BEWARE! Literally the worst service I have had in my entire life...from the OWNER, no less. Food was decent, but not worth the abysmal attitude and service. Save yourself the frustration of being treated as an inconvenience vs a paying customer!! I have never left a review, good or bad, but couldn't let this level of rudeness go unannounced. Would give Zero stars if I could. read more

This is the BEST middle eastern food you could find around Boulder and we are so happy to have found it. But not only the food is AUTHENTICand DELICIOUS but the owners Manal and her husband Saib are the best host ever... with a lot of flavor too... YOU HAVE TO TRY IT AND THEN YOU WILL BE ADDICTED.... read more

I thought the place looked inviting when I walked past it a while ago (it was closed at the time) so I tried it for lunch today. Not at all the type of friendly neighborhood atmosphere I was hoping for. We were treated pretty rudely. The food seemed fine but portions are very small and expensive (the middle-Eastern sampler plate is $14 for lunch!) The vibe is bourgeois pretentious with a condescending attitude (very Boulder, actually). The owner seemed kind of friendly with some regulars around us, while she completely ignored us... I am definitely not going again... An example of the kind of service you get: * I am standing inside the place in front of the chalkboard/menu. The waitress (one of the employees) tells me to go sit. I tell her I have a question or two about the menu, and she abruptly replies "we'll answer your questions at the table"... OK. * now at the table, there is no menu for me to look at (sitting outside and they don't have any menus for you to look at). I ask the same waitress about the couple items I remember from the menu and get these 3-word, impatient answers, followed by an impatient "so what would you like". Wow. * We get our order brought to our table and have been out of water for a while now. I kindly ask the waitress (this time the owner, actually) if we could get more water and she abruptly replies "Yeah, I know that!"... ouch! I really don't enjoy being treated like shit when I buy something. read more

Amazing. Everything is fresh, beautifully presented, and delicious. The owner, her family, and the other staff are all very sweet as well. I almost didn't write a review in hopes of keeping it a secret, but it's simply too good not to. read more

I honestly love this place! Great quality food, the owner grows all the veggies, in a great part of town. Family owned and run by a mother and her two daughters. Worth a try ! read more

Stopped in today on the basis of all the glowing reviews and I was not disappointed! I ordered a vegetarian sampler to go which included a wonderful mixed salad, tabouleh, baba ganoush, hummus, stuffed grape leaves & whole grain pita. Pleasant proprietress - simply superb. Arabesque is a welcome addition to the Boulder culinary scene. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Boulder. Everything is made with care and fresh ingredients, and each piece has its own wonderful aroma. The ambiance in the cafe (and sitting outside) is perfectly charming. And the woman who cooks (I am pretty sure she is the owner) is very kind. She takes pride in the food, and for good reason. I recommend the veggie platter and the iced tea (the latter is served over fruit pieces and mint!). I almost didn't want to review this place, because it would be a shame for it to get crowded and lose its lazy-Sunday-afternoon atmosphere--but that would have been selfish of me! read more

The food is totally delicious - the owner is something else. Today - I was paying my bill when I saw her verbally abuse a customer TWICE for not leaving a 15% tip for service. She slammed the cash register shut and shouted at the customer that that wasn't a 15% tip for service - then accosted his table mate. The service WAS atrocious - one waitress for a very busy time. PLUS, tipping is NEVER required. I personally believe in it - but I will never go back to this place, even if the food is wonderful. read more

Off the beaten path but worth seeking out. The sample platter is the way to go, they have nice quiet outdoor seating and the food is really tasty! Four stars are due to the hit or miss service otherwise the food and atmosphere are perfect for a nice lunch downtown and the owner is great! read more

This restaurant has amazing food, cooked daily, with love. One of my favorite places to eat in Boulder.

This is probably the best restaurant I've been to in the area. The fact that the food is made fresh and incorporates various spices makes all the difference. That's why I favor it over any other restaurant in Boulder. The service is great and the owner/chef had a wonderful attitude. I highly recommend the Arabesque Omelette paired with the freshly squeezed apple juice. read more

I have tried the Arabesque Omelet and it was really delicious and the place from inside is quiet and unique. Highly recommended!

