Phara’s

Stumbled upon this place tonight after a long day of shopping and I can honestly say we couldn’t have picked a better place. The back patio is unreal. It’s byob which, along with a 3 dollar corking fee, was perfect. Our waitress was so nice and helpful and the service was quick. The food was so good and fresh. The live belly dancing show was also really cool. Perfect place for a date or any occasion really. We will most def be back here every time we’re in Austin

Great experience all around from the customer service to the food. I absolutely love this place!

I wish I could give this place more than 3 stars. Despite the fact that I’m going to go into some negatives further down, I do recommend going and checking this place out. I love the quirky style of the place. The service is great. I like the atmosphere. I adore the fact that there is bellydancing most nights. It’s a fun place to hang out.
But there are negatives that pull it down couple stars.
First of all, parking is a nightmare. There are way too few spaces. We went on a night when the place was almost empty and got the one empty spot. I don’t know how people manage on busy nights.
Secondly, although I did say I like the atmosphere, there are some things that might turn some people off. You can sort of smell the nearby, visible-​from-​the-​outside-​dining-​area dumpster. Not pleasant, but pretty much overpowered by hookah smoke. There were also a few cats wandering around. Now, I love that because cats are awesome, but I’m sure it’s not great for everyone. And then there are the bathrooms. They are clean but cramped and slightly uncomfortable.
Finally, the food. It’s decent, but nothing to rave about. I’ve had much better Mediterranean food in several other Austin restaurants for lower prices. Nothing was bad per se. The baba ghanoush was weirdly runny, the hummus passable, the shwarma and baklava were both pretty tasty. Overall, just… good. Not great.
Oh! And although we arrived only 1 hour after they opened on a slow night, they were already out of hibiscus tea. How is that even possible? Do they only prep one pitcher a day? That’s just weird.
I would probably go back. The entertainment and laid back atmosphere is great. I might stick with a couple apps, hookah, and some BYOB wine next time, though.

This place is so yummy and the owner and staff are all amazing! We’ve had birthday parties here and always enjoyed every meal! There’s belly dancers and hooks and a great ambiance. So cute!

We went to Phara’s to celebrate a birthday and everyone we worked with was SO accommodating. The food was delicious and our server Terry was AMAZING. Seriously can’t say enough about her. I got the lamb shank, it was so tasty. Atmosphere was great. Belly dancers are truly talented, sweet, and engage the crowd. This is a must visit spot in Austin.

I ordered the Salmon filet dish very good. me and my friend ordered to go and we waited at the patio so amazing wish I was dressed to be out lol otherwise I would stay. it is a BYOB so depending on you as a customer if it’s a plus or not.

What’s not to love: great food, belly dancing, music & hookahs all in a very comfortable outdoor setting. Been coming to Phara’s for years and am still amazed it seems to remain a relative secret in the bustling Austin food scene. Start off with the schawarma hummus plate or the vegetarian aloo chana. Their kabobs are top notch and the la zeez options add some bite for those who like it hot. Finish it off with some delicious baklava. Oh, did I mention it’s BYOB? Grab your favorite beverages (waiters will bring out a big ice bucket), sit back and relax at one of Austin’s truly hidden gems.

This is one of my favorite places! SO AUSTIN! The staff is incredibly accommodating. The food is wonderful — especially Tenzin’s Famous Aloo Channa & the Beef La Zeez; I get it every time. There are a few other belly-​dancers, but Phara herself will sometimes dance for you ~ She is wonderful & so is her beautiful story about her late son Christopher who is the namesake for the Casbah. The entire place from inside out is like a mini cultural vacation. So, bring your own wine or beer (which saves you $), and simply enjoy!
*NOTE & reason for 4-​star:
BRING CASH — 1) TO TIP DANCERS, 2) SAVE TIME ON WHEN YOU’RE READY TO LEAVE! Don’t be that group trying to split a bunch of tabs — a little old-​school with credit card machines & such. Also it is nice that Phara doesn’t like to ‘go on a wait’, so you’ll get seated — but chill, drink & be prepared to wait your turn when it is a busy night.

