Found on a recommendation, enjoyed on a bitterly cold morning, savored in luxe splendor, craved in absence, Casablanca's Mediterranean and Eastern cuisine is comforting in all the right ways. I've passed by the Casablanca location on Poplar many times in my travels - somehow, I always end up on Poplar in Memphis at some point or another - but never had I thought to stop in. I wasn't certain if it was a bar or an Italian joint or a Mexican restaurant or what.
Service was good, food was good. I was here once before and the food was good, but the place was so swamped. They also make food my picky husband will eat, so, bonus!
Love this place so much! The food is everything. I could live off of falafel and their "house sauce"! The chicken kabobs are delicious. The veggies are fresh. DO NOT PASS UP DESSERT! The chocolate mousse is divine!
Nice Mediterranean place. Portion size for appetizers is very small. Service was good and the atmosphere is casual, gives a middle eastern vibe.
Update in 2016:
Servers were very rude. Hummus and Babaghanoush tasted very acidic/bad.
YES.. The food is always delicious and fresh and the service is wonderful. I love this place and its consistency. You can't go wrong with the shawerma or gyros... or grape leaves or hummus... or the chocolate mousse. Seriously everything is good. And don't forget to order the tea!!!
Came in with a group of 34 and they did a fantastic job of serving us. The food was very good. I did not expect to like it but it was well worth the trip.
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Hummus with Shawarma, Super sandwich. My dish: Hummus with mixed Shawarma (comes with 2 pita breads cut in halves), bf dish: super sandwich. The super sandwich is a pita completely and overly stuffed with shawarma, tomatoes, & lettuce. Their sauces are a great compliment. I love pita bread so I always opt for the Hummus and Shawarma dish and make my own little sandwiches out of them. If you still have room, order the chocolate mousse. The first time we had it, the cook gave us and the other table there it for free to share with our friends (both tables had 4 people, probably the last people there). It was so good he caught me thinking about licking the plate for the last bit. We've ordered it some since thing and have never been disappointed! Their tea is very good. I don't like ginger (even though I'm asian) but whenever I was young my mom would always make a sweet hot ginger soup for me whenever I was sick. This tea was similar so it is very soothing warm. It always makes a great drink cold but I prefer it warm.
Make the stop. Most Memphians who have never been here before have at least driven by it 100s of times and probably saw the sign a time or two. Well, I am no exception. I finally got the chance to check it out yesterday for lunch and it was fantastic. I ordered the mix kabob which came with a side of delicious lamb shawerma. My only complaint is, on the menu, this dish said it came with three skewers but I was only served two. The menu states one chicken and one lamb as the description so it is fairly confusing, especially for $19. Regardless, I loved every bite and plan on coming back!
Really great place. Food is wonderful and service is attentive.
The staff, food, owner, and atmosphere are all amazing. What else could you ask for? Highly recommend the shawarma platter with beef and lamb. My only recommendation is for them to bring out the amazing sauces before the food!
Service is very slow and inattentive but the falafel is the best that I have ever had. The tea is lovely and their french fries with the spicy green sauce is very good.
Easily one of my favorite places in Memphis. I have eaten A LOT of falafel in my life and theirs is so good that I always order extra for my hummus/falafel platter! The olive oil is light and fresh and the tea really is the best in Memphis! Everyone is really personable, especially the one male waiter who I think might always be there (at least he always is whenever I go, which is all the time). The owner is there less frequently but is very friendly when he comes around to the tables. They will always have my business!
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I'm here so often ... I feel like family. I wrote two reviews for Casablanca when they where located in midtown .... Why I have not set fingers to keys to review this location ... I have no idea.
To say I am a fan of Casablanca is perhaps a bit of an understatement (as can be seen from my check-ins).
Parking at this location is usually a headache (solution: park in parking lot now belonging to the new Whole Foods and walk a few yards down a nice sidewalk parallel to Summer).
They are pretty slow 9 times out of 10; especially call in to pick up orders (Solution: if I call in and they say it will be 10 minutes... I give them closer to 20 or 25). But I promice it's worth it. Everything's fresh and made to order.
While I like their Baklava .... It's not my favorite in town (my sister favors it though).
I take home jars of their fabulous tea and honey all the time ... Be sure to try it there hot and cold - in fact I've been known to drop by just for a to-go cup of iced tea! Yes ... It really is that fabulous.