Got the chicken shawarma plate. Came with a yummy housemade pita and hummus. Good, but too expensive, $11. Atmosphere is quite nice though service was not great. Mediterranean Market & Caspian Deli are divey but good and much better prices. read more

Order Turkish coffee and ask for cream, you will be berated and abused. The owner actually yelled at me and said "I will *NOT bring you cream, you do not drink it with cream, I will take it off your bill!". Then yelled at my friend exclaiming "your friend has to pay for her coffee!" which upset her as well. I should have thrown it on the ground if I knew she'd yell at my friend too. I never got the dressing for the salad, or more water. Bill for 6 for was $100 and we all went away sick to our stomach. What a mean unhappy twisted person- she has issues and it isn't cream. read more

First time in boulder. Really delicious homemade food. Worth the trip for warm fresh pita and lemonade alone! I had the Mideast sampler. So amazing and hit the spot after a long flight. The owner did seem a bit stressed but I got the impression that she just cares very much about the food. I would recommend! read more

The food is wonderful, but the owner was so rude to me today that I've vowed never to return. My elderly friend and I came at 11:30, when only one other person was in the restaurant, and we asked to sit at a 4-person table so that my friend could hear me better (by sitting catty corner instead of across from each other). We said we would be happy to move to a two person table if it got more crowded. This displeased the owner to no end and began her rudeness to us. Next, we decided to share a sampler plate ($14) and then see if we were hungry for more. We had every intention of ordering more if needed, but we limited our orders after the way we were treated. The owner slammed down our water glasses and actually ran away from my friend when she wanted to order more food. In addition, she refused to heat up quiche for us, since it was 11:30 and breakfast had ended at 11:00; she said she wanted to encourage more people to eat breakfast there, so she wouldn't give us ($10) quiche at 11:30. I'm so disappointed that we were treated so disrespectfully, as I really like the food here and I had such a pleasant conversation with the owner the last time we came about a year ago. I will not be coming back, nor will I be recommending this to my many out of town guests who visit. read more

This is the last time I will frequent this restaurant. The owner, cook,this time crossed a line with her negative, rude energy. I brought friends in from out of town as I love her food but was so embarrassed and insulted by her attitude that she was put out that we were there. The food was fair. I had indigestion from the snears, angry looks and rude remarks. It was Seinfeld's Soup Nazi meets The Wicked witch. I will not be back. read more

I was in the mood for Mediterranean food so my cousin who is visiting from Switzerland and I decided to go here. It is true that the menu is inside but it's a full service restaurant which is weird as there are no menus on the table. It is also true that the food is really good (except for my tabouli which was really bitter for some reason). We had a great experience; however, having read the other reviews I can see the problem. I would like to point out that she is from a different culture and English is not her first language. Her behavior is probably the norm where she is from. Lighten up people! read more

We were here today and it was a terrible experience. The main woman who works there is one of the "quirky say whatever the hell they wAnt" women. She kept making uncomfortable comments about our babies: saying their food wasn't good and other rude things. Then she came over and told us we couldn't feed our children because we could not bring in outside food. This I can understand but it was just so weird and uncomfortable I was so taken aback. The food was decent but I will never go back there. read more

I travel extensively for business and love trying local restaurants. We entered the restaurant on a very hot, 100-degree day. We ordered our meals from the chalkboard & turned to find seating. There was a silverware & water stand, with stacks of cups, which appeared to be self-serve given the arrangement of the restaurant. My 75-year old father was parched, so he started to get a glass of water & was literally reprimanded. They told us to sit. We found a table outside & waited 5-10 minutes for someone to saunter over with waters. Our food came out (small portions for the price). Of course, we had no silverware. The owner, waited on the table next to us, but walked past us multiple times without stopping. She did glare each time, though. Apparently, we were being "punished" for making the mistake of thinking the water was self-serve. Finally, I asked for silverware & more water, being sure to smile & say "please" & "thank you". No amount of politeness made any difference with this woman. When it came time to pay, I zeroed out the tip on the credit card receipt because I had planned to put cash into the tip bowl. The owner was obviously peering over the counter to see the amount. She snatched up the receipt, as I was putting away my card, receipt & reaching for cash for the tip bowl. She immediately started chewing me out about the tip. As I listened to her rant & insult me, I considered the service we had begged for & the horrible treatment we had/were receiving. I did something I have never done & have not done since, I left without tipping. Later that night, I left a 40% tip at the restaurant where we received great service, to pay it forward. I wouldn't eat at this restaurant again, if it was free. Although the presentation is nice, the food is average, portions are small, service is dismal & the owner is most unpleasant. read more

