Abou el-Sid

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#104 of 2,582 Restaurants in Cairo$$ - $$$, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Vegetarian friendly

+20 2 27359640+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

1:00 PM - 1:00 AM

Mon

1:00 PM - 1:00 AM

Tue

1:00 PM - 1:00 AM

Wed

1:00 PM - 1:00 AM

Thu

1:00 PM - 1:00 AM

Fri

1:00 PM - 1:00 AM

Sat

1:00 PM - 1:00 AM

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What is Travelers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.0

1,570 reviews

#104 of 2,582 Restaurants in Cairo

Travelers' Choice 2024

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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PRICE RANGE

$25.00 – $100.00

CUISINES

Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Egyptian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Halal

meals, features

Location and contact

157 26th of July Corridor Mohammed Mazhar, Zamalek, Cairo 4271050 Egypt

+20 2 27359640

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Details

Manage this business?

PRICE RANGE

$25.00 – $100.00

CUISINES

Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Egyptian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Halal

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Late Night

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Seating, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service

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4.0

1,570 reviews

Excellent

657

Very good

549

Average

193

Poor

Terrible

FoodieMal

Dubai1162 contributions

Lovely funky little restaurant

Mar 2020 • couples

Thoroughly enjoyed coming here, the vibe is buzzing with locals and tourists alike though on my evening the larger groups were all foreign. This is good wholesome food served quickly and with gusto. We tried the traditional items and have to say that the Molokhiyeh was the best item we tried along with the fried kibbeh. The mixed grill was a little disappointing as it was fatty and felt a bit rushed. The Koshari was a bit dry but agreeable. However the food isn't honestly the best draw here, it's the vibe and local funky buzz feel and the shisha if you smoke. Tables are small if you're only a couple so I'd recommend getting a bigger group together to get a larger table which will make the experience more enjoyable. You absolutely have to book to get a table else the waiting time can be 30mins to an hour and only if you're lucky.

Written February 29, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

abouelsid

Dear FoodieMal, We are glad that you had a good overall experience. Thank you for your review. The team will be very happy to welcome you back and are always happy to assist. We remain at your service. Best regards, Abou el Sid Management

Written March 4, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

S0ulshine

Dallas327 contributions

Best Dinner In Cairo!!!

Mar 2020 • none

We went to Abou el-Sid looking for a traditional taste of Egypt - and we found it! What an explosion of flavors! My family of 3 ordered falafel, lamb kofta (which my 12 year old inhaled), labneh, spicy sausages, stuffed pigeon, saffron rice and grilled eggplant with garlic (so much garlic)! This was just about the right amount of food for us three, although no one could manage to even consider desert. All of this, along with a bottle of wine, bottle of water and 2 additional glasses of wine was less than $100 USD. This is a must visit for anyone wanting to experience authentic Egyptian cuisine. We will definitely return the next time we are in town.

Written March 11, 2020

abouelsid

Dear SOulshine We are glad that you had a good overall experience. Thank you for your review. The team will be very happy to welcome you back and are always happy to assist. We remain at your service. Best regards, Abou el Sid Management

Written September 8, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Chelsea

165 contributions

Quaint restaurant with fair prices

Apr 2021 • couples

This is a quaint restaurant that is fairly priced. We got the babaganoush and it came with an assortment of breads, all of which were delicious. For our entrees we got the mulukhiyah and mesaka’a and enjoyed both. We didn’t get our drinks until we were almost finished eating and had to ask for them again. I also wish it was a little lighter in the restaurant, as it was very dark and I actually tripped and fell. Overall, we would recommend eating here.

Written May 27, 2021

anth0nymarine

Warren6 contributions

Don’t recommend

Oct 2021 • friends

Over rated!!! Food was OK but I have had better. Service was horrible , took forever to bring food, then we found out that some of the items we ordered were missing, they took forever to fix it after questioning that we even ordered them, had to show them the receipt .. very unprofessional and overpriced . Go to فسحة سمية Fasahat Somia

Written January 6, 2022

Dino R

2 contributions

Best avoid

Jul 2021 • couples

At first glance the atmosphere was nice and the menu looked good. After ordering we waited for quite a while for the service to bring us our food. I tried to tell the waiter that he forgot 2 salads but he would not pay attention. After finishing, we waited for another 15 min for the waiter to show up, but he did not. I knew that he would want to charge me for the 2 salads he never brought so I took a photo of the table. I went up to the main counter to pay for what we had eaten. He offered me desert which I had ordered at the begining. I declined and wanted to pay. Not to my surprise they wanted to charge us for the 2 salads which we had not recieved, and after a small argument I pulled out the photo and they removed the salads from the bill. Also, they charged us mango drinks and we ordered limonade, after confronting them about the juice they told me it is the same thing. The receipt was still way to high for what we had eaten, I dont know how, but I just wanted to leave and write this review. Buyer beware!

