Sunnin has an incredible menu, and it's easy to see why they've been a local favorite for so many…read moreyears. The flavors are authentic, vibrant, and consistently delicious. They've also done a great job evolving with the times, offering plenty of clearly marked vegan options along with choices for other dietary needs, including gluten-free. Everything we ordered was excellent. The grape leaves were fantastic, the eggplant dishes were so flavorful, and the portions were very generous. The foul (bean dish) was delicious, and when we asked if they could add a little extra to it, they were happy to accommodate us. The service was warm, welcoming, and genuinely attentive. And don't skip dessert--the baklava is some of the best we've ever had. I understand they've recently changed how they make it, and the result is outstanding. It's wonderful to see a restaurant that has stood the test of time while continuing to evolve. We can't wait to return and explore more of the menu.

Well, here I am back in La La Land doing some work that needed to be done…read more Staying at my dear friend's condo in Westwood with a view of the Mormon Temple and Santa Catalina. Being so close to a zillion restaurants at my feet, my friend's "significant" said let's do some Mediterranean food tonight. I put my thumbs-up and it was unanimous: Sunnin Lebanese Cafe on Westwood Blvd. and Santa Monica Blvd. it was. Well, I never heard of this place, but I said "let's Go"! When we pulled up to this strip mall entrance that was overflowing with human beings wanting a table at very happy this very we had a RESY. We ordered: * Hummus of course - which was delicious * Babaganouj - which was creamy and extremely dippicle [sic] * Beef Kafta Kebab - just lovely * Taboulah Salad - that was excellent * Fool or Ful depending on what Mideast country - was deepened with fava beans * Alamaza Lebanese beer that paired perfectly with our dinner. The staff here were friendly, helpful and accommodating. I've been gone from Los Angeles close to five years now, and every time I come back, I get a nice surprise like I did at Sunnin.

Food is so good I wish we came with a bigger group and could order more. Baba Gnoush is great and…read morethe beef is so tender! The restaurant is a part of Hollywood history and such a great vibe.

Our dance group came here after our performance in LA to celebrate his birthday! We had a…read morereservation for 9. The waiter or owner Baba, was so very welcoming and wanted us to feel like we were at home. He was very attentive and described our dishes perfectly! Delicious Would definitely recommend coming here! Charming and cozy and friendly!

Levant Bistro (the bakery part has merged with the actual restaurant) is so special. My friend and…read moreI planned to meet here for Lebanese brunch on a gorgeous Saturday. It was such an unforgettable and refreshing experience. Chef Anita has such a vision. Every detail was well thought of, from the outdoor patio dining surrounded by olive bushes to the indoor wooden and oak touches with Fairouz playing overhead. What's even better is EVERY single dish is labelled clearly for allergy diners! AHHHH as a nut allergy girly this had me geekin. All the celiac diners can enjoy their dining experience without any triggering fears as well. I went with their famous Lebanese egg pie and my friend got the grilled salmon plate. We shared the ful mudammas, my fave dish. The gluten-free pita bread def changed my brain wiring. I don't enjoy gluten-free food, and I was drooling. The pita was pillow soft, like how do you do that? Magic, I tell you. The egg pie was SO special. Pillow soft as well and super filling. The flavors of every dish were legendary. We couldn't stop talking about the colors, the plating, the top tier service. Everything about Levant deserves to be raved about. Come one come all. Def coming to Levant next time I'm in Echo Park.

