Sahara Restaurant & Grill- Bar The District Detroit

Name: Sahara Restaurant & Grill- Bar The District Detroit
Address: 77 W Columbia St, Detroit, MI, United States, 48201
Telephone: (313) 888-9909
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.2

4.2 (76)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

77 W Columbia St, Detroit, MI 48201

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 20, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 4 times today

About this restaurant

Charming
Great for creative cocktails
Healthy

Sahara Restaurant was founded in 1982, with the first location in Ferndale, Michigan. The establishment has been owned and operated by Saad Attisha and his family since it’s first day opened. In 1987, New Sahara Restaurant moved its location to Oak Park and opened other locations in Sterling Heights, Farmington Hills and Shelby Twp. All of the Mediterranean, Chaldean and Middle-Eastern dishes are prepared fresh daily by a team of exceptional chef’s. There are various specialty Chaldean dishes on the menu that are created from timeless traditional recipes; that originate from the culture and heritage of the Chaldeans.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 11:00 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–12:00 am
Phone number
(313) 888-9909
Website
http://Saharadining.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Catering
Contact catering@saharadining.com for any catering inquires! We will love to assist you in setting up the perfect catering order! Online pickup and delivery catering orders are available on our website (saharadining.com) | (313-888-9909).
Private party facilities
We can accommodate up to 140 guests for any private event! We do buffet and individual plate options! For more information refer to the private dining section on our website (saharadining.com) or contact us at info@saharadining.com. | (313)-888-9909.

Location
77 W Columbia St, Detroit, MI 48201
Neighborhood
Detroit
Cross street
Columbia St. In Between Fox Theater and Fillmore. CRoads: Woodward & Pa
Parking details
Public Lot
Public transit
Q-Line
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Ask Concierge
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Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Hummus$9.00
housemade iraqi style
Baba Ghanouge$9.00
baked eggplant + puree of olive oil + lemon juice
- Small$9.00
- Large$14.00
Garlic Plate$9.00
housemade iraqi style
- Small$7.00
- Large$13.00
Whipped Feta$9.00
calabrian pepper + honey + mint
- Small$9.00
- Large$15.00
Marcona Almonds and Olives$8.00
paprika + garlic + lime
Seared Halloumi
honey + labneh + mint
- Small$13.00
- Large$19.00
Mezza$24.00
can't decide? taste them all!

Mezze

Italian Meatballs$14.00
tomato sauce + parmesan + basil
Warm Lobster Rolls$23.00
butter + lemon + brioche roll + cottage potato
Iraqi Falafel$15.00
chickpeas + cucumbers + tomatoes + eggplant + cottage potato + amba
Mediterranean Shrimp$14.00
paprika + pineapple + cream
Eggplant Arayes$17.00
smoked kafe + paprika + eggplant + labneh + pomegranate
Crispy Octopus$19.00
rosemary + lemon + parsley
Charcoaled Wings$14.00
lemon + hot sauce + za'atar
Vegetarian Grape Leaves$14.00
labneh + molasses + pomegranate
My Nana's Dolma$24.00
literally a mini pot of my nana’s dolma
Fried Kibbe$15.00
wheat shell + beef + labneh + pine nuts
Steak Bites$16.00
filet + zip sauce + mushrooms
Sahara Fries$15.00
fries + beef shawarma + sahara ranch + parsley

Soups

Crushed Lentil$7.00
Chicken Lemon Rice$7.00

Zalata

Tabbouleh
parsley + tomatoes + green onions + dried mint + cracked wheat + lemon juice + oregano
Fattoush
lettuce + cucumbers + tomatoes + carrots + purple cabbage + mint + radish + molasses + crispy pita bowl
Iraqi
cucumbers + lettuce + beets + chickpeas + lemon juice + olive oil
Sahara Caesar
parmesan + lemon + roasted garlic + honey dijon + croutons
Chef Salad
lettuce + grape leaves + cucumbers + tomatoes + olives + house dressing + pita chips
Greek Salad
lettuce + tomatoes + cucumbers + red onion + beets + olives + feta cheese
- Beef Shawarma$7.00
- Chicken Shawarma$7.00
- Shrimp$8.00
- Salmon$12.00