Wow! I had some friends visiting from out of town so I decided to take them to Arabesque for a nice lunch on the patio and we were very disappointed with the level of service at this restaurant. The food is good and fresh, but you should never feel unappreciated or disrespected at a restaurant, which is how myself and my friends were treated today. Every conversation we had with the staff was responded with quick, smerky, I don't care kind of attitude. As my friends went up to the register to pay and threw their change in the tip jar, they were rudely insulted when the cashier made the most rude remark. She said, "btw thank you for the 24 cents." My friend was taken back and responded, "excuse me?." I work in the restaurant industry and you never insult your guest or make them feel guilty for not tipping to your liking. I thought this was VERY RUDE and I have to say I will never eat there again nor refer this place to anyone. If your gonna be that ungrateful then maybe you shouldn't work in the service industry. Tips are meant to be given for good service, not bad attitudes and "I'm to good for you" lip. Obviously, they don't need the business. As the mother said today when my friend asked if she could brake a hundred, she replied, " Of course I can, I'm rich." Who says that to your customer? We were all taken back by this remark as well as the other customers that were standing next to us as we all looked at one another with a shocked look on our faces. We felt very unwelcomed and unappreciated at this restaurant. I will not give my money to a restaurant that treats their customers like this. Normally I would not write a bad review about a restaurant, but this just crossed the line and we left feeling pretty uncomfortable and that is not the level of service we expect in this town. read more

I have used yelp a lot for various different things and I find it very helpful. I read all the reviews on this little spot before going back in December 2010 while I was pregnant. The food was just outstanding and I was very pleased. I few weeks ago I went for lunch with a co-worker and again the food was awesome. The only thing was I was charged $90.57 for my lunch and not $9.57, which I guess can be a mistake and I get that. The following Saturday I took my husband to this place since we were in the area. Since they do not have any menus with descriptions we had to ask what was in every single dish. My husband ordered the beef Shwarma wrap and asked for no onions and no tomatoes. The man (I suspect this is the owners husband) taking our order had a really hard time explaining what was in the dishes, but assured us that there would be NO onion and NO tomatoes. When the dishes came out my husband's wrap came out as a plate, which the man explained was better because they make the bread and the bread they use for the wrap they buy elsewhere (did not indicate that it is a more expansive dish). The dish was covered in ONIONS!!! The man serving us just said "onions are good for you". I wanted to send back the dish, but the server told us that this was the better dish. OK, time to pay. I stated that I did not want to pay for something we didn't order and the owner said out load to the cashier that I was trying to GAME them. This was probably the worse service and dining experience I have had EVER! They still made me pay full price for SOMETHING I DIDN'T ORDER. We spent $28.00 for lunch for two, no alcohol, just water - I think that is pretty expensive - but ok if you get what you want.... Granted it was not a $150.00 outing, but I still feel violated for the way I was treated and spoken to at their establishment. By the way what happened to "The Customer is Always Right"???? read more

I've eaten at Arabesque several times over the past couple of years. Friendly service and the best shawarma in the area. But something went sideways in our last visit. My GF and I both ordered the chicken shawarma plate. Both had little meat and what was there was dried out. The food was served to us by the owner, who looked at us with a mixture of curiosity and disdain when tossing down the plates in front of us. Our waitress (the presumed daughter of the owner) who's usually fairly friendly, didn't come by and ask how our food was, instead she was engaged in a heated, existential argument with her mother over the future of the restaurant and why they weren't going to stay in business. Overall, a not so pleasant experience. One that I hope isn't repeated should I choose to return. But I am not holding my breath as several other reviews indicate even worse experiences. I'd give this a one star, but had good experiences there in the past. read more

This is an extremely special place. All the food is homemade by the wonderful Manal. Whom is the sole owner and chef of this sweet restaurant. The food is SO GOOD! I recommend the sampler plate so you get to try a little bit of everything this place has to offer. & Don't miss out on the homemade chai!!!! Best restaurant in boulder read more

Delicious, feel-good food in a warm environment. Could not ask for a better lunch spot!