Levant Bistro is charming, the staff are warm and welcoming, and the food is absolutely…read moreoutstanding. From start to finish my experience was everything I could ask for. We arrived midday on a Sunday and we're promptly sat, having been given the option for patio or indoor. We chose the patio, and between the clematis, lantana, and olive trees it is a very lovely setting in which to enjoy a meal. We were promptly brought a bottle of cold water and glasses, and our beverage orders were taken. I had a honey lavender latte with oat milk, and my husband had Lebanese coffee (no milk no sugar.) my latte was fragrant, the perfect temperature, and just the right amount of sweet. The Lebanese coffee was smooth, floral without being perfume, and excellent. We started with the falafel and the batata harra. Both absolutely excellent. For our entrees we selected the shakshuka and the Lebanese egg pie. Both were also excellent. Everything was well cooked, well presented, flavorful without being overwhelmed by any component. We took home a baklava tart, because we simply did not have the ability to eat more at the table. It was tender, moist, not too sweet, the pistachio flavor coming through as nutty and grassy, seriously so good! And it's worth noting, this whole restaurant is gluten free. I would not have realised if I had not known ahead of time. The texture of the pita with the shakshuka was exactly what one would expect, as was the bread of the egg pie. The pastry of the tart was flakey and delicious. And having said all of that, the service is what puts it above and beyond. Everyone was warm and pleasant, and seemed to genuinely appreciate the compliments. Staff seemed like they liked their jobs, which for me is always a good sign.

We just got home from dinner here and my wife and I loved it. The food was absolutely top notch. We…read morestarted with the potatoes in garlic sauce and an order of the haroumi and watermelon. What a great kick off! As for our mains, we both ordered a variation of the combo plates. I had the chicken tawook and beef. The Mrs. had the chicken and lamb. All good. Based on the food alone, we would recommend this place to anyone with a beating heart and more importantly, a mouth. This is quality food at a quality price. The atmosphere? Really great. It's a little dark and twinkly inside which sets a nice tone. There is cool artwork adorning every piece of wall, the place is very easy on the eyes...including the restrooms. Very clean. Our sever, didn't catch his name, but what a nice dude. Was super helpful without being "too much" he should teach a server class. He's pretty much who you want taking care of your table. He knew the menu well and made great suggestions. It was actually refreshing. We will come back, most likely with the family. Our waiter told us that they can accommodate larger groups which is great. I recently ate food at Saffy's and I didn't enjoy it one bit. The servings there are too small, too pretentious and too overpriced. Open Sesame is the exact opposite and that's why it rules. A wonderful experience in Beverly Boulevard.

How Do I Start This Rationally ? Atmosphere Is A 5/5. Service Is 5/5. Food was 2.5/5. I Will…read moreExplain. If You A Charging $145 For A Group Platter, Then Everything Must Me PERFECT ! The Chicken Shawarma Was Inedible Because Is Was Obviously Dry And Lying Around For The Next Customer. The Beef Was Good. The Beef Shawarma Was AMAZING ! Probably The Best Thing. On The Menu. Tabouli Was Great. $260 With Tip Divided By Three Is Too Expensive For My First Experience Here. I Told The Manager That They Shouldn't Have Served The Chicken Shawarma If It Was Dry. Anyways.

I am mad that I never drove far enough down York to discover this place and only discovered it…read moreafter it was suggested for a lunch meetup. I needed this place in my life sooner! Let's start with the drink....I'm not a fan of anything rose flavored or scented so I wanted to make sure the rose flavor wasn't too strong in the Jallab. Since I was told the rose flavor is pretty prominent, it was suggested I do the Jallab with lemonade. What a perfect selection! I didn't pick up any rose flavor and the drink was so pretty. This is a refreshing alternative if you don't want to go with a soda. I already had my heart set on the appetizers and fortunately the other person was on board with the same choices. For dippers, I always go with a yogurt and cucumber appetizer and the Babaghanouj did not disappoint. These sides came with three pieces of pita bread. Neither side was overly garlicky and paired well with my entree. If you love cheese borek like I do, get you some cheese rolls. My only regret is only getting one. The cheese rolls were perfectly flavored and not overly salty. Now for the entree...I already had my eye on three meats so the waitress said to go with The Your Way Plate, which came with a kafta and tenderloin skewer. I also added a lamb skewer on the side. Both my lamb and tenderloin skewer were cooked medium and they were perfect. Lamb is one of those dishes that can be a hit or miss because if it's not cooked right, it will be chewy - mine was perfect! And, the spices they use to cook the lamb in will have you trying to pick up every last drop of juice with your pieces of meat. No complaints with the kafta either. I chose rice as my side because I love me the carbs. We went on a weekday for lunch and parking was easy enough to find on a side street. The staff was friendly and there was indoor and outdoor seating options. This place gets a yummy in my tummy rating and I will be back sooner rather than later.