Pitas & Such

Falafel$11.00
falafel + lettuce + cucumber + pickled turnips + amba
Shish Kafta$14.00
beef kafta + onion + tomato + parsley + sumac
Shawarma$12.00
beef shawarma + lettuce + tomato + tahini
Chicken Cream Chop$13.00
breaded chicken + lettuce + tomato + garlic
Shish Tawook$14.00
chicken + pickles + garlic
- Grilled Tomato$0.00
- Grilled Peppers$0.00
Smash Burger$15.00
beef + onions + lettuce + pepper jack cheese + jalapeño aioli
Baguette Steak Sandwich$22.00
sliced beef + zip sauce + sweet steak + caramelized onions + grilled peppers + arugula

Maoon

Shawarma Dinner$16.00
beef shawarma + hummus + sumac vegetables
Shish Tikka$20.00
beef filet + grilled tomato + grilled onion + mediterranean pepper + iraqi pita
- Grilled Tomato$0.00
- Grilled Onion$0.00
- Mediterranean Pepper$0.00
- Iraqi Pita$0.00
Shish Kafta$19.00
ground beef + lamb + grilled tomato + sumac onions + mediterranean pepper + iraqi pita
- Spicy Pistachio$4.00
Chicken Kafta$16.00
ground chicken + grilled tomato + sumac onions + mediterranean pepper + iraqi pita
Potato Chop$17.00
beef + zip sauce + mushrooms
Vegetarian Potato Chop$15.00
Chicken Cream Chop$16.00
iraqi style breaded chicken breast
Mixed Grill$40.00
beef shish + chicken shish + shish kafta + mediterranean pepper + grilled tomato + grilled onion + iraqi pita
Psura & Tomata$21.00
steak + diced egg + harissa + pink sauce + olives + oil
- Steak$4.00
- Egg$0.00

Pasta

Cajun Shrimp Linguine$29.00
homemade cajun sauce + peppers + shrimp
Spicy Rigatoni$26.00
tomato spicy vodka sauce
Campanelle Zesty$27.00
lemon + creamy + parmesan + za'atar + beef shawarma

Pit-za

Vodka Margherita $14.00
alo ve vodka sauce + fresh mozzarella + evoo
Bella Pusra$16.00
tomato base mozzarella + red onions + kalamata olives + banana peppers + trio paprika + sprinkle of za’atar
Creamed Spinach$22.00
whipped feta + spinach + calabrian pepper + honey + pear

Khussa

Cured Carrots$13.00
harissa + cilantro + orange blossom honey
Brussel Sprouts$9.00
Rose Potatoes$8.00
garlic + rosemary + thyme + parmesan + lemon + za'atar

Cocktails

Turkish Delight$14.00
vanilla absolute + turkish coffee + baileys + simple + angostura bitters
Cucumber Basil$13.00
tanqueray gin + cucumber + basil + simple + lime juice
Iraqi Sour$16.00
peach crown royal + egg white + lemon juice + simple + red wine float
Simon Says$18.00
blv + cinar + crème de cacao + orgeat + lemon juice
Arak I$13.00
massaya arak + rose water + pomegranate simple + lemon juice
Mediterranean Lady$14.00
ciroc peach + raspberry purée + lemonade + fruits
Za'atarita$17.00
tequila blanco + limoncello + orange juice + lime juice + maple syrup + za'atar
Sea Spritz$14.00
st germain elderflower + domaine de canton + prosecco + sparkling water + orange liqueur + mint

Wine - By The Glass

Arte Latino Cava Brut (Spain)$8.00
- Bottle$28.00
San' Elisa Prosecco (Italy)$9.00
- Bottle$34.00
Cipriani Bellini (Italy)$15.00
- Bottle$54.00
Lucio Moscato Dasti Dogg (Italy)$11.00
- Bottle$38.00
Franz Carl Pinot Grigio (Italy)$10.00
- Bottle$34.00
Fritz Wincsh Riesling Spätlese (Germany)$12.00
- Bottle$42.00
Italo Cescon Pinot Grigio (Italy)$14.00
- Bottle$50.00
Mr. Tomson Bordeaux Blanc (France)$10.00
- Bottle$34.00
Toulouse Chardonnay (California)$13.00
- Bottle$46.00
Tsilakis Xynisteri (Cyprus)$16.00
- Bottle$52.00
Magnetic Wines Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)$12.00
- Bottle$42.00
Campequi 'Traditions' (France)$10.00
- Bottle$36.00
Chateau Montaud Provence Rosé (France)$12.00
- Bottle$42.00
Le Grand Noir Pinot Noir (France)$12.00
- Bottle$42.00
Cune Garnacha (Spain)$11.00
- Bottle$38.00
Reserve De La Ronciere Côtes Du Rhône (France)$11.00
- Bottle$38.00
Cusumano Syrah (Italy)$12.00
- Bottle$42.00
Tomaiolo Chianti Classico Riserva (Italy)$14.00
- Bottle$50.00
Terradoro Di Paolo Aglianico (Italy)$16.00
- Bottle$52.00
Fragospito Kotsifali (Cabernet/Syrah) (Greece)$17.00
- Bottle$54.00
Can Verdura Negra (Spain)$18.00
- Bottle$60.00
Tenute Falezza Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore (Italy)$18.00
- Bottle$60.00

