Everyone can do McLebanese food, but this is the real deal. Plus, the proprietor is a painter, and the restaurant is adorned with beautiful and creative original paintings. I only regret that my budget limited me to the food, but I could not afford the art. Highly recommended and definitely a place that I would revisit. read more

Stopped in for a quick lunch Saturday afternoon when my wife and I couldn't agree on where to go in Federal Hill. A small storefront space with very flavorful food, absolutely delicious. Make sure to close your meal with the Lebanese coffee. read more

Popped in spontaneously for dinner. The food was flavorful but portions a little smaller than expected. The service was very kind. It's BYOB so heads up. There is a liquor store on s Charles that you can grab a bottle from. If you're in the mood for Mediterranean food it's a good option in the area read more

We were looking for a mediterranean restaurant for dinner and ran into this little charm in Fed Hills. We were greeted by the owner who was very nice and humble. I got the lamb tawook which was soo good, we ordered another one. Will definitely go back. One fun fact is that the owner is also a painter and his paintings are hanging in the restaurant and are for purchase. He also told me that he does drawing and painting classes. Try it! read more

Byblos - Lamb Tawook - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

We dined here after the a visit to the science center. The food was okay, lackluster. We had the chicken shawarma sandwich and the beef shawarma combo. The salad was good but the hummus and meats were just meh. We'll try this place again. read more

The food was comforting and satisfying, clearly made with care. The server was, I believe, the owner and he was incredibly kind and attentive. I don't go to Baltimore often, but I will be adding Byblos to my must-see spots. read more

I've loved this place for a long time. Great food. Friendly service. Chill place.and they byob with no cork fee!

Overall: service was very good, the outdoor seating was nice, but the food was pretty average. My friend and I stumbled upon this place while looking for some lunch in Federal Hill. It was a seemingly family owned spot serving everything you would expect from a Lebanese spot. We were greeted very promptly, our server was extremely kind and welcoming, and helped us navigate through the menu. We decided on the Shish Tawook platter and the Lahmehbaajeen pie which ended up being the perfect amount of food for two. The shish tawook platter came with the marinated grilled chicken, a cucumber and tomato salad, rice, hummus and pita which I felt was a great amount of food for the price. Overall, it was good, but I felt it was lacking in flavor a little. However, the Lahmehbaajeen pie was the star of the show for me. It was crispy with beautifully seasoned beef inside. Side note: The seem-to-be owner is responsible for all the beautiful art inside, which is for sale to the public as well. read more

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Byblos is a wonderful little spot. The owner is a painter who has a canvas in the back and decorated the place with his paintings. He was really nice and the falafel was tasty. I loved the wooden slab tables, which had rustic, unfinished edges. read more

Byblos - Falafel sandwich - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Came here on business and must say everything was phenomenal . Love family owned businesses that pay close attention to quality and experience . The quality of food and originality was beyond amazing . Also the service - was superb . Very humble owners providing an amazing dining experience . Really glad I had a chance to try this gem . A must try if you are in the area . read more

I tried several different dishes and they were all wonderful. Food was homely, tasty, and made with love. There were pretty paintings around the restaurant and cozy lighting too. I'll definitely come here again if I visit Baltimore! Always good to support local family restaurants. read more

I went here with a friend for the first time, both craving some sort of Mediterranean food. Service: Friendly guy, one-person show for the front of house on a weekday night. Ambiance: Nice outdoor seating when it's some good weather, although it was full so we sat inside. Wodden-style tables and some interesting dark art on the wall. Food: -Maza platter: As a vegetarian, I asked for the recommendation of a popular vegan platter, thinking it might be the falafel or possibly the mousakaa; however, I was recommended the maza platter. I was hesitant a bit as it sounded more like an appetizer platter containing hummus, babaganoush, tabbouleh salad, mouhamara, and grape leaves. However, I still went with it per recommendation. I enjoyed the dolma and the mouhamara the most. The tabobouleh salad was fresh, and the babaganoush and hummus were decent. Unfortunately, the pita bread (forgot to photograph) was pretty sad. It was dry, cold, thin and hard. -Baklava: Pretty bad. The dough was not flaky or browned on top. -Also, it seemed that thewere out of potentially popular items, like the sheikh el mehsheh combo as well as the kounafa dessert, which was unfortunate for us. The filling was unusually bland, not savory nor sweet. Felt like there was pretty little effort put into it. I felt this place had some components that were okay, but others that were not. Thus it was not particularly memorable especially given the several other mediterranean options in the city. read more