Because I was familiar with the Skaf's restaurant located in Glendale, I was curious how Skaf's on…read moreYork would compare. I've visited twice for lunch, and both times I had great meals! I've tried both the regular and classic versions of the chicken shawarma wraps and liked them both. The classic style comes with fries on the inside of the wrap, and I thought the chicken was flavorful and not dry. The service was friendly, but during my second visit the staff seemed overextended given the number of tables they had to cover; this may have led to the error in getting the wrong side with my meal but they were quick to correct it once I brought it to their attention. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating, and overall I thought it was a great spot to have a casual meal.

Carousel is hands down the best Mediterranean spot. I've been coming here for years and it never…read moredisappoints. Their arayes are a must -- it's basically like a lahmajun with two pieces pressed together, and it's insanely good. I usually go all in and order the tabbouleh, babaganoush, a pound of lula kebab, and shish kebab. Honestly, if you're with 2+ people (or even just really hungry), ordering by the pound with sides is way better value than getting individual plates. You get more variety and it just feels like the right way to eat here. Every now and then I'll switch it up and get the liver plate -- it comes with tons of greens and onions, and when you wrap everything in their fresh pita, it's incredible. Not an everyday order, but when you're in the mood for it, it hits. If you dine in, the indoor decor is super nice and really gives that authentic Mediterranean vibe. They also play a lot of 90s music, which somehow fits perfectly and adds to the whole experience. I've dined in plenty of times and the service is always solid -- staff is friendly and attentive. Just a heads up, food can take a little longer sometimes, but that's because they're always busy and everything is made fresh, so it's worth the wait. I've also done takeout here more times than I can count -- probably over 100 orders at this point -- which says everything. This is easily one of my go-to spots and I keep coming back for a reason.

I've been enjoying this restaurant for many years and always like to pop in occasionally for an…read moreitem or two. While I usually enjoy the chicken sandwich toasted, today I decided to try the chicken Shawarma plate. It came with a nice side of hummus, garlic spread, tahini, and a few other tidbits to layer your flavors. The people here are always very friendly, although they did miss one of the items on my over the phone order, even though when they read it back to me all my items were there... I really like the carnival vibe on the exterior of the building and you will be surprised that the interior of the restaurant is nicer than you would expect. The location is a little out of the way and the parking lot always seems too full, but this is a great place to check out if you've never been here, highly recommend the chicken wrap sandwich, make sure you get it toasted!

To eat figs off the tree in the very early morning, when they have been barely touched by the sun,…read moreis one of the exquisite pleasures of the Mediterranean -- Elizabeth David, An Omelette and a Glass of Wine I wasn't a huge fan of Bestia so many years ago, but I love Mediterranean cuisine so was excited for a company team dinner at the sister restaurant Bavel. And boy did I love our group dinner here. Every course, every shared plate was absolutely outstanding with the highlights being the various breads, flatbreads, steak and lamb. I also loved the mushroom kabob and grilled octopus. The service was on point and the sommelier was extremely helpful with off menu wine choices including a Cannonau from Sardinia that was so good we bought (and drank) a second bottle. The restaurant is cool and lovely inside, the outside patio looked like a good space too. Valet parking is $13 but there is plenty of street parking too. Outstanding quintessential LA restaurant!!! Highly recommended!

This was probably one of the most memorable and enjoyable dining experiences of my entire life…read more Every single dish I tried was top-tier. MY favorite was the Hummus. The service here was excellent as expected. We had a last min walk-in reservation that they helped us secure quickly and easily. I love the table setups because the area that we sat in was sort of communal and were sitting close enough to others that we could all share the dining experience together. I will mention that of the 3 restaurants these 2 chefs own and operate, THIS one is my favorite in terms of the menu and ambiance.

Very extensive menu made it hard to choose! Very friendly…read morestaff helped us choose some really delicious dishes! The hummus was great as was the rest of our meal. Very simple set up with great food! We will be back soon!!!

