2026 Boston. Dinner review. Mediterranean…read more (Highlight - Best) BLACK SEA CORNBREAD jalapeno, feta, honey, sesame 19 DEVILED EGG DIP shakshuka-style, zhug, harissa potato chips 17 HONEY ROASTED FIGS red pepper, tabbouleh, arugula, walnuts 25 ARTICHOKES OREGANATA goat cheese polenta, tomato, orange, chiles 24 (Highlight) CAULIFLOWER ZAALOUK chermoula, dates, preserved lemon yogurt 23 MERGUEZ MANTI grilled corn, yogurt, red pepper butter, poached egg 34 (Highlight) HARISSA BBQ DUCK* carrot brown butter, orange blossom, fried almonds 38 Overall, the black sea cornbread is just incredible. Could eat many of these. "As good as it gets."

Why so salty? Everything on the menu sounded so amazing on paper! I was prepared to love this…read moreplace, especially after trying the cornbread as an appetizer, but my husband and I both left feeling a bit disillusioned. The cornbread was phenomenal!!! Hands down, one of the best things I have tasted, period. It's crunchy, creamy, sweet, salty, savory, amazing in every way. The restaurant is worth a try for the cornbread alone. Unfortunately, everything else we tried was way over-salted, and I usually love salt! It was so salty that none of the other flavors stood out. The duck was cooked well, but a bit challenging to slice with the butter knife provided. The carrot puree was quite tasty, and everything was very beautiful and appetizing based on appearances. Such a shame that the flavors fell short, this place could be truly amazing if they dialed in the seasoning a bit. I will return, but just for drinks and cornbread next time. The cornbread truly is spectacular! Deducting another star for service as our waitress was a bit short with us. She seemed to be spread a bit thin so I understand being in a hurry, but for a meal over $100 (not even including drinks) we are used to more attentive service.

I had catering from here once back in college and I remember these dolmades being life changing.read more

Convenient spot for a good shawarma. I got the Arabi Chicken Shawarma Plate. The wrap and garlic…read moresauce were definitely tasty but skewed toward the oilier side. Fries were pretty standard

Easy to order, friendly staff, was obsessed with decor and the table design, food was so good and…read morefresh and flavorful!

This place is sooooo yummy!!! Just ordered some food for my co-workers and I, and we loved every…read morebit of it. I can't comment on the ambiance, as a co-worker picked up our food. However, the customer service and the food were 5/5 stars!!! We made some tweaks to our orders, which were correctly done and the food looked amazing and well presented, so service ... highly appreciate. The food tasted so fresh and healthy. The prices were not too bad for the quality and quantity either. The grain bowls come with a lot of substance and flavor, so I highly recommend them. I also got a "pizza"/wrap, and it was very clean and delicious.

Food was really authentic and fantastic. They knew real hospitality and took good care of us…read more I will go to Ali Baba whenever I visit Boston. Highly recommended! Great!

Food was a 3 1/2 for me - service was a 5. Would be higher if I was there late night - which is a…read morebonus seeing as they are open late. Would go late night - but wouldn't rush to go otherwise.

Don't be put off by the line, went at lunch time with a line out the door but was through in about…read more5 minutes. Overall the food is solid, in a world where chipotle bowls aren't quite the same anymore I was happy with the the portions and the flavor. All that being said there's a lot of competition in the space and something like Amba in the galleria is a step above but for bowls on Boylston this is among the best.

Naya has quickly become a go to lunch spot for me. I usually get the half chicken shwarma half…read morefalafel bowl with the garlic whip. Several toppings and sauces to choose from. Service had always been friendly. Plenty of seating inside, courtyard seating is also available

I never expected to find something like this in Boston…read more Bab Al Yemen offers a flavor profile that's genuinely unique and unlike anything you'll find at most restaurants, not just in Boston, but honestly in many places around the world. Through extensive travel across the U.S. and internationally, I had never come across a Yemeni restaurant before. What made this experience even more special was how authentic it felt from start to finish. Everything, from the food to the atmosphere and even the diverse mix of diners enjoying their meals at tables and on traditional floor seating, made for a truly immersive experience. I ordered a dish built around falafel and rice, something I've eaten countless times at Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurants over the years. Yet somehow, Bab Al Yemen transformed familiar ingredients into something entirely their own. The execution was flawless, and the seasoning and flavor profile were unlike any version I've had before. If there's such a thing as an elevated falafel-and-rice dish, this is it. For anyone looking to explore a cuisine that's difficult to find and experience something authentically different, Bab Al Yemen is absolutely worth a visit. It was one of the most memorable meals of my trip to Boston.

We had an awesome meal at Bab Al-Yemen Boston. Everything we ordered was tasty and hearty. The…read moregrilled chicken with yellow basmati rice was tender, fragrant, and nicely spiced up. Meat stew was yummy and delicious and went well with Yemeni bread. The bread was big, fresh, and crunchy but soft from the inside. Vegetables and sauce added to the meal. What I liked most about the place is the fact that this cuisine was an authentic representation of Yemeni food, not just any Middle Eastern restaurant. Portion sizes are big and you can definitely share something. Come hungry! 5/5 -- Definitely coming back.