Beer

Model$7.00
Rotating IPA$8.00
Rotating Local$7.00
Samuel Adams$6.00
Blue Moon$6.00
Michelob$6.00
Coors Lite$6.00
Guinness$8.00
Peroni$7.00
Stella$7.00
Long Drink$6.00
Heineken$7.00
Corona$7.00
0% Laziza Raspberry$6.00
Bud Light$6.00

0%

Pistachio Matcha$14.00
matcha + pistachio syrup + orgeat + honey + grounded pistachio + mint
Cherito$10.00
lime juice + house grenadine + mint + soda water + cherry

Raw Juice

Grape$9.00
Carrot$9.00
Pomegranate$9.00
Beet$9.00

Smoothies

Strawberry Banana Honey$8.00
Avocado Cream$8.00

What 76 people are saying

Sahara Restaurant & Grill- Bar The District Detroit reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2

4.2 based on recent ratings

4.3Food
4.1Service
4.6Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Sahara Restaurant & Grill offers a delightful atmosphere with "exceptional food" and "generously portioned" dishes. Guests rave about the "friendly and hard-working staff," tasty cocktails, and diverse menu featuring Iraqi influences. While service can be slow during busy times, the overall dining experience is "wonderful" and "pleasing."

76 Reviews

S
Sara
Detroit / Eastern Michigan1 review
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Super good food, just a bit overpriced. The atmosphere was beautiful
Is this helpful?
K
Kelly
Las Vegas1 review
5.0
Dined on June 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Nice atmosphere, delicious food. Our server Chris was great.
Is this helpful?
M
Maria VIP
Detroit / Eastern Michigan66 reviews
4.0
Dined on May 29, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
It started out very slow as they were super busy and understaffed, however it only got better from there. The food was delicious. We had hummus, fattoush, Iraqi falafel, 2 different chicken dinners- both different and delicious, a combo for 2, broccolini, rose potatoes, there was a stew of beans then some potatoes as well as pickled veggies. Our server was super kind and professional. I tried the belle glos rose, very summery and refreshing. What started off slow, turned into a delightful meal.
Is this helpful?
N
Nikki
Detroit / Eastern Michigan2 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 29, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a fabulous experience at Sahara! The food was exceptional and generously portioned, the staff was friendly and so hard working, the atmosphere was delightful. The pricing is very reasonable for what you get, oh and the cocktails were yummy! All around wonderful experience.
Is this helpful?
M
Michael
Detroit / Eastern Michigan1 review
3.0
Dined on May 24, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Great overall place service was really slow restaurant was really busy because tigers game. They were definitely understaffed for wait staff.
Is this helpful?
J
Jenny
San Francisco Bay Area7 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
This was a lovely place! Portions were bigger than we expected, and loved the cocktail menu here. Great spot to eat at
Is this helpful?
S
Spencer
Detroit / Eastern Michigan18 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 17, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
First time visiting here. The food was great. We had 4 different plates and they were all raved about. Nana's Dolma is really good. And your table definitely needs the hummus and garlic!
Is this helpful?
K
Keli VIP
Detroit / Eastern Michigan5 reviews
4.0
Dined on May 16, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Before trying it out, I noticed that reviews were very mixed, and this can have a great impact whether someone takes a chance on a restaurant or not. I really like trying things for myself and I'm so glad that I did. Regardless of occasional negative feedback in these reviews, rest assured that it has nothing to do with the food. I had a picky person in my party and even they were very impressed. The food and drinks were great and the decor is beautiful. Literally the only thing that made this experience less than perfect was the shaky customer service in the first half, but they made up for it in the second half. It did seem like something was going on behind the scenes that was kind of out of our server's control, so I genuinely don't want to hold it against them. Most folks in Metro Detroit are more familiar with Lebanese or Yemeni cuisine, but this menu had an obvious Iraqi influence, which we had not tried before. We got the whipped feta, hummus, beef shawarma, deboned chicken and chicken cream chop. We loved everything. My only suggestion would be to order extra bread/pita if you are used to eating your Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food with sides of pita. Btw the bread is great!
Is this helpful?
B
Brooklyn
Unspecified1 review
4.0
Dined on May 6, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
I sat at the bar and the men were very nice, food was pretty good
Is this helpful?
I
Iryne
Baltimore / Maryland4 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Held a graduation celebration here and enjoyed wonderful service and great food!
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Sahara Restaurant & Grill- Bar The District Detroit offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (313) 888-9909.

