff, but most of the blame goes to Beit Rima for giving us high expectations from our middle...

This Palestinian-inspired cuisine stands out as a fresh and unique gem among the vibrant food scene of Mission/SOMA area.

The service was warm and shines as one of the most authentic parts of the dining experience — it almost felt like eating at someone’s Middle Eastern Uncle’s home. We were offered complimentary chips and a trio of dips, as well as a post-meal cup of light Mediterranean tea. Talk about an authentic experience!

At the recommendation of our waiter, we ordered the Zahara Bil Tahini (warm cauliflower), Kufta, and Rolled Chicken Shwarma (this was more than enough food for two grown men).

A great sign of a good meal is when we can’t decide which dish was the favorite — everything was just that good. If I had to choose one, I’d probably say the kufta stole the show, but the Zahara Bil Tahini and Chicken Shwarma were close seconds. Everything was fresh and beautifully presented, culminating in a 10/10 dining experience.

For those curious, freekeh is durum wheat grain prepared as a side dish in Palestinian cuisine (somewhat similar to rice) with a hearty, smoky flavor. We enjoyed trying the restaurant’s namesake, but it definitely performed as supporting actress to the incredibly flavorful meats and warm tapas that accompanied it.

Overall, we were excited to try Palestinian food here in SF, and will definitely be back again...

Our party of four came on a Wednesday evening at 7:30pm. Neighborhood parking is a bit challenging due to the popularity of the area with all the businesses there, but we found a 2 hr. spot (enforced until 9pm) after a couple loops. We ordered the house sampler plate, shish kabob, beet salad, the zahara bil tahini (cauliflower), halloumi, chicken shawarma, and for dessert, we had kanafeh, qatayef, halawa o buza. Everything, including the complimentary Palestinian dips with pita chips, was absolutely delicious- fresh and beautifully presented. It was hard to pick a favorite but I really liked the cauliflower! Two members of my party ordered a mocktail called Cinderella, and they were raving about it. The food was so good that we forgot to take pictures; we were too excited. I did remember while we were waiting for dessert, so there is one dessert picture in this review.

Our server, Lina, was attentive and very kind, and the other servers and staff were also very nice, professional, and polite. It was obvious that the staff wanted us to have a wonderful evening and we truly did. It is a very welcoming restaurant with lovely decor, excellent food and nice people. We can’t wait to come back and...