Hands down this is the best restaurant in Toronto. Came across Byblos on accident and now it is a permanent stop for me anytime I am in the city. I got the harissa roasted half chicken and it was excellent. I guess the secret lies somewhere between the recipe and their charcoal grill that they are grandfathered into having. Nothing on the rest of the menu misses either. Short rib Kebab, stuffed olives, everything. Great atmosphere, great service, and easily one of my favorite meals in Toronto. read more

Really enjoyed my night at Byblos. The vibe is super chic but not too formal. I love that the menu is designed for sharing, so you get to try a little bit of everything. Everything we ordered was flavorful and well-balanced. Also loved the cocktails. Great spot if you're looking for something a bit different from the usual dinner places. read more

Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Food: We had our office holiday dinner here and 15 people attended. We did a set menu which had 3 courses. The first course was Labneh with bread, hummus, & beef tartare. Second course was Lamb pide & pear salad. Third course was grilled branzino, middle eastern fried chicken, black truffle rice, and thrice cooked fries. Then there was dessert which was chocolate mousse cake & baklava. Because of my many food allergies the main server for our table was very attentive & specific in asking me what I wanted as modifications. For example I got a wagyu beef pide instead of the lamb. Every dish was really delicious, presented well & quite filling. I couldn't eat all of the food. Though I tried almost everything. Service: The pacing of the dishes was quite masterful. They really paid attention to when the food was going to come out. As I mentioned above the main server was very attentive to my food allergies. I really appreciated that as some restaurants aren't as attentive. The food was served family style so everyone could take what they wanted from the serving dishes. The dishes were served in little bowls along the tables with each bowl serving about 4 people. We had asked for one long table so it was a little snug. But we made it work. Ambiance: For dinner the lighting of the space is really dim. LOL. I would have appreciated just a little bit more light. The restaurant is in an old building so to use the washroom you had to go down two flights of stairs. The dining area is small also. But it's a pretty space. As mentioned above we asked for one long table to seat 15 people. I was expecting square tables but it was a bunch of small round tables pushed together. So the tables were really crowded with food from all the dishes. But the servers made sure to take empty serving dishes away as soon as possible. The music was a little loud for me so I had to yell to be heard. The place was packed though. Everyone at our table enjoyed the food, the service & atmosphere. The restaurant is close to Roy Thompson Hall & the other theatres nearby so it's a convenient location as well. It's too bad this place is only open for dinner. I would have loved to see how they would operate a lunch time service. In any case, Byblos was amazing. I would come back here again to try other dishes! Note: Some of my pics of the main dishes didn't turn out so it's mostly desserts that are pictures read more

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An incredible dinner from start to finish. The lamb shoulder was out of this world--tender, deeply seasoned, and absolutely memorable. The sides were just as impressive, especially the rice, which delivered exactly the flavours my palate was craving. Every note landed perfectly. The Brussels sprouts were beautifully done too, and the pear and arugula salad made for a bright, refreshing start. The octopus was expertly prepared--delicate, smoky, and set atop a rich, nutty harissa that added just the right warmth and depth. Everything, truly, was exceptional. The service struck that perfect balance--attentive without overstepping. I left in a state of quiet bliss. A remarkable dinner in every sense. read more

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If you are looking for some delicious Middle Eastern food, look no further than Byblos. This super chic restaurant in the heart of the entertainment district is truly stunning. You are greeted with a big smile, and the service is top notch. The menu here is extensive with so many options especially for those who are vegetarian. There was so much to choose from it was honestly hard to decide. This restaurant is huge with 2 floors of seating, but make sure to make a reservation has it can get filled up quick! On to the most important part, the food! The food here is chef's kiss, it truly is filled with so much flavor and truly tasted like amazing Middle Eastern food. I got to try the Lamb Ribs with this raz el hanout glaze which was amazing, Turkish Manti Dumplings (will be coming back for this), Pear & Arugala salad, Labneh (wow!), and those were just the appetizers. Now on to the main dishes I got to try the Harissa Roasted Half Chicken, Lamb Shoulder and Bone-In Ribeye. Everything truly was spectacular and would highly highly recommend you check this place out. Yes the prices are expensive but the quality and flavor truly makes up for it. 10/10 recommend!! read more