Byblos - Vegan maza platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Gorgeous Lebanese food in a truly lovely setting. You really feel well looked after here, like you're a long awaited guest in someone's home. The owner's paintings are hung along the walls, which makes it all the more special. BYOB too! It's just the absolute best. read more

When I hear advice to eat more Mediterranean diet this is what I imagine. Cute cozy dining space, the ambiance is conducive for quiet/creative introspection with a variety of local artwork or a relaxing meal with the family. Everything is prepared fresh, portions are generous and satisfying but delicious food prepared well leaves us energized, not sluggish. Kounafa and toasted nut Baklava is the perfect dessert. Try with some fresh brewed tea leaves. Service is impeccable, Ryan took very good care of us throughout. A must try in Federal Hill!! read more

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Appetizer: Baked Kebbeh - this came with salad. The spices in the kebbeh were subtle, but my bf and I really enjoyed this as an appetizer. It made us look forward to the actual entree. Entrees: I chose the Chicken Shawarma Combo - very disappointing. The chicken was extremely dry. The sauce covering it was good, but not enough to cover the dryness of the meat itself. My bf chose the Mixed Lamb & Chicken Kafta Tawook. His protein tasted better than mine, but it was still "average" compared to other grilled meats we've tried before. The portion sizes were a bit smaller than what I'm used to. It's a reasonable portion though. I'm just used to being able to have leftovers at restaurants. The entree took quite a while to arrive despite there only being one other table of customer at the time. I had high expectation because of all the raving reviews, but unfortunately my experience fell short of that expectation. Great interior though! read more

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I can't believe it took me so long to make it to Byblos! I wish I had made it hear sooner. My wife and I stopped in for dinner on NYE. The atmosphere is very warm and cozy. Cool wooden tables, beautiful art on the walls. It was exactly what we were looking for at the end of a long and tiring year. We ordered a mix of appetizers since it was our first time. While everything was solid, the highlights were the meat pie, the tabbouleh, and the stuffed grape leaves. Next time we go back I think we will have to get a full order of the grape leaves instead of just a sampler. Might also try the meat pie again and/or some of the other pie options. For dinner we split an eggplant and chickpea dish. The chickpeas were some of the best I have ever had at a restaurant, both flavorful and tender without being mushy. While all the food was solid, I think the thing that really made this a 5 star experience was the service. The owner was very friendly and was always quick to swing by when we needed anything without ever feeling like he was hovering. Even after we finished our meal we stuck around for some time finishing our BYOB wine and enjoying ourselves. Can't wait to go back! read more

Byblos - App sampler - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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1033 Light street Baltimore, Md 4 persons 6 pm Everything we ordered was super tasty but mine was a little too spicy. We ordered a maza platter, Mousakaa combo, tabbouleh, and hummus. The owner was waiting on us but forgot the bread plates but no big deal. Parking is street parking we got lucky and got a spot up front. I'm glad I did not have to parallel park our car or I would have crunched a few cars. Byblos is the work of Sami and Hala Tabet, who do the cooking and the serving, the ringing up, and the clearing up. The compact menu is hand-lettered on a whiteboard above the coffee apparatus behind the counter. All the food in Byblos' cold case is identified by hand-lettered signs too. There are substantial pies filled with spinach or brushed with zaatar (a mixture of thyme, sesame, and sumac). There are wide trays of creamy dips like baba ghanouj or hummus, tight rolls of grape leaves, and brownie-like slabs of vegetarian kibbeh. This is not fancy dining. With its soda cooler humming beneath the piped-in melodies of French pop music and the wrought iron patio furniture that fills a narrow dining area beyond the cash register, Byblos is a little less polished than other spots in town. It's homey, rather than chic, and the food is like that too, come check them out. Indoor dining and outside. read more

Great food. Friendly service. Charming restaurant with outdoor seating. Try the falafel! read more

