Fez Moroccan Restaurant
620 S 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA, 19147
Fez Moroccan Restaurant Menu
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Address :
620 S 2nd St
Philadelphia, PA, 19147 - Phone (215) 925-5367
- Website https://www.fezrestaurant.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 12:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner, Late Night
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Average
Music : Background
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : No
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Yes
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Andrea P.
Best thing about this place is the lamb with honey, the baklava, and the belly dancers. Fez is accomodating to large groups (though will automatically include gratuity in your check for it). Compared to Marrakesh, right around the corner off south street, Fez unfortunately falters. Their service and food is not as good, though the price is the same. I do however, think their belly dancers are slightly better performers at Fez than marrakesh. Drinks tend to not get filled often enough here. That being said, Fez is still a wonderful experience with delicious food and a great show. The chicken was succulent and flavorful and I could not stop eating the honey lamb! The honey lamb is truly amazing. Hands down my favorite dish! The chicken with powdered sugar and the couscous were under seasoned to me. But then again, I am not a big couscous fan well seasoned or not, and the chicken with powdered sugar thing has never really appealed to my palate anyway. Be sure to allow multiple hours to enjoy the seven courses and bellydancing and budget in extra time if you plan to smoke hookah afterward.
(3)Samantha E.
I started coming here a little over a year ago after trying a few hookah bars in the city. We would come once every 2 months or so for drinks, appetizers, and hookah. It was truly the best in terms of flavor, smoke, and good food. Our last two visits have been very disappointing. The staff has been less attentive to coals and drinks and the hookah has gone downhill. Our last hookah was almost flavorless and the couple we were with had issues with lack of smoke due to coals that were not hot enough. They no longer offer their "a la carte" menu on the weekends, leaving you with the only option of the Moroccan feast. I don't always want a multi course meal with my hookah. On one occasion we were seated next to the door, which is very uncomfortable and cold in the winter. I also prefer to leave here before midnight, when the atmosphere and crowd changes. Before midnight, Moroccan music plays softly in the background and gets louder when the dancers come in. However, after midnight, they play very loud hip hop music that is more appropriate for a club. They now include a 15% gratuity for hookah.
(2)Michael B.
that the place was cold (no heat) and empty should have been a warning sign: don't eat here. very expensive, almost no food served, very unsatisfying the mint tea is watered down the portions are almost non-existant no plates, no opportunity to wash hands but you gave to eat with your fingers terrible place, avoid!
(1)Amy A.
I went to Fez for a birthday party. I had zero expectations and overall I had a great time. I went on a Saturday night, so the only option was the 7 course meal. The belly dancer was great and got the crowd involved. The drink prices were reasonable for the city. My only complaints were the super slow service. We arrived at 8:15. My husband and I left at 11:15 and the last hadn't been served yet. Of course this drove up our bar tab. Also as a morrocan newbie it would have been nice if someone explained the dishes. They stated in the beginning they would, but that never happenend. I was in a group where peope didn't really know each other, so I know a few peopke felt uncomfortable eating with their hands though I absolutely loved that part. This was a unique dining experience. I really enjoyed myself and I'm looking for a reason to return in the near future.
(4)Simon H.
I'll keep this short. - Incredibly wonderful ambiance. -Friendly staff and owners -Not so cheap menu prices -Good hookah -Nice place to go after work to hangout with some friends and chat. -If its not packed, you can rest your feet on the small couch things they have. -Music makes u want to dance in your seat. -Belly dancers are an added bonus. Overall, definitely a great place.
(5)Aleida M.
I want to like this place but it's just too damn expensive for no reason. Came here with my sister ordered a yuenling lager $5 she ordered a mango juice $3.50, hookah $25, chicken skewers $14, and $9.50 for gratitude the bill came back $60.80 I didn't even eat. Hookah should never cost $25 period! And the food was small portions good but small, total rip off. I'll go somewhere else next time. Everything is just overpriced.
(1)Angie R.
Simply amazing. Went there and was surprised by a group of friends for my bday...def best for groups! The food, the vegetarian meal was awesome ! A little on the expensive side but I'm a college student so it depends! Had a great time with great company
(5)DanaJoy88 ..
Seven course meal for $25 a person is a phenomenal deal and to make it even better each course was delicious. The cozy couches lining the walls and the dark lighting make it a romantic date night but I also can see a big group being a lot of fun here. From step one of washing our hands in rosewater my boyfriend and I were transformed into a truly original and exotic dining experience and it was so much fun.
(4)Daniel L.
This kind of sets the standard for what I consider to be an awesome hookah place in a strange new city. We rolled in around 10pm on Sunday, knowing from the Yelp app full-well that they were going to close at 11pm. So we get seated and get right to it - we want the tequila sunrise hookah because that name just sounds awesome. The decoration is legit & authentic. The walls are covered with cloth, the windows are blacked out from the street with the same cloth, there are the cloth hangings coming off the wall, and the lighting is dim to make it seem authentic, something straight out of one thousand and one nights. The tables are round and are organized in a lavish lounge sort of setting. The waiter guy was nice, friendly, and was doing a rockstar job of checking in on us and the coals. Hookah for three people came out to $27. Not exactly cheap, but at least not exorbitant compared to some hookah places across the country I have unfortunately visited. My return visit scheduled and on the books has already incorporated this place into the itinerary. I look forward to trying the food. And getting some more time with the hookah before the music gets turned off which is a clear indication we need to GTFO at 11:00 exactly - would have appreciated a little more gentle approach and a few extra minutes to hang out, but hey, I bet real important shit was about to go down you had to attend to rather than letting us hang out for a few extra minutes.
(3)Tamar P.
The Fez Feast with lamb is awesome. Nice atmosphere, good place to hang out and enjoy a hookah with friends. Friendly staff always willing to add coals without extra charge.
(5)Deepika R.
Went there on a tuesday for dinner with 7 of my friends and the dishes were not great and the place just looked gloomy but the only good part about the whole experience was the music which was really good. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone who wants good moroccan food.
(2)Katy O.
I went to Fez, never having been before, and had an awesome experience. The decor is set up to give the feel of being in a tent. Low lighting, beautiful belly dancer, the round table/couch seating was excellent for group conversation and for leaning back comfortably when smoking hookah and after 7 rounds of delicious, Moroccan food. All the food was very tasty. This is no in and out restaurant, our group was there for about 2.5 hours lounging, conversing, hookah-ing, and eating. I loved that. I didn't feel rushed to get out, and our server was friendly and did a great job getting us what we needed. 9 of us got the 7 course meal, and though eating everything with your hands was something I wasn't use to, I feel it brought the group closer together. $5 bottled beers, not a bad price for that part of the city. All in all a wonderful dining experience.
(5)Dia S.
I had dinner at Fez tonight with friends, and we ordered the eight course meal. The food was excellent and the service was like royalty. The food is very traditional Moroccan and was an interesting and cultural dining experience. My favorite course was the chicken with olives, and the pastilla. We were amazed with the belly dancer and with the dining experience under the tent which transports you to an exotic place. For a minute you could be in Casa Blanca. The entertainment, food, full bar, atmosphere, and service are all reasons why I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Great for special occasions and getting together with a group of friends.
(5)Sondos A.
I went to fez with a friend got humus and a Side of rice, the worst rice I have ever tasted , it tasted like a microwaved 3 or 4 day old rice. Asked our server to remove it and he informed us he couldn't, okay and when we preceded to get the bill he had given Himself a hefty 8 dollar tip, okay? Never coming here again.
(1)Saliya B.
I feel really bad writing this review since I come from this culture... I feel like the atmosphere is not welcoming, the service is very bad, and the food is poorly made. Three times I had to call for a waiter and tell him to please change my plate. The intervals between courses were extremely long and I also had to inform the waiter that I am finished and he could take my plate. I came with a group of people and every single one of them was disappointed. The belly dancer was wearing a yellow costume and had shoulder length light hair. Her dancing skills are awful, she definitely is very far from being professional. The way she moves is ridiculous, she doesn't know how to dance at all. This is the first time I am writing a review in my entire life and trust me I am not a mean person. I wanted to show my friends my culture and the food we eat ... But it turned out into an awful embarrassment. I will never come back here. 1 star.