Byblos - Labneh, Turkish Dumplings, Pear & Arugala Salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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My favorite meal in Toronto. Everything we had was super flavorful and easy to share. Our server had good recommendations but wasn't overly emphatic where you felt guilty about ordering other choices. Tuna tartare was perfect. Eggplant dumplings were amazing, crispy shrimp was really good. We ordered a lot and cleaned every plate. I highly recommend this spot read more

The lamb is amazing. The food is great. The service is good quality and waiters/waitress' are kind. The ambiance is also great, but I find it a wee bit crowded and a bit too pricey. Other than that, it is a very good place to have a relaxing evening, first date or good food. read more

Byblos might be my favourite restaurant. I've never left disappointed with the food! Their manti turkish dumplings - by far my favourite dish. The yogurt, butter and molasses combined together with the dumplings is perfect. I also loved their short rib kebab, it was crispy on the edges which added a nice charred flavour. Their 14 oz ribeye steak was so juicy, flavourful and dry aged! Their menu is definitely on the pricier side. The ambiance and food is great so it's worth a splurge for a special occasion. read more

Stopped into Byblos with a reservation for 3 which was a must as it is very busy and popular! The ambiance is super chic and good for groups! Service was great and we were greeted immediately. As for the food it was delicious and the portions were great for the appetizers and shareables. We also got dessert which was a big hit amongst my group. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. The octopus and the lamb ribs were my favorite dishes. read more

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I highly recommend their foie gras, salt-grilled fish EUROBASS-EN-CROÛTE, and steak ! I forgot to take a picture of the foie gras, but it was incredibly rich and flavorful, and the grilled pineapple helped cut through the richness. The grilled fish is a must-order at almost every table; it had no fishy taste at all and was delicious. The steak was Jacob's dry-aged steak; you can't go wrong with their steaks. read more

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The restaurant is very spacious and has 2 floors. The first floor seems more lively and bustling, while the second seemed more loungey. We got seated upstairs. Service was good. Our service was nice and attentive. We got the hummus, lamb ribs, octopus, short rib kebab, and Brussels sprouts. Surprisingly, the lamb ribs were pretty terrible. They weren't very crispy and had a whole lot of fat. The flavor just got overwhelming and it was hard to really enjoy the meal after. I'd definitely avoid that next time. Everything else was great. The hummus was slightly grainy and not oily, which was nice. The octopus was one of my favorite dishes, along with the Brussels sprouts. The halloumi in the Brussels sprouts was a nice saltiness without adding bacon, like every other place. The short rib kebab was good too. Slightly on the sweet side, but I don't think I was able to truly enjoy it because of the lamb ribs. Overall, I'd definitely go back and try other dishes. Maybe adding a salad would've been a good balance to the meal. read more

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Had a good experience at Byblos overall. The restaurant has a really nice atmosphere, with stylish decor and a warm vibe that makes it great for a dinner out. The food was well presented and flavorful, and you can tell a lot of thought goes into the dishes. Some items stood out more than others, and a couple flavors were a little heavier than I usually prefer, but everything was still enjoyable. Service was polite and professional, although it slowed down a bit once it got busier. Overall, it's a solid spot in downtown Toronto and definitely worth trying. read more

Byblos - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Byblos is long due on my wishlist. It was once on the list of top 100 Canadian restaurants. My friend also recommended the place to me previously. Finally I got to try their dinner lately for a celebration event. The entrance of the restaurant was not very obvious. Going through some dark hallways, we were guided to seat upstairs. The ambiance was nice and quiet. We ordered quite some varieties for the dishes and you should expect to spend almost $100 per person for the food here. We got two appetizers to start with. The pear and arugula salad and the eggplant yogurt Turkish dumplings. However, the salad was served after all the mains were served which was not great. The salad was more sour than expected but refreshing. The dumplings had chewy skin, with interesting flavours from the sauce. They used pretty strong herbs on the dumplings, but I liked both appetizers. For mains, we tried their branzino, the fried chicken, the rack of lamb and truffle rice. Everything was delicious except for the fried chicken. The breading was super thick and hard with barely any chicken meat inside. The branzino and the lamb were cooked perfectly. I really enjoyed the muhammara and pomegranate molasses sauce on the side of the lamb. It was a perfect match with the meat. The truffle rice was great too especially when eating it hot. The cumen really brought out the scent of the dish. Overall, the service was okay and the food quality was decent. My favorite dishes were the lamb, the branzino and the truffle rice. I'll revisit when I miss the lamb here. read more