Family run business with delicious Lebanese food! The best part-- it's byob with no corkage fee! Their hummus is delicious and you can tell their pita is fresh. Photos are from two separate visits, I love their falafel platter and I tried their eggplant one for the first time which was delicious! Highly recommend both. The spinach pie was also really good-- crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I've had some of their other dishes too, including baba ghonush and the veggie keebeh which I would also recommend! Honestly you cannot go wrong! I am vegetarian and they have lots of things on the menu for me and I appreciate that, most of these items are vegan too! For meat eaters, my friends I went with last week had the chicken platter and they enjoyed it! Inside, the decor is very cute, it feels very homey. Parking isn't too bad to find, but is often paid in fed hill. I usually end up parking a few blocks away. The owner of the restaurant is very kind and always checks up on you! read more

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an absolutely fantastic restaurant! the best Lebanese food on the planet! great and friendly service and Devine food!!!!

My friends and I were walking around Fed Hill, got hungry, and decided to check this place out! If you're also in this situation, Byblos will have something for everyone and will definitely hit the spot! All the dishes were flavorful and fresh. The three of us shared two platters, 3 pies, and a dessert, and were nice and full after. The food is very vegan and gluten friendly, and seems very nourishing with the different food groups represented. The stand out of the night was probably the kounafa, which to me tasted like a very concentrated croissant in the best way. It was very rich though, so it was nice to split it with friends. They had run out of the maamoul pistachio but hopefully we can try it next time. I was surprised at how quiet it was on a Friday night. At the time of our visit, we were the only ones dining in. I certainly didn't mind that though! read more

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Great dinner with friends! We came around 6 on a Friday and it wasn't too crowded at all. They have a good size menu that is not overwhelming but still gives you many options. We brought a bottle of wine to share as they have cork free BYOB! They gave us wine glasses to use, so great. The server was extremely kind and wasn't overbearing. Food was decent but nothing special. I would come Back for the good ambiance and good service! read more

Byblos - Falafel Combo Platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Excellent food very authentic and feels like I ate at home .. service was really phenomenal and they catered to our needs .. ambiance is great feels like restaurants from back home. read more

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This little Lebanese restaurant in Fed Hill is worth the stop! The best hummus I've ever eaten. We ordered the Beef Shawarma Combo and Veggie Kebbah Combo. Both plates were clean by the time we finished with it. My friend would order something other than the veggie kebbah next time. They have a great variety of vegetarian and vegan choices as well. read more

Food absolutely delicious. Service very friendly and fast. Artwork inside all done by the owner, very cool spot read more

Byblos - Lamb Tawook Combo Platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This restaurant has great ambiance and service. The owner was our server and he was especially kind and accommodating. We first ordered the sheikeh el mehsheh (eggplant and beef appetizer), which was flavorful and unique. We then ordered the chicken and beef shawarma combo platters, which were fine, but not great. We enjoyed the hummus and pita read more

Byblos - Chicken Shawarma Combo Platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Probably one of the best meals I ever had. Plus, you will feel so proud to support this owner and his small business. The restaurant is filled with the owners artwork and he was even actively painting when I happened to stop in. It was a very inviting and warm ambience and I would recommend to everyone. read more

Please heat your pita bread before serving. The salmon was not prepared as stated on the menu and was $1 more than the menu price. read more

Listen, if you want to feel like you just stepped into Lebanon and be greeted by your great uncle (who you don't know that well, but still love for some strange reason) THIS is the place. Such a family atmosphere, they make you feel like a local. The food is so authentic and delicious. Portion sizes are perfect. The BYOB policy with $0 corking fee is just the cherry on top. Ate the food too fast for pictures. The atmosphere is great with attentive and kind service, both indoor and outdoor seating options and middle eastern music in the background. I love this place! I will definitely come back! read more

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I just ordered in and received the worst hummus ever have ever tasted. Must have been a rookie cook who added water. Flavorless and watery mush. I've eaten and made a lot of hummus all over the world and this was a first for me and a last. I'm not going to risk my money on a Mediterranean place that can't get a staple right. Not 10 minutes after eating this food, my stomach seized and I got very bad diarrhea. TMI perhaps, but I think the public should know when food quality issues are present. read more

I've never had Lebanese food, but this was such a great introduction to that cuisine. I ordered the chicken shawarma, and that was really yummy. Hummus was to die for. It wasn't like the typical creamy hummus that you would find elsewhere but lighter and fresher. The owner explained to us that it's hummus they made themselves with very minimal ingredients to highlight the flavor of the chickpeas only. So good. The plate itself was so flavorful as well, and I can tell they used really good ingredients. Service was A+, too. The owner was so kind and accommodating to us. read more