Sahara Restaurant & Grill- Bar The District Detroit is rated 4.2 stars by 76 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 20, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 4 times today

Google Map for Sahara Restaurant & Grill- Bar The District Detroit

77 W Columbia St, Detroit, MI 48201

Additional information

Cross street
Columbia St. In Between Fox Theater and Fillmore. CRoads: Woodward & Pa
Neighborhood
Detroit
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 11:00 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–12:00 am
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Public Lot
Public transit
Q-Line
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://Saharadining.com/
Phone number
(313) 888-9909
Catering
Contact catering@saharadining.com for any catering inquires! We will love to assist you in setting up the perfect catering order! Online pickup and delivery catering orders are available on our website (saharadining.com) | (313-888-9909).
Private party facilities
We can accommodate up to 140 guests for any private event! We do buffet and individual plate options! For more information refer to the private dining section on our website (saharadining.com) or contact us at info@saharadining.com. | (313)-888-9909.

Sahara Restaurant & Grill- Bar The District Detroit

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

To Enjoy with Our Iraqi Pita

Hummus$9.00

Baba Ghanouge$9.00

Garlic Plate$9.00

Whipped Feta$9.00

Marcona Almonds and Olives$8.00

Seared Halloumi

Mezza$24.00

Mezze

Italian Meatballs$14.00

Warm Lobster Rolls$23.00

Iraqi Falafel$15.00

Mediterranean Shrimp$14.00

Eggplant Arayes$17.00

Crispy Octopus$19.00

Charcoaled Wings$14.00

Vegetarian Grape Leaves$14.00

My Nana's Dolma$24.00

Fried Kibbe$15.00

Steak Bites$16.00

Sahara Fries$15.00

Soups

Crushed Lentil$7.00

Chicken Lemon Rice$7.00

Zalata

Tabbouleh

Fattoush

Iraqi

Sahara Caesar

Chef Salad

Greek Salad

Pitas & Such

Falafel$11.00

Shish Kafta$14.00

Shawarma$12.00

Chicken Cream Chop$13.00

Shish Tawook$14.00

Smash Burger$15.00

Baguette Steak Sandwich$22.00

Maoon

Shawarma Dinner$16.00

Shish Tikka$20.00

Shish Kafta$19.00

Chicken Kafta$16.00

Potato Chop$17.00

Vegetarian Potato Chop$15.00

Chicken Cream Chop$16.00

Mixed Grill$40.00

Psura & Tomata$21.00

Pasta

Cajun Shrimp Linguine$29.00

Spicy Rigatoni$26.00

Campanelle Zesty$27.00

Pit-za

Vodka Margherita $14.00

Bella Pusra$16.00

Creamed Spinach$22.00

Khussa

Cured Carrots$13.00

Brussel Sprouts$9.00

Rose Potatoes$8.00

Cocktails

Turkish Delight$14.00

Cucumber Basil$13.00

Iraqi Sour$16.00

Simon Says$18.00

Arak I$13.00

Mediterranean Lady$14.00

Za'atarita$17.00

Sea Spritz$14.00

Wine - By The Glass

Arte Latino Cava Brut (Spain)$8.00

San' Elisa Prosecco (Italy)$9.00

Cipriani Bellini (Italy)$15.00

Lucio Moscato Dasti Dogg (Italy)$11.00

Franz Carl Pinot Grigio (Italy)$10.00