(1)Joshua V.
I loved this place during my college days. However, nostalgia does not exactly balance out the short comings. I've gotten the Fez feast a few times; the food is alright, but for the price you'd expect that you'd actually be full (one time, my party got pizza afterwards). It's worth mentioning that the slow cooked chicken is a standout, maybe they should think about building around this... If you're not going to eat, Fez is actually a really nice place to just relax and smoke some hookah with some friends (as you can all split for one). Once in a while you can probably convince one in your party to dance with the belly dancer. I still feel like a chauvinistic d-bag whenever I tip the dancer $1 bills like she 's a stripper, but apparently it's OK.
(3)Brian C.
My friends and I went there as a large group (8 people) and made a reservation thinking we would need one for 7pm on a Friday night. It turns out the place was almost empty so we had no need to worry. We ordered the demanded pre-fixe seven-course meal and looked forward to the courses. Each was unique (powdered sugar pastry filled with chicken, lamb honey-soaked and encrusted with almonds) but none was surprisingly tasty to the palate. It was a good meal but not the best in the city. The service was okay - there were many waiters yet we sometimes had no water in our glasses or the dishes started to pile up for a minute or so. As we left at around 10pm people started to come in for the hookah bar option, which seemed popular for them.
(3)Jazzie S.
My cousin and I came here Saturday night around 7:30pm. We didn't make reservations but we should have. We got the last table by the door. They had a 7 course dinner menu. For $25 pp. They came and with warm rosemary water so we could wash our hands at the table. We thought this was cool. The first thing they brought out was the salad which you use your hands to eat with pita bread. It was delicious!! The other six courses were delicious as well. The belly dancer was awesome and interacted with the crowd. Overall it was a very cool experience. Felt like we took a trip to Morocco for the night.. Yeah came to 90 something and we had hookah and a drink from the bar. Definitely would recommend this to everyone.
(4)Jordan S.
Terrible experience. Went there with an Eversave which I purchased under the allure of trying a new cuisine. This place really should just be advertised as a hookah bar that happens to have food rather than a restaurant. The atmosphere was great but the food was terrible and horrendously priced at that! The service was even worse. My date and I were the only ones in the place during our time there and yet the wait was intolerable. Moreover, the waiter never refilled our waters. We had to ask for more water if we wanted any. It is a pretty basic courtesy for waiters to at least be capable of refilling water and asking how everything is, but not here. I would give it 0 stars for the next atrocity. Forced 18% gratuity on the bill even though we were only a party of two! This is a reprehensible policy as the service was absolutely crap. Worse, I went over the bill and they actually did 25% gratuity but they refused to change it. Terrible place. AVOID! AVOID! AVOID!
(1)Alex X.
Came here a while back and just chose a random spot to eat. Okay Im in a foreign country...Belly dancer entertainment in a private tent in Arabia (just make believe with me). I liked it! I was on a date with an engineer who claimed to be african and it was funny because he was starving and whining like a little kid that night. So he ordered...and ordered he did the multiple course meals where you can try anything: everything. Yummy. I have no idea what I ate. I guess it was Moroccan food. I was too busy watching the belly dancer! haha. I dont think Morrocan food was my thing or else I would remembered what I had. But hey I like trying new flavors of the east. :) I found out later my date never eat moroccan food before. Great...Lol. I would do it again. Bring on the belly dancing!
(4)Caitlin V.
At first, Fez feels shady. The whole place is draped in fabrics, there aren't a lot of windows, it's very dark and smokey, and there are even some people at the back laying all over each other. That aside, the place is sort of fun and the service is very nice. We went to Fez because of the HORRENDOUS service we got at Byblos. My friend was on a hookah mission so we drove across the city to come here. I'd probably say this place isn't my usual scene but was an interesting change of pace. The belly dancer was really cool (I'll echo a previous review that mentions it does feel a bit weird to tip the dancer as if she's a stripper, but you should definitely tip her. It's very authentic and cool). We had a white peach hookah, I a glass of pinot noir, and my friend had a cup of moroccan mint tea. The tea was very sweet and she got it unsweetened for the next cup. We didn't eat here so I can't comment on that. Overall good experience.
(3)Amanda B.
We celebrated our friends bachelorette dinner here before hitting the town. They made her sister give a $200 nonrefundable deposit for 20 people. We had 16 girls, they still charged us for 20 even though they didn't provide us food for 20. The meal was terrible. The cous cous and this chicken puff pastry powdered sugar waffle thing was inedible. The service was insincere and slow. The eggplant was fizzy and pretty sure rotten. It was like a meat locker inside, the thermostat read 51 degrees no joke. I would not suggest going here ever. Oh and I failed to mention two girls had upset stomachs that night. Yucky!
(1)Roma P.
Decent hookah, decent atmosphere, shady location, crappy service, and felt dirty. I came here when I first moved to Philadelphia 4 years ago thinking it was the best place in Philly, but there are many many better places in town with much better/smoother hookah. The location makes it a popular place to be on a Friday night (because it's right next to Penn's Landing on South St.), but if you're looking for good hooks, try University City instead. After trying the other places, definitely would not come back here.
(2)Stephy S.
On weekends, they have basically two options: 8-course meat sampling or 8-course vegetarian sampling for $25 a person. We tried the meat one, and had lamb and chicken. The courses: soup, bread/dip spread, chicken pie with powdered sugar, chicken, lamb, cous cous, fruit, and baklava. Out of the entire course, I enjoyed only the chicken, although it was a roasted kind which most of us could make ourselves in a crock pot. The fruit had bananas, oranges, and apples. I was told the apples were "soft" and the bananas looked green, so the oranges were the only ripe option. So, I enjoyed the chicken and orange. The ambiance was different, it felt like we were in a canopy tent. Every so often the belly dancer would come out. She was a good dancer, so it entertaining if you like that sort of thing. I think the guys in our group enjoyed it. Has hookah, so many groups came in towards the later hours to do that. But during dinner, it felt like we were the only group actually dining. I thought the food was not good, and overpriced to boot. I will not be coming back.
(2)Ruth Y.
I recently went to this restaurant with a good friend who wanted to have Moroccan food. She had it before in Morocco and wanted to see what this restaurant was like. This place is right off of South street, which made for some difficulty parking. However, we decided on a late dinner at 7:15pm or so, and so got lucky with close parking spots. The service was super duper friendly, although not extremely fast. This did not really bother us as I get the impression that Moroccan culture makes a meal a slow experience in itself. Although we found out later that all our servers and even the owner were not Moroccan. However, do not worry, the chef is (and is not that the most important part? hahaha). We had coupons so we had to order the Fez Feast (7 courses). We started out with a trio of cold salads. They were all very good. There was a cucumber salad, a carrot salad and eggplant concoction. This was served with all you can eat warm bread, which was delicious. The servers bring by the bread in this gigantic woven basket; I felt a bit bad on how often I asked them to bring us bread, but it really was delicious. Then we had a puff pastry with a meat like mixture. I have to admit neither I nor my companion really cared for this. The dish was sprinkled with powdered sugar, and meat and powdered sugar just did not work for me. We both had the olive lemon chicken (I think you had a choice of several different types of chicken, but it was hard to understand the server). The chicken was fairly tender, but the dish overall was too salty for me. The server asked if we would like it mild or spicy and we decided on mild. However, he made the ingenious suggestion of getting the spices on the side so we could at least try it. The server informed me that there was harissa in the spices, which is an ingredient I have been dying to try. The spices ended up being too spicy for me, but I was really glad to have gotten the chance to try the harissa, and the flavor was quite good. The fourth course was a choice between beef kabobs and honey almond lamb. My companion and I ended up split over this choice; she got the kabobs and I got the lamb. She was generous enough to allow me to try her kabob, which consisted of green peppers, onions (I think) and 3 chunks of beef. I did not really think it was anything special. It did not really seem specially seasoned or flavored. The lamb, however, was quite tasty. I was a little disappointed as the lamb was not super tender and the honey taste did not seem really infused into the meat. But overall, it was a pretty tasty dish. I had this same (I believe) dish YEARS ago after finishing my first year of undergraduate education. I remembered it being amazing. Of course that was years ago, and memories get warped throughout the years. So I liked this dish but was a bit disappointed because it did not live up to the memories. The fifth dish was a couscous with roasted vegetables. There is not much to say. It was okay, a bit bland, but okay. I know my companion thought it was a bit too dry. There were a lot of good vegetables in there, however. I am not sure how they counted the last few courses. There was fruit that was brought to us in a basket. A generous 6 pieces; two each of apples, bananas and oranges. It does not sound like much, but considering how much food preceded this, we were full just looking at the fruit. There was also a very, very delicious cup of sweetened mint tea. This was followed by an eclair looking pastry. I found the pastry to be a great light and sweet ending to the meal. My biggest complaint and word of caution is that later at night it seems like a lot of customers come for the hookah. Since I am allergic to smoke and the dining area is one big long room with nowhere to hide, this was a problem. I would say, if you think that the hookah will bother you to come earlier in the evening. When we first got to the restaurant, there was traditional Moroccan sounding music playing, later when the hookah customers came, the music all of a sudden changed to a disco-techy musical selection. I guess they think hookah goes better with disco-techy music. Hahaha
(3)Mikey I.