I have ordered the Chicken Shawarma Wrap every time I've gone here for many years. The chicken is tender and flavorful, the hummus is incredible, the veggies are plentiful and fresh, and I am actually full afterwards. The price is right, the restaurant is decorated really nicely, and the lady that cooks/serves/owns this place is super nice. read more

Great place--Food was fantastic and the owner and her daughter were so nice. Definitely coming back here again. For anyone who likes Garbanzo in town, this is SO much better. We really enjoyed it. read more

Meh. I believe the owner of this restaurant can make amazing food. The chicken and hummus both had good flavor. The problem is that it's very expensive for what you get. I ordered the chicken shawarma plate for $11. At most middle eastern restaurants that would be a feast. This barely filled me up for lunch and I'm not a huge eater. It was a plate of mostly field greens directly from a plastic bin, with a quarter cup of hummus and a small amount of chicken. And a few tablespoons of yogurt. Literally, that was it. I was pretty disappointed. I didn't have any personal run ins with the owner, but I did observe the behavior others have noted. Her daughter appeared to be the server, and the owner said something snarky to her about how she had seated people. I could definitely see how the previous incidents could have happened. I love middle eastern food, but sadly I won't be returning. read more

Had a Chicken schwarma plate for lunch which was very tasty with a great mix of exotic spices; however, the high price, relatively small portion of chicken and hummus, and the less than cordial manager/owner(?) (who slammed down the plates on the table mumbling a half-hearted "enjoy" as she rushed away as if she was being highly inconvenienced by me and/or my order) warrants this below average score in my opinion. Checking recent reviews, it appears others have had similar experiences. Not returning... too many better valued lunch options elsewhere. read more

The food is excellent but the owner is incredibly rude. I sat down and she yelled at me for serving myself water (an honest mistake) and then huffed and puffed when my mom asked for a refill of hot water. When I asked for some hummus to go she was like "well, so what size do you want?" In an incredibly short and rude tone. She was angrily either short with us or rolling her eyes her the whole time we were there. I am not saying this to be a jerk, I am saying this because I think the food is excellent and the owner should take this as a sign that she needs to be better and more customer service oriented. read more

OH MY! Boulder has been needing good Middle Eastern food and this is it!! Tabbouleh and salmon to die for!!! YUMMMY!

The food was average however the female owner was the rudest individual I have ever seen. The restaurant has you order the food at the counter and also pay at the counter however she chastised me for not leaving her a 15% tip !!!!!! She did this in front of the entire restaurant, I will never go back. read more

We just tried this place for the first time. We really enjoyed the food. We had the chicken shawarma and the sampler. Both were delicious!

this is a home cooked meal. incredibly reasonably priced, so delicious, ridiculously fresh. the people who work there are amazing. a must try!! read more

Wow, love this place!!! Food is really good'!!!! Love their hummus, bread, and soup and as well as wrap. Yummy... I do wish this place was open for dinner... If you like middle eastern place and like healthy, organic stuff, you MUST try this place!!!! read more

Always a pleasant (if sometimes leisurely/slow) experience at this family-run casual cafe. Concise menu (posted on the wall on a large board) consisting of fairly authentic middle eastern fare. The food is fresh and flavorful. The wait staff is friendly and cheerful, but it can feel like you're getting waited on by a teenage little sister/brother. If you go at the height of lunch, expect service to be on the slow side. The owner/chef is very personable and outgoing. Perhaps a bit spendy for lunchtime ($10 to $15 each for food alone), but worth a splurge b/c you'll leave with a full and happy belly. Leave your pretense at the office--this is a "no frills" but still very charming choice to enjoy some ethnic flavors. read more

This place is great! I have eaten their hummus and baba ghanoush, both on their homemade pita bread, and it was wonderful. Best baklava I think that I have ever had. I can't wait to try more items from their menu soon. I must also add that I met the owners on my most recent visit, and they are so very nice, I am even more encouraged to support this great new addition to Boulder. Located a little off-the-beaten-path, so there is not as great of opportunity for walk by business; please support them! read more

Food was Ok especially if you are really hungry. The waiter was not accommodating to simple request of my wife. At the end the owner was rude in asking for more tips than the 10- 12 % I gave them. This place is off my list. Not recommended. read more

Chef/owner Manal has the most contagious energy in Boulder. The food is all made with love -- I swear you can taste it -- and it's an intimate setting. The portions are huge (in the best way); be prepared to leave beyond full and happy. read more

the food is pretty good but you get too little for too much price....i will say that their dolmas are the best ive had