I live in Philly, and ended up here for dinner. The food here is so unbelievably good. I've never had Mediterranean food as good as theirs in my life. It's better than Zahav, considered one of the best restaurants in the country, in Philly. Definitely going to be visiting Allentown more often! read more

After 3 and a half months living in Jordan, I find it really hard to find food that is authentic and takes me back to my study abroad experience. Damascus is delicious, authentic, decently priced... I love it!!! If you're going with a large party I'd call first though because the location is small. read more

SOOOOOO good. It's a small place but that's what makes it so cozy and real. The food was being freshly prepared as we waited. I had the aranbeet, tabouli, hummus, and shrimp kabobs and was not disappointed by any of it. It's a community place for sure. So worth the price read more

First, since someone else mentioned the decor: it's true that there's nothing special about the decor other than a few appropriate pictures and wall-hangings, but I go there for my stomach, not for visual stimulation (although the food is nicely presented)! I've been there before, but I decided to try some things that I hadn't tasted previously. I had the special Damascus Salad, with a nice spicy dressing, lots of small cucumber pieces--along with the usual lettuce--some very tasty, crisp flat croutons ... and I chose the chicken from the list of meat choices. It was filling, and I appreciate large portions! Along with the meal I had 2 Turkish coffees, a side order of yoghurt spread (there's plenty of pita bread on which to spread the spread), and a scrumptious piece of cheese baklava, along with an extra piece to take home. The bill came to about 25 dollars, and the service merited a nice tip because of the speed and friendliness, even with a group of about 20 who were there when I walked in some time before noon. I was surprised to see some of them eating things like cheesburgers given the more appropriate and tasty opportunities on the menu. During that time a mother and her children ... and several white collar males arrived with the young server having no trouble taking care of all the customers. A great eating experience! read more

Learning about places like this is why Yelp is a great tool. I have driven by this place a few times and never knew it was there. Thanks to Yelp, we gave it a try. From the outside you could walk right by it and not even know it is there. It is fairly small and the sign can easily be missed. On the inside, you will likely be reminded of a high school cafeteria....hard tile floors, tables that likely are designed to fold up, chairs that are designed to stack up, and cheap thin napkins. This is not a place to be visually inspired. But oohhhhh the food is so good and inexpensive. The babaganoosh (sp?) is awesome, as was whatever sauce was in my pita. We actually loved our food so much ordered desert which is a huge deal for someone has cheap as myself. The deserts look homemade and were also excellent. People bash this area, and some of it is justified, but it shouldn't deter you from going here. We parked on the street and walked here...no problems. Overall, you should come here if you value great tasting food, low prices, and privately owned restaurants. You should not come here for ambiance, romance, or an upscale experience. I will be going back for sure! read more

I finally made it here after hearing wonderful things about it for years. This tiny place lived up to my high expectations. Prices were reasonable, and the middle eastern cuisine was outstanding. A great casual restaurant to meet at with some adventurous friends. read more

The baba ghanouj and vegetarian kibbee are the best in the Valley. Fresh and delicious. Definitely try your favorites like falafel and cauliflower in a sandwich. read more

This is a legitimate Syrian restaurant! The place was packed on a saturday night. I'm not sure if reservations are suggested. I decided to get a takeout order this evening - Chicken Shawarma with a side of hummous. The food came out fast and was delicious! The chicken was moist and flavorful! I have to remember not to forget about this local gem! read more

They have the best French fries and falafel sandwiches ever! I grew up on this place, always hit the spot!

I had a falafel pita and a great meat pie with the absolute best homemade bread with pine nuts and lemon. Actually it is Syrian and it is authentic as can be. Nice people and all homemade cooking.....I will definitely return. read more

A small, out of the way, unassuming place with the most helpful, friendly, and kind staff I've ever met. My friend and I went for lunch and sampled many different foods. It was a new experience for me, but my friend is Lebanese, and he said the food was very authentic tasting. We have plans to go again soon. The parking can be tricky; there's only off street parking. read more

Omg! The fatoush salad is delicious! Still one of the best I've had during my travels in the US. It gets really busy at lunch and dinner so plan accordingly read more

best Syrian food in the Valley! The only place that makes grape leaves like my grandmother did. Don't expect the tiny, gross oily ones that you find at most places. And the labneh!! My favorite. read more

Incredibly disappointing. Ran out of lamb before 7 on a Friday night. They offered a free salad appetizer but tomatoes and lettuce with cheese doesnt make up for not being prepared for a Friday night. The beef kabob was tough and lacked any spice. They dont properly trim their meat its just cut in chucks and you have to hope you dont bite into any connective tissue or gristle. The waitress was very nice and tried to make up for the poor experience but its difficult to when the food was this bad. read more

This place is great. Extremely casual and not much atmosphere except for the middle eastern travel posters on the wall. But it's clean, has great family service and the best middle eastern food I have ever eaten. In addition, the prices are very reasonable considering the quality of the food. My perfect meal is fried cauliflower, hummus, fried zucchini, chicken kabob platter with their whipped garlic sauce, stuffed grape leaves. The desserts are made on-site and the entire place is run by a family and some good friends. You can BYOB and they will even open the wine for you. People worry about the neighborhood but it's next to an elementary school and it's a favorite of many folks in law enforcement and local government. There's no problem. Delicious - go there! read more

Big fan of this place. Parking can be a bit difficult, however, the food is great and authentic Syrian. All the usual good salads and grilled meats are way on point here. Everything is homemade and cooked to order. Family owned and operated, they take pride in feeding you here. read more

