Highly recommended ✅First time here for lunch. I got the spicy shawarma wrap with fries. The wrap had a great blend of flavors: The savory chicken, spicy sauce, and the pickled cabbage to add some acidity to brighten it all up. Fries were well seasoned and perfectly crispy. They are reasonably priced and the service was quick. I will definitely come back to try more!As of yet, no complaints!

We tried the chicken kabobs, the chicken curry and the Pasha Chicken. The owner brought over fresh and hot pita bread and hummus. Both of them were incredibly. All of the people in my party were blown away with the customer service and the food! The portions were large and enough to have leftovers! The Curry chicken had the option of spicy or mild. I tried the mild. There was a kick but definitely true to the description. Another added bonus is that they have a couple parking spots in front of the store front so you don’t have worry about finding parking in Columbia. Overall a great experience and would recommend trying it!

Delicious food and a spacious dining room. The falafel plate was great!Highly recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Be sure to try their Baklava with a nice cup of Lebanese Coffee ☕

Without question the best gyro on this side of the Atlantic ocean. I absolutely love coming here! The restaurant is clean, warm decor, the staff/owner are all super friendly and the prices are very cheap given the upper scale area.My only complaint is there is not a lot of direct free parking and even parking meter spots can be hard to come by. Aside from that, I would absolutely recommend them and try to come here at least one a week.

Customer Service & Food Was Bomb 💣... Worth The Try! Great Prices!!

Always a delicious meal and the employees are very kind. Low price is a bonus, but the quality of food and service are what make this place special. 10/10.

Today was my first time at Sahara and it was so good. I think the owner helped me and he was so friendly (particularly when I didnt know what I wanted.) I got the lamb special and the it is so tender and savory. I loved the pickled cabbage and veggies.

Now my new favorite gyro joint. It took a lot for me to admit that Sahara has better food. I have committed culinary adultery with Mr. Pita Way. Im so sorry Mr. Pita Way.

The falafel is perfect at Sahara; I heavily recommend the wrap with a little bit of hot sauce.

This is decent place with affordable meals. People generally get falafel wrap but their falafel platter is much better and filling. Its a go-to lunch place for me and many students.

Great gyro and fries combo. Very affordable and they give a lot of meat on the gyro. Their hummus is delicious, especially with the fresh Damascus bread. I prefer the kufta on top.

This place employs some of the most helpful and friendly folks in town. They offer great suggestions when ordering but the chefs make that easy as everything is so fresh and delicious. I go out of my way to grab a bite here.

Love going here ont if my favorite restaurants in cola the people are nice and even when there is one cook on duty and they are packed he still has a calm demeanor. Service service service it makes a different. Definitely recommended if u want good Mediterranean food oh God and the pizza MAGNIFIQUE ITS THÉ BEST

The food is amazing and prices are very fair. The customer service was great.

First time going there, and they made themselves a lifelong customer. Service was incredibly friendly, he took the time to actually make sure I knew what hot level I was ordering. The food was amazing. I’ve had shawarma in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq and this is the real stuff! It’s amazing!

The guy that owns this place is really great with his customers. I always come here and get the veggie gyro and its always fresh. There are other places in Columbia that offers gyro but their vegetables be soggy, over cooked or just plain. But this location comes with a variety of items in it and their fries is always fresh and hot. Its always a pleasure to come here.

Absolutely must try this place. Great service and even better food. Very reasonably priced, options for portion size. Hummus is delightfully light with delicate flavors. Best baklava you may ever eat.

Absolutely the best! Amazing customer service, hummus, pita, rice, fries, everything! One of my favorite restaurants as a Cola local - and great place for vegans/vegetarians as well :)

Really good food, great prices, and the owner is one of the nicest people in the business.I’ll be a repeat customer simply for the great customer service!P.S. Highly recommend the falafel, it’s amazing:)

Go to place for affordable, tasty Mediterranean foood. In Love love love with baba ghanoush. Like the Chicken gyro wraps too.

Excellent, Excellent, Excellent!Shawarmas & Gyros are always top notch. The flavors bring back to an easier time in my life. Must try the Baklava, its the best you can get in the area, and freshly made in the restaurant. The atmosphere here is inviting and the service is always prompt and friendly.