Mirror mirror, who’s the Phara’s of them all?
Dinner in the back courtyard on a beautiful Austin evening was an absolutely magical experience for me. Romantic lighting, relaxing atmosphere, good food, great company.
My group shared the mezza platter to start and then I devoured a delicious shawarma plate for dinner. You can BYOB with a $ 3/​person corkage fee and there’s a convenience store …*conveniently* across the street to grab some quick beers.
They also have hookah, complimentary valet, and a belly dancer with a really loud skirt.

Everyone has a bad day now and then, but what happened at this restaurant last night was incredible. We came in with a large group. Arrangements had been made in advance, so the restaurant knew a large group was coming at this time. We were seated at a table that had only a few menus. When a waitress came by, one person in our party asked for a menu. The waitress scolded her saying, «There are 100 people here. You don’t get to have a menu!» (Our party was around 25 people, not 100. Only a handful were given menus.)
It was very strange… and got stranger as the evening went on. I borrowed a menu, and put my order in, along with the others. But as the food came out, my order did not appear. Each time the waitress brought out food, she would shout out the dish («Chicken LaZeez! Shank!») and wait for someone at the table to raise their hand and call back to her. Throughout, her tone was angry and impatient. When I asked her about my order, she responded angrily and said I needed to wait, it would come out later. There was a child sitting across from me who also did not receive her order and was waiting.
After about 90 minutes, a restaurant staffer came to start clearing the table. He asked if everything was all right and I told him that I never got my food. He asked if Terri was our waitress — but she hadn’t told us her name, so I wasn’t sure. He said he would find my order, and I asked him to put it in a to-​go container. Nothing came of that — he came out once more to ask me about the order and then never came back. The child across from me also never got her food.
Meanwhile, the waitress handed out the checks, and ours had on it the dish I ordered and never got. We asked her to remove that from the check. She yelled at us and argued about it, saying it was our own fault that we didn’t get the food. She said she had brought it out and it was up to us to find it. She continued to yell and argue, but finally crossed out that line on the check, and we paid and left.
It was really unpleasant and I certainly will never return. I never did get my entrée, so I have no opinion as to whether the food is good or not.

The food was great. That’s where the good stuff ends.
We were a large party, it took a very long time for us to get our orders taken and for our food to be brought out. There were a couple of people in our group who didn’t even get their food and the waitress literally argued with them that they had been served, when they had never received their food.
I can get good Mediterranean food at a couple of other places, and I can even smoke hookah there too. After tonight’s experience, I’ll be going to those other places.

Enjoyed the lamb lazeez. Flavorful sauces

This review is a little tougher for me since I’m not a fan of smoking or mediterranean food. However, I was a fan of their hummus, salad, patio and staff. We came here for a bachelorette party and were treated very well. The staff was fun and friendly. It’s a great place for a group setting. It’s not a great place if you’re sensitive to smoke.
You can kinda see what everyone is doing, too. There is not much of a privacy aspect with how the tables are set up. The belly dancing show is entertaining. It’s a nice chill spot to enjoy cheap entertainment. The valet service is a great addition to the restaurant. Overall it was an experience, maybe just not my style.

Good food, good ambiance, good service. They also have belly dancer come in. And it’s a byob. Definitely recommend

A+ restaurant both in terms of ambiance and food quality/​taste. Great place to take your significant other. Belly dancers are a delight. Lamb shank is SOOO good comes with high quality Basmati rice… It’s slightly pricey but the ambiance and the food quality makes up for it. It also has a hookah/​water pipe place in the back if you’re interested in a smoke after food. Had a great time. Highly recommend. One of the best mediterranean restaurants I have been to in America.

We were here a couple weeks ago for a
friend’s birthday. The waitstaff was more than accommodating (Despite and little confusion over where we were seated), everyone in our party of 12 raved about the food. I had a shawarma plate. Tender, flavorful, delicious. The owner was present and speaking to patrons. They even give belly dancing lessons.
The atmosphere is basically perfect. A large open outdoor area with intimate lighting and organized rows of tables centered around a small square floor the dancers perform on. The music is never so loud you can’t think, but it’s present enough to be drawn into the moment.
For larger parties they have a couple of inclosed areas that are lit with strings of lights.
It’s a BYOB establishment and they offered bottle openers, wine openers, and even mixers for your booze.
I really really like this place. Its fun, memorable, and totally worth your time. A MUST for anyone from here or visiting.

