Hamsa

We arrived an hour before closing so the restraurant was pretty empty. The outside seating reminded me of a Parisian bistro and would be the perfect spot for a cute lunch or an evening dinner.Food wise: The baba ghanoush was very smoky and creamy. It was probably my favorite dish of the night. It tasted familiar but at the same time had something a little bit different to it.The lamb hummus was pretty good, but nothing new. I liked it.The pita bread is made fresh in-house, but since we got there close to closing, the pita bread we had was probably sitting out for some time and was a bit tough to eat.The kebab was ok - I didn't hate it. I personally would've liked it a bit more tender but that's just up to individual taste. The ribeye skewer was my husband's favorite and would be something he would order again. You can easily fit a stroller inside and next to a table - I don't know if they had a changing room. It isn't loud and I saw a family with a 3 year old there so I would say it's pretty kid/baby friendly.Our waiter, Jamal, was super attentive and helpful and overall was a good vibe.Overall, nothing stood out except the baba ghanoush but I would for sure come back.Baby friendly: 4.5Food: 4Service: 5

I checked out Hamsa for the first time for my birthday dinner and I'm glad I did. I made a reservation a few days prior for 6:30. Located in Rice Village, you can find two-hour complimentary parking in the parking structure across the street from the restaurant. As we walked in, I noticed that Hamsa had a fresh and modern vibe with a nice patio. We ended up sitting indoors and I was excited to try this Israeli restaurant---not a type of cuisine that is easy to find in Houston. After ordering a bottle of wine, we started off with five dips and they were all delicious. They're served with fresh pita bread which was fluffy and perfect to soak up the various dips. From there, I went with the steak which is served with turmeric potatoes. Perfection on a plate. The smashed potatoes were crispy and well-seasoned. The steak was cooked right as I asked at a medium rare and came with a delectable sauce. Service was solid and they were nice enough to provide us with complimentary prosecco for my birthday. We're talking three glasses for everyone at the table. That was generous. And I preferred it over a dessert as I was stuffed at that point. They even walked around and handed out free shots to everyone---a combination of Arak (Israeli liquor) and a mixer. It was the perfect evening to commemorate my birthday.

Start to finish this was an outstanding dining experience. My wife and I selected the chefs menu option as well as the wine pairing. We received multiple types of hummus, baba ganoush, dips, sauces, and breads, amazing meat board with lamb and octopus as well as salad and an Israeli tiramisu dish. Each course was paired with generous samplings of wines from around the world. if you haven't been at this place it's a must try especially if you like Mediterranean food. The atmosphere is classy however it's very family friendly. Service was outstanding, and the general manager even came to our table and introduced herself, as well as brought extra samples of wine that truly made the experience special.

Hamsa exceeded expectations from start to finish! We came as a party of 12 with reservations and they were very accommodating. The interior of Hamsa is beautiful and has the perfect intimate birthday ambiance.Israeli food isn't something the group was very familiar with, but the drinks, appetizers, and entrees were all great. I personally tried their Jerusalem mule, falafel, shishito peppers, lamb hummus, lamb/beef kebab, baladi eggplant, and octopus. The Jerusalem mule was very unique because it used an Israeli liquor called Fig Arak which had a very star anise kind of taste. All the food came out hot/fresh and tasted authentic from what we could imagine. The Middle Eastern flavors really shine through at Hamsa.I don't remember our waiter's name, but he was polite and accommodating. I'd say the only slight down side to Hamsa is that it's definitely on the pricier end. These high end prices are probably a result of being in a prime location within rice village though. Overall, Hamsa made for a great birthday dinner. I'd highly recommend it for those wanting a taste of Israeli food.

