Paymon's Mediterranean Cafe Lounge

by Corina P.

Pretty good place for lunch, especially if you're a student or other at UNLV.   A group of us have gone for lunch or dinner a couple of times and everyone always it. I usually get the veggie deal, which is good. Downside is that you have to pay extra for the fries, but they're damn good fries! They have seasoned salt, which gives that extra kick.Like I said, I've gone with groups ranging from four ppl to nine. They are gracious and accommodated us. It's a bit noisy in there, but doable for groups.

by Bill J.

The waitress did not know the food or what ouzo was or how to serve it. No ambiance. The food was great had Baba Ganosh which we shared and found delightful. The lamb kabob was very tasteful and tender however the rice was dry but acceptable. The special cold soup was great for hot days. All in all great food

by Quimo J.

The Athens fries are amazing and with one of their speciality cocktails... perfection!  The hummus and tzatziki dip are deelish =)Both the restaurant and hookah lounge are well maintained and def. a great hang out spot.Had a bridal shower/ bachelorette party here couple of years ago and all the girls had a blast

by Victoria N.

Paymon's is a great place to go when you just feel like eating out but have no specifics on where or what. We usually get a combination dip with hummus and another dip (bouranni, lebni, or cucumber yogurt) and an entree to share. That's the way to go if you want enough food for two for cheap. People often say the hummus isn't that great here, and I wouldn't be surprised if it really isn't. I'm not a big hummus aficionado though, so I don't mind it. We also got the Athens fries for the first time the last time we went, and they were good...just not as good as they're hyped up to be, I suppose.We got the Pastitsio for the entree that time, and it was very good and filling. It's sort of like lasagna, but different. We've gotten the gyro platter before, and I think that's always a good choice. Boyfriend likes the baked kibbe, but there's better things on the menu to me. We finished it off with some rice pudding that was yummy yummay.The service is always great and fairly quick. The place is clean with a seating choice between the dining room or the courtyard. There's a mini market and a hookah lounge attached, both to which I've never been, but it just makes the place a little extra special.

by Jerome W.

Screw all these Vegas strip restaurants!  I was in Vegas and I knew I wanted to go somewhere more local and affordable.  Paymon's definitely delivered.One of my friends that lives in Vegas took me here to for some good Mediterranean food.  It's a casual place, but the food is fantastic and the service is friendly.  I had the koobideh (ground beef) with the rice, which is my favorite dish and it was delish.  The portions are big, just the way I like 'em.  Perfectly seasoned with just the right about of fat/juice ratio.Would definitely come here again next time I'm in town!

by marilyn n.Yasmin G.Jerome W.Lindsey B.Rachna S.

When ever I'm in town this is one of the place i have to visit! first: the service here is amazing, everyone is super friendly as though they've known you for years.  They have great music playing and everything I have ever ordered has been really good.Last time I ordered the GRILLED SALMON which was cooked to perfection and served with Mediterranean vegetables and Vermicelli Pilaf. (the Pilaf was delicious but the veggies were kinda weird... I would trade it with something else like the tabouli).-remember to ask for the mango chutney - it goes great with the salmon.When a place labels itself a "Greek, Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Middle Eastern, Indian, Persian, Italian cafe and hookah lounge" red lights should start flashing. However, we seem to never learn!We went here for dinner and then moved on to the hookah lounge.The cafe itself looks nice and service is prompt. However, the crowd tends to consist of wannabe posers  and obnoxious yuppie types who try to make sure everyone can see what car they came in!The menu itself is a hodge podge of dishes from Italy to India as interpreted by the Mexican guys working in the kitchen(you can hear Mexican music coming out of it if you park in the back!).All of the entrees we tried were approximately $15, give or take a few dollars, and definitely not worth it.The lamb kebab consisted of about 6 bite size pieces of overcooked lamb, a burned(not charred) tomato and a half raw onion, with a small portion of long grain rice(not basmati) cooked with green beans, and some green beans in tomato sauce.The koobideh was salty and a bit too far on the dry side. Plus, they didn't even have any somagh for it.The fesenjan was just a grilled chicken breast(overcooked as well) in an overly sweet sauce with faint pomegranate and walnut undertones. The rice served with it was basmati, but it was too dry.The chicken curry had about 5 bite sized pieces of chicken in a bland sauce made using a cheap curry powder that left a film on your tongue.The famous "Athens fries" that Paymon's serves are just steak fries dusted with curry powder and salt, served with mast o khiar and some thousand island dressing with oregano in it. The gyro was cold and light on the meat, guess they had to make room for all the lettuce and a paper thin slice of tomato. The sandwich was far from fresh.The baklava tasted stale, or like it was one of those pre-made frozen pastries.The hookah lounge doesn't use tobacco but rather "herbal tobacco"(since its illegal to use tobacco in places that sell food in NV). However, they advertise it as tobacco and charge people as if it were.We paid about $37 for two rounds of hookah. The herbal tobacco was really coarse and wasn't a smooth smoke at all. The waitress packed the coals and tobacco too tightly(a practice utilized by unscrupulous hookah lounges to make the hookah not last as long). A member of our party fixed the problem, to the annoyance of the staff and made our two rounds last for about an hour and a half. They even tried to tell us we can't mess with the hookah ourselves for our "safety" and were rude to us for making it last that long.The one star they do get is for the decor of the hookah lounge, it resembles a 19th century European portrait of a harem or an opium den. Quite attractive in a corny kitsch sort of way.Screw all these Vegas strip restaurants!  I was in Vegas and I knew I wanted to go somewhere more local and affordable.  Paymon's definitely delivered.One of my friends that lives in Vegas took me here to for some good Mediterranean food.  It's a casual place, but the food is fantastic and the service is friendly.  I had the koobideh (ground beef) with the rice, which is my favorite dish and it was delish.  The portions are big, just the way I like 'em.  Perfectly seasoned with just the right about of fat/juice ratio.Would definitely come here again next time I'm in town!Paymon's has great food!  Their greek salad is, of course, great!  Their "Athens Fries" + sauce is AMAZING!!!!  Hummus and pita bread is very good too.  Very greek/mediterranean (just like the sign says) and delicious!  We order over the phone and pick up our order to go- which is a great time saver! (just make sure you call the right one, there are a couple locations)  Very friendly and everything is very fresh!Awesome mediterranean food!!! athens fries are yummm!! and the rice pudding definitely a must-have! the chicken kabobs were also pretty good! the helpings are pretty large though.. btw, love the ambience too!