This place is pretty sub-standard. I'm not even any kind of Moroccan food expert but I assure you the dishes here are OK and a bit overpriced for what you get, which is an OK ethnic dish. A bit better than buying the meager $13-15 entrees is the 8-course meal for $25/person. You get a few series of dishes, it's honestly not as filling as it sounds. It's filling enough, IMO. The service could be better, but that might be because on most weekday evenings they have but only one psuedo-attentive server working. Sidenote: he often likes to add in gratuity without any rhyme or reason? Also, when there's only 2 or 3 groups in the place, there really shouldn't be any wait for getting water refilled and the like. So, even though there is but only one server, even on slow nights it kind of borders on inexcusable. If you're looking for a hookah bar or Moroccan cuisine, there's probably better showings of either/both somewhere else.
(2)Ava W.
Hey Yelpers, I went to Fez with my girls to celebrate a b-day last weekend and we had a blast! I mean, it was a new experience for all but one of us (group of 6) and we were not disappointed. We got the Fez Feast (which, by the way, is the ONLY thing you can order on the weekends) and got accustomed to using our hands to eat pretty quickly. We enjoyed everything except for the veggie couscous..even my two vegetarian friends didn't care for it. The chicken was awesome and I really enjoyed the beef kabobs. We went thru two bottles of wine like water and we ended the night with a Fuzzy Navel flavored hookah. Now, none of us smoke but all agreed that it was a great experience. Is going to Fez something I would do on a regular? No. But for a great nite out with my girls..Absolutely! We thought the service was on point..the server was attentive and took the time to explain everything...and the bellydancer became our new homegirl...She'll probably be hangin' with us at the next girls' nite out! Cool chick with great moves!! I think I'll take bellydancin classes now....My husband would concur, lol.
(4)Ugochukwu O.
This place is great. You walk in and it's like the set of an Arabian nights movie. The hookah is great, try the stuff you haven't before because they make for the best stories. They good is also great. They only trap is that this place is pricey. I took a date out and we had one flavored hookah and two shots. The bill came up to $60 lol. So over priced but the place is nice. I will not be back unfortunately because at $60 per session, I might as well buy my own hookah and tip myself. Nice but not that nice
(4)Fereshteh A.
I have no idea why the reviews are so terrifying. The atmosphere was flawless, the belly dance was fun to watch, the staff were nice and friendly, the food was very good. The only bad part is the price. With tax and tip we hit 32/person which is too much for me and is the only reason I gave 3 stars. Otherwise it would be a five. Even considering that, I still say it is a must-go-once. Just a sisterly advice: don't go with people you are not intimate with : You have to eat with your bare hands. ;)
(3)Tahirah T.
i went here last night for my b day and i loved it i will do it again soon. i had made a reservation for 15 ppl. at the last minute 10 ppl cancel(smh). so i told them and they said no problem. i got there at 8 30 we didnt leave till 12. even tho the place closed at 11: 30. ppl was still in there hooking and drinking the food was done unless you order before the 11:30.. i have fun the food was great all but the pasties. i didnt like it but every else did. i love the herbal water cleans at the beginning. the salads was good i love the carrot the best but they was all good and the bread we use to eat the salads yummy. the chicken bastilla was good it was baked like a pasties it was different but i like it. i am guesting it like a mince meat pie but i dont eat pork so i cant say that but my friend said it do. we torn that up it was good. we had the harissa hot sauce chicken.(yup cause i am black and we love hot sauce lol) the meat was so juicy it was falling of the bones as we dug into it. yum yum. next we had the lamb with honey and almond being raised muslim you eat lamb a lot so when you have good lamb you know it. they didnt gave just enough i have 5 pieces only cause my friends and big brother clean the plate.i snooze :'( but it was good. the couscous was great . the fruit was a surprise i forgot it was on the menu but it was a nice palette cleaner i pick a banana but they had oranges and apple too. then they brought my cake i brought with me was a candle. they play this cute Moroccan birth song and everyone even the other ppl in the restaurant screamed happy b day. it was cute i loved it i was blushing. i cut my cake then they brought out the pasties that i didnt like and the mint tea. that was some great mint tea it was prefect. that was food i also have hookah i dont smoke (any more since 2003) so when it came to hookah i wasnt going to do it at first. but what i quit cold turkey again if i need to. i dont do monthly body cleansers and detoxs to be a stick in the mud on my b day. but i wont so it again. one in my life time thing plus i was raised to never said i hate some time if i didnt try it.( even tho i never said i hate anything i just dont like something or i dont care for it nor to try it again or ever. we got two hookahs tequila sunrise and sweet melon. the tequila sunrise was the best to me. i dont like sweet things to much and melon was too sweet . i had 5 drinks two of them was shots. i had a order my own drinks . Jose and orange, grey goose and cranberry, Bacardi and pineapple, the then two flames shots . white liquor with white liquor you wont got drunk (unless youre a lightweight drinkers). tip. coffee and tea dont stop you from getting hang overs. drinking on with food, dont mix brown with white. one or the other, drink a high quality liquor if nope is around drink more juice or mix it with juice or ice so you do get drunk fast and you dont harm you liver, slip straight liqour unless hey are shot. (but shots are a waste of money unless your not paying then ), stay up if you was drinking no stop drink till 3 am go to sleep at 6 am you cant stay up drink coffee. s watch tv and eat fruit. trust me i never have a hang over and i tell all my friends this. the alcohol need to past thu the body. liquor speeds up the blood to you head when you sleep you body slow down but if your drunk it would causing a head ache. no food or water you wont go to the bathroom cause vomiting.
(4)Richard P.
Our experience kind of mirrors that of Liz F. who reviewed on 8/21/11. The food and atmosphere were all relatively good. There was a Belly Dancer and hookahs were freely available and Customers appeared to enjoy them immensely. There is a flip side to our experience which strongly outweighs the positives listed above. First off, I had to ask the waiter 3 times for a fork because I don't enjoy eating with my hands. He told me that very few people asked for forks. Being that it was the weekend we were limited to the 7 course price fixed dinners at $25 per person. A Gentleman of Middle Eastern descent and his wife sat next to us and were immediately served enormous salads and flatbreads and automatically given forks (yes, forks and they didn't have to ask for them). The salads were not offered to anyone else. The real kicker is this: We paid for part of our bill using an "Eversave Coupon." When they presented us with the bill there was a gratuity on it for about 20%! Now I don't mind being hit up for a gratuity if the party is greater than 6 people, but for only 2 people this is highly unethical. IN THIS COUNTRY WE HAVE THE INALIENABLE RIGHT TO BE THE JUDGE OF OUR OWN GRATUITY, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!!! (In most other countries there is no gratuity). Secondly, the wine my wife ordered was only $7 per glass of which she had 2. They charged us $8 per glass. The final insult was a charge for tiny glasses mint tea. They charged us $2 (x's 3) for tiny glasses of mint tea and it was listed on the menu as being part of the 7 course meal! I have been in Morocco and never have I been charged for mint tea. Where ever you go, mint tea is pushed on you as a sign of hospitality from the local pharmacy to rug shops and every place in between. Our final bill which included two $25 dollar price fixed dinners and 2 glasses of wine cost over $92.00. If you choose to eat at this place, Caveat Emptor! (let the buyer beware)! We will never return.