Absolutely love the food at this place. I had never had Lebanese food before but, this place made…read moreme a fan. They've always been super accommodating because my coworkers and I make pretty big orders and when I arrive, it's always ready and pack. Which is super helpful when you have to drive during rush hour. Now let's talk about the food. You have to get the beef shawarma wrap. I've had wraps here and there but, never have I had a wrap as good as the one I've had here. As soon as the took my first bite, my head started nodding up and down. As in yes, yes, yes....this is amazing. My other favorite food option is the Lahme. I never had anything like it. It flavorful and just keeps opening up the more you eat it. There is no lack of seasoning in any of food and everything a depth of flavor I've never experienced before. You can feed 1-2 people with either the beef shawarma or chicken shawarma plate. They are not shy with either protein. If I can give you some advice, it would be to eat there. Because if you get it to go, you will be starving and hangry all the way home because everything smells just as good as it taste. All the way to work I can hear my stomach rumbling because of how good everything smells.

So I was out here last week flown out from Sacramento airport (I live in Stockton CA) visiting Long…read moreBeach staying at a successful friends crib and I had a great time and had too much great food. So.. Mediterranean/ Arab type food... have I had it before? Not quite really but we stopped by this place and I snapped a photo but quite can't remember the name but I know it's kebab and something else like beef as medium - and one thing I was taught by the SoCal homie is get your steak medium, or medium rare if you fancy - and not chicken as a main .. dish but maybe as a side. And from what I was told Mediterranean food is kinda healthy. I straight up devoured this plate clean and it was delicious. Very delicious and yes I'm back in NorCal and I couldn't find anything near me that compares so I'd have to go out of town. But this experience and food here at open sesame is worth stopping by for good eats. And when we were done the waitress asked if we'd like to rinse our hands- she got this wand of some sort out and sprinkled it and the water had some scent. Now that's world class customer service and surely tip well generously. I plan to come to visit Long Beach every summer to get out from the hellfire 100+ degree heat in the Central Valley in Stockton and then damn mosquitoes- and likely we will dine here again!

I'm glad that I tried this place during the summer stroll in Belmont shore so I had to come and…read morevisit see what they're all about. I ordered the Sultan which came with lamb chops, filet mignon and grilled shrimp which your choice of dip and salad. I chose the hummus and tabouleh My friend ordered the beef kofta we got these potatoes super good. I like citrusy and hanging these potatoes came out surprised, but I didn't like was a two dollar up charge on the garlic dip the garlic dip that they gave you in the beginning. I thought that was free, but it wasn't. Come here on a Friday night so this place gets pretty packed

I had such a great experience at Galata Turkish Halal Restaurant & Grill! We started off with a few…read moreappetizers, and honestly, that might have been one of my favorite parts of the meal. Everything came out fresh, flavorful, and perfect for sharing. We ordered crispy potatoes, falafel and icli kofte. The service was also great from beginning to end. Everyone was welcoming, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed without making us feel rushed. That always makes such a difference when you're trying a new spot. The food was full of flavor, the portions were nice, and overall the whole experience felt warm and inviting. Definitely a great Long Beach find, especially if you're looking for good Turkish food and a place where you can order a bunch of things for the table and just enjoy. I'll definitely be back -- there are already a few things on the menu I want to come back and try!

Hands down one of the best Mediterranean meals I've had in Long Beach…read more Everything we ordered was incredible. The lamb chops were the star of the meal--perfectly seasoned, savory, juicy, and beautifully grilled with that fresh, smoky barbecue flavor. The hummus was a 10/10: silky smooth, topped with whole chickpeas, and full of rich, authentic flavor. The rice deserves its own mention. It was light, fluffy, buttery, and perfectly cooked--not sticky at all. Paired with the fresh salad, it balanced the meal perfectly. For drinks, the sorbet drink was so refreshing, and the pomegranate tea was outstanding with bright, fruity notes that made it the perfect way to end the meal. The ambiance is absolutely beautiful. Sitting outside on the sidewalk felt cozy and romantic, and the decor inside genuinely made me feel like I was back in Turkey. The restaurant is spotless (including the restrooms), and the customer service was warm, attentive, and welcoming from start to finish. If you're looking for authentic Turkish and Mediterranean food in Long Beach, this place is a must-visit. I'll definitely be back for those lamb chops!