First things first - the location is SO AESTHETIC. I love how it is right next to Badolina Bakery and Cafe. I need to return to get some fresh breads earlier in the day from them!The service at Hamsa is truly respectable. Our waiter was truly spectacular (I think he said his name to be Emeneth but my memory is foggy, he said he is the only Turkish waiter there so there's that!). He knew his way around the menu and made some fabulous suggestions, reading all of our tastes and preferences spot-on.The food tasted very homemade & nutritious. We are Brazilian so we definitely can tell of a great Mediterrean dish. The cocktails (I ordered the Espresso Martini) hit pretty well! It is so hard to like a place's Espeesso Martini because so many restaurants and bars put either too much sugar or syrup but Hamsa's was nice. It was not too sweet and I could taste equal amounts of alcohol and espresso.I am so excited to return here for my parents' anniversary celebration on the 8th! I hear there's music and dance after 9p!!! I love when a place hypes up festivities at nighttime. FOODS Definitely my favorites of the small plates were the lemon yogurt with pistachio and the lemon-y tahini. The eggplant tahini had such an excellent and prominent smokiness to it! The cabbage dish was fabulous! Loved the dressing and how everything was baked!The kebab was even better ... never getting the Trader Joe's version after having this one haha. The plate comes out very hot and the kebab itself was nice and crispy! Loved the spicy yogurt! The pita bread was outrageous! Omg! And the dessert - Kafka - is my new favorite!

Pregnant. Thirsty. Hungry.Sat for 20 minutes without even one person acknowledging my presence. Every waiter just walked past and around me. Felt ignored, restaurant wasn't even that busy. But that was a blessing. I took the time to really read reviews about their food being bland and overpriced so I definitely didn't need to add further insult to bad service. I picked up my things and left! Went to a restaurant that I knew would deliver me quality food and a great experience every single time!

Visited for the first time. Food was best Ive had of this kind since moving to Houston. We had the lunch option. Chicken skewer was well seasoned and moist. The pita was hot, fluffy and fresh. Baba ganoush was delicious, nice and smoky. The Brazino was amazing! Fresh, panfried perfectly with a crisp and so moist and flaky. Is Israeli rice was my least favorite. Not bad just needed more flavor. I put some labenah on top and that enhanced it. The atmosphere and decor is beautiful. Outside seating on a lovely day makes a perfect luncheon. Ill definitely be back

This is a great place to go in the evening for dinner! Definitely recommend! I've been here twice, once for just drinks on a Saturday night with some friends at the bar and a second time for dinner with a girlfriend just a few weeks ago! When you enter you're greeted by the hosts which is super nice. We were seated very quickly on a Friday night as it wasn't very busy and there were several empty tables available for walk in. The bar was packed though and though I would have enjoyed sitting at the bar more, a table was fine. Once seated, we were given menus and our server gave us some time to look over cocktails. Since it is the holiday season, they had seasonal drinks which were very interesting. I got a drink that was like a apple pie that was hot, super delicious and my friend got another cocktail of her personal favorite. We decided to order the Kebab and octopus to share since we weren't very hungry. For dessert we got the poached pear with ice cream and that was so delicious! Super glad for the server's recommendation to try the poached pear! Overall great place to hang out, catch up. For summer the patio is definitely a great place to hang out with friends as it's more spacious and super cute!

The food is excellent, the atmosphere is relaxed, yet an upscale casual. Since it's in rice village, I think athletic is acceptable for lunch but would more fine dining for evening. I've been to both seatings and I thought lunch was the more affordable option. I loved the pre fix menu! You can get a variety of sample dips, the chicken skewers and salad was the perfect portion and dessert left me satiated but not overfull. The chicken thigh skewers were perfectly moist and well seasoned. The patio was also great for people watching and enjoying the pleasant spring weather. Would definitely go back for either meal but a nice lunch with friends or business is perfect at hamsa. The service was also accommodating but they were being moody about seating arrangements outdoors. Call or reserve for patio seating in advance b/c they can be limited on the day you visit.

Pros:-Belly dancers thursday night @ 9:30-Free unlimited brick oven pita with order of salatim-Service was great and knowledgeable of the menu-Ambiance was elegant-Price was fair-FlavorCons:-Hummus was overpriced-Parking was valet only-Portion size could be improved