(1)Caroline H.
I went here for my birthday a year or so ago. Definitely an experience to remember although the waitstaff seemed to ignore us for another table of "regulars." We did the 8 course prix fixe meal which gave you a chance to try a little of everything. You have to eat everything with yourhands so I recommend you go with close friends! Overall the food was good but I don't know if I would return for a second visit.
(3)C K.
great choice for Moroccan food in the city, and right on south street. On the weekends, they have belly dancers. The feast is delicious and you can get a restaurant.com gift certificate if you plan on getting the feast (definitely recommended). If you go, you can get a restaurant.com gift certificate to take the edge off of the bill, which is definitely a plus.
(4)Leah L.
Their whole chicken is to die for!!!! The place looks so Moroccan inside, it was really fun to eat there. It felt weird to leave because one second you're in Morocco and the next your on South Street in Philly. Don't get their mint tea, compared to real Moroccan mint tea, it's disgusting
(4)Yasmeen F.
Let me preface this by saying that it is very seldom that I give a place I've been to "one star", but after going to this place, I wish they had the option on Yelp of identifying your experience by a "black star" because this place should have a big fat one above their restaurant sign. Firstly, the service was POOR. I was in a party of five and I realize that the server was the only waiter for similar sized tables but this guy was extremely aloof and appeared like he just smoked a field of marijuanna when he greeted us. Tell me if I'm wrong, but when more than one person settles at a sit-down restaurant, shoudn't we all have a menu? He obviously thought that it was a luxury to have as he placed one food and drink menu on the table and expected us to pass it around- prolonging the time we could have ordered- it was hard enough to read with such dim light that had absolutely no effect on the ambiance. He didn't bring out silverware too which he also might of thought was an indulgence to have. What a nut job this guy was! Needless to say he also forgot about bringing out one of our orders, which was another blow to our dining experience. But it was nothing compared to the quantity and quality of the food. Perhaps it was what we got- but the food was mediocre, nothing to brag about, and was not justified in the amount of money you pay for it. To put it in perspective, my lamb kabob dish was about 3 oz of unseasoned rice with an equal amount of lamb parsels that were tasteless. They served it on an appetizer plate. Go figure. The server at the end topped off the night with charging us 46% gratuity, which was an obvious error in his calculation. I expect that from a pothead, but the chefs know better! If you're looking for an delicious place to eat, a place that signifies the beautiful arab culture with their art, food, and service... THIS IS NOT THE PLACE... especially if you're a novice at this type of cuisine- steer clear- this is NOT authentic. Trust me- there are better restaurants in the city if you're looking for genuine middle eastern food- and Fez does not qualify as one of them.
(1)Caitlin C.
Ok you can eat with your hands and watch belly dancers all in a restaurant whose windows are covered from onlookers outside. Very cool! From the outside you'd probably be weary of entering, as was I. The inside is covered (walls and ceiling) with colorful Moroccan fabrics and from the ceiling (aka: draped fabric) hangs a few Moroccan lanterns. The tables (circular cushioned benches around a small circular table) are low and line the walls. Before eating you everyone at the table puts there hands in the center over a basin and the water pours warm water of them. This is preparation for dinner because you are eating with your hands. For those who'd rather not but were still dragged here (or scared 1st dates) , they will also give you utensils. (Boo!) I was weary of the food as well, but I loved it all (I have to admit I wasn't sure what exactly we were ordering at some part). You can get a dinner of eight courses for $25 a person. Get this. Don't question what you are eating. One of the courses is beef with powdered sugar on it (I'm pretty sure) and it is amazing. Actually, all the courses taste pretty sweet. Oh yea: you can also smoke a hookah (it is encouraged) while you are enjoying your belly dancing. HINT: After dinner DO NOT think you are funny by asking your hot date to "smell my finger."
(5)Seth G.
I'll start off by saying I haven't been to Fez in about six years. A few friends hipped me to the place in high school. For the next seven years, I was a regular patron. The interior of the place makes manages to transform the hustle and bustle of the South Street area into a spacious, Moroccan tent with its plush cushions, hanging brass lanterns and hewn circular tables. They used to come out and was your hands. A large brass basin was placed in the center of the table. Those eating would then place their hands over the basin as the waiter poured warm an astringent consisting of rose water over them. Towels were distributed to dry off your hands, which were to be you actual eating utensils. The only exception to this is if you had soup. In this case, they would furnish you with a wooden spoon. Belly dancers would proffer their shows on weekend nights at well spaced intervals. Service there was great, even on busy nights. Even if the food and/or service has slipped a bit, it is still worth checking out at least once for the experience, which, at the time, was the only place at which you could have it.
(5)G T L.
Is is so dark when you walk in.....it took my eyes a little while to adjust. But that's OK. I loved the food--got that 7-course dinner and ate until I thought I would bust. It was wonderful! I loved each course, and I wanted more (not that the portions were small; I just wanted more because it was delicious.). I would go back right now if I could. I really would go back right now, but I'd feel silly going alone -- not that I couldn't eat everything myself, anyway. I've never been to Morocco (I'd go there right now if I could, too), so I can't vouch for the authenticity of the food or anything, but I can vouch for its delicious-ness! I want to get a hookah, too--I've had them in the Middle East, but I'm pretty sure they're the same wherever you get them. Next time, a hookah, even if I have to smoke it all myself!
(4)Karen C.
Good food and reasonable prices. I've been with 2 large groups of about 10, and a trio. All were comfortably and quickly seated. The seafood bastilla and mint tea were easily the best part for the meal. The decor is cozy, if a bit cheesy. It feels like walking into a hideaway of some 50's movie about the desert, more than a slice of Moroccan culture. Unfortunately, I've yet to go on a night with belly dancers.
(3)Vidhi D.
Its the worst experience I have had at a hookah bar. Even thought he hookah was good the service was horrible. The crazy amount of tip that they make u pay even though they don't deserve it n they don't even know how to handle their customers. They crazy rule they have that they only accept two cards per table. I mean for a party of 9 not everyone carries cash n our bill was huge so he should accommodate. We had to ask them for water or coal each time n when we got the 7 course meal they kept bringing our courses together like they wanted to kick us out. Never go back here again!!!
(1)Bryan M.
I went to Fez Morrocan about 9 years ago on a trip to Philly. I had seen it in a travel book as good for groups and organized a group from the conference I was at to go there. We took a taxi to the restaurant and were really impressed by the neigborhood. From what I could tell it was what you might call Bohemian and definitely cool for a guy who has lived in Texas his whole life. Entering the restaurant is like entering a tent in Morroco, they have material on the walls and ceiling. We were seated on pillows on the floor around a large table. The waiter came and explained how the restaurant worked and gave us water to wash our hands (you eat with your hands). He then brought out mint tea which was amazing (I'm not a tea drinker). The dishes came out one by one and I remember everyone being timid at first to use their hands and to try the sometimes strange foods (our waiter explained each dish as it was presented). By the end, when each dish came out, we all grabbed at it, not wanting to let someone else eat our portion of the wonderful food. A specific dish I remember was a pastry covered scrambled egg dish with cinnamon and other spices. As explained, it sounded suspect and one of our group had to be the guinea pig and try it first. On his approval, we all dug in and it was VERY ho, but SOOOO good that we all burned our fingers pulling out the next bits to stuff into our mouths. I see members of this group on occaision and we all remember our meal here even nine years later. We've tried to recreate it by going to other Morrocan places, but this was definitely a moment in time not to be re-lived. We were all so impressed by the city that we walked (quite a good distance) back to the hotel. I guess this review is mostly for Fez Morrocan, but also for the night to remember...
(5)Alex B.
