Mecca Bah

3.5 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  6      Service  1      Value  2     

What can I say, this was The Worst dining experience I have ever had. The service was horrific.

Staff were incompetent and generally unhelpful (when we asked for a bottle of water, 2 staff told us they 'would need to get someone else to do that'). We had originally brought our own wine (no BYO allowed) but the restaurant's wine list is mostly made up of cheap wines at 200-300% markup.

To be fair, the food wasn't too bad (although my order was wrong and the food was cold by the time I got all of it). Definitely not worth what they charge for the food either. We didn't even bother with dessert and coffee the whole experience was so appalling.

Don't waste your money.

Apr 29, 2012 

3.8 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  6      Service  2      Value  2     

I too joined in order to review Mecca Bah. What a disappointment to celebrate my husband's birthday. 6 of us arrived with happy faces to be met by a surly, tired looking waitress. Showed us to a table outside in grubby surrounds. The food was below expectations except for 1 item, fudge brownie chosen by my sister. Slow service, tired ambience, less than tasty, pricey food. Oh, and the coffee was Dreadful. Never again.

Mar 29, 2012 

3.5 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  7      Service  1      Value  3     

Service. Not a busy night but could not get attention and when we did it was poor. Food was reasonable with a couple of highlights. Ambience is great especially for Canberra but I cannot emphasise enough - to the owners - that their investment is being let down by poor service. Won't be going there again, plenty of other places to choose from.

Oct 19, 2011 

1.8 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  3      Service  2      Value  1     

I went to Mecca bar for my mothers birthday and immediately was offended by how rude the maitre d was, we were sat outside at 6:00 when there was clearly room for 2 in a 4/5 empty restaurant. After that they were slow to bring menus and offer light refreshment. The food was expensive but cheaply made with $25 dishes containing $3 of chicken a $2 of cuscus and tomato. The only redeeming factor which stooped me form leaving and not paying was the kind manors of the obviously inexperienced waiter. This was one of the worst meals of my life. I signed up to eatbility just to post this comment. Do not go to Mecca Bah!

Jul 05, 2011 

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  4      Service  2      Value  1     

We visited Mecca Bah last night for a birthday dinner with friends. What an embarrassment! The food was worse than canteen standard. The dips were overly salted and there was a paucity of bread. We had to ask for more and were charged accordingly. The pizzas were a joke, and the other main courses lacked presentation, not to mention flavour. We won't be back. Shame that we came to review the restaurant with the intention of booking it for a very large venue.

Jun 25, 2011 

6.5 Recommended

Food  5      Ambience  9      Service  6      Value  6     

I am Middle-Eastern and needless to say I love Mediterranean food. I try to support Middle-Eastern restaurants when they open in Canberra and I really wanted to like Mecca Bah, but unfortunately I was disappointed.

I found their dips very dry and I didn’t think the tagines were properly prepared as the flavour was lacking. I didn’t try the pides, but I thought the grills where a bit overpriced, particularly considering the cuts of meat they use. None of this is to say that my experience at Mecca Bah was bad per se, I simply think there are much better quality and value restaurants in the genre – Saffron comes to mind.

Mecca Bah does get top points for ambiance. I love the layout and furniture, and music really adds to the atmosphere. I also hear their ice creams are delicious, although I didn’t have dessert there. I think I will be back at Mecca Bah for dessert and Turkish coffee, or perhaps just a drink and some exotic music. I probably won't be back for dinner.

Dec 07, 2010 

6 Average

Food  5      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  4     

I've been here several times with family members, but I have now put my foot down and said no more! The food is just so-so for the price. I have tried several dishes, and never found a good one. I can make better chicken, olive and preserved lemon tagine than they can, and for that they should be ashamed!

I asked a waitress if the tagines are actually cooked in a tagine, and to her credit she freely admitted that no, they are cooked in a saucepan then served in a tagine.
Nice central fireplace but last time I went there, the chairs were falling to bits.

Dec 01, 2010 

5 Average

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  2      Value  4     

Lovely place, lovely food, not so prompt service.

Oct 10, 2010 

6.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  6     

Dined here on a Saturday early evening table for 6, restaurant quiet when we arrived, (1 other couple only) service staff took a while to take order, but food arrived in good time. Restaurant very busy after 1 hr of our arrival, then ambience became noisy & very squeezy with other diners. Food tasty, but not extraordinary. Quite pricey for serving size, particularly entree. Make sure you leave room for the ice cream & Turkish delight. Very yum.

Sep 22, 2010 

7.3 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  6     

The food is nice but the serves are a bit small. Avoid the tagine though, watery and flavourless. The Turkish pizzas are tasty. Service is good, ambience is nice, value, well the serves are just a tad small to justify the price. But not incomparable to the rest of Manuka. Try it.

Jul 28, 2010