To put this into context my girlfriend and I are real foodies. After reading the reviews on here we were very excited to try what Dar Najat had to offer.

Booking was simple and can be done on line, we took up the offer of someone meeting us in the square to guide us to the Riad else we would have gotten lost.....very lost......

When inside the setting was quite nice and service genuinely warm and friendly, Tariq and Amin are both big assets to the restaurant.

Too the food........

A delicious selection of warm and cold starters, a cold potato based salad and a more what we would consider traditional salad together with a warm pepper salad and some cooked green beans in a tasty dressing. At this point we thought we were on a winner, good portions and tasty.

Unfortunately the mains under delivered so badly I would not even say it could be called as average, they were poor. We were given one lamb tagine and one chicken. The lamb was a cheap cut (seemed like knuckle but I could be wrong) which I do not mind as long as my food is tasty and well cooked! This was neither, the lamb was dry and clung to the cartelidge/bone rather than falling off and tasted......well.....bland is probably the shortest and most accurate word. The chicken echoed the lamb dish, dry (so dry it was hard to swallow) and again tasteless.

So to my title, overhyped or a bad day? Can so many reviewers be so wrong? I'm not sure, but take it from me our experience of the food was not good.

Good service and starters get this a barely scraped two stars.

Having eaten out in a number of restaurants/ cafes in Marrakech, I can highly recommend the food at Dar Najat. All food is freshly prepared and cooked in the very clean kitchen. Staff are friendly and responsive and nothing is enough trouble for them.
The whole experience is one to remember -not only will you get a great Moroccon meal -you will experience the fantastic surroundings. Dar Najat -especially in the evening -is very romantic -soft lightning -furnished to the highest standards -plus the lit jacuzzi. Moroccon music also softly playing.
I highly recommend the lemon tagine and choice of vegetables. I have eaten this dish in a number of places but it does not compare to the standard at Dar Najat. Very good prices too.

The most important detail: if you are not staying at the riad, make sure to call ahead so a staffer will meet you in the main square. Dar najat is on a residential road which is barely lit; finding this place was a massive undertaking.

But we were glad we came. Service is very liesurely, and the friendly staff wants you to enjoy a complete evening. Great apps, excellent tanjine, and a refreshing fruit cocktail for dessert. Fixed menu.

Very good food at an authentic riad. If we return, I would strongly favor returning to far najat.

Many fresh morrocain salads and a fabulous couscous royal made me realy happy!