Fez Moroccan was absolutely delicious. The eight course meal is shared among everyone sitting at the table and you eat with your hands. The chicken was so tender it literally fell off the bones.
(4)Jill R.
Service was good, food was good as well. Eating with your hands is a bit weird (even though a tradition). Probably not a good place for a first date haha. Has hookah which is a plus. Overall a pretty cool place to hang out. I would go back.
(4)Rhonda C.
Great atmosphere, great food, great entertainment!!! It was not very crowded, we were there for about 2 1/2 hours and the place busy but not crowded. The food was great, the service terrific, and the dancer was non stop!!! It seemed she only left to change costumes and was back again in 10 minutes!!! The music was not overly loud so we were able to talk and the setting was intimate enough to be romantic.
(4)Kimberly M.
I haven't been to Fez in over a year, but it stands out in my mind as one of my all-time favorite restaurants. For $25, you get a tasty eight-course meal that you share with your party. The courses are so varied in flavor, there's something that will please everyone. I'm not a big fan of Moroccan food on the whole, but I savored every bite at Fez -- perhaps I never had good Moroccan food until then! The ambience, though, is what really makes Fez a great experience. The walls are draped to remind you of a Moroccan tent, and you sit on cushions that are low to the ground. The lighting is dim, and as other reviewers have said, a woman comes out and performs a belly dance around the tables. All in all, it was a great way to spend an evening with a group of friends (and it will take the better part of an evening!) I hope to be back soon!
(5)Jac K.
Went recently with a group of friends on a Friday evening. It was novel, but I will not return. The waiters were friendly and attentive. The belly dancer was engaging and fun. However, for $25 per person including a 20% add-on gratuity, bringing the total to $30 a head in a group of ten; ($300), this does not include beverages. The value was horrible since the FOOD SUCKED! If this is AUTHENtic Moroccan food, then breadsticks are REAL Italian cuisine. Instead of nan, we were served wedges of french bread. The shishkabbobs were dry and over-cooked, the couscous was flavorless. The meat dish was uninspiring and tasted like they ordered a rotisserie chicken from the local Acme, then broiled it in water. Not bad, but, not worth the money. We do not recommend this place. There are other Moroccan restaurants that have higher recommendations; next time we will listen to the online reviews.
(2)Gina L.
Fez, is a great chill out venue!! Tucked away right off South Street ( I almost want to keep this to myself) . Anyway, I love the Venue, Moroccan themed, Belly Dancing, and Hookah! I have yet to eat here, but will update when and if that happens. The Hookah is decently priced compared to some of the other places in Philly. Oh yes, they do serve wine. Definitely cool for casually hanging out solo, with the girls, guys, or 'Cupcakin' with your significant other. I put this on my iLove List. Check it out and let me know what you think...
(4)Irfan K.
Typical Moroccan 5 course meal, always get a balance meal for $30. Expect to spend a good 3 hours there for the Fez Feast.
(4)Nadim K.
Lets start with the 8 course meal why don't we. The starter also known as the soup seems to be a out of the can Campbell soup with a few chickpeas thrown in to make it seem exotic. Its very high in sodium and was served at room temperature. 1 hour later, comes the second course which is a cold salad with carrots and cucumbers. At this point we were starved but the carrots had the taste of pesticides and dirt. There were no utensils given and bread was passed out as if it was a scene from Oliver twist and we were begging to receive more stale bread. Next the Bastilla, this was a pastry stuffed with chicken topped off with powdered sugar. The pastry was fried in oil that was past its prime and the stuffing inside was tasteless and greasy. 30 minutes later the main course came... which was a full chicken that was greasy over cooked and came with no utensils. After asking countless time for forks, water and bread the waiter decided to reward us with some lukewarm water and a few forks and some more stale bread. Somewhere in the confusion some of us were fed skewers over over cooked beef shish kebabs one skewer a person which only had two pieces of the cheapest cut of beef around and was also tasteless and over cooked. By this time we were tired of the service , the below par food and the ignorance of the staff we decided to skip the rest of the meal and get it to go but wait you can't take left over food home. Interesting. When the bill came they had over charged us by 3 guests and were not willing to change the bill. The verdict If you want expensive food with terrible service come here. If not go to Marrakesh Express. The owner there is actually is Moroccan and treats his customers like family.
(1)Kristine D.
Fun, delicious and different!
(4)Lauren H.
I went to Fez for my friend's birthday. If you're trying to accomodate a large party, I'd highly recommend this place. It's especially great if you're trying to accomodate vegetarians within a big group. Also good to note - we had absolutely no trouble booking a table for nine on a Saturday night two days in advance. On the weekends, they have a fixed price ($25) eight-course menu that you eat with your hands. It was so dark I could barely see what I was eating, but it was fantastic, even for a fussy gal like myself - the lentil soup was delicious, the chicken was especially moist, and the hummus was top notch. I would have given it five stars, but the service slowed down significantly after the first five courses. After dinner, definitely indulge in the hookah -- they have a myriad of flavors; I'd recommend mango or mixed fruit.
(4)A B.
This is more of a quiet relaxing place. My friends and I were looking for something more loud fun and lively so we weren't as impressed. We only ordered hookah which was pretty okay. The decor is gorgeous. The waiters are all wearing costume-like Moroccan uniforms and are professional but seemed a little tired and distant. If you are looking for a quiet place and willing to pay not-so-cheap prices then this is a nice place. closes by 2am fridays/saturdays.
(3)Glorilyn H.
I went to Fez with a group of friends recently. We had called in advance to confirm the free hookah night and belly dancer and to make reservations. We arrived and the place was empty. There was one server for the entire restaurant for the night, which posed to be a problem once the place started filling up. Also upon arrival we found out the belly dancer was not going to be in that night, even though we were told an hour previous that she was. A little bummed, we checked again on the free hookah deal...ordered our 8 course meals and wine and started our dinner. The food was no where near worth the amount spent, though the wine and tea were tasty. The baklavah was probably the worst I've ever had, and the main courses were not much to speak of either. The server was not very attentive and did a poor job throughout the course of the night. I am not one to normally complain about things unless I've had an awful experience...so please understand that this rating is deserving. We ended our meal with the "free" hookah...which we ended up getting charged for. After waiting FOREVER for our bill, we had to wait just as long to get the waiter's attention. After arguing with the waiter to have it removed and him refusing, we requested to speak with the manager who was just as unpleasant. All in all, this was one of the most unpleasant experiences I've ever had at a restaurant in my life. Customer service, food, and the experience was awful. I would not recommend this place to anyone even if it were the last place to eat on earth.
(1)Aditi J.
Similar thoughts as my review on Marrakesh. The atomosphere, the courses served were all very similar. To me, the restaurants were substitutable. Plus: the bellydancers were much better looking, if you're into that. Plus: The falafel course instead of lentils at Marrakesh was a better choice. But still the vegetarian option is not as worth it as the meat option.
(3)Aliah D.
I went to Fez last night with eight of my galpals. The decor and ambience is very nice and the music was pleasant. I had high hopes for a good time out! I had been to other hookah restaurants (one in D.C whose name escapes me was top-notch, it was a real-live affair--with singers, belly dancers, and the patrons dancing in betxixt smoking hookahs) so my hopes were high. Service was attentive and on point. Our servers made sure our waters were never low, our alcohol was flowing (their wine selection was very small but nice), and that we were happy throughout our meal. We were one of the few patrons dining as others were just there for the hookah (it was about 9pm on a Friday night). The eight course meal was delicious (and a great deal at $25 pp plus tax and gratuities) while some courses were better than others. However, the time in between courses seemed to drag. My personal favorites were the whole chicken dish and the lamb and almonds dish. The chicken was flavorful and juicy and fell off the bones. For the eight of us, they gave us two chickens which was more than plenty! My vegetarian friend had the vegetarian courses different dishes like a falafal and a hummus dish in lieu of the meat dishes. I tasted the hummus and it was delish. There was a fruit course (just bananas, oranges, and apples) and a couscous dish that was unremarkable. I wore a borrowed Fez the whole evening after asking if it was culturally acceptable for me to wear it. Yup, I am a hot mess and I do things like that. So the Fez and hookah and chicken made my night. And of course, having a ridic time with my ladies. The bellydancer had "called out" so there was no live entertainment. Boo to that. The hookah was great and reasonably priced ($20 for hookah for three hours for four people). Definitely go for the experience...would have been 4 stars if there was a bellydancer as advertised.