Best food on campus, best falafel in Columbia! Great prices too

Phenomenal food and service! Honestly this is one of the best restaurants in Columbia! Everything I have ordered from here has been AMAZING! It is very authentic and the owner makes most food from scratch! The owner and staff are so friendly and personable. If you are looking for authentic Mediterranean food with quick and friendly service definitely check this place out.

Nice place to sit down and eat, parking is a problem due to USC.

Sahara on Main is hands down one of the best places in Cola to get some tasty Mediterranean food! Their pita bread and hummus are amazing and you might get full just from that before your entree (as I tend to do!). The portions are great and service is as well. If you got room afterwards order the baklava and then come thank me!

Its good food at good prices. We keep coming back for the gyros, every time we discuss potential places to eat Sahara always comes up as an option.

The food is delicious and there are plenty of cheap and vegetarian options! The service is excellent. I cant wait to go back. Also much space in the restaurant in case you are concerned about covid.

Gyros are tasty and I personally like their french fries very much!

Best hummus and fries ever. Family friendly too!!

I went there because of the reviews I was on town needed a place to eat decided to try it but I got there there is no dinin and poor service definitely not try it again.

Excellent authentic Middle Eastern food. Gyro and shawarma wrap with fries are only $5.99- great value. Ive tried other things on the menu and theyre also excellent.

This is my favorite place to eat in Columbia! The food, service, & atmosphere are incredible and authentic. While some things have changed with COVID (like no servers), the service is still fantastic. My husband and I visited again last week (having moved out of state, this is one of the few things I’ve missed from S.C.), and had an amazing experience. The gentleman working (perhaps the owner) was so incredibly kind and he gifted us fresh baklava and tea to finish off a wonderful meal. I cannot recommend this establishment enough!

This is one of the best restaurants in Columbia! Everything is delicious and affordable. The owner is such a gracious host, which adds to the appeal. Give it a try. You will love it!

Amazingly quick service and delicious food. Totally recommend the fresh damascus bread, grape leaves, and shawarma.

Today was my first time eating here. I had the tuesday lunch special which was $4.99 for a gyro and fries. The fries was seasoned really well. I ended up taking large fries to go. I had the lamb gyro and it was pretty good. Some of the lamb meat was crispy but overall it was still good. My table could of been cleaned better because it was really sticky with recent drink rings on the table. The parking lot only has like 2 or 3 spaces to park. Luckily I can walk from work to here.

The atmosphere is relaxing, the food is phenomenal, and the owner is so sweet! give it a try and support local businesses ! :))))

We decided to get some local food, while not local to South Carolina, this place has some great selections for whatever your Moroccan/Middle Eastern/Mediterranean palate is looking for. I got the falafel special for Friday. Along with some tea, it was a great meal. The server was also very good. He made sure our food and drinks were perfect. I can highly recommend them!

The food was cold and looked upset. Fries were stale. I asked for some spicy sauce at a mediterranean restaurant and they gave me Texas Pete to go with my humus . On top of that the place has a wired vibe

Me and my husband just ordered from here for the first time.The food is excellent and the owner was very kind and friendly to us and offered us free drinks for our first visit! We experienced Excellent customer service! Me and my husband will definitely be coming here regularly.

Amazing lamb gyros here. I havent had good experiences with the chicken, but the lamb gyros reminded of going to food vendors in greece. So good!

I grew up in Israel and this is about as good as Middle Eastern food gets in the US. Ordered four different chicken dishes. TBH, had trouble telling them apart because my family and I devoured them all at the speed of light. Great to see my five-year-old dipping her fingers in the hummus and licking it off like it’s whipped cream or something. Would eat here again in a heartbeat. I live in Clemson and in the upstate Pita House in Greenville is considered the best Middle Eastern food, and this place is hands down better. Highly recommended.

Sahara on Main is absolutely my favorite restaurant in all of Columbia! Its great for students because they offer reasonable prices and you can use Carolina Cash! You have to try their lamb gyro and chicken schwarma! Along with amazing Mediterranean cuisine, the people working at Sahara always are so lovely. They put a smile on my face every time I come in, and they work so hard to make sure you are satisfied! Dont miss out on this gem if you are on campus at UofSC (:

Honestly, I have nothing but good things to say about this restaurant. My friends had come to visit me from my home town and they wanted to try an arab restaurant. Honestly, Sahara wasnt even one my choices but things happened and we ended up right in front of Sahara during lunch time and thought we might as well try it out. The outside of the restaurant is such a contradiction to the warm, home-y environment it houses on the inside. The menu has a lot of yummy options to choose from, so much so that it took us about 15 minutes to choose. Customer service was 100% and more. The people are so nice and accommodating and bend over backwards to get you your meal and make it as you like it and more. There was no complaints about the food, either. Exactly what we expected and more. After going today, I think it might be my favorite restaurant overall.

