The food at Cafe Lili remains the best Lebanese food you will likely find in any restaurant -- far and away the best in Houston. However, Lili and Eli Sr.'s presence in the restaurant is sorely missed these days. Kudos to the kitchen and staff for keeping such consistent quality over the years. read more

Great experience, everything tastes homemade, with fresh ingredients. 35 years in business and the restaurant looks brand new, very clean. I tried the daily homemade special very unique and great tasting stuffed cabbage. The falafel appetizer was boldly flavored and paired well with the homemade sauce. We also opted for the homemade lemonade that was well balanced in sweetness and tart. read more

The place is located is a shopping center where it get jam pack during the lunch hours. I went there because the reviews on yelp. Self serve counter top, you ordered they give you the number and they bring you the food. The service is friendly and there are plenty of places to sit. I ordered the beef kabob and it come with rice and salad and some bread.The bread come in a plastic bag, which is blah and a big turn off to you. The salad was OK, but the kabob and rice was on the small portion for the price, and the food tasted ok, nothing special to jump up at you. The spices is rather dull for Lebanese food. They took forever to come out too, when we were there they were not that busy. This visit was underwhelm and a big disappointment. Maybe it is an off day, but it would not be my choice for Lebanese food for while. read more

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WORTH THE DRIVE to try this DDD-place we saw featured on Food Network. The space is open and welcoming, staff is knowledgeable and friendly, service and quick and efficient, and the food is DELICIOUS!! We started with appetizers of hummus, fried cauliflower, falafel and fried kibbe. The hummus arrives without a traditional splash of olive oil, which is provided in a bottle at the table so each person can add oil to their taste. The oil was amazing by itself: fresh and peppery (AKA "the good stuff"), and when added to the hummus really elevated the dish. Fried cauliflower was done perfectly - crispy and brown on the edges and firm yet soft in the center. Yum!! But the stars of the appetiser round were the fresh made falafel and the kibbe. We love falafel, and can tell when it's made from a dry mix and dry spices. This falafel is made fresh in house, and fried perfectly. It served dressed with slivered radishes, fresh cilantro, and thick slices of tomato. This appetizer is enough for a light, delicious lunch. The kibbe (Guy ate it on his visit) was definitely made with love and care. We could taste the fresh crowd cloves and spices in the meat filling. We love kibbe, and these were just perfect. We also ordered chicken kabobs, and subbed a delicious cucumber and yogurt salad for the hummus that would have come with the dish (since we ordered hummus as an appetizer). The chicken was tender, moist, and deliciously marinated in lemon and garlic, with a nice flavor from the grill. The cucumber salad was similarly delicious - tangy, chunky, cooling, and savoury. I'm going to try to make something like this at home. Yum :) After the meal we enjoyed a piece of delicious house-made baklava and complimentary Turkish coffee with cardamom. It was a perfect end to a delightful meal. 5 authentic stars read more

Loved this place!! We had the spinach pie, kafta kebab, stuffed grape leaves and feta salad. The feta salad was the best part in my opinion, but it was all fantastic. Cute ambiance and server was great. Will absolutely be coming back. read more

Hummus and the eggplant spear were exquisite, however, the chicken was ruined by the large amount of cinnamon

Literally everything about this place is good. Even leftovers are top notch. It's authentic Beiruti cuisine. The hummus is out of this world. And the lebneh is just mouthwatering. I love it so much read more

A few months ago we had Thai food next door and thought we give this place a try. So disappointed! We've had much better middle eastern food...We do not recommend this place!! One star for the $2.49 cheese pie, another star for the grill chicken. Overall there's no value for the money. We usually go to Mezza Grill and Yia Yia Mary's Pappas Restaurant chain for Mediterranean food, they never disappoint us. Minus stars: The grape leave wrap w/meat & rice was awful...they're pre made in a display refrigerator at the front of the restaurant and the waitress/waiter heat them in the microwave. The temperature was lukewarm. These grape leave wraps was hard, no flavor at all. I told the waitress it was awful and instead of asking why? She said to try something else next time. The soup of the day (Green Lentil) smell like canned dog food. There's no seasoning in the soup at all...no garlic, no black pepper? The free flat bread is better off for the rats/birds. The pink pickle was horrible...Must be a halloween joke? read more

This place is special to me and my family. Great owners that really care out their food and guests. This is one of 2 places I will ever eat kibbeh nayyeh, or raw kibbeh. It is prepared properly and seasoned delicious. I have not once in my years eating here had an issue. Everything on the menu is delicious and they even compliment you with a hot drink after the meal. As a middle eastern you can list the best quality/authentic restaurants for Mediterranean on one hand in Houston. This will always be one of the top! read more

