Balqees Traditional Yemeni Cuisine

Balqees offers a delightful blend of Yemeni and Lebanese cuisine in Virginia. The food is incredibly fresh and delicious. The service is both friendly and efficient! There are options for indoor and outdoor seating, which is perfect for enjoying hookah. I highly recommend it for its authentic flavors. The atmosphere is fantastic, with great music, making it feel just like home.

Be sure to order the Fahsah! It's a delicious stew served in a piping hot clay pot, accompanied by a generous portion of pita naan. I also highly recommend their mandi with chicken and lamb. The rice is flavorful, and the meat is incredibly tender and juicy. Don’t forget to add the red sauce to your rice! The restaurant has a trendy vibe, featuring hookahs in the back and ample seating for large groups. The ambiance is fantastic, family-friendly, and the staff is excellent. I highly recommend this place!

I've visited this restaurant several times and have always enjoyed the food, hookah, and service. When I decided to host an event for over 25 people, the staff and owners truly exceeded my expectations to ensure our gathering was a success. The food buffet was fantastic, the hookahs were excellent, and they even helped arrange seating in the outdoor tent. The manager was consistently present to cater to everyone's needs. I would definitely return to host more events here. I highly recommend this place; it's one of the few venues that can comfortably accommodate large groups and has plenty to offer.

This restaurant truly goes above and beyond to make its guests feel like family, capturing the essence of authentic Arab culture. The desserts and drinks are exceptional, just like the food. It’s a fantastic place to hang out, and I highly recommend that everyone visit more often.

However, I was very displeased with the numerous fees added to our bill. There is a mandatory 20% service charge for groups of three or more (why the number three, though? It seems arbitrary). This policy wasn't communicated to us before we received the bill, so I ended up tipping on top of that, which I wasn't happy about since the service was lacking. When I raised this concern with the management, the owner showed me the menu where, in tiny print on the very last page, the service charge was mentioned. Who actually reads the back of the menu when it doesn't list any food items? It felt like they were trying to hide this information. When I inquired about the difference between the service charge and a typical tip, the owner explained that the service charge is distributed among all restaurant staff, while tips go directly to the server. Additionally, there was a 5% charge for using a credit card. Overall, our drinks and food cost around $60, but the final bill exceeded $100, meaning over $40 in extra charges. I definitely won’t be coming back after feeling ripped off.