by heather o.

I can eat mediterranean food everyday of the week, but not here. I have visited both locations a few times, but no more. The food is low quality and always has a funny taste. I ordered the vegetarian combination dish; it was the worst I have ever had. The saganaki was Ok; I prefer ones that aren't breaded. It's a waste of carbs and adds nothing desirable to the dish. My date had the Fettucini alfredo. He said it was fine. He said Macaroni grill had better pasta; It's sad when a budget italian restaurant serves better food.

by Yasmin G.

When a place labels itself a "Greek, Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Middle Eastern, Indian, Persian, Italian cafe and hookah lounge" red lights should start flashing. However, we seem to never learn!We went here for dinner and then moved on to the hookah lounge.The cafe itself looks nice and service is prompt. However, the crowd tends to consist of wannabe posers  and obnoxious yuppie types who try to make sure everyone can see what car they came in!The menu itself is a hodge podge of dishes from Italy to India as interpreted by the Mexican guys working in the kitchen(you can hear Mexican music coming out of it if you park in the back!).All of the entrees we tried were approximately $15, give or take a few dollars, and definitely not worth it.The lamb kebab consisted of about 6 bite size pieces of overcooked lamb, a burned(not charred) tomato and a half raw onion, with a small portion of long grain rice(not basmati) cooked with green beans, and some green beans in tomato sauce.The koobideh was salty and a bit too far on the dry side. Plus, they didn't even have any somagh for it.The fesenjan was just a grilled chicken breast(overcooked as well) in an overly sweet sauce with faint pomegranate and walnut undertones. The rice served with it was basmati, but it was too dry.The chicken curry had about 5 bite sized pieces of chicken in a bland sauce made using a cheap curry powder that left a film on your tongue.The famous "Athens fries" that Paymon's serves are just steak fries dusted with curry powder and salt, served with mast o khiar and some thousand island dressing with oregano in it. The gyro was cold and light on the meat, guess they had to make room for all the lettuce and a paper thin slice of tomato. The sandwich was far from fresh.The baklava tasted stale, or like it was one of those pre-made frozen pastries.The hookah lounge doesn't use tobacco but rather "herbal tobacco"(since its illegal to use tobacco in places that sell food in NV). However, they advertise it as tobacco and charge people as if it were.We paid about $37 for two rounds of hookah. The herbal tobacco was really coarse and wasn't a smooth smoke at all. The waitress packed the coals and tobacco too tightly(a practice utilized by unscrupulous hookah lounges to make the hookah not last as long). A member of our party fixed the problem, to the annoyance of the staff and made our two rounds last for about an hour and a half. They even tried to tell us we can't mess with the hookah ourselves for our "safety" and were rude to us for making it last that long.The one star they do get is for the decor of the hookah lounge, it resembles a 19th century European portrait of a harem or an opium den. Quite attractive in a corny kitsch sort of way.

by Miguel B.

To quote a friend when we first stepped into Paymon's: "Great 80's Music and Great Hookah... This place gets 5 F*CKING STARS in my book, TRICK!"He was right. I gave this place 5 stars for a number of reasons:1st: Hands down has got to be one of the best places I have ever smoked at other than my place. 1 or 2 puffs... gets the job done. To quote the great Crisco.. "High like a KITE, KITE, KITE... been token all NITE, NITE, NITE... all night long... let me hit that... HOOKAH!2nd: the service here is way superior than any hookah place i've been too, and even better than any other restaurant establishment as well. Very prompt, fast, and attentive. 3rd: the food was very fresh... we order the sample platter and were treated to very well cooked Mediterranean cuisine.  The pita bread tasted like as it was hand made the second we got there, the humas was delightfully tasty, the falafels we're cooked to perfection, the fries were extremely crisp and well seasoned... just everything on the plate was a good buy.  No doubt will this place be part of my Vegas routine when I stop by in town again. KICK ASS!!

by Michael P.

Athens fries, Frozen Hookah, fantastic shisha, and a full bar. I'll take two please lol. Paymon's 1 of 2 the original is great. First entrance cafe connected to a great resturant side connected to a tucked away provacative hookah lounge. A tri- level of fun.