Their pitta bread is wonderful and even more wonderful when tipped with:
Babba ganoush (I'm addicted to their Babbage ganoush)... It's garlicky and just delicious! Do not miss it. The hummus is pretty fabulous as well; smooth and creamy (haven't had a restaurant version around that can beat it). Tabouleh is really yummy but sometimes a little much with the onions for me.
Falafel .... Oh wonderful falafel! the best falafel in town ... In fact some if the best falafel I've had anywhere. They are a bit smaller than most I've had .... But who cares about size! These little delights are crispy outside, tender inside, and full of flavor. There is a 'Big Mac' Falafel that I get nearly every time (I always request with pickles ... the spicy little pickle his wife makes. Love love love them) it is a huge sandwich and comes served with two sauces (A pepper sauce -green- while tasty will scald your tongue ... Therefore a bit much for me! the other sauce this Orange salmon colored concoction - I could drink it! I usually ask for them to give me two of those and keep off the green pepper sauce). I've been known to split it the sandwich especially if we have ordered any of the delightfully delicious appetizers.
Their grape leaves are actually pretty tasty (I don't usually like grape leaves) as well.
I don't eat chocolate but my sister always orders the chocolate mousse and unabashedly manages to get at every drop (a/k/a swiping finger and licking). I have to send her serious disapproving looks when she mentions ordering seconds!
I don't eat any of the 'meat' offerings but most of my eating companions do and they never come out of Casablanca's doors without lots of complimentary things to say about their meal.
I can not say it enough: Go ... Eat (I mean feast!) ... Enjoy!
As I type this, I actually have leftover 'Casablanca' in the fridge .... Ive never had falafel for breakfast .... Perhaps today is the day to try...
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*UPDATE*
To say I'm a fan of Casablanca is perhaps the most understated understatement of a decade.
I wanted to update my previous reviews ... Sure parking here sucks! But there can be no fault once you get in the doors. I love the staff ... Supper friendly and now that we know each other .... It's almost like I'm eating a family member's kitchen table.
The best sweet tea north of my MawMaw's Sun sweet tea pitcher ... And falafel that just melts in your mouth.
I'm actually typing this lounging on their couch waiting for my to go order ... With pickles of course!
Like it. Good tea, otherwise it's ok
Good stuff. Great hummus and falafel
Absolutely wonderful. Both the food and the service was spot on an the owner was extremely friendly and made sure that we were happy with what we go. With the 4 of us that when we were able to try a different appetizer each and different main courses. The Schwarma was nice and tender and full of flavor.
This is one of the best kept secrets in Memphis! From food to service none better. One of our favorites now!
Great service, great people, AMAZING food!!! 100% recommended!!!
3.8 stars. Food: 4
Service: 3.5
Ambiance: 3.5
HEART HEALTHY OPTIONS. My husband recently underwent a heart procedure for some blocked arteries. Trying to find a menu in Memphis that is sympathetic to the resulting dietary restrictions has been a major task. Our daughter recommended Casablanca, so this week we gave it a shot. What a pleasant surprise! The personable owner of this establishment has similar dietary restrictions, and his staff is well-versed in friendly menu items AND alterations to other items which can be cheerfully recommended and made. The tilapia is wild, not farmed, and with some amendments to the dish was an excellent & "compliant" meal. Our new favorite restaurant.
Good food and great service. My wife and I stopped in for lunch and we had a great experience. The ice tea is unlike anything else you will find in the city and the food was delicious. Aimer makes sure you feel welcome in his restaurant. We will return soon!
GREAT PLACE!!. This is one of my favorite places to eat!! It was introduced to me not long ago, and the food is amazing! Yes, they do have the best iced tea in town as well as an amazing menu of great tasty food! To top everything off, the owner himself is the best host. You will miss out if you dont try this great place, and trust me once you do you will be back!
So so good!! Please go!! Get the tea!!
Southern gentleman. Eat here often,the staff are fantastic and the food is always great.The new place will be close to my house and will go there at night often.You can not miss with this place.
The food and service are always good. The iced tea is the best tea we've ever had!
Very good. Great hummus and falafel. The moussaka was very tasty and the chocolate mousse was heaven. The owner is a great guy, very friendly and welcoming.