Cafe Lili - Kibbeh nayyeh - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

I was looking for today's lunch.I found here on American Airlines Dining Website.I went to visit the restaurant's website.I ordered chicken kabab online.I would like to say three good things. 1.Quick service.When I arrived here at 1pm, the food was ready.Great job. 2.I ate ir.It was great.I loved it! 3.The location is great.It's located in 5 minutes from my home. I would like to write some of the improvements. -The prices are little bit high.I paid $13.(No tip).It should be lower. Overall, I love this restaurant.Hope to return. read more

I was looking for a fresh delicious salad and walked through this strip mall area -- past several choices -- and landed in this Lebanese restaurant. It is a counter order type restaurant then brought to the table when it is ready. Since this was my first experience at a Lebanese venue, I asked the man behind the counter to explain the salad options. I ordered the Lebanese choice which included lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers with a deliciously light vinegar and olive oil vinaigrette dressing. It tasted exactly like the home made salads that my Italian in laws use to serve. The pita chips added to the lunch. The staff seemed short handed yet my salad was brought to me within 10 minutes. There is ample seating and a large space for meetings. read more

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While I love Cafe Lili's food, the service neglect in packing the order. Ordered 4 falafel appetizers which should have a pack of bread for each order. When I called to share my order was not complete, was only told "sorry". Make sure your order is complete. read more

Cafe Lili - Not enough bread - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

Reliable Mediterranean food! Down-to-earth place for a good meal without any fuss. Service is usually pretty nice and reasonably quick. We enjoy their special hummus with ground beef--it's excellent! Some of the best hummus around! I especially love the fetoush salad. Large portion and fresh ingredients. We tried the mixed kebab grill with kafta and chicken. The kafta is yummy. The chicken was just a little overcooked, but no big deal. The atmosphere is that of a cafeteria somewhat, but with dine-in service. read more

Cafe Lili has always been our go to for Lebanese food as it reminds us of the dishes our grandmother and mother prepared. The restaurant is spotless and the dishes are made with high quality/fresh ingredients. Eli (young or old) is at the register and they always welcome us like family! Regardless of eating chicken/rice; red fish; rolled grape leaves or falafel, you cannot go wrong. Definitely one of our all time favorite places to eat. read more

Like my grandmothers Lebanese cooking. This is the best in Houston hands down. The grape leaves are fresh and not from a can. The Lebanese salad with chicken is on point. The taboleh is terrific. Everything I've had has been top notch. read more

If you want authentic Lebanese food , Cafe Lili is the place! Is like eating home made food . There raw meet is the best I ever had in houston , please tried the Kibbe too it is so good here and hands down to the plate of the day . I actually like to many plates here to mention . I been coming here for over 15 years and never tried anything that I didn't like . The food is consistent and always delish . One of our Favorite Lebanese Restaurant in the area and 100% kids friendly . read more

Love the food and service. Great environment. The food always arrives on time and the order is correct! read more

Truly LOVE their authentic dishes and the beauty of the plate presentation. Quality house red wine to compliment their food! I appreciated the family owned feeling and service. One of my favorite Mediterranean restaurants in Houston for casual dining. Start with the three or four vegetable appetizer to share, or make it a meal. read more

Cafe Lili - Hummus, Tabouli Salad, Moujedra, Lima Bean Salad - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

Delicious. Had the falafel sandwich with fries. Falafel was really good and there were a lot of fries. My husband had the kibbeh and beef schwarma sandwich. Absolutely delicious. Authentic middle eastern food. read more

Amazing Mediterranean food. Service is great as well... i like the shawerma and the hommus also the cheese pie is really tasty. 10/10

2.5 stars!! I stopped at this restaurant for lunch as Thai Restaurant next door was closed on Christmas eve. Order: Chicken kabob entree with hummus (instead of hummus you have an option of dinner salad as well) ($11.90) Hummus: tasted good but had a thicker consistency. Service: decent, attentive. Chicken Kabob with rice: bland, boring, lacked flavor. Chicken was not tender and rice was not impressive either. For the same or less money, there are 'better' options offering similar cuisine with multiple sides and more flavor. read more