A1, best place and owners!!

My wife and I eat here every other Friday. Staff always SUPER friendly.

Great food.. Everything we tried was full of taste. Owner of that place is really nice and friendly.

The food was amazing and service was done with a smile. It is one of our favorite restaurants in Columbia because Mo treats you like you are eating at his table. We have been coming here for 15 years and the food gets better and better. We will tell all to go and see Mo because he treats you like family

Amazing food and great service! A must eat place near campus.

The food was too bland for my taste and the serving quantity with the price wasnt good enough for me

Great food along with great customer service. Feels like family! Highly recommend!

Amazing food, super nice owner, remarkable speed

Absolute best place in Columbia to eat! Food is amazing and I cant wait to go back!

I go there regularly for lunch. Excellent customer service with tasty foods.

Incredible! Hard to find food like this anywhere. Definitely returning for the flavors, atmosphere, and great service here!

We drove an hour an a half to try it... MORE THAN WORTH IT! Awesome service, the food was AMAAAAAZING, truly recommend! Their Damascus bread and hummus are so good, so is the lamb shawarma ❤️😍 will definitely be coming back

Fantastic food and incredibly friendly staff. Best gyro Ive had in the US!

Very kind and humble owner, barak Allahu fee. He was generous to me as a traveller and continuously asked me if I needed anything. Food was great and made with care!

Food was great! & the waitress was very patient and just good at her job period! Great attitude also! Bathrooms were clean! The only cons to the visit were the silverware looked as though it could have been cleaned better & the cook got upset about us adding something to our order. I can understand if it had of already been made but he wasn’t finished yet so in my place of understanding.. I do feel he could have withheld his attitude and maintained a more professional approach to the situation. That was something that made my husband say he didn’t want to go back but I believe in second chances. I’ll assume it was a rough day. All in all good experience! Definitely worth the visit. Oh & good food portions besides the salad being a little small.

It’s the best restaurant in south cloumbia ❤️

Absolutely a treat. Will be back often.

Waw Very delicious

You guys are amazing :)

Love this place! Food is always great, and missing it while they are closed. Looking forward to them opening back up!

I went looking for good food. I didnt find it. The falafel was bland and over cooked, the gyro meat was frozen strips that, when reheated, was greasy and tasteless, and the baba ganouj swimming in oil. The bread was good at least. There are better places in Columbia for Mediterranean food.

Amazing staff Amazing food drove an hour for mediterranean and this hit the spot really enjoyed everything we had and again Amazing staff super friendly and welcoming.

Great food, great customer service and always fresh!

I came here for the first time tonight with my husband and we loved it. We had started with the sampler and then had the pasha chicken and the gyro, all of it was delicious. The service was quick and the waitress was knowledgeable. We’ll be coming back.

I visited pre-Covid shutdown. Food takes awhile, however it is very good food!

Two stars is a bit generous. My wife and I last visited 4 years ago, and it had certainly gone downhill.For starters, the food was incredibly bland. My wife ordered the lamb kebab, I ordered the chicken parmesan, and we got some butter sauce pasta for our daughter.The chicken parmesan was soggy, and the chicken wasnt even breaded. It was pieces of chicken I presume are for kebabs.The butter sauce noodles we ordered were nothing more than boiled pasta and nothing else. We brought this to the attention to our waitress who informed the cook. He scolded her and told her and had her tell us they were out of butter sauce.The bread (and to a lesser extent, the hummus) was all that was palatable.The only reason I dont give this place one star is that our waitress, Sarah (bless her heart), was very sweet. She was very polite and served us with a smile.All in all, we have no intention in going back.