Hmm, there was nothing here that really wow’ed me, other than the fact that the area is HUGE but nobody was there, mysteriously. It was around 6:30−7pm when were arrived.
— The hummus tasted exactly like it was store-​bought. I know it is, now, because… (read below)
— Chicken La Zeez: Tasty, good amount of spices, though I felt it could’ve used more (although the two other girls who also ordered this dish were dying from spice). Big portion. Really seemed expensive, though, for what it was.
— Sorbet: Waitress told us they bought them from Costco. I knew I recognized that half-​lemon. Big turn-​off to recognize restaurant food from a store.
Look elsewhere for higher-​end Mediterranean fare at this price-​level.

Ambiance: ⁵⁄₅
Food: ⁴⁄₅
Service: ⁵⁄₅
TLDR; sit in the patio area!!!
I love restaurants that are memorable and different. This place is full of surprises! From the front, I wouldn’t have guessed what I was going to find when I opened the door at all.
We recently moved to the neighborhood and started exploring the bars and restaurants around. After hearing good things and an amazing picture of the roasted lamb shank on Unilocal (thank you whoever it was!), we decided to try Phara’s first.
The outside is pretty modest, aside from Phara’s in large letters across the top. The parking lot is pretty small, but they have complimentary valet that could make your life easier.
You can see a peek of the restaurant through the window, but you really don’t get the full effect of it until you open the door! The dining area is dim but lit with starlights across the ceiling and is decorated with several pictures and posters! It’s super quaint but don’t make my mistake… The patio is the way to go!
It’s absolutely beautiful out there and full of character. They have several tent/​booths, what look like group rooms, and a little stage in the center. They have live music, belly dancing and all that good stuff!
The service is great! The restaurant is BYOB and they brought us out a bucket with ice for our beers quickly before they took our orders. We had someone with dietary restrictions in our group and they gladly went back to check the ingredients for what he ordered. They also were generous enough to let us move to the patio once we finished our meal.
The food is delicious! But the restaurant itself is the standout here. My beef was a little dry but the la zeez garlic habanero sauce was on point. The hummus is definitely delicious and worth ordering. The roasted lamb shank was realllly tastey. Super tender and falls right off the bone. I enjoyed it more than my beef.
Anyway, this is a super fun place for date night or when you just feel like spicing up your night!

Will give a 5 star when I try more food. But atmosphere was amazing. Never seen belly dancing before so I can’t really judge on it but it was a very entertaining performance. My cousin and I shared the lamb shank and it was huge. It was totally worth it. It came with 3 different sauces and I each was amazing in its own right. The lamb shank itself was hug we couldn’t finish it ourselves… It was tender and decently seasoned. I usually like it on the over seasoned but I guess for an average person it was perfect. I definitely recommend this place to anyone that’s into live music and dancing while eating

I was here when they had belly dancing — I had no idea the show would go on, because it felt like I was on the ice planet Hoth.
First off, I didn’t try too much food — all i had was the babaganouj and pita — pretty good deal at $ 5, but the pita bread sort of felt like chewing through cotton. The babaganouj by itself, was pretty darn good.
Sheesha: (my one vice) — I had the mint flavor, and yes, I got a slight kick out of it. The coal they use at Phara’s is really good quality — not the usual round pieces that shed ash like a sheep in summer. The regular hooka was around $ 15, and i think the special flavors are around $ 20. They do keep changing the coal regularly, so it doesn’t get abrasive. The cap filters are $ 3 apiece– heads up.
The service: really good. I have to say, I was really impressed.
Phara’s is a BYOB place, thankfully they don’t charge you for the BYOB like a lot of other places do.
The atmosphere is absolutely great. I did see a lot of families with kids, which i felt rather bad about, on account of my puffing hooka like a steam engine. The belly dancer goes on for two hours, and the floor is pretty much open to anyone who can get away with dancing in public without falling flat on their face.