Cafe Lili - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

I ended up eating here for healthy fare while my car was being worked on at the automotive shop next door. I ordered a three-vegetable plate for $9.99. I think it's overpriced. Then I was offered an extra veggie option for .99cents. While the grape leaves and the hummus were good, I had an issue with the mujadara (rice with lentils and onions). It was served cold. Furthermore, the pita is served cold too. Considering the prices, Cafe Lili should serve warm bread and even bake its own. read more

Cafe Lili - Three-veggie plate: $9.99 - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

Probably not a place I will go out of my way to eat at again. Based on recommendations, we had: Lentil soup - my friend ordered this and I tried it. Pretty good, but standard. 1/2 doz. grape leaves - probably the best grape leaves I've ever had, no joke. To be honest, though, I've had some pretty BAD grape leaves at a lot of places. This was a home run, though, they were perfect. Beef schawerma plate - did not find it to be very appetizing, even though I ate it. The meat was seasoned "ok." I'm a huge fan of citrus flavors, but I found it to be a bit TOO lemony. The only spice I could taste on it appeared to be cinnamon...? If this was fajita meat or something, it might've been passable, but even fajita meat is usually more tender than this. It was in desperate need of some tenderizing, and pretty dried out. :( Stuffing it in pita bread with the sharp tasting tahini sauce and tomato wedges didn't help much. Kafta and chicken kabob plate - my friend had this and was less than impressed. Although, I'd say I liked his plate better. Even though the chicken lacked flavor and the kafta was just "all right," it was still juicier, and the onions and cup of garlic sauce helped out a bit. "Humos" - was...thick, yes. Not too bad, I think they make it thick intentionally so you can add olive oil to your liking. Good concept, it was ok hummus. Service was good. The bill came to about $36, which was kind of crummy for the amount of enjoyment we got from the food. If I liked it a lot, it'd totally be worth it, but that's just not the case. Overall, if I came back for whatever reason, I'd just get the grape leaves as a snack or something. But, for now, I intend to direct my mediterranean food cravings to other places. read more

First time trying this place and you can definitely find better. Tried the kibbie, American chicken wrap and rice. First the rice...don't get it. It has NO flavor. My lemon water has better flavor. The kibbie was decent...until I bit into some plastic on the inside. The wrap was ok but you definitely need the garlic sauce for it to have any flavor. Again you find better...I suggest you do. read more

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I. Love. This. Place! It is absolutely delicious. True Lebanese food. The owner is very friendly. Cafe Lili is one of my favorite places to eat. I wish it was closer, so I could go more often. read more

Food is ok at best and expensive. $14 salad had 4-5 small chunks of chicken and it was wayyy overdressed - soup of dressing at the bottom. Meat pie was shockingly small and dry. Menu is really small, which was surprising. I don't think I'll be back simply because there are a better/more options for this type of food nearby for less money. read more

When I Tried to order appetizers while waiting to me go order I was denied as I had to be ordering the appetizer from a table. This does not make sense at all , and actually the way that the cashier was not very polite at all. read more

Pricey but worth the dime. I had the chicken kabobs. Cucumber yogurt salad!! That was yummy!! The kabobs came with a garlic spread. Mmmmm! I don't eat it but pita bread is complimentary. Tomato feta salad was yummy too! Good portions! This was a good place to dine since we were in the area. It's across the street from James Coney Island. read more

Cafe Lili - Seated by the back. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Best food I have ever had. I crave this everyday. Everything is good, so you can't go wrong with what you order. Never disappoints!

I really feel this is kinda overrated place for the food they offer. One chicken skewer grill which of four pieces is $10 and taste is is so bland. For that price, sultan pepper offers great kebab on top of that you can get any side which is in Memorial city mall. I ordered two skewer, falafel, chicken sandwich and the total was $40. Super expensive for what I had definitely. Top of that even the sandwich was so bland. If you are really looking for some good grill, try Istanbul grill , kasra Persian grill for it's best food. One thing which was outstanding is their hospitality . It is incredible, but the star I gave is for it's pricey food which was too bland. Sorry. read more

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Perhaps my expectations were really high, but I found cafe lili to be disappointing. Why do they bring you pita bread in a bag? Why not hot fresh pita? I was surprised by how small the menu is. There are actually very few option including no kids options. On first impression the menu is really lacking. They have list of sides, a list of sandwiches, and a list of kebabs. Each sandwich comes with fries. But why not other side options? The kebab plates come with a kebab, rice, and a choice of salad or hummus. But for the price you pay it seemed really drab. The plates had no color at all. A plate with 2 beef kebabs is $32.99, that seems really steep for what you get. For 2 chicken kebabs it's $19.99. Also steep. We tried the fried kibbie, it was decent. Also overpriced. The hummus was the best part of the meal. I really enjoyed it. To finish we had the baklava and the pistachio cookie. They were good. The lebanese coffee was also good. All in All I found Cafe Lili to be underwhelming and over priced. It will not be on my list of places to repeat. Bad value for just ok food with colorless plates. read more