This is, honestly, among the best restaraunts in the Memphis area. I have not found a better middle eastern place and I have looked in much bigger cities.
Great middle eastern cuisine! Service can be a little slow, but it is courteous. The food is definitely worth the wait. We had the 5030 Poplar which is marinated grilled lamb with tahini sauce and pita bread. It was authentic, fresh and delicious. If you're looking for something different give this place a try! Recommended.
Truly the best. The food is excellent and the service is second to none
as far as the manager I could say one word only "He is a Gentelman".
Moussaka moussaka moussaka!!!
Friendly staff and tasty middle eastern food. Not much of a dining experience but if you care about good food you will not be sorry.
LOVE it!. Whenever we come to Memphis, we have to make a stop at Casa Blanca. Everything we have tried has been amazing quality. We're vegetarian, and our favorites are the hummus and falafel. The hummus is silky smooth and bursting with a rich, slightly tart flavor - not like the awful stuff you buy at the grocery store. They drizzle oil on top of the hummus and garnish it with paprika - just perfect. The falafel is equally good with the right balance between crisp exterior and tender inside. And the warm tea is a special treat.
To top it off, the owner is such a sweet and friendly person who always makes you feel at home. He even opened early for us once. So nice. And the olive oil is a great bargain. Just can't say enough good things about this restaurant! Love it!
Friendly service and good food. The mezzo app is really good! This was my husband's first exposure to middle Eastern food and he would not shut up with the creepy good food noises.
Wow! Fantastic food! I will definitely be back. Exceptional mediterranean cuisine.
Likes it!. The food was awesome! I've been searching for a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern eatery in town for sometimes, and I heard about it through Urban Spoon. I'm glad that I went and tried it out. The gyros were awesome, hummus/pita excellent, and price of it all was very decent. I will surely come again.
Caroline E. Richardson
+4.5
Why is no one ever here??. So yummy! It breaks my heart that this place is never busy. I'm a fan of the Simple Favorite and the lamb shawarma.
This place is AMAZING! Authentic and delicious. Prices are great. Everything we tried was perfect. We had falafel with hummus, then I had a large order of the tastiest stuffed grape leaves I've ever eaten. The baklava was a nice finish to the best, most unique and delicious meal I have ever eaten in the city of Memphis.
The food here is amazing! The stuffed grape leaves are wonderful. Try the falafel & hummus platter. We will be coming back here quite often.
Unbelievable! The beef schwarma plate is phenomenal. Top notch courteous service. You must try this place
Fresh & Simple. I ordered one of the Chicken Pita's with the "Casa" sauce the other day. The chicken was really tender & Hot! For seven bucks or so it'll fill ya up! Also Try the Special Lemonade/Iced tea - the ginger adds that extra "Oh yeah!" (minus the fruit punch flavor)
Excellent food and service. Athmosphere is very friendly, prices are right. Best falafel in town!
The Big Mac of the Middle East. That is the name of my favorite thing at this restaurant. It's a falafel pita with some kind of secret sauce. Excellent. They also have wonderful black and white photos of Algiers on the walls and the owner is very pleasant. He told me once that he eats a whole tomato for breakfast every morning and you just have to like knowing that about a person.
Highly underrated. I'm always amazed that this place isn't busy. Spectacular portions, flavorful, authentic atmosphere. Don't miss.
Best Greek/Middle-eastern place in town! The owner always greets us with a warm smile. That food is affordable and very good. Try it. You won't regret it.
We sampled a lot of different things, some we loved and some not so much but overall it was an awesome experience! Our waitress was helpful and friendly and we love the decor in the dining room! Great place!
stopped here on my road trip, great spot, loved the ambiance, and the food was really good, we ordered the Lentil Soup, Hummus, Super Sandwich, and the Egyptian Hawawshi. overall the food was delicious
also it's Halal
Had dinner at this restaurant last night. The service was great. I ordered mixed kabab and both my chicken and meat were not cooked well. It seems the cook took it off the grill too soon. I did not bother me, it happens. I really liked how they handle the situation. The server brought me a clean plate and took the meats. He apologized and came back with the new plate of the well done meats and added extra rice and vegetables. That was very nice. Absolutely loved the seasonings on the meat.
I also enjoyed the hummus and falafel. The lemonade has great taste. Overall an amazing expensive.