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Byblos offers a refined blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors. The ambiance is sophisticated yet welcoming, and the dishes are both thoughtfully crafted and full of depth. A place where every meal is a quiet celebration of taste. read more

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Great Middle Eastern place in downtown Toronto. They seemed very busy on a Tuesday night but had plenty of room to accommodate many customers (btw, it's a great place if you are looking for something for a large group). I am sure you would need a reservation if you want to come for a dinner on Friday night or the weekend. They have tons of various options on the menu. Truly something for everything. Everything I've tried was delicious with lots of flavors. Portions were huge! Definitely a great place if you are craving some middle eastern food. read more

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I had this spot a couple of years back and the food was so delicious. We had lamb, hummus, and a few other dishes and honestly its still a standout to this day read more

This review is super due. First and foremost the manager of Byblos was so kind to squeeze a party of 8 in w/o a reservation. We were not from Toronto so we didn't realize you needed reservations. This place did not disappoint - I had the ribeye and it was incredible. We shared a bunch of the small plates (hummus, labneh, halloumi, black truffle rice) all were delish and did not disappoint. I highly recommend this cozy spot as the ambiance is beautifully decorated as well. read more

Excellent place for Middle Eastern food! It is a nice large space (there is a lower and upper level) with an elegant yet trendy aesthetic. The food and drinks were awesome. I tried the hummus, pear & arugula salad, sweet jeweled rice, cauliflower, and pide (flatbread) and all were delicious and perfect for sharing. For drinks I tried the Marrakesh garden and that was perfect for the flavor profile that I like. To top it off (quite literally) the drink was topped with nigella seeds, which I had never heard of before but apparently they are good for you and they added a nice crunch. Came here with a big(ish) group and the server handled us with aplomb, taking and giving us our order in a timely manner, and splitting the bill according to what we ordered per person. Definitely recommend Byblos! read more

Byblos - Marrakesh Garden - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great food and service and the waiter gave us great recommendations for the surrounding areas. Would recommend and great ambiance.

Came here for a work meal and it was fantastic. There are a number of round banquet-style tables that are great for larger groups. We started off with a round of cocktails and I really enjoyed the geographer and the nightingale sour. We had a number of appetizers - some highlights for me were the beef tartare which comes with a nice spice layer on top (new to me but very tasty), the dips which come with bread, and the crispy shrimp. Out of the mains the standout was the octopus. Our server was great, came by just the right amount and timed the dishes perfectly. Overall really good food, drinks, and ambiance! I'll definitely be back! read more

Byblos - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Ambiance: nice, clean restaurant. It's a little more on the romantic side but it does somewhat feel like you're in a different area instead of Toronto. Service: our server was good. pointed out the popular dishes to us which we ended up getting. Food: starting with the turkish dumplings - the sauce was amazing! such a nice twist to the dumplings were used to. We got the braised short rib, wagyu kofta, branzino, half roast chicken, and black truffle rice. Everything was honestly sooo amazing!!! Still dreaming about the black truffle rice and chicken! The short rib was delicious but it is on the fatty side so may not be a favorite for everyone. Highly recommend coming here for dinner! read more

Byblos - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came here for my wife's birthday. Everything was absolutely amazing! Prior to coming, I had requested in a special note if they can bring out a cake at the end of the meal for my wife, and they did exactly that. It was the olive oil cake. The server who was serving us was also very nice. I've never been to a restaurant like this. The ambiance was very cozy, and we both loved being there. I hope to come back very soon. read more

Byblos - Middle Eastern Fried Chicken - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

