Kasbah Garden Cafe - New Haven

We went in with a lot of expectation. We LOVE Middle Eastern food. The place looks overall very unmaintained the building, the outside etc. The only part of the decor that we liked were the charming, oriental lamps. The service was polite but careless. She forgot our tea. We had to remind her after waiting for 30 min. The food took another 30 min. We ordered chicken couscous and kefta tagine. The couscous, the vegetables that came with the couscous, the bread and the tagine were all mediocre. The chicken itself was tasty, but it was basically spiced adobo rub. The price was very good. We had a pot of tea, and our dinner. The total bill was $33+. We are probably not going back. But we did see the place has a fan following. In our opinion, it had potential to be a charming place, but turned out not to be so.

This place redefines falafel to be this fried yellow tasteless goop that is not the Lebanese, middle eastern variety. Tahini is ok and likely out of a can, Dolma is good and likely out of a can, Babaghanoush is a tasteless blob. Had to abandon and go to another dinner place. The only saving grace is the backyard setting with one (only one) friendly, fast staff.

An adorable garden restaurant in the heart of New Haven. A true find. The lamb tagine is absolutely divine. The fish tagine was also quite tasty. Definitely would recommend on a beautiful afternoon or evening. Has BYOB for dining, and also dog friendly.

Indoor and outdoor decor is outstanding and the place is very homey. The owner is beyond nice, served us nearly at closing, and had a pleasant conversation with a family member of ours who was asking him silly questions before we left. There's nothing to dislike here. The food was good and very reasonable and our waiter was super chill and attentive, even though it was (again) nearly closing time. I have a lot of good restaurants in my area (Long Island) but this is one I wish I could steal and add to the list because unfortunately I was away visiting family!

A hidden gem. I've been coming here for years. I probably drove past it 100 times and never saw it until the first time I rode my bicycle through the area. It's set back from the street and the outside seating is fully shaded, you'd never know you were in the heart of the city. The food menu isn't big, but everything I've had has been great. I've tried everything except the lamb and the fish. The falafel is a little different from what I've had elsewhere. Flavor and consistency is perfect. Appearance, it is slightly more yellow than green that I typically get. Combo platter of falafel, grape leaves, hummus, baba ghanouj and a pita is a fun way to share the regional cuisine with people who have yet to experience it. The ambiance the outdoor seating is nearly fully shaded with trees and or umbrellas with a gravel floor. Basically, a wide driveway. Some light jazz often with a middle eastern tinge is at a correct volume level. At night, randomly placed lengths of string lights provide a nice soft glow. Great place for an easy first date. I've brought dates here a few times, two at once even, as well as friends, co workers and family members, no one has been disappointed. The service ordering and getting served is usually reasonable. Sometimes it takes a few minutes to get your check. The parking on street. Good luck finding a spot nearby. Downtown parking can be a bit of a shitshow at times but you'll find something within a block or two. There is a lot (paid) not too far as well.