Warning No. 1: This place serves the world's worst Falafel. I'm pretty sure they shouldn't be allowed to call what they serve "Falafel". Their Falafel is dry, tough, cold, flavorless, and seems to have been cooked 3 days ago from a guess of a recipe. The WORST attempt at Falafel I have ever experienced. The only reason I didn't say anything to the waitperson (I presume it was the owner?) was because I was with business associates and didn't want to make a scene. Judging from other Yelpers' photos and comments on their Falafel, I was served exactly the same horrible "Falafel" that everyone else gets. It gets worse: they shroud their "Falafel" in cold Tahini-laced chopped lettuce and other distracting schwag. I was speechless when I saw it. And it tasted even worse than it looked - like you'd think a six-month old, petrified bran muffin would taste. I'm not even kidding. Warning No. 2: Their online menu and the menus in the Yelp photos are all outdated. The actual prices are actually $1-$4 more. In the case of the Lamb Tawook (which I ordered - see review below), the current in-store menu price is $17.95 (online menu: $13.95). Pretty please to the next photo-able Yelper who has the misfortune of ending up here: please take a picture of the menu and post it. Thanks on behalf of Yelpers who care about this kinda stuff. *The Chicken Shawarma ($12.95) was a pile of really unappetizing small unfresh-looking bits of meat, and was served lukewarm, as if it had been microwaved and set aside for 10 minutes (while the Lamb Tawook was being prepared?) Pretty sure they're not allowed to serve chicken at this temperature. The Chicken Shawarma was also bathed in a 1000-island-colored orange sauce that was very unappealing. Blech. *Their Hommous is NOT freshly made to order, and didn't seem like it was made the same day even. The hommous each of us was served was bottom-shelf-of-the-refrigerator-COLD and definitely in the bottom rung of Hommous we've ever experienced, lacking any complexity or notable flavor. This one tastes like it was made in the same factory as Wholly Guacamole - which is *terrible* pre-made guacamole btw for those who don't know what I'm talking about. Yuck. Literally any hummous from any grocery store is better than this. *The Lamb Tawook ($17.95) is a stingy portion and worked out to be $2.50-$3 a bite, so you can decide whether that's worth it to you or not. (I personally would rather a piece of decent nigiri sushi at that per-bite money factor.) BTW, I remembered too late that our server never asked what temperature I would like my Lamb at - it came out Medium with a few pieces Medium Well. Meh. (I would have added +1 star if this entrée were amazing, or like $8.95. But it's not, and it's not.) The Lamb Tawook was well-seasoned, but I got the strong sense that my plate, like all of the other plates at our table, was put together by an inexperienced "chef". Just a hunch. *Hot Sauce: No homemade chili hot sauce or paste made here. (Are you surprised?). Many, if not most Middle Eastern restaurants that are truly highly rated almost always have a fresh homemade spicy sauce or pepper mix that they are intensely proud of. At Byblos Baltimore you get a small cup of run-of-the-mill, food-service grade hot sauce straight out of the fridge. My guess is it's Crystal brand, judging from the vinegar-forwardness of it. (I thought it was Cholula at first, but the viscosity was off.) *Their Pita Bread: big white, boring flat room-temp tortillas in a basket with no visible pocket (therefore this isn't a Pita, correct?) unlike any Lebanese pita I've ever experienced. You know - those amazing hot bubbled-out whole-wheat Pita breads that you expect at a legit Middle Eastern spot. NOT HERE. Don't get your hopes up. I was really surprised by this. Game over. And, to add insult to injury, we were constantly flagging down the waitstaff to refill our *empty* water glasses (at least 3 times, probably 4). They never filled them on their own observation. What a bad meal. At least I was with some cool folks. AVOID this place. Wishing I had personally vetted the Yelp reviews in deciding where to eat tonight. (This Yelp listing alone makes me wonder if Baltimore is a full 1.5 stars overrated.) read more