This is one of my absolute favorites!!! I've never had a bad dish and the service is excellent. Always make a reservation and bring a good bottle of wine! read more

I've eaten at your restaurant once. Absolutely amazing. I've never been to Damascus, but have been to Beirut and thought your dishes were authentic and made with love. I wish you the best right now as I read articles on the Syrian War and the refugee issue in PA. Keep on cooking. read more

Went to Damascus with my brother. We ordered a kabob (lamb) dinner and many appetizers. The food tasted very fresh. Tabouli, hummus, baba were all great. Prices are reasonable and service was very good. Simple atmosphere. THis is one of my favorite places in Allentown. read more

The best hole in the wall you will ever find. The food deserves a much nicer place, yet no complaint. Salt of the earth people bring you their finest. You will forget you are in Allentown PA. read more

The food is great it's just slow service but people are so nice there will def go there again just for the food nothing else it's in not very good spot I mean 2nd st what u expect then again I don't go any where with out my buddy so Iam safe lol read more

Best Middle Eastern food in the valley. Everything is tasty and homemade. Atmosphere is well... not that fancy. But I think about the food for hours after- it's that yummy! read more

authentic, reasonably priced Syrian food. great bAba ghanouj! fatoush salad had a lot of lettuce, (i was hoping to see some more cucumber and some spinach and field greens in it) but was quite tasty. i enjoyed grilled beef kibe also, having tried kibe many places in Brazil, which has 10 millions Syrians and Lebanese read more

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Delicious authentic ethnic food in the lehigh valley.

What a great little place. My meal was a treat. I had the cauliflower appetizer and it was cooked perfectly. The cabbage rolls for my main course were tender and came with a delicious simple salad. I'm very happy I stopped here while in Allentown for business. Will definitely be back if I'm ever in town again. Loved the friendly service too. read more

I left the area 3 years ago and I really really miss this place. The food is incredible. Even the salad tastes different. Baba ganoush and shawerma are with no doubt the best I ever ate in my life. Tomato salad is amazing. Service is the best. Even in nyc I have not eaten such a delicious food yet. read more

Really nice food. Seemed a bit expensive for the atmosphere of the place... a bit of a mismatch, but since moving here from Chicago I've been surprised at how relatively expensive hole in the wall places can be here! read more

...we were on our way to Hershey, pa and we wanted to pick up some food - we ordered a couple of dishes along with a meat hummus plate which was really delicious- it came with some pickled sides that tasted really good with the hummus. The food was really good! We wanted to stay on the healthy path so the other dishes(forgot names) one being an eggplant dish and the other being a mixed vegetable dish were very good too! This will be my to-go-place if I were ever to pass through Allentown, pa again! read more

Damascus Restaurant - Hummus plate with meat- so delish!!! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

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We found this place thru Yelp. Reading the reviews we had great expectations about the place. To be honest we were little disappointed. The food was not bad at all. However guess we expected too much. After staying in northern part of NJ we tend to compare this with the Mediterranean restaurants there and this was not up to it. The food quantity was smaller. We were hungry at the time we left after having a 3 course dinner. Our bills ran up to $45 for 2. The staff was extremely good and were checking on us now and then. We did not have the heart to complain. However if I could, I would definitely ask them to improve on the quantity or reduce their price. read more

Excellent Syrian food! We go here once a year from West Chester. New owners but the quality and taste is the same. Be sure to order plenty of tasty apps. hummus, baba, fried zucchini, falafel, feta, pickled eggplant, fried kibbee are all excellent. The waitresses are so nice and attentive. Joanne and Ranim are the best. Save room for desert. The baklava and sugar cookies are delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant! read more

Great, friendly service. All the food was delicious. Hummus and baba were delicious. Meat pie was delicious. The fried zucchini was not what I expected, but the fried cauliflower was an unexpected surprise. My 2 year old enjoyed himself thoroughly. read more

We stopped in again. Food just as good. The Baba ganouj is _still_ marvelous, the pita is fresh, and the surkey (shankleesh cheese with tomatoes, onions, and parsley) was delightful. The falafel in the falafel sandwich had a hint of a spice that was subtle and mysterious (but in a good way). Sabrina, the waitress was attentive, friendly, and quick to respond to a request. We were there for lunch, and the place was about half-filled, people enjoying their meals and conversation. If you are in Allentown, take the time to stop in, but they are unfortunately closed Mondays. read more

One of my favorite place in the area. Thumbs up to the owner and staff. They do keep the place competitive, and I like going here with my hubby read more

What a great meal! Get the vegetarian grape leaves...yum. A tough choice lamb, chicken, shrimp or beef kabobs...made easy with the pick three meal. Save room for the homemade dessert. All family members make, serve and happily greet and say good bye to the patrons. ENJOY! read more

Really lovely people making good quality food like they would do for family. Very willing to make suggestions and help you enjoy the food.

I've been going here for years. The garlic chips are to die for. The hummus is to live for. The house salad is amazing, I've been trying to replicate the recipe for years (to NO avail). Great authentic cuisine. The food is so good you'll think they stole your mother. read more

When I chose to dine out, my wife and I tend to look off the beaten path. If you want the absolute benchmark for authentic Syrian / Middle Eastern food in the greater Lehigh Valley area you've hit the spot at Damascus! Plenty of street parking, restaurant is spotless. Huge menu of deftly seasoned Syrian homemade specialties. Server