Roaches. No refund.I ordered an appetizer for my husband and I. We love hummus and Damascus bread, so that was the obvious choice for us. Totally worth the $15. The appetizer comes. My husband arrives shortly thereafter. As soon as he sits down, I guess the roaches hiding in the cushion of his seat were just as excited as I was to see him because they came out of hiding and danced across the bench and the table. We told the waiter, and he told us it was best if we paid anyways for the entertainment I guess. So, we had the pleasure of paying $15 to watch roaches tap dance. Good time.

Great little hole in the wall joint. Their curry is really good. The food was served quick (I was able to eat between classes). The establishment was clean, small but enjoyable.

Nice place delicious food friendly guys 😎😎

Delicious food and friendly service. Our go to place when in Columbia.

Great place to eat. Great food and the wait staff is always on their game. Between the speed of my food coming out and my drink never staying empty would highly recommend to anyone and everyone.

Delicious! Great customer service.

Best mediterranean food in town

Great food and amazing prices and great customer service

This is becoming a new favorite spot. Parking is not the greatest, but worth the effort. Delicious, healthy, and affordable cuisine for even the busiest person. If I could give more stars I would.

I love coming here in between classes. Its quiet, the staff is nice and the food is amazing and always comes out quickly!

I love this place! Its my absolute favorite lunch spot. I tell anyone who asks for a good spot to eat to head here. The wait staff are amazing. I feel terrible that I dont know her name but there is a waitress with black curly short hair who is always extremely pleasant!

I was introduced to this place when it was Al Amir. I absolutely love gyros. They are my absolute favorite and it doesnt hurt that they have a $5 combo meal once a week and I just happen to work within walking distance. I have yet to have a bad one from here. My friends have experienced more Mediterranean cuisine than I so they partake in many of the other dishes. I havent ventured past the gyros and hummus.

I typically only get one thing when I go, the melt wrap, but the service staff is universally friendly and helpful. Never a bad experience. Highly recommended.

The server recommended a dish we had never had before, and we tried it. They gave us the wrong order. We didnt know and ate it. Were very surprised when they charged us $6 more than it cost. Thats when we figured out they had brought out the wrong food, and the server never commented though she recommended it. They didnt even apologize, much less offer us the lower price of what we actually tried to get.

Nice service, fine customer service food test fine recognized this restaurant for all my friends

Owner is very friendly and humble

Just had the greatest chicken gyro ever, always friendly atmosphere and staff.If i am allowed to give more stars i would absolutely select them all.Thanks guys so much you just made my day !!!!

This is seriously one of the nicest greek-food places Ive been to. The wait wasnt bad at all for the amount of people there, (but the cooks served us tea and baklava after the meal for the wait anyways which was incredibly sweet!). Overall just a very pleasant and calm feel, and the waiter was especially nice!

Food was pretty decent. Hummus was good as well. Customer service was great as well.

I work at the university and this is a weekly staple. Great daily specials and fantastic service. Go there at least once a week and Ive never been let down.

The baklava and curry were excellent. Every time I visit, its consistently good.

Havent dined-in yet, always to-go. Great lunch specials, tasty and affordable. Parking is extremely hard to get when USC is in session, so plan on possibly walking a few blocks to get here, and bring change. The meter maids are ruthless. Summers are no problem, though.

Highly recommend coming for lunch. The gyros taste great and you get a lot of food, especially for how cheap it is.

If you are looking for a good Med restaurant do NOT go here, I got the wrong order, my lamb was overcooked and was barely seasoned, my wives beef was barely seasoned, the rice it was served over was not good. Try Zoes for a better option.

One of my favorite places to go out and eat in Columbia, SC!Although I am sure there is better, their Damascus hummus is the best I have ever had, although a bit pricey during dinner.$5 Dollar gyros on Tuesday lunches are really tasty!

Far exceeded my expectations. Better than the other restaurants within walking distance and priced very reasonably. The food was great and so was the service.

The Mediterranean food here is very good. Specifically the Lamb Damascus hummus plate. Serving sizes are good and cost is reasonable. All in a good location.

The worst place i have ever beenThe workers are yelling at all the customer with no reason! disrespectful workersIll never come here again.If i can do 0 star Ill do it

Really amazing food! The chefs and waiters are really friendly and patient! Have been eating here since a year and the food has exactly been the same without any compromise on quality or quantity! Their baba ganoush and damascus bread is absolutely the best in town compared to any other restaurant!

Just awesome!

Great food! Love the ambiance and food. Service is a little slow but still would return!