What a great find on my trip to Toronto. Super cute and incredible food. We were seated at the corner near the front door. Great for people watching and we were able to see the staff make some of the dishes behind the counter. Our party of two ordered several dishes to share. Our dishes included the Roasted Red Beats, Turkish Manti Dumplings, Fried Egg Plant, Whole Middle Easter Fried Chicken, and finishing with Baclava. Every dish was fantastic, but if I had to choose it's the dumplings and fried egg plant. The serving portions were just the right amount for two. It's a place where you want to order everything to share. Great food, service, and ambiance. I'll have to come back if I'm ever in Toronto again. read more

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5+++++ Truly amazed by how the Chef(s) at Byblos Toronto elevate traditional Middle Eastern fare. With nods to ancient Assyrian, Arab, Persian, Greek, and Turkish cuisines, Byblos' menu is a true amalgam of all the gastronomical nuances amongst the various ethnic groups. Labneh: 5++ (slightly sweetened with a pistachio and rose honey). WOW Tomato and feta salad: 5+ (Persian cucumbers, beets, Macedonian feta, etc.) Manti dumplings: 5+ (small bits but full of flavor) Stuffed olives: 5+ (very different and good!) Barbari bread: 5+ Mujadara: 5+ (it was mujadra meets biryani, flavored with spices, raisons, lentils and rice) Lamb Shoulder: 5++ (comes with a half dozen MEastern sauces and lavash. The lavash is not traditional in appearance, but is very traditional in taste) Chocolate olive oil cake: 5++ (Choc, olive oil, Tahini... my staples!) Lattes: 4 (a bit bitter, but nothing a little half and half couldn't fix) Tea (black tea and mint tea were great!): 5 Service: 5++ Setting: 5++ (sat on the main level and had a very relaxing evening) They have one location in America: Miami. Here's to hoping Byblos expands throughout USA! read more

Everything always tastes great at Byblos. The short rib kebab was definitely the highlight this time around, but we did order the gem lettuce salad for the second time. A note about the tuna tartare: it is more watermelon than tuna, so if you don't mind that, it's still tasty. The drinks were solid, and the desserts were great. A seasonal rotation of ice cream/sorbet flavours is always tempting, and worth asking about! The service is friendly and helpful, and the checking in on the table happens every now and then, whether that's simply to see how things are going or to clear small plates. The interior upstairs is very intimate with the booth seating, and is definitely suitable for a small group of people to share plates together. I would return again once the menu has changed up a bit to see what else they can do! read more

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Very solid mediterranean option in Downtown with friendly staff and excellent fare. The short rib kebab is a must -try - so flavroful and succulent; the meat is thinly sliced and then reassembled into a kebab shape. This was probably the best dish of the night. The sunchoke and truffle salad is a great starter - and helps cut through any of the heavier dishes. The octopus and manti are solid but not as "wow" as the short rib. The staff are very helpful and friendly - and the food comes pretty quickly. Seating is also spacious and comfortable in a dimly-lit ambiance. Worth a visit! read more

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Hidden beside the Story building, one might have trouble finding it. Also it's located in a basement. The decor is great to admire. The washroom was nice and clean. The server was friendly, knowledgeable, and filled up our cups repeatedly with water. With such high reviews, I went in with high expectations. However, I was definitely disappointed. For the price point, food items were small and all came out cold in temperature. The dip with the bread was alright but they could have given more bread since we had lots of dip leftover to use with other food. The beef dishes were a disappointment. The worse was the pide which was burned!!! Nothing much stood out. The company was the best part as we tried this restaurant. I wouldn't go back. read more

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We (2 couples) have been to many middle eastern restaurants, and Byblos delivers an upmarket and refined dining experience, to many of the favourites. We had an early dinner to catch a show nearby, and the server was proactive in understanding the time constraints and working within those constraints. We were also impressed with the cocktail menu - a bit boozier in content, well priced, and really good takes on some classics. For the food we had two pides, two mains and two sides. Each of the dishes were tasty and well presented. The Wagyu Lahmeh pides were a great take on the Turkish classic - although spicier than the original. The stuffed eggplant was also a great fusion take. Both the sides - jewelled rice and roasted brussels sprouts (with halloumi) were also great, and the rice was the consensus as probably the best dish on the table. The only disappointment was the salmon main. It was well cooked, but compared to the other dishes, it wasn't special or different to any other similarly priced salmon dish in the city. read more