Written July 21, 2021

Cristiana M

Porto414 contributions

Uau!

Oct 2021 • friends

In Zamalek, Cairo, this restaurant is a must go. Like many others in town, it is affordable and the food, tipical egyptian food, of good quality. For 4 people, we ordered 3 starters (humus, tahini and a melted cheese) and 3 main courses (roasted duck, shrimp rice and roasted veal, who was the winner). As a desert we tried and recommend the pumpkin sweet with a hot Turkish coffee.

Written October 30, 2021

Vendredimanche

United Kingdom709 contributions

Very poor service

Apr 2023 • family

The place came warmly recommended by our lovely guide. First impressions were good as the decor is great (fun portraits on the wall, Egyptian café style), and there is a good atmosphere. We waited a bit to be seated and it then took a while for our drinks to arrive, but not too bad. I must mention the great mango juice - one the best I’ve had. The central issue was the wait for the food. While all tables around us were served. We were completely ignored. After 50 minutes, we chased, and were dismissively told ‘it’s coming’ by a patronising waiter who didn’t even bother checking with the kitchen. We chased again 10 mns later with another waiter( by then it had been 1h and we had no sight of our starters which were simple mezze dips). A few minutes later, a waiter who had written down our order originally came to us and informed us that our order had been misplaced - and asked us to remind him what we had ordered. By then, we were deeply frustrated but it was too late to leave (and we were starving). When the food finally came, the starters were very good (especially the falafels and stuffed vine leaves) and the mains were ok, but not outstanding. Price-wise, it was cheap compared with Europe prices, but I expect it is mid/high range for Cairo. The poor service let us down and ruined the evening.

Written April 1, 2023

teganjoyce

London4 contributions

Amazing food, terrible service

Aug 2022 • couples

After being recommended this by a friend, I had high expectations. We did not have a reservation and it was not busy but were not greeted with any enthusiasm, nor a specific table, therefore had to stand until they found one. We weren’t given a drinks menu and had to ask for this, despite already waiting 15 minutes for them to take an order. Once they eventually did, our starters arrived after around 15 minutes and I cannot fault the food - it was great! However we did have to remind staff of a dish we ordered but did not get. We had ordered at the same time as the starters, a mixed grill to share as a main. Other tables sat down half way through our time there and were served instantly, in addition to getting their mains. Over an hour passed and thus asked staff where our main was, we were promised it was still cooking - again despite multiple large tables sitting down later and already receiving starters, mains and bills. Eventually, it had been an hour and a half and we had another reservation therefore had to ask for the bill, which included the item which never arrived. Conveniently, as we were disputing the bill, the item miraculously arrived with the option of taking it away to our next reservation. They did take the dish off of the bill after some protest from ourselves. It was a massive shame as the little food that did arrive was delicious and we were looking forward to trying more as this was our last meal in Cairo on our holiday!

Written August 22, 2022

ankeet_sinha

Ahmedabad2836 contributions

Average Fare

Mar 2022 • business

It is pretty small in size although it has an old world charm. We had a team of about 25 who had come for a quick lunch but they took too much time. Also, they did not mention the food item so vegetarians ended up eating meat and it’s imperative they work on this. It has a decent ambience although could be claustrophobic to some but they need to focus on customer care. Food also was average to be honest. Omali which we were served was not as good.

