Sahara Restaurant & Banquet Center — Restaurant in Sterling Heights

I have been a loyal patron of this restaurant for several years, but recent experiences have left me deeply disappointed. While I have always enjoyed their food, the decline in quality and service in the last month is too significant to ignore. I feel compelled to share my concerns to warn potential customers.

Missing Items and Poor Communication: On multiple occasions, I have picked up to-go orders only to discover missing items from my bag. When I pointed this out to the staff, I was met with dismissive responses. The cook even insisted that the bread was in the bag when, in fact, it was missing. Such poor communication and lack of accountability are simply unacceptable.

Unpleasant Owner Interactions: Thave recently had the displeasure of interacting with the owner, Saad. His behavior exudes entitlement, and he has spoken down to customers. Such disrespectful behavior from the owner is unacceptable and casts a dark shadow over the entire dining experience. Kitchen Cleanliness and Hygiene: A quick glance into the kitchen revealed a concerning sight. It was visibly dirty and greasy, raising serious public health concerns. A clean and hygienic kitchen is essential to maintain the safety and well-being of customers, and this restaurant falls short in this regard.

Inconsistent Pricing and Portions: Not only has the quality of the food and service declined, but the pricing and portion sizes have also become inconsistent. This inconsistency adds to the frustration of dining here. In conclusion, I regret to say that the decline in the quality of both the food and service at this restaurant is a cause for concern. It is my hope that my review serves as a warning to potential customers who value quality and professionalism. I urge you to consider other dining options until these issues are addressed and resolved by the management. It's a disappointing turn of events, and I hope to see this restaurant regain its...

I only really go to Mediterranean places for the Chicken Cream Chop and the occasional shawarma. I went to Sahara twice within the last few months. Both times I ordered the same thing (they were not consistent in the amount of food they gave me both times). I love chicken cream chop and these guys do not know how to make it. Was it good? Yes. Was it chicken cream chop? No. This cream chop seemed like it was either flash fried or the breading was all wrong or both. It was super crispy like a chicken tender or crispy chicken sandwich. While this is all fine; cream chop is lightly breaded and lightly fried. The crust when cooked is soft and the inside is juicy and full of flavor. This was not the case at Sahara. I mean I still ate it and cleaned the plate (the fries were really good) but it was like getting chicken fries or chicken strips anywhere else which is alright because who does not like fried chicken? Also the amount of cream chop you actually get is a joke; they barely gave you any. Maybe I ordered it wrong but I could not find just cream chop on their menu. In this form of cream chop I would prefer the finger food to include as much cream chop as the fries and exclude the fries. I am five and just like mouth razors (cereal) the super crispy chicken destroyed the roof of my mouth. Their garlic sauce, turshee (pickled vegetables), humus and fresh bread were all great appetizers. I dipped my fries in all of those. Some extra points that helped them redeem their cream chop snafu was that they had hot sauce! And they had the good stuff; Red Hot and Tabasco (and they were new; one was barely touched and the other I broke the seal). This definitely made the meal better. True cream chop requires no sauce or amenities. I would go their again however I would probably try...

Mediocre across the board. With so many outstanding Mediterranean/Middle Eastern restaurants crowding the landscape,this pioneer in the genre needs to step up its "game." The food was served cold; the shish tawook and shish kaftan were dry, the kabobs were passing. Really disappointing, lifeless taboulee, limp fatoosh, and runny hommous rounded out the cavalcade of lamentable fare. The worst , very poor service only contributed to the disappointment. There was only one unfriendly waiter who doubled as manager or cashier for our group of 15.His lifeless unsmiling face was a real turnoff. He just motioned with head to the location of the group,when I arrived. Never smiled, never spoke. The restaurant had few diners...a clue perhaps? The waiter who should seek a career change, never asked for beverage orders. All we had were self-serve melting ice water in sweating pitchers After bringing the platters, he"d disappear;in fact we saw him 3 times: when he served the condiment appetizers, the 6 combo platters, and to collect the check and his undeserved hefty tip. We had advance reservations for over a week, which may have accounted for the sub-par, pre-made, pre-cooked taste. Thank goodness the joy of the occasion more than compensated for the otherwise unfortunate food...