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Wow! This place knows food. Like on another level. Every single little detail was carefully thought out and it was just a lovely experience. My biggest takeaway from this place though is their over use of sesame seeds. Too much for me. But besides the sesame seed overdose I LOVED the pide. The ribs were good but fatty, the labneh was creamy and the halloumi was so dosed in wonderful flavors and honeys. read more

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The food and ambiance was amazing I met up with my bestie highschool and we just ate and drank until our hearts were content. Hands down the food was spectacular. I ordered some apps and there was a spare ribs dish that we ordered twice!! Most menu items were halal. read more

Always a good time at Byblos. Exceptional service and food! The cocktails are all unique and taste amazing. Even the non alcoholic ones are a hit! We got a bunch of dishes to share. The dumplings, fries and rice are always a hit! The only dish that was so so was the sautéed veggies- a bit too salty. But all in all great price, great service and delicious food. What more can you ask for? Will def be back! read more

Byblos - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Byblos was super tasty! I got the lentil pide (so so good), the Branzino (not as flavorful as I would have wanted), and the pomegranate sorbet (tasteless). They offer exceptional service though. It's a smaller venue, very intimate yet inviting. I'd love to come back and try other dishes! read more

Byblos - Pomegranate sorbet - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I don't understand how I never reviewed this restaurant!? I've been here at least 5 times, and it's one of my favourite restaurants in Toronto. It's a classy environment, with great food, great cocktails, and good service. As with any good restaurant, the menu changes fairly frequently. But some highlights from my visits include the hummus appetitizer, including the hummus royale with beef tenderloin in it. I preferred the plain hummus personally. The octopus appetizer is also excellent. I wouldn't recommend the salads - I think the other appetizers work better. For the main course, some of my faves are the harissa roasted half chicken, the lamb shoulder, and the short rib kebab. The bone-in ribeye is a bit overpriced, but also very good. As a side, I've had the sautéed greens, roasted brussle sprouts, and thrice cooked fries (yum). Overall, this is a great Toronto staple restaurant. It's classy and service is attentive and helpful. It's a bit on the expensive side, but well worth it for a special night out. read more

I have one word for the food here: orgasmic! My bf and I were visiting from Seattle and we typically like to sit at the bar so we can chat up bartenders/others who are at the bar. Vibes are on point here! They had a DJ playing- she was great! We ordered grilled octopus, lamb pide, short rib, lamb shoulder, and greens. Everything was amazing!!! The food just kept getting better and better as the dishes came to us. I don't think you can go wrong with their menu. My favorite was the short ribs that were cut like an accordion with truffle sauce. It was perfectly cooked and crispy at the top. The lamb shoulder was a close second for favorite thing and comes with wraps and little sauces. read more

Byblos - Lamb pide - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

food was 10/10 every dish we ordered was delicious. we went with the royal hummus, crispy shrimp, turkish dumplings, short rib kebab, green beans and medjadra rice. drinks were ok 6/10. good service read more

Byblos - hummus royale and Turkish Manti Dumplings - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Definitely make a reservation if you're planning on coming for dinner time. This place gets busy and I can see why. Items we got: 1. Turkish Manti dumplings 2. Lamb ribs 3. Hummus Royale We weren't very hungry so we shared 3 appetizers. I highly recommend the Turkish Manti dumplings - it's very different than the ones I've had before. It is served on a hot skillet and not as creamy but more flavorful and caramelized. The lamb ribs are some of the best lamb ribs I've had (not to mention how aesthetically pleasing it looks!) It was packed with flavor and the meat was so tender it falls right off the bone. The one item that I wouldn't recommend would be the hummus. I prefer more smooth hummus and this was more grainy and it wasn't seasoned as well either. It was still delicious. read more

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Really beautiful spot - we had a late reservation and it was still happening! The fried eggplant was amazing - we actually ordered an additional order. The lamb ribs was just okay to me. I enjoyed the grilled radicchio salad, but my husband thought it was too bitter (but that's radicchio!). The short rib kebab was a pleasant surprise. We didn't have any drinks but the drink menu looked delicious. We were sat upstairs and it was pretty dark. I think this is the first time I ever complained about reading the menu! read more

