Ziryab

by Roanna z.

Nice to see one of my old fave's is still pulling in 4 stars. The first thing you notice about Ziryab is the decor, simple with a hint of "you're on vacation". Divisadero is nothing great to look at but the little patio out front manages to create an environment of it's own.We had the Mint Mojitos, they weren't even over priced at 7 each and the server told us that they're 5 during happy hour! The dishes are medium portioned and very flavorful. We had the Chicken Tajine and the Beef and Lamb Shwarma. Both were really tasty. Sweet pick for our final alone night. On a YELP hunt for a really good Gyro or Shwarma, we came across Ziryab on Divisadero. I'm just so…

by Michael M.

This has become the place that my roommate and I bring our out of town guests to dinner. It is very close to our flat and this restaurant never disappoints. This evening we brought my flatmate's 65 yr. old mom from Detroit, she tried food that she had never had before and was ooohing and aaahing the entire time. The server was friendly and gracious. Without hesitation, I highly recommend this place. I love this place. The food is incredible, the prices reasonable and the staff friendly. What else…

by Justin B.

Ziryab is a solid no hassle option on Divis. While it might not have the allure of Nopa, Bar Crudo, Alembic and other "hotspots" around the area its always delivered for me. Good service, good food, and typically no wait. I have left Nopa's bar after getting sick of competing with weird yuppies and douche-bags for seats only to find solace in a cheap glass of wine and a plate of kebab at Ziryab's outdoor heated patio. If you have room in your stomach try the beyti kebab. It is DELICIOUS. Another good tip is their brunch is fantastic. WAY better than I thought it would be. And no wait in my experience.

by jill k.Roanna z.Rick V.Vince S.

i don't know much about hookah, and our server was no help in that arena.  in fact, she seemed pretty out of it, period.  luckily, my friend was able to teach us the basics, so we could puff to our heart's delight.that said, this place was clean and their food looked good.  perhaps, i will give it another try sometime!Nice to see one of my old fave's is still pulling in 4 stars. The first thing you notice about Ziryab is the decor, simple with a hint of "you're on vacation". Divisadero is nothing great to look at but the little patio out front manages to create an environment of it's own.We had the Mint Mojitos, they weren't even over priced at 7 each and the server told us that they're 5 during happy hour! The dishes are medium portioned and very flavorful. We had the Chicken Tajine and the Beef and Lamb Shwarma. Both were really tasty. Sweet pick for our final alone night. On a YELP hunt for a really good Gyro or Shwarma, we came across Ziryab on Divisadero. I'm just so… Just scoping out the ol' hood...Scotty's Transmissions - GONE!Eddie's Cafe doesn't show SOUL FOOD on the window...Wauzi Records - GONE!What is this Ziryab, with the outdoor patio seating?It's more Middle Eastern than Mediterranean. Not a huge place. I understand they do the hukkah thing at night. Waitress was very nice, but she should smile more. First we had appetizers. We got the sampler plate. Without doubt, the very best falafel I've ever tasted. Warm, so delicious... my fav deli can't touch this. It also came with humuus, tabouli, and babaghanooj. These were alright... not great. I had the lamb shish kabob entree for lunch, served on skewers with couscous. It was alright...  not great. One of us ordered the lamb wrap. That looked pretty good, and she liked it a lot. For dessert we split an order of Baklava. OK, now this was excellent. Ten times better than any liquor store on Geary. So light and sweet. Along with some Turkish Coffee, this is a great way to end a meal.This is a nice place to just hang out and whip out your lap top on a nice day. Sip a glass of wine... discuss World Cup Soccer, SAABS, Audis, Volvos, your last Men At Work CD...Said I would be back, so here I am!!The food was again, was beyond delicious!!  We got the hummus sampler plate that came with falafel and some cucumber yogurt, and two other kinds of hummus.  SO good.I of course, without hesitation, ordered the Special of the Day...their signature lamb/beef kabob, wrapped in some pita bread, topped with some spicy red sauce and draped with even more yogurt.It was SOO good...both tables next to ours ordered it once they saw it come out and placed right in front of me.  Simply mouthwatering!! :-DI've never had that happen to me before.  Have you ever had complete strangers comment on your food and then call the waitress so that they can cancel their orders and reorder what you're having???LOL. Love it! Went to this place for a little blind date action, and I have to say it was really delicious!!! Our…

by Ace V.

Horrible service!  Only had hookah and drinks here.  The waiter never came back to our table, forgot orders, and just had an apathetic attitude.  Save your money and your time.

by Fannie S.

This is what that date e-mailed me with 4 days later...."I'm sorry our date didn't really work out for you. I thought you were really nice. I hope you weren't unpleasantly surprised by anything when we met.   On a side note, I might have a friend that would be a better match for you if you are interested."My sister said I should say yes to see what kind of friends an anti-hipster has...:-P Date took me here.  Of course this is after he thought the menu was crappy, and then discovered NOPA…

by tor t.

Love this place. The little Euro-cafe seating area out front is awesome, and you can smoke some Shisha hookahs as you choose from a whole mess of great middle eastern dishes. The wine selection is good too, and whole laid-back Mediterranean vibe is very appealing to a guy who used to live in Europe and misses the whole cafe-culture thing. Biggest surprise: The recently added brunch menu--an embarrassment of culinary riches. Seriously like 30 options, more than I've ever seen. Downsides  Sometimes the chicken shish kebabs can be a little underseasoned for this hot-pepper-junkie, but liberal application of the harisa hot sauce fixes that ASAP. (You have to ask for it though.) Also, some of the hookah flavors aren't so good (I recommend the Guava).

by Evy S.

I went here with the boyfriend on a night when we were both starving. I was a little hesitant about going here, but only because was tummy was saying "if you don't feed me NOW I will embarass you later. You know I will!" The wait wasn't long at all. We ordered the babaghanouge as the appetizer. It was decent, but I don't think I would order it again. My boyfriend ordered the slow-braised lamb for his main dish, and I ordered the rack of lamb. Baa. I think they were both quite tasty and well cooked. The dessert we ordered was delicious. On the menu it's described as 'puffy pastry cream fill with fresh straw.' (Somethig like that.) Don't let that gibberish fool you! It's really a delicious heart shaped puffed-pastry with a white chocolate cream filling and fresh strawberries. So delicious.I ordered the Moroccan tea, and I loved it. It's a minty tea and they bring it to you in a teapot and glass with sugar to add to it.  A new favorite drink of mine.When I left here I felt perfectly satisfied. My tummy was happy and I hoped it learned the lesson that good things come to those who wait. Good, puffy, delicious, white chocolatey things.

by jill k.

i don't know much about hookah, and our server was no help in that arena.  in fact, she seemed pretty out of it, period.  luckily, my friend was able to teach us the basics, so we could puff to our heart's delight.that said, this place was clean and their food looked good.  perhaps, i will give it another try sometime!

by Sally M.

Great place for a relaxing afternoon - especially a date. We popped in Ziryab after a long afternoon walk, and decided to sit outside to grab a drink and smoke a peach hookah. With the heat lamps and the mediterranean-style patio ambiance, we enjoyed ourselves very much. I definitely prefer Ziryab to "Pride of the Mediterranean" on Fillmore Sutter . And next time we visit Ziryab, we plan to try the food, too!