Byblos is a gem in Federal Hill, Baltimore. We've ordered takeout here a few times and each time everything is fresh, flavorful and authentic. Portions are good size. Owners are very nice people, too. Always make you feel welcome. As far as food goes spinach pie is a must try. I also like their hummus, so creamy. Babaghanouj, mouhamara, stuffed cabbage and falafel are also wonderful. I like that they have plenty of vegan/vegetarian options, too. As far as dessert goes my favorite is kounafa. Try Byblos, you won't be disappointed! read more

Byblos - a plate of food with meat and vegetables - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This is frankly the worst Lebanese food I've ever eaten. Shawarma is my favorite food, bar none, and while walking around fed hill today, we decided to give Byblos a try. We seated ourselves, and after more than 10 minutes, one of the employees who had passed us by a number of times stopped at the table next to us to ask if they were ready to order. They said they'd already ordered and the man walked away until my friend flagged him down, letting him know we'd like to order. He seemed surprised. He took our order-the beef shawarma and foul and we waited eagerly (we were starving!), only to be disappointed. The sandwich had about five pieces total of beef, the seasoning (what little existed) tasted nothing like shawarma, and the wrap was mostly made up of iceberg lettuce, with a fair amount of raw onion and a few stingy pieces of beef. The foul, another of my favorite dishes, was almost as unappetizing-the meal's saving grace was the single piece (??) of clearly not-fresh, store bought flatbread, that we dipped into the olive oil/lemon picture that the fava beans were sitting in. It was shockingly disappointing and even moreso, because we were so hungry, most anything would have been satisfying. I'm honestly shocked by the high rating, and definitely do not recommend; based on both the quality of the food and the lack of care/poor service, and no redeeming factors, I would not try it again. read more

As a fan of all things hummus, I am constantly on the lookout for the city's best. Although I'm not sure Byblos has my vote, my first dining experience definitely made a positive impression. Wanting to sample lots of different dishes, I ordered the maze platter, which portion-wise was more than enough for two meals in one! The hummus and babaghannouj were creamy and packed with flavor--the perfect accompaniment to the homemade pita bread. The mouhamara was a bit more bulgar-heavy than I was expecting, but had a nice level of spice balanced by the sweetness of the red peppers. read more

Byblos - Maza platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Food was really disappointing. I've had a fair share of lebenese food and mediterranean food and this was probably more disappointing than random street trucks. The lamb tawook was good but not super flavorful. The rice was wet?? It wasn't seasoned and it definitely wasn't fluffy. We got the chicken tawook too which also wasn't flavorful. We got the falafel and it's literally the saddest falafel order ever. They look frozen premade which is never good. And they were literally just unseasoned chickpea flour that were try with 0 flavor. I wanted to like this place because of the good reviews but I was really really let down this time. Probably won't be coming back. read more

I really wanted to love this place. I ordered the meat pie and chicken shawarma because I thought I couldn't go wrong, and it was overall, not bad. I appreciated the sauce on the shawarma because it was a little flavorless without it. I would return to try something else, perhaps the grilled meats. The baba ganoush was delicious though, very smoky! The ambience is very nice though, quaint and homie. read more

Byblos - Meat pie - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Caveat: I gave this restaurant 5 stars but that is relative to it being compared to other small places This place is a hidden little gem. Overall, the food was tasty and the ambience was quiet, like being in an out of the way cafe though it is on a very busy street in Fed Hill. The chicken shawarma was moist and flavorful. It was plated with rice and a small salad. My sense is that our server was also the owner. He was attentive without being intrusive. I think, if you try Byblos, you'll be pleasantly surprised. read more

Byblos - Lebanese Coffee, eggplant, and beef pie - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

So delicious!!! I will definitely be back. Their food was super authentic and they were so friendly! Their tabouleh in particular made me so happy because it reminded me of my grandmother's, something I haven't had in years. It brought back very good memories of my childhood and I can't wait to eat from here again :) read more

Byblos - We ordered several appetizers for a picnic: Stuffed Cabbage, Falafel, Tabbouleh, Baked Kebbeh, Grape Leaves, and Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Customer service was a 100/10. I was looking to try something different and have walked by Byblos so many times so I decided to try it! The owner was there and welcomed us in like I was a regular. He asked what we liked and made some recommendations for us As well as great food pairings. The beef and chicken shawarma were both really great! The zaatar pita was beyond excellent. So happy I finally tried this place and will definitely be going back. read more