Written March 26, 2022

ahmed w

Ottawa2 contributions

Disappointing Experience at Abou El Sid Restaurant

Dec 2024 • family

As a Canadian with Egyptian roots, I had been longing for authentic Egyptian cuisine and was eager to visit Abou El Sid Restaurant during my short trip to Egypt. I had heard good things about it and was hopeful it would provide a memorable experience. Unfortunately, it fell far short of expectations. We visited on December 30th and were greeted by a bustling restaurant filled with patrons, which initially raised my hopes. However, we were informed of a minimum charge of £850 per person and placed on a waiting list for an hour. While this was surprising, I accepted it given the lack of other options during my brief visit. Once seated, we were placed in a nice location, but the heavy indoor smoking and poor ventilation made the experience uncomfortable. As someone allergic to smoke, I struggled until a window was opened behind me, providing some much-needed fresh air. The food, sadly, was the biggest disappointment. Pigeon: This dish was served cold, with an unpleasant smell and taste, nothing like the pigeons I remember from my mother's cooking or other renowned spots in Cairo like Farahat. The price for a single pigeon was shockingly high, adding to the dissatisfaction. Rice with Meat: While the rice itself was good, the meat that accompanied it—despite our request to serve it separately for vegetarian members of our party—was cold and unappetizing. This dish was barely touched. Om Ali: As a dessert, this dish lacked the flavor and quality expected from a restaurant of this reputation. Out of everything we ordered, the rice was the only dish we truly enjoyed. To make matters worse, when we asked to take the leftovers with us, we waited for 15 minutes, only to be told that the food had been eaten by the staff. The apology we received felt inadequate for such unprofessional behavior, leaving us even more disappointed. Adding to the frustration, when we received the bill, we noticed two dishes had been added that were never served. While the extra amount was relatively small (around 200 Egyptian pounds), it was an unnecessary and unwelcome surprise. Overall, the experience was underwhelming. The food quality was poor, the atmosphere uncomfortable due to smoking, and the service left much to be desired. I shared my thoughts with nearby diners, and on a scale of 1 to 10, I rated the experience no more than a 6 for the quality of food. In summary, Abou El Sid Restaurant is overrated, with overpriced and disappointing dishes that fail to capture the rich flavors of Egyptian cuisine. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone seeking authentic and high-quality Egyptian food—there are certainly better options out there.

Written January 3, 2025

You Trippin’ Girl

38 contributions

Sexist and rude! Don’t support this behavior!

Jan 2020 • none

Didn’t even get a chance to eat here. As a single female they wouldn’t give me service. I wasn’t outright denied, instead they sat me at the dirty bar (used Kleenex even) and then no one would take my order. I tried to have the 2 manager types and 3 servers take my order, getting up and asking repeatedly to be helped. I got brushed off (rudely) and ignored. I watched as solo men got clean tables and women with men sat and served. I understand cultural differences so I was overly patient, giving them 30 minutes until I got up and left. I haven’t felt discriminated against like that ever. If you value women don’t eat here. You will be supporting sexism (and it’s not all restaurants in Cairo I promise).

Written January 9, 2020

abouelsid

Dear youtrippingirl, Thank you for taking the time to rate your overall experience and trust that your input is of great importance for us. Best regards, Abou el Sid Management

Written January 20, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

MLRtravel

Luzon95 contributions

Delicious Food But Crowded and So so Service

Oct 2022 • couples

Lets start with the Pros Pros: Good price point: My wife and I ordered 8 items in all and paid $50 Delicious food: everything we ordered was delicious Atmosphere: Authentic Egyptian decor Cons: Not that clean. Tables wiped but not squeaky clean When they handle utencils they use their bare hands to hold the eating end of your utensils. (We wiped it with alcohol) Not friendly. Not rude either just not friendly. They dont give you drinks menu. You ask for it. All group tours are taken here. If you arrive for dinner when they arrive, perpare for a crowded restaurant, frenzzy staff and you need to wait for attention They allow smoking so be OK with it Our tips: Arrive early dinner before the tour groups arrive. Try the chicken kebab in the Mix Grill its awesome. Have them repeat your order, they forgot one of ours. Dont expect great service and you wont be dissapointed.

Written October 1, 2022

Reem S

Cairo7 contributions

Best Egyptian Food!

Jan 2020 • friends

This is a restaurant I take all my foreign friends to to enjoy real traditional Egyptian Food. The quality is amazing and the atmosphere is cozy and authentic. Try the Sharkaseyya, Molokheya, eggplants, grilled chicken and meat platter..

Written March 7, 2020

abouelsid

Dear Reem S, We are glad that you had a good overall experience. Thank you for your review. The team will be very happy to welcome you back and are always happy to assist. We remain at your service. Best regards, Abou el Sid Management

Written March 10, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

794kellog

Plymouth4 contributions

Couldn’t recommend although we so wanted to be able to

Jan 2024 • couples

We really wanted to like this place and hope we are quite generous and balanced. It was definitely atmospheric. The service was just abysmal … except for one person the disinterest was outstanding …eg ordered a drink before the meal and arrived half way through the meal after several requests. No cutlery for my wife and after multiple asks plastic cutlery was flippantly sourced despite the fact that I and everyone else had metal. The starters were lukewarm and to us the food was just a plate of stodge. We had no faith in the hygiene of the place and left without eating more than a mouthful of the main. Maybe others would like it and it certainly seems popular with the locals - it was full. We couldn’t recommend it and sadly having met so many friendly people in Cairo this restaurant left a very bad taste.

Written January 12, 2024

Victor L

Pamplona6 contributions

Really bad

May 2023 • friends

Opposite to the majority of places we had lunch or dinner in Egypt, this is a really bad restaurant. Uncomfortable chairs, noisy place, very bad and even impolite waiters… I don’t understand why this bad place is well considered. Regarding the dinner, basic and just eatable. Don’t go!!

Written May 16, 2023