I'm giving the service 4 stars instead of 5 because when I walked in after work was obviously a shift change. The server at the register saw me come in but did not acknowledge me being there until after someone in the kitchen asked if there was anybody there to help me. Let's just say a new server came out, and she was the best. The food was excellent as always. And you must order Memphis' Best tea. It is delish, especially if hot.
Imma be real. This place is in my top 5 favorites. Me and the wife go here all the time and we still aren't tired of it.
The tea is phenomenal. It is great hot or iced. You have to get it if you go.
We always get the hummus as an app. It is so dang good, and even better when the pita bread is fresh & hot.
I have gotten the super sandwich every single time I have gone since my first visit. It's so good that I can not imagine ordering anything else.
The wife gets the chicken schwarma sandwich and she loves it.
The house made sauce is 👌.
The only thing some people could potentially not like is the service is not exactly quick. You'll be taken care of, but if you expect them to rush you'll be disappointed.
Me and the wife have never had a bad experience here. Hopefully you won't either and you'll go back.
Food Quality: 10/10
Cleanliness: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Highly recommend stopping by if you’re looking for some great Mediterranean food! The food was so fresh and delicious! The service is wonderful! The entire staff was kind and you’ll feel very welcome! Great atmosphere to have a meal! Check them out!
The food is great and our waitress was extremely nice and attentive! The atmosphere is great and the prices are reasonable!
Omg!!! The absolute best!!! Came to Casablanca for a friend's birthday dinner and got a real treat. Literally everything they make at this location is good. I had the tea (hot) and just wanted them to bottle up five gallons so I could bring it home with me. The food was delicious and seasoned well, the sauces were amazing! I especially liked the spiciness of the green one. The staff is friendly and super polite. Everything was reasonably priced. Making this one of my regular spots. I wish I lived closer so I could go everyday!
I like the remodel. The food here is decent but there are better middle eastern restaurants in Memphis. I had the falafel sandwich with a side of hummus. The side of hummus was $2. After we received our order, we realized that we did not get any bread. So the hummus comes without bread?! My husband ordered an vegetarian entree - $12 - again no bread!? Like I said, the food is decent but....
Like every place, the prices have gone up considerably.
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We had an opportunity to go on a date without our children and a friend suggested Casablanca. We really enjoy Mediterranean food, and we were not disappointed. First, dessert. We got the baklava, because... baklava! This was log-shaped with a center full of nuts you could actually taste, and not overly sweet. Baklava can be super syrupy (and we're not opposed to that) but this was a lovely change from what we were used to. Husband got the beef & lamb Shawarma sandwich and loved everything about it. The meat was perfectly prepared, and the ratio of veggies-to-meat inside the pita was spot-on. I got the Egyptian Hawawshi (chicken version) because I've seen it pop up on social media but had never tried it before. Ohmygoodness > phenomenal. The pita was toasted to perfection, while the meat was tender and juicy and so incredibly flavorful. Husband took a bite of Hawawshi and claimed my leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. HA! The portions are generous -- definitely worth what you pay. And the service was some of the best we've received over the past several years... knowledgeable, friendly, attentive, but not intrusive. We will definitely be back. PS: try the tea. SO good!
Very delicious hummus and shawarma, and the tabbouleh was fantastic. The iced tea was very flavorful; not typical southern US tea but authentic Mediterranean/middle eastern style. Decor was charming but a little dusty.
We were exploring Memphis and hitting the local whole foods, and this restaurant was conveniently located nearby. My good friend has been here before and knows I like veggie choices, so here we ate. We had a variety appetizer spanakopita an eggplant pita and a gyro! Everything was most excellent and the service was very good. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the chairs were most cozy. We picked up some baklava on the way out which was spot on. I was so very happy we ate here and I reccomend it to all!
Usually when I go to Casablanca I order the hummus and shawarma, but this time I order the mixed shawarma(beef, lamd and chicken) platter which has rice and a few potatos and carrots instead of hummus, I'm glad I did because the rice was oh so good! My hubs ordered the eggplant parm pita sandwhich with a side order of fries and it was absolutely great, we shared a hummus and falafel apetizer and the falafel couldn't have been more delicious and with the perfect consistency! The iced tea is unique! Our waitress was nice and attentive. Go to Casablanca you will love it! It's always a great eating experience.
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