(3)Kimberly P.
I went to Fez one night for my friends birthday. We ate, hookah-ed and watched the belly dancing. I don't smoke so I can't comment on the hookah but the food was pretty good and the belly dancing inspired me to take classes. This is a pretty cool out-of-the ordinary place to visit.
(4)Rachel P.
Vegetarians beware! I went to Fez last night with my husband and two of our friends. Our friends ordered the 8-course meat feast, and my husband and I got the vegetarian feast (we're strict vegetarians, and for me, it's a serious ethical/moral issue). They brought us the bastilla (a pastry filled with egg and cinnamon - one with chicken, one without), and halfway through our course, I realized that the bastilla the waiter labeled as vegetarian actually had little bits of chicken in it. Not okay. Then, they took away my husband's drink before he was finished with it (he wasn't looking and didn't notice - but it still was about 1/3 full). The service was terrible - we had to ask for bread three times before anyone brought us any, and the waiter was very inattentive. My friend decided we'd had enough and asked to just pay for the portion of the feast that we'd already eaten. They gave him a hard time but finally complied. SO not worth what we'd paid. It's a shame- I used to love this place, but I won't be going back. The last time we were there with friends, we each had maybe 1 drink each (6 people), and they put SIXTEEN drinks on our bill - yes, 10 drinks more than what we'd consumed - and tried to tell us we were too drunk to remember what we'd had. It seems like a lot of other Yelp reviewers have had similar experiences with fishy charges being added to the bill, so if you do go (I don't recommend it!), make sure you check your bill very carefully.
(1)Sunia T.
The interior is amazing and the atmosphere is authentic. Overall, the service was good. They dumped a pound of sugar in my Moroccan mint tea and there was a huge film of the sugar resting on the bottom, which was a turn off for me. Also, they did not play much Middle Eastern music but instead played random outdated mainstream songs. However, one thing that I did not mind being overly sweet was the belly dancer. She was amazingly kind and friendly, I couldn't help but dance with her. An overall comfortable atmosphere and belly dancing lessons!? I'll take it.
(3)Shecky S.
The hookah flavors tasted great and lasted for a long time. The service was kind of shitty at times but everything worked out. I had a great time here.
(4)Allie H.
The novelty of a dark, smoky Moroccan den is tainted by the sub-par food and terrible service. Been here twice and twice was enough to get my fill. Pass through the painted and cracked glass doors to enter a dark, vaguely musty room draped in velvet tapestries, thick dingy curtains and bordered by plush, half-moon couches and low metal tables. An 8-course menu, at $25 per person, is a fairly traditional offering, though lacking in any sort of distinguished flavor. You can order a hookah here (also $25) in a dozen fruity flavors; possibly the biggest draw. It's relaxing to sink back into the cushions, inhale deeply and pretend you're the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. Whoooo are youu? It appears servers are hard to come by during dinner service, as are any drinks from the bar. Savor the first glass of water they bring, as it may be your only. Sure, you'll enjoy the novelty of washing your hands in rosewater tableside and later eating with flat breads, sans utensils. A bellydancer may briefly sashay through the aisles on Saturday night and underage diners may be slipped a glass of wine. That could entice you, sure. And true, your meal will feature uncommon dishes by American standards, like lamb with honey or chicken wrapped in sweet, powdered pastry -- but in the end the food is lacking real spice, flavor and memorable taste. It's average, and just so. You'll do better at Marrakesh in all senses.
(2)Leo F.
I wish I could give negative stars. DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE. For starters there was an infant seated at the table next to me despite the fact I was carded while entering. Unless the child was stricken with the same affliction as Benjamin Button, I'm pretty sure she was not legally allowed to be in there. Normally i wouldn't care, but the child would not stop making noise. More importantly, I WAS OVERCHARGED FOR MY DRINK AND INVOLUNTARILY CHARGED OVER 20% GRATUITY FOR A PARTY OF TWO. NO WHERE ON THE MENU WAS THAT POLICY STATED. Once I brought this to the waiters attention, he initially did not want to correct the problem, but after 10mins of me explaining basic 2nd grade math to him, he had no choice but to remove the FRAUDULENT charges. No apology, no comp, nothing. I won't be back and I will be taking legal measures to resolve this matter. This is not over. STAY AWAY!
(1)Tomia S.
I went here with two of my friends just last night. First, the security guard outside was rude as I don't know what. He asked for IDs and our bags, but no one heard him the first time and I let him know. Unbelievably rude and unprofessional. Once inside, it was dark and not too comfy. The server gave us (3 people) one menu. I noticed that they put 20% gratuity for 3-4 people and I was over it by that time. One of my friends told me that he (the server) asked if we were with the other minorities there and I don't know if that was because we are minorities or not. I decided to leave because I thought the prices were high and it wasn't a great atmosphere. I gave it 2 stars because it could've been a good place, but the set up and the encounters before we were served just didn't rub me right.
(2)Tolis V.
Very small place, and the decoration looks cheap. Food wasn't bad nor amazing. Belly dancers are nice and engaging at times. Overall, it is an ok Morrocan restaurant.
(3)Purv D.
So went to this restaurant last night with a group of friends. It was a Sat night and every restaurant in the city is crowded but that is the whole point of making a reservation. We were kept waiting for almost 1/2 hr in spite of a resv. The service was terrible. We were in a group of 6+ people therefore the waiter didn't feel like putting his best effort. We literally took turns to get up and go look for the waiter because we got tired of waiting for our food/drinks/hookah/belly dancer. We were sitting in a back room which one would consider nice to have some privacy but we felt more ignored than special. Their cocktails were WEAK and $$$. This was my first experience for Moroccan food but from the reviews I have heard from my friends it is not supposed to be this bland. It majorly lacked taste. The bread that was served was not thawed well..it was frozen at the center. Pros - hookah, belly dancer Cons - inattentive service, expensive, food was to bland. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone..
(1)Jake F.
I come here a lot. Just had a birthday here too. Love the girls dancing and the customer service is amazing and quick. Drinks are always so good here and the mood and setting is perfect!!!
(5)Rick A.
I just went here for a group birthday dinner. I was pretty nervous since I am a picky eater and assumed I would be eating food strait out of an Indian Jones movie. The meal consisted of a 9 small courses and the meal lasted over 5 hours. The atmosphere was great but I the food was below average. I only enjoyed 2 or 3 courses and I passed on a few. They really gouge you on the drinks so be careful. Bottom line. If you are looking to try something different (with a group of friends), give it a whirl.
(2)Reem K.
I really adore this place if it weren't for the ridiculous prices and small portions. The atmosphere is great and filled with Arabic music. I love the seating and the layout of everything which gives it a strong Middle Eastern vibe. The service is not so great because they do not check up on you at all. You have to call them over if you need anything. Also, the hookah is way overpriced for $25...though it is delicious. I haven't eaten there before but I have seen what my friends have ordered and they barely give any food and charge way too much. Another downer is that there's only people there on weekends. On weekdays it is completely empty. Oh how could I forget? I love that there's a belly dancer, though they could find better. I'd only come to this place again if I had a lot moola and didn't mind spending it.
(3)Liz F.
