We came to dine at Yafa on a Sunday evening and we did not like it at all.1. The appetizer came with artichoke which was like rubber and inedible, we told the waiter about it and we did not even get an apology for that. The appetizer plate costed $24 and it did not worth the money.2. our main dish came almost one hour after the appetizer, it was getting late and we were planning to leave. When I told the waiter we are about to leave since it is getting late. He brought the food but it was not cooked well. We asked for well-done meat but it was not well-done.3. We got two small pieces of Baklava by the owner for the one hour delay. first it was one piece cut by half, second it was so dry like it is for week old.4. We asked for room temperature but the drinks were around 90 F. It seems they keep the dink under the stove.5. The food was over priced and the quality was low. We order one appetizer and one entree and that added up to $70 + tips. This is so much for one low quality meal and with poor servicePlease look for other restaurants in the area since you won't have a good dinning experience here.
I was very excited to come here as I am a big fan of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cuisine. I really loved the ambiance of the restaurant. The owner was very friendly and the service was excellent. However, the food was not so great. We ordered the homemade hummus which was completely bland, at least for people have general knowledge in Middle Eastern cooking. The chicken kebab was way overcooked, dry, and missing any flavor. The rest of the food we ordered was mediocre, although the complementary baklava was very tasty. This place definitely has potential as long as they improve the quality of their dishes.
Yafa has a certain type of decor that clearly appeals to those wanting a rather generic Mediterranean experience. The relatively limited menu certainly crosses many continents. Hummus was one of the blandest we've tasted, with no garlic or lemon. Seafood pasta was frankly awful, with undercooked prawns and rubbery octopus. A salmon entree was marginally better although unimaginative. It was almost a relief to leave.
We were lucky to discover this place while staying on vacation in pacific grove, the day after the Michelin guide did an article. This place is AWESOME and the service is above and beyond. The food is spectacular. I could eat everyday. I want one of everything on the menu. Thank you for accommodating our dog and everything was so, so very good. Can’t rave enough, Wow!
Definitely a restaurant worth checking out. Everything we tried was quite delicious, well presented on the plate. Server was very knowledgeable about the items on the menu. Everything, including the kebabs and halloumi, was cooked to perfection with every detail in mind and just the right amount of char and seasoning. We look forward to returning to try more items on the menu during our next trip to the area.
Attentive service, excellent meal, well prepared and presented, We ate at 5.p.m. so the restaurant was quiet.
LOVED it! We are vegetarians, walked into this place and asked if they could make veggie kebabs. They agreed and made some of the best roasted zucchini, peppers and onions we had ever tasted (well, not really a kebab but 10 points for the effort!). Overall, it’s a small family run place with great service and interesting ambience. Food was fantastic. We had falafel, egg plant, watermelon salad. Mains were served with brilliantly flavored saffron rice. Now for the best part: the pistachio pudding!!! One of the best tasting pudding we have had! Thank you for the unique tastes and wonderful service!
We enjoyed everything about this restaurant. We had the lentil soup (a nice big bowl), the babaganoush, Yafa salad, and lamb chops. Everything tasted great, service was excellent, and fine ambience.
They have great food. The music is awesome in night. Must try place!!
Premiere Middle Eastern restaurant in Monterey. Family owned and operated. Petrale Sole was moist, perfectly done. Wonderful Ouzo Prawns and fork-tender octopus. If one doesn't fancy seafood, the steak with gorgonzola sauce is great. And kebabs. Tender marinated lamb. I am really not a pasta connoisseur, but one of our party was quite pleased with the Lobster Ravioli. An appropriate wine menu and nice desserts. The outdoor patio has heaters and is dog-frendly. Moderately priced.