Ideal for a date, with beautiful scenery and a Middle Eastern vibe, clean and exquisite. Wallet-friendly, around $40-$50 per person for three dishes for two people (the guy eats most of it). Friendly and kind service. The top recommended dish is the roasted cauliflower served on yogurt and honey, delicious. The waitress complimented my outfit, making me super happy since I spent a lot of time putting it together!

Delicious food, nice ambience and good servers. I loved their desserts exquisitely because I could taste the cardamom, saffron and pistachio flavors. Kunafa, cardamom custard and chocolate date cake are a must try!

On a nice summer day, siting in their outside patio was perfect. It was breezy and I quite like their decor. It felt cohesive. Inside the restaurant, they also have a bar and it felt like a more intimate setting at night time. During the day, the patio is beautiful. At nighttime, I'd likely dine inside because of the pretty setting. The trio of dips were surprisingly filling. We order crispy lamb on the side to have with the dips and felt pretty full. I was happy with the portions. The falafel was scrumptious. It was moist on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside. The sauce that came with it also paired incredibly well. What I do love about this place is that despite ordering different dishes, the flavors were cohesive. The lamb belly was slightly fatty; however, I think the fennel and the stone fruit cuts the fatty texture of the lamb and enhances the flavor. Aside from the food, I had no problem with the service at all. They did exactly what I'd hope to see. Nothing above and beyond coming here sure did satisfy my cravings for Mediterranean food!

We usually go to this restaurant with my girlfriends. We love having these delicious dishes: CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUTS, TRIO OF DIPS, LAMB SHANK, MEDITERRANEAN BRANZINO, FATTOUSH, KALE CAESAR, OLIVES. We order all these delicious food and share. The restaurant offers both outdoor and indoor seating with a great ambiance. We love the service because excellent I definitely recommend this place

The veggie review! Went again with a larger group to try more vegetarian items. The trio of dips was great Really liked the marinated Feta too Really didn't like the harissa potatoes, very large potatoes lacking flavor The charred green beans were fine The dip with Brussels sprouts was tasty, but the Brussels themselves lacked flavor The pistachio cake and the baklava cigars are delicious!

Food: Brussel Sprouts-crispy, delicious. Trio Dip ( I added crispy lamb): it was good, the pita chips and pita bread were great. Lamb was flavorful with the right amount of crisp. Octopus-amazing, perfect balance on textures. (Tip: the yogurt sauce that came with the dish was great to dip the Brussel sprouts in). Lamb sausage risotto- very flavorful Service: our waitress was great. She said she was new to the establishment, however her recommendations were in point. Ambiance: we ate outside. It was perfect. I would return again.

My impression after my first visit: Meso boasts a tasteful interior, attentive waitstaff, and decent dishes. I say decent because there were some hits and some misses. Their menu is enticing enough that I'd like to revisit to try more. I made a same-day reservation online for a Sunday evening with no difficulty. We were seated right away and had some questions about the menu answered promptly. To my fellow Muslim diners: We confirmed with a couple of waiters that all the meat on the menu is zabiha/zabihah halal, with the exception of the T-bone steak and the short rib. Exciting stuff! As a table of 4 with an appetite, we ordered the... Trio of Dips (with Crispy Artichoke +$6): This one was a mixed bag. The red beet labneh was delicious, but the hummus and the smoked eggplant dips felt a bit dry and imbalanced in flavor. I expected a fair amount of tahini in these dips, which you'd find in a traditional hummus or baba ganoush. But I didn't detect much at all. Artichokes were under-seasoned and didn't taste of much. Pass on those. Warm Marinated Feta: Would order this again just for the spiced pita that comes with it. Delicious! The feta itself is infused with a nice bit of garlic and rosemary. Not too salty like some fetas. Only thing that would make it better would be the texture; it breaks into solid pieces that aren't quite spreadable. Lamb Shank Tagine (Single): The lamb itself was beautifully cooked and fork-tender. Dipping some of it in the juices at the bottom of the plate is essential! As succulent as the couscous looks, it doesn't soak up the flavors of the dish all that well. I liked the bursts of sweetness from the raisins and wish they played a larger role on the plate. A Moroccan tagine of this variety would normally be sweeter. Brick Chicken (Half): The chicken on its own was just fine. Well-spiced but a touch dry in some parts and lacking crispy skin. It's the accompaniments that make this dish. The red yogurt is the perfect pairing and the spiced pita underneath soaks up the juices of the chicken so so well. I liked ripping off a piece of the pita using it as a wrap for the chicken and yogurt. Leek and Burrata Flatbread: The irony of this flatbread is that its flavor felt more driven by the dollops of sundried tomato sauce than the leek and the burrata combined. The result is a vibrant bite that lacks the nice subtle flavors you'd expect. The base of the flatbread was veering into crispy territory, which I like, but others may not. I'd still consider ordering this again. Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower: I wasn't immediately convinced by the idea of cauliflower with oranges and honey, but the pairing made this one of the best bites of the night. The bed of labneh beneath it was the perfect glue for the sweet and earthy flavors on the plate. Would highly recommend! Charred Eggplant and Salata Hara: The ensemble of peppers and pomegranate on top of the eggplant was tasty, and I wish there were more of it. The eggplant felt a bit one-note and heavy once that salata ran out. Probably wouldn't get this again. Pistachio Panna Cotta Trifle: The generous amounts of crushed pistachio and the layer of vanilla-cardamom custard made this an addictive little cup of dessert. I could've done without the layer of panna cotta at the bottom though; it was a bit dense and flavorless relative to the rest of the trifle. Not a bad way to round off the meal overall. That's five small plates, two large plates, a few drinks, and a dessert for $250 after tip. To be expected for a restaurant on Santana Row. There's still a handful of items I want to try before I make my final judgement about this restaurant. Relative to the other restaurants I've tried in the area, I think Meso holds its own. It puts its own twist on classic Mediterranean fare. I say give it a try.

Had an awesome birthday celebration at Meso Modern Mediterranean in Santana Row! Here's the quick rundown: - **On-Time Seating:** Arrived for our 7:15 pm reservation and got seated right away--perfect start! - **Tasty Highlights:** - Harrissa Seared Octopus: Soft and flavorful, loved it with the potatoes! (8/10) - Harrissa Potatoes: Absolute fave, had to order more! (10/10) - Trio of Dips: Great for starting the party, but more chips would've been nice. (9/10) - Mediterranean Branzino "A La Plancha": First try and loved it! Quality and sauces were spot on. (10/10) - Meso's Brick Chicken: Cooked perfectly, loved the red yogurt sauce! (10/10) - Vegan Potato Gnocchi: Amazing! Chewy and loaded with mushrooms. (10/10) - **Small Bumps:** - Crispy Artichoke Hearts: Our server recommended it but it was not my fave, but others enjoyed it with salad. (6/10) - Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli: Tasty, but portion felt a bit small for the price. (7/10) - **Extras:** - Merguez Sausage Risotto: Some liked it, but the sauce was too strong for me. (6/10) - **Special Touches:** - Birthday card and complimentary desserts were a nice surprise! - Server was respectful and checked in regularly. - The restaurant's sophisticated ambiance and stunning decor provided the perfect backdrop for capturing memorable birthday photos with my friends. Overall, a fantastic dinner and a perfect way to celebrate my friend's birthday at Meso!