Fez only even gets stars because the food is delicious but here's the catch- it's probably the worst service you'll ever have. Atmosphere: Awesome. The windows are all blocked out (we had no idea it was torrential downpouring) and there are awesome tapestries all over the walls and ceilings. There is cozy seating and awesome gold tables. Great decor. Three of us went here for a celebration dinner with a groupon. We each decided to do the 7 course vegetarian feast. Everything was very fresh and delicious. I liked the second course best although I had no idea what it was. So an hour or so later once we've gotten through all of them we get the bill. Here's where things go south. The first bill had no gratuity added to it as there were only three of us, not five. Once we gave the waitor the groupon he came back with a $19 tip added AND more tax on there. How does that happen?? We read the fine print on the groupon and menu neither of which allowed this. We approached the waitor about it and he wasn't helpful. One of the more bold people I was with then went to the manager with it and he would not even look her in the eye and said they added gratuity for 'more than two.' Shady business. We even told them we were going to tip them- and in cash not on our cards. If it weren't for the whole tax/gratuity debacle I'd go back in a minute. But, they were so rude about the whole situation that it left a bad taste in my mouth (not to mention my friends as well). So, if you want good Moroccan food and a cool atmosphere and don't mind getting ripped off and having terrible service- go here. Oh- and I didn't get my opentable points even though we filled our reservation. And we got bread that looked like it was from Amoroso's instead of pita? Strange behavior all around...
(2)J G.
Terrible food. Lamb tagine was a joke. The meat was not even lamb... The lentil soup was so salty that we could not eat it... Avoid this place...
(1)Sara L.
My Saturday night 7-course "feast" at Fez provided a fun distraction from the din of the holiday season. I was glad I was there with good company because the night stretched out longer than anyone could have anticipated. Most of the food has been adequately and accurately covered in other reviews, so I won't go into too much detail. I will echo that the style of bread they hand out is not well-suited to use as a scooping, eating utensil; pitas would be MUCH better. The food was, overall, forgettable with the exceptions of the delicious pickled carrots that came with the salad and the truly excellent whole chicken that we tore into like savages. The meal was a decent value for the $25 price tag. The belly dancer brought her A-game, dancing at least four sets of 15-20 minutes apiece, with ~30 minute breaks in between. The crowd really got into it, and many people got up to dance with and tip her. Now, if you do the math on the time-frames that I listed, you will see that we were at Fez for a LONG TIME. In fact, we were there for well over 4 hours. We enjoyed the pace of the first half of our meal, and were pleased that we were not being overly rushed. However, following our fourth course, our table became like the forgotten step-child of the restaurant. We sat for at least half an hour following the completion of each course, and could not catch the attention of any of the waiters. We had also run out of wine and water during some of these stretches, which made them seem even longer. We ordered a "Tangerine Dream" hookah, which ended up being a surprise highlight of the night since we had ordered it primarily for the novelty. The smoke was very smooth, and the flavor was pleasantly reminiscent of Tang, leading to amused speculation that perhaps it is what the astronauts smoke. Overall, I do not regret my trip to Fez but am not in a hurry to go back. If I did return, it would more likely be a late-night stop for some hookah and a cocktail or wine rather than a repeat of the glacially paced "feast".
(3)Febin S.
First off I can't believe I have to rate these guys with atleast one star. They don't deserve a single one this place had the Worst food. We paid 35$ for nothing this place is an epic fail...if you like throwing your money away for free be my guest. I have never ever wasted money for food like this.Don't waste your money here.the service is run by a bunch of dumb-asses who don't know what the hell they are doing and they force you to pay tip and the tip is insane these dudes are crazy... Thank you
(1)Sana R.
The ambiance is really neat. I've been to India about a dozen times and when I walked into Fez I felt like I was in the middle of the Rajasthan desert. The walls are decked out with these different tapestries and their cushy couches come fully equipped with bucket seating and low tables. I highly recommend the cherry mango hookah. This is also a great place for cheap drinks and large groups. Not the best for wait service though. He wasn't very courteous and we had to remind him a dozen times to bring more water.
(3)Emily S.
Fez is a nice place to go to once for the novelty, but the food is not so great. As others have described, the tent-like decor, cushiony seating, traditional music, and ritual handwashing make for a fun and unusual atmosphere, and the belly dancing is terrific. The food just isn't up to the same standard, especially if you get the vegetarian stuff. We ate there on a recent Friday. On weekends you have to get the $25 per person "Fez Feast," which is fun to order. Try telling a waiter "I'll have the feast, please" without grinning. In deference to gender stereotypes (not to mention our dietary preferences), I ordered the vegetarian feast and my boyfriend got the one with animals in it. Despite its warm and cozy appearance, the restaurant was very cold, so we ordered the Burgundy wine to try to warm up; the wine was excellent, but we were still chilly throughout the meal. Instead of napkins we were given big fluffy hand towels, which was a little disconcerting. When you're eating without utensils you need a whole lotta napkin, but white terrycloth is a peculiar choice. My boyfriend felt like he was eating a big messy piece of chicken in a spa, while I had flashbacks to covert cookie-smuggling missions in the bathroom with my little sister (you had to catch all the crumbs in the bathmat so my mom wouldn't see them). Miscellaneous notes that don't fit anywhere in particular: The vegetarian meal is not a good value at all. They must make a killing on it (so to speak). Pita and hummus are not equivalent to chicken. The bread is disguised as something exotic and triangular, but it tastes like supermarket hot dog buns. The service was attentive, although the waiter seemed incredulous each time we were ready for the next course without having eaten all the food on our plates. We were saving room! Seven is a lot of courses! If you like to smoke hookah, then this might be a nice place to go to regularly to smoke and drink and watch the dancer. Just don't go for the food.
(3)Nicole W.
Had to review this place after going for a friend's birthday and having the cous-cous. I've been to Morocco (best friend is Moroccan) and the cous-cous tasted JUST like her grandmother's. It was moist (sometimes you find it too dry) - The half a chicken was also very delicious. We went on a Tuesday and it was slow so it was a great place for a party of 10 during the week. Good service, highly recommend.
(4)Sarah F.
I went here with friends for my birthday last year. It was a Sunday night, the place was extremely dark, to the point you could barely see, and there were only one or two other tables in there. There were 5 of us, and we all got the 7 course meal, and hookah. The food was awesome! The courses are as follows, 1-Vegetable Soup, 2- Salad Plate, 3- Meat Pie, 4- Whole Chicken, 5- Lamb or Beef, 6- Fruit Basket and Mint Tea, 7 Pastry. The Salad Plate was delicious, and the roasted chicken was tender and one of the most amazing things I've ever eaten. The soup was just vegetable soup, nothing special. And the Meat Pie was weird but not terrible. The Lamb was ok, but didn't live up to the chicken that came before. They also serve you bread. The reason this isn't a five star review is the service. We were rushed out of there in a hurry, with each course coming before the other was finished and we didn't have time to finish off the hookah. They unfortunately add an 18% gratuity to parties of 5 or more, so I would recommend going with four people or less, because they definitely didn't deserve the 18%!
(4)Steph H.
Not the best, not the worst. I am not terribly adventurous with my food generally, but I found most everything to be pretty tasty. One big disappointment was the lamb dish we got. I spent time in Australia and had the chance to eat A LOT of lamb, but I also ate a lot of baaaaaaad lamb too - the quality meat here at fez was sub-par. I went with 3 of my friends, when we got into the restaurant we were one of two parties in the whole place. When the belly dancer came around it was awkward - I think I would have enjoyed my dinner more without the entertainment or if there were more people there - I donno. All in all I'd say give it a try for something new but don't expect too much. oh and PS: I don't smoke my my friends got the rose flavored hookah and still can't shut up about how great it was.
(3)Jennifer R.
Went here with a group of friends last night, and would definitely go again even though I found a few things lacking. Good: the chicken with lemon and olives. YUM. And the lamb with honey and almonds was delish. The atmosphere was relaxed and casual, but dress comfortably because you might be sitting on a very low cushion. Meh: the bread. Instead of pita, they brought around these thick wedges of a cake-y white bread. It was impossible to scoop up our food with it, and our hands were all covered with sauce. Also, the Moroccan wine by the glass -- really really chewy. Better to splurge on a bottle of better wine (around $30). To people who want to see the bellydancer for entertainment -- if you enjoy her dancing, tip her. Our poor girl danced her heart out 3 times, with people from several tables, and we were the only table who gave her a tip. Get up and wriggle with her for 30 seconds, and give her $5... It's the correct thing to do.
(3)Robyn H.