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So I'm the pickiest eater when it comes to anything outside my comfort zone. But the beef kabobs with white rice was outstanding!! The meat completely melts in your Mouth as the vermicelli rice goes really well with it. I would also recommend getting the tabouli with pita bread while you wait. It's a salad mixture with some oil, you don't feel bad while eating it and your enjoying it as well. Also last thing is their homemade lemonade!! Who knew orange would taste really good in lemonade. Their mixture is so different but so amazingly sweet. I would 10/10 recommend this place if you're wanting to explore your taste buds! read more

Cafe Lili - Homemade lemonade - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Usually we like this place but we were disappointed during our last visit. There was a woman smoking hookah inside (maybe the owner?!), which was really unacceptable! The food was average, and they made us pay 5$ for a small bowl of yogurt (that should be a side for the stuffed cabbage). The meat pies were also overpriced! read more

Great food and a wonderful family who runs it. Highly recommended! I go there every time I'm back in town.

I came here with some co-workers for our Friday lunch. Everything was great and the service was awesome! We sampled quite a few appetizers including the hummus, tabouli, baba ganoush, falafel, and stuffed grape leaves. Everything was delicious and flavorful. If I had a complaint, it would be that they don't have fresh pita. That's it. I had the chicken wrap. It was also great. The chicken was juicy, the pickles weren't overpowering, and the sauce was creamy. Everyone else loved their food too! They finished off our meal with complimentary Turkish coffee. It was strong and the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. I will definitely be back to Café Lili! read more

Went for a quick lunch while in town for work when I found out that my favorite Fadi's on this end of Westheimer had closed. Location: Easy access off of Westheimer in the Galleria-area with a big parking lot -- the lot is shared with a few other restaurants/businesses so it was quite busy when we arrived for lunch, but we were able to find a spot without much waiting (high turnover during the lunch hour with people going in and out quickly). Inside of the restaurant is open and airy with plenty of seating. Service: You order at the counter and then seat yourself at Cafe Lili. When we arrived there was a bit of line (nearly reaching the door), but it moved super fast and we didn't wait more than 5 minutes to get to the front and order. After we ordered, it was probably 10-15 minutes before our food was delivered to our table. The staff at the register and the staff we interacted with at the table were all really accommodating and helpful. Food: DELICIOUS! We were given pita, pickled beats, olives and hummus at our table when we sat down. Giving us both crisp and soft pita was a nice extra touch. For my meal, I ordered the 4-item veggie plate with tabouli, hummus, green beans and moujedra. Everything was delicious and I especially enjoyed the moujedra -- the onions on top were perfectly crispy and delicious. To wrap up the meal, the owner brought us little samples of Lebanese coffee which was delicious and the perfect end to the meal. Prices were around $10-$13 across the menu (including kabob plates and sandwiches/wraps) -- very reasonable for the amount of food, service, etc. Drink: We just enjoyed water at our lunch, but I saw others in the restaurant enjoying alcoholic beverages so there are some available if that interests you! All-in-all, loved my visit to Cafe Lili and would definitely like to return and try some of the things on the menu that I didn't have the opportunity to try this time. read more

Love the kibby. Anytime I'm in the area I stop and get 10 to go. I keep in freezer and heat when I'm in the mood. So good!

Food is GREAT! The only bad thing is they always skimp on portions on to go orders, I got a 24oz hummus serving and seemed light when I picked it up. I got home to weigh it and it was only 18oz including container! $10 worth of hummus, it was delicious as usual but I'd just wish they'd advertise the true weight. read more

First time eating Lebanese food...it was okay. I'm sure it could have been better. The hummus was okay. The chicken kabob sandwich was really dry. The bak lava was also dry. I'll try Lebanese food again, but maybe somewhere else. If my girl wants to come back...I would give it another shop. read more

We ordered beef kabob with salad and a chicken sandwich. We waited for ever . The chicken was completely burned in the surface. Lettuce were old both in salad and sandwich. We could not eat salad at all. Salad was awful. But the beef kabob it self was good. I could not touch the rice. Actually, it was the worst Mediterranean restaurant that I have ever tried. To be honest the only good one was the beef kabob read more