Abu Naji Restaurant — Restaurant in Tampa

I went here a while ago with my sister, baby infant and brother and at that time, the service, decor and food was 10/10.

We decided to come again here on Mother’s Day and it was not as good of an experience. We drove an hour to come here.

We had 5 people and a baby, and made reservations ahead of time. Got there 10 mins early and waited an hour.. with an infant that’s not easy and shouldn’t have happened. We did reserve a floor seat so that may have been what caused the delay but it was made known ahead of time when we reserved that that’s what we wanted. We also did not get a table like before. We got a plastic sheet spread on the carpet. I’m not sure if that’s normal now, and what we had previously( a raised table) is normal, but this made it really difficult to control the baby from knocking everything over, which wasn’t an issue with the table. It’s Mother’s Day so the place was very busy. I do not fault the staff, who was wonderful before and was very nice on this day but it was obvious that they were spread too thin and there needed to be more wait-staff to properly do everything on a busy holiday. We didn’t get our tea drink. We didn’t get our to-go cups for the pitcher of lemonade we didn’t finish ($30 pitcher of lemonade!.. it was amazing but when I found that out I definitely wanted to take the rest home, but I couldn’t keep waiting any longer with a crying baby after 10 mins of standing around). The bathrooms (both of them) were beyond filthy. No soap in any dispensers. Garbage overflowing. Toilets and sinks with “particles”.. the middle sink didn’t work… that scared my husband, who had typhoid when we went on vacation to a middle-eastern country in the past and it brought back horrible memories. Please please keep those bathrooms clean. That matters so much and in the US is a huge deterrent. I’m ending this on a good note- the food. It’s INCREDIBLE! I haven’t gotten anything that I didn’t like here and we ordered a lot. It was all perfectly hot and delicious. Worth the wait. The lamb!!! You have to try it. There are several things which are not on the tiny menu, which I saw people around us that know what to order get and will need to inquire about next time I come because it all appeared amazing. Even my picky husband admitted everything was delicious. Whoever is in the kitchen— chef’s kiss. Incredible work and execution.

We will be back. I know that this review is a little less than good. I’m sorry. I wanted to be honest and I wanted to come back and have a better experience and not just make this a place we never go back to. I really hope that some of the things we had issues with can be resolved. Ill come back and update the review in...

We visited Abu Naji Restaurant on the day of Eid, hoping to celebrate with a special meal, but sadly, the experience was quite disappointing and not worth the money we spent.

To begin with, nowhere was it mentioned that prices would be increased for Eid, yet we were charged $160 for just three people—nearly three times the regular cost. This lack of transparency felt unfair and misleading, especially for a day that is supposed to be festive and welcoming.

On top of that, the food took 58 minutes to arrive, even though the restaurant was not full. Waiting nearly an hour when there are empty tables around was frustrating and showed poor kitchen coordination or prioritization.

When the food finally arrived, it did not meet our expectations at all. The meat was overcooked, dry, and very tough, unlike what you’d expect from a good Yemeni place where the meat is typically tender and full of flavor. The rice was bland and under-seasoned, missing that aromatic spice and depth that usually defines Middle Eastern cuisine. It genuinely felt rushed and uninspired.

The only thing we enjoyed was the fresh bread served with honey, which was warm, soft, and comforting. That small touch stood out, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to balance out the rest of the poor experience.

The staff were friendly and polite, and we appreciated their attitude and willingness to assist. However, even good service cannot make up for unreasonable pricing, long wait times, and subpar food.

Overall, I would not recommend Abu Naji Restaurant on Eid or other special occasions unless they make their price changes clear ahead of time and improve the consistency and quality of their food. There are other Yemeni and Middle Eastern restaurants in the area that offer better food, more reasonable prices, and more reliable service. This visit left us disappointed, especially considering how much we...

When I leave a Google review, my goal isn’t to be overly critical but to share feedback that helps a business improve. The food at this restaurant was very good, but I’d like to offer some constructive suggestions that could take it from good to great.

Before we even walked in, my friend—who owns a restaurant in Tampa—pointed out that the first thing people notice is cleanliness. Unfortunately, the front door and entrance area were noticeably dirty, which didn’t make the best first impression.

We arrived right at noon when the restaurant opened. As soon as we sat down, I felt uncomfortably hot. I’m not sure if the air conditioning wasn’t working or was just set too low, but it definitely affected the experience.

Now, onto the food: we ordered the Abu Naji family platter with chicken, lamb, and salad. The meat was extremely tender and delicious. The rice had great flavor, though my wife and our guest found it a bit too salty.

When I visited the restroom, cleanliness again became an issue. The paper towel dispenser was empty, and when I eventually found paper towels, the trash bin had no liner—just an empty can. Since we were the very first guests of the day, I would have expected the restrooms to be fully stocked and ready before opening.

On a positive note, our young server was polite and attentive, and the overall food and décor were very nice. If the restaurant can put more focus on cleanliness and small details, I truly believe it has the potential to reach...