My bf took me to Fez for my birthday last year. Not bad.... we had chicken with olives. (Very tender!!!! ) It was dark as I-don't-know-what, inside the restaurant and I could BARELY see my menu!!! I can tell you this, though.... I didn't eat everything that was brought out to me! I ate the bread and salad, but didn't care much for the vegetable cous-cous. I enjoyed my mint tea and pastries.... and loved that steamed towels were brought out to us in between each course to clean your hands. We also got a hookah. I took a few puffs and didn't think it was anything special, since I'm not a smoker. Would I go again? Not sure. The atmospohere was cool and fun, but the food was nothing special. Also the belly-dancer had clearly seen better days, and it was pretty annoying the way she lingered at my table until my bf tipped her. LOL
(3)Sanchez A.
I went to Fez on a Thursday night. The vibe and the environment was cozy. The service was decent but the food was very mediocre, the portions were small and the price was expensive for the food served. I would have given them 2 1/2 stars but the Yelp app won't allow me todo half stars. Don't waste your money.
(2)Jeremy V.
I did not have much of the food so I cannot give a fair recommendation. However, the atmosphere was by far the best of any hookah lounge I have ever visited. The walls and ceilings were covered by dark rugs reminiscent of the middle east. The hookah was reasonably priced and of good flavor. The Arabian music was also of good taste. Great place to chill after knocking back some drinks.
(4)Greg G.
Went here last night on a saturday weekend of fourth of july. Arrived about 7pm place has about 16 tables and was about 1/2 full. The decor is awesome. Its like eating inside a big tent. There are drapes or tapestries on every inch of the walls. We had the 7 course feast and enjoyed it alot. Food came out at a great pace and service was excellent. We had the waiter laughing by the time we left. I especially liked the lamb with honey. This place would be awesome for a group of 4 or more.
(4)Crisel F.
Ive been here twice and both times its been super fun. There were small errors but its a restaurant, theres a bunch of people so its no big deal. The waiters are all very friendly. Both times ive seen belly dancers perform. I must say though the second time they didnt have a fantastic dancer which wasn't ideal. Theyre mint hookah was strong and they are always changing the coals which is great, it kept my buzz going which obviously i didnt mind. Drinks ehh were abismal. but what can you do, overall the experience itself is amazing the atmosphere is cozy ethnic and comfortable. I did not like the bathroom s at all and the fact they were so close to the kitchen bothered me.. I mean eww gross.
(3)Shae S.
I just ordered take out from here via Grub Hub. When our food arrived both dishes were wrong. The chicken dish also had the chickens gizzard floating around. The couscous was missing the lamb so it's just pumpkin, carrots, chick peas and raisins (not even described). Needless to say we are not eating this food. We called GrubHub and they said Fez refused to refund more than half of our money. We will never order from here again.
(1)Mark R.
Interesting interior with drapery all around. NOT EVEN a crack of window. I am a hookah & belly dancer EXPERT. Trust me when I say this. This place knows neither. Hookah - uses cheap coals that burns out too quickly, too tightly packed shisha that doesn't pull any smoke, small head basin (i'm used to grape or orange base) Maybe I'm just too used to NY quality vs. Philly? Just saying.
(3)Kerry L.
Can't recommend this place. Went with a group of 7. They were unorganized and really seemed to have a ton of trouble getting it together to even take our order. The place is very dark and even in the dark we could see how dirty it was. There was a leak from the ceiling causing the couch like seat we were seated at to become soaked. The staff didn't want to move us. They gave us towels to sit on..the towels didn't work so we moved ourselves. We really shouldn't have stayed, but we were really looking forward to the Moroccan experience. I don't think we got it. The drinks were brought out in plastic cups. The food was subpar and the service was awful.
(2)Sabrina S.
Probably the worst restaurant that I've been in Center City. First the service was horrendous, it took them forever to change the plate and sometimes we have to tell them to change the plates. The food was really poorly made and extremely simply prepared. The belly dancer was not so good and people were putting money in the skirt as if she was a stripper. The decoration of the restaurant is trying to be a tent environment, but it just looks dirty with all the dust accumulated in the fabrics on the walls. Other than that, there is nothing much more to say but an awful restaurant. I do not usually give bad reviews but this place is just one of a kind.
(1)Sari A.
The interior is nice, the food is okay and the price is a rip-off. I bought a groupon discount for $59 ( was originally $84 for two people) and for checking in with yelp I got $10 off one hookah. you would think it's a good deal. well it was NOT. our check came and we had to pay $44.00 with all the discounts!!!!!!!!!!!!! Apparently The hookah cost $25, i got a coffee for $4 and they added their gratuity!!!!! The quality of service wasnt perfect, The food not the top standards and the hookah, mine is defiantly much better. Two Yelps!
(2)Candice S.
First time I ever tried this cuisine. Glad it was here. I loved the atmosphere. I had read the mint tea was delicious so I tried it first. I found it to be a little sweet but still tasty. I found the washing of our hands with the rose water fun and interesting. We had the eight course meal. The last courses of lamb, baklava and mint tea were the best part of the meal. I would definitely dine here again. Love it!
(5)Julie G.
A group of us went to Fez last night to take advantage of the "free hookah" with purchase of the 8 course meal they offer on Thursdays. I called ahead to make sure the offer was still valid and asked if we needed to bring a print out of the offer. They said we did not need it. When we arrived, I verified that the offer was still valid and that we did not need the printout. The waiter said he needed to check with the manager and returned saying it would not be a problem. Sure enough, when we got our bill, we were charged for the hookah along with some other questionable charges. The waiter then proceeded to tell us that he told us it was ok we didn't have the printout, but that he didn't really mean it and he couldn't give us the free hookah. He continued to argue with us for a few minutes with several different arguments basically leading back to the fact that he flat out lied to us. When I asked to speak with the manager hoping to speak some reason to someone, the manager gave us the same story - that they said we could have the offer, but they "didn't really mean it". The hookah was removed from the bill, but not without considerable arguing and anger. Now, I have no problem paying for a hookah, but I DO have a problem with being lied to and not being treated with respect in a restaurant. To add insult to injury, they refused to honor the special offer and we were the only patrons in the entire restaurant for the whole time we were eating! On top of the poor customer service and management, the food was simply sub par. The bread was stale. The lamb kabob was chewy, dry shreds of lamb that looked like it was the leftovers from someone else's kabob. The couscous was overly salty and tasted prepackaged. The baklava had no filling in them at all and the fruit tray consisted of some overly-ripe bananas and mealy apples. For better cuisine and customer service, make the quick trip out to Casablanca on Haverford Ave. The food is delicious and the service is very accommodating.
(1)Sharon M.
We ended up here because we got a parking spot right in front of the place and since I hadn't done Moroccan in awhile I figured what the hey. We walked in and it was tres dark with cool brass round tables and big couches. Due to the xtra weight i gained from eating so much, I had to lay down. I'm sure I wasn't the first. I figured the soup and the seafood Bastille would be enough for me; watching my weight and all that. We were approached by the waiter when we walked in and even though the place had only 2 other tables filled, he still asked us if we had a reservation. That sleighs me. Anyway, The soup was delicious; tomato with lentils, chick peas and spices.. delish! My partner ordered the chicken Bastille; but i make it a point to never order chicken at restaurants. I tasted it but it wasn't great and really sweet. My seafood Bastille wasn't much better but it did the job. Great ambiance and music. The waiter was not very good. But he had so many tables to wait on.... I wouldn't really recommend this place unless your a newbie foodie.
(3)Rana J.
Exotic Moroccan-Themed hidden gem! Exquisite 8 course meal for only $25! Definitely satisfying! The design of the place is just so authentic; you would think you were in Morocco yourself! The service here is amazing - they even have good-looking belly dancers for entertainment (and its rare to find pretty ones ;)) It's a great place for bachelor and bachelorette parties. I was there last New Years and for a birthday party recently, and the service continues to amaze me. They even have like a portable sink where they wash your hands while you sit down. You can even eat and smoke hookah simultaneously! You're basically treated like royalty. It's definitely an experience you wouldn't want to miss out on. The wines there are fabulous! I can't wait to go there again. We always get the private room because we come in huge groups of over 20 people. Such a classy, upscale place. I definitely recommend you to check it out!!!! You will not be disappointed, i promise :)
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