Byblos is a popular/famous Mediterranean restaurant in the entertainment district. We booked a reservation here weeks in advance. We found out that the restaurant was actually closed for a few weeks before our reservation but they didn't specify when they were reopening. So we called so many times to confirm when they were reopening but nobody ever picked up the phone. When we showed up for a reservation it turned out that only the first floor was under renovation and the second floor was open for dine in. Wash rooms and event spaces are on the third floor which is not accessible except by stairs. The second floor has a sophisticated vibe with semicircle booth seating as well as a dimly lit bar. Servers here are very attentive, but pretty strict about seating time and we felt like we were rushed to finish eating. We had the roast half chicken for the main, the dumplings for our starter, and the jeweled rice as our side. I like the dumplings but for me the roast half chicken in the jeweled rice were very outstanding dishes. This was an ok amount of food for two people and we left feeling satisfied. Our total was 95 before tip so that is reasonable for a nice dinner out. Highly recommend for a date or special occasion. read more

This place was pretty hyped up by my other friends. We decided to do a girls night and check this place out. As for any restaurants in Toronto keep in mind their isn't much parking available at the restaurant but there is a underground parking lot nearby. As I was walking over to the restaurant looking at the front it looks like it will be a small restaurant but there are two floors to this place. We got seated on the second floor near the bar upstairs. The restaurant is very chic. The food was really good, we got labneh to start. The bread with the dip was so good. We even asked for more bread to finish the dip lol. For our main, I got the middle eastern fried chicken, which was pretty basic fried chicken. I didn't get to finish mine so I decided to take the remaining portion home. For the vibe, the drinks, and the apps I would try this place out. read more

A gem of a restaurant that is hidden under a very inconspicuous entrance near St. Andrew station. I nearly missed the entrance twice before I realized where it was - reminds me of a speakeasy! This vibe was even more pronounced when you go in - small intimate tables in a dark, moody restaurant. We were a group of four and we came here to celebrate our annual Christmas dinner in our friend group. We got so much food, and all of it was jaw-droppingly delicious: - Beef tartare: Very beefy and flavourful, and came with some beautiful crunchy pita chips served on the side. I will say that there was a lot of sesame seeds that don't "stick" to anything so they just slide off the pita chips - we kind of made a mess but our waitress immediately came and cleaned it up (+1 for the service!) 8/10 - Stuffed eggplant: Great - moist but still had some structural integrity. Good harmony of acidity of the peppers balanced by the dollops of creme fraiche. 8/10 - Octopus: First time eating octopus outside of Japanese cuisine for me! It was pretty spongy but had good texture and was very well seasoned. There was a good amount (3 pieces) for our group to share! 9/10 - 17 oz dry aged bone-in ribeye: I was slightly disappointed in this because I think we got a bad steak. Not that it was cooked badly (it was delicious and soft and the perfect medium rare), but the cut of the steak was very fatty, stringy, and had a lot of tendon near the bone. Personally I would have trimmed that before cooking, because I struggled eating some of the pieces. Nonetheless the chimichurri sauce tasted great along with the steak seasoning. 7/10 - Halibut: This was so good. There was an incredible crust on this thing, yet the fish was not dry at all. I would've eaten the whole piece myself if I could, but alas, I had to share it. 10/10 - Black truffle rice: Pretty standard, but well seasoned and had a lot of mushrooms. Also koodos to them because mushrooms tend to get soggy, but the rice mixed with the mushrooms were still dry and fluffy. 8/10 - Grilled walnut and radicchio salad: This was a new item on the menu that they added in December, I couldn't find it on the online menu when I went back to check! It was fabulous. It has grapes, radicchio, feta, walnuts, power vinaigrette... so it hits sweet, salty, bitter, sour. It's basically a party in your mouth. 10/10 We also ordered cocktails on the side individually. I shared a "cold tea service for two" (habibi marguerite) with my friend and I thought it was a very cool idea to share a cocktail this way! Overall, I had a great time. This place is awesome for sharing with friends and having quality time if you are looking for a boujee Middle Eastern experience! read more

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