La Fendee Mediterranean Grill

by Daniel H.

ive been here twice now, and i have to say their falafel is the best ive had in houston so far. (i havent quit my search though).  the hummus is also quite good; perfect balance of ingredients, and not too lemony so you dont leave with your taste buds aching from the acidity (im looking at you niko nikos).  both the beef shwarma and the gyro are solid choices for the carnivorous folk. there is nothing spectacular about the restaurant itself, but the patio is nice.  the waitress is pleasant, and accommodating; e.g. she was happy to substitute the various side items i didnt want for those that i did.  im always looking for great falafel, and until i find better, this is my spot.

by Amanda L.

The food is pretty good, and the ambiance is like a casual burger joint (which just happens to serve Middle Eastern food instead of hambugers fries).  Service can really be improved, but overall a good experience.

by Tom C.

It is so nice to relax, sit, and eat such outstanding food.  The staff is always humble, the food is delicious in taste and fragrance.  The outside deck is comfortable during the day with a good breeze and it is  nice to watch people walking by.  A great place to relax and enjoy.

by jaire q.

Yes, I have experienced better Mediterranean food (well, natural juice), but this restaurant was A-OK. I went there on Sunday with a friend of mine. I had just eaten Cuban so I wasn't hungry. I ordered a natural Mango and Strawberry juice, which was OK. My friend ordered shawarma and he loved it. He said the food was very good and that the hummus was perfectly seasoned. I could smell his food and it smelled good(so it is his opinion that the food was good). The service was great, the waitress was super nice and attentive. We sat outside and enjoyed the breeze (there was a huge fan) and the view of Westheimer. I did see some people smoking hookah, so if that's something you want to do this is a good place to try. Parking lot is super small so plan on parking on the street somewhere.  I plan to go back and actually eating something, but meanwhile I thought it was cool.

by Mackey M.

La Fendee deserves 5 stars as one of, if not, the best place to get Mediterranean food in Houston.I have yet to find a place that serves better falafel or hummus. This place deserves more credit than it receives. The sights inside are not anything special; a few movie posters and a golf shadowbox. However, they make up for it with their shwarma and pleasantries. They do provide hookah service on the patio although I have yet to try one (I own my own so it seems irrelevant to pay to smoke). It is nice that they offer that, though. The whole side of the building is glass so it allows a lot of natural light to flow in and when the light hits the glisten on that hummus from the oil you just know you are about to indulge in chickpea nirvana. The pita could be better, perhaps they should take their cues from Cafe Pita and use their "pillow" lepinja bread. I've had their chicken and beef shwarma and I much prefer the chicken, the spices they use are excellent and leave you wondering how exactly it is prepared. The chicken is cut into tiny bits (a little smaller than fajita) but the meal fills you up. Their falafel is EXTREMELY good. I can't sing enough praises of it...that's all there is to say.I intend to try some of their desserts one of these days; they look amazing.Overall, I would recommend this place to anybody. It is somewhat on the expensive side (for a student at lunch time) but this meal will fill you up quick and leave you not needing a snack later.Just follow the Fez...it won't lead you astray.

by Random A.

Great food, location -- Decent service -- Unethical business practices.Dear Houston,If you have ever eaten at La Fendee (and left a tip,) you have been deceived.  I have been eating at La Fendee since the week it opened several years ago (under different management,) and have enjoyed it for its location and above par Mediterranean food.  About a year and a half ago as I was paying my bill, I had a strange feeling and felt compelled to ask my waitress if she would actually receive the tip I left on the credit card.  She hesitated, looked around and nervously responded: "No, but we're not supposed to tell anyone that."  I continued to eat there several times, unwilling to completely boycott one of my favorite restaurants on that basis alone.  Every time I had a new waiter, I would ask them the same question and every time I got the same response.  Finally, I asked the owner himself about the arrangement.  "This is deceptive to your clientèle.  However you choose to compensate your employees is between you and them, but keeping the tips allocated by your customers to them for the quality of their service is dishonest."  His response was "What difference does it make who gets the money?  You pay the same."I went back this week to meet some friends who were in from out of town.  Nothing has changed.  This guy is making a killing on the generous intentions of his customers and will continue to do so as long as he can get away with it.  Does this bother anyone else?

by Gidget L.

OKAY... How comeI just learned of Hookie? I'm not sure of this word spelling, but what fun the pipe is! Outside having dinner with friends and having a pipe full of something.....I'm not a smoker of any kind but this pipe thing looked like fun and sure enough! you all should try it, if anything get your friends to take pics of you with the pipe, it's fun! Love Love Love the falafel sandwich and espresso cake. I had La Fendee 2 or 3 times last week and…

by Justus P.

Even though I'm not, my girlfriend is definitely a fan.  I'm just a-OK with the place.  She absolutely loves the hummus and I like the falafel sandwich and lentil soup.  We both think the Chicken Shwarama which is really quite tasty.Unfortunately we've strayed from these choices a few times and I must say that I don't think that it was a good idea.  The price is just low enough we end up coming back regularly.

by Michael A.

I go strictly to smoke hookah on the small patio and socialize with friends. Besides that, the food is mediocre compared to similar places. Advantages: GREAT location. All my friends live around here and are a short bike ride away to meet me whenever. Also, since the place is smaller than most hookah bars, the wait staff are always readily available to change coals or order more drinks, none of this waiting twenty minutes to even place a hookah order.Disadvantage: They close up wayyyy earlier than other hookah bars. I seriously have showed up at this place more than a couple of times with friends only to find it closed at like ten! CHECK THE HOURS.

by Judson T.

First time here.  Loved the hummus and the falafel sandwich I had.  I have had both at many restaurants around town and this was one of the best.  The service was great.  I like this place much better than Niko Niko's and it is not as crowded. Great location.