One of my favorite dining experiences all year…read more Service- exceptional. Everyone interacted with was amazing. My server had excellent recommendations and was super knowledgeable about the menu and the popularity of items. Food- we got 5 dinner items and 1 dessert item and that was enough for two. Zaatar Bread- our favorite item. Bread was thick but light. Buttery but not overpowering. And the dip! Wow was the dip so good. Whipped Feta- delicious but could've use 2 more chips as the dip to chip ratio was off. Sultans Delight- my wife's favorite dish. Super tender and extremely flavorful. Lamb Shwarma (special)- so good and I hope they add it to their menu going forward. Mussels- mixed. I enjoyed them but my wife did not like them as much. May have been textural for her, but I enjoyed it. Baked Alaska- a must. From the presentation to the flavors- amazing! Can't wait to come back, they earned their Michelin recognition for sure.

Oh, Oleana! Tucked…read moreaway in Cambridge, Oleana is a cozy Mediterranean restaurant serving small plates. My partner and I managed to snag a last-minute reservation on a Tuesday night, and even at 9 p.m. the restaurant was still lively. Between the beautiful decor and warm atmosphere, it made for a great date night spot, though it was admittedly a bit dim (apologies in advance for the photo quality!) Between the two of us, we ended up ordering quite a few dishes: Whipped Feta (4/5): This was good, though I was hoping for a stronger roasted pepper flavor. Nothing wrong with it, but it didn't quite stand out. Interestingly, we overheard the table next to us mention the same thing, so maybe this one's a bit hit or miss. Spinach Falafel (4/5): Another solid dish. It was bright, colorful, and fresh, though a little messy to eat. Our waiter rather bluntly told us to "just wrap it and bite," which caught us a little off guard, but it was good nonetheless. Fatteh (4.5/5): Our favorite appetizer of the night. The creamy roasted cauliflower paired so well with the crispy pita, and I especially loved the sweetness the onions brought to the dish. Sultan's Delight (5/5): As everyone else says, this is the one to order. The beef was incredibly tender and rich. In hindsight, I almost wish we'd had the potatoes from the Adana Kebab to eat alongside it because they would've been the perfect accompaniment. Vermont Quail Kebab (5/5): Tied with the Sultan's Delight as our favorite entrée. The quail was juicy, well-spiced, and surprisingly easy to eat. I'd absolutely order this again. Adana Kebab (4/5): By this point, I think we were simply getting full. The kebab itself was good, but not nearly as memorable as the other meat dishes. Ironically, the potatoes and peppers that came with it might have been my favorite part--they would've paired perfectly with the Sultan's Delight. Baked Alaska (4.5/5): Delicious. The toasted meringue paired wonderfully with the coconut ice cream, though we were a little mixed on the passionfruit caramel, which came across slightly burnt and more acidic than expected. After a while the meringue did become quite sweet, so we ended up pairing some with the Muhallebi. Dark Chocolate Muhallebi (3.5/5): Yes...we ordered two desserts. I was mostly drawn in by the kaymak ice cream, but the Muhallebi itself was almost completely unsweetened. I'm usually all for desserts that aren't overly sweet, but this one leaned more savory than I expected. We actually ended up adding some leftover meringue from the Baked Alaska to balance it out. Looking back, given both our appetites (and our wallets), I think we would've been perfectly happy just ordering the Baked Alaska. Overall, Oleana was a lovely spot for a date night. While it didn't quite live up to the lofty expectations I'd built up from all the praise, we still had a really enjoyable meal. Our main waiter was kind, and I appreciated that the dishes came out in rounds, giving us plenty of time to eat and chat. The meat dishes were definitely the highlights for us, but overall there's a lot to like here.

The brand new location was awesome!…read more I was thrilled to come over here for my husband's 60th birthday and it did not disappoint! I was very excited for the owner Joseph because the original restaurant was a small diner which was so cozy and convenient. The new place is spacious, lofty and it looked very contemporary chic with lots of tables and the staff doubled. The food was consistently good and I tried lamb chops this time and next time I'll make sure I have it at medium rare. I tried the beet mezze for the first time and that was very delicious. The halva dessert is good as always , but this time that I tried their baklava as my husband's birthday cake and they were so gracious to sing happy birthday to him. Very lovely time and of course loved their complementary tea at the end. Good for digestion. Will be back again. I loved it and I'm really happy to see the restaurant's growth!

Tl;dr Amazing food with large portions. The triple mix platter is a great value and perfect for…read moresharing. The food here is amazing. We shared the triple mix platter for two people, and the portion size was already pretty good. The meat was super flavorful, and I really liked the lamb specifically. Everything tasted fresh and high quality. We sat at the bar and the service was excellent. We asked the server a lot of questions, and they were very friendly and took the time to answer all of them. I would love to come back and try the family plate with more people in the future. The combination of the great service and the generous portions makes this a standout spot for Mediterranean.

Delicious food and lovely staff! This is a family run establishment and the love and care they pour…read moreinto their food shows. The son of the owner took the time to review the menu with me and thanks to his recommendations, I went home with the most incredible pastries. Almost all of their desserts are made on site, and are very fairly priced for the quality and quantity. They have some of the best baclava I have ever had! We got falafels as our main dish and they were well seasoned and had good texture (not dry). Can't wait to come back and dine in.

Absolutely the best !!!! Food was so fresh, The best . Definitely going back!!!10 best pie,…read morespinach pie hummus bread was so fresh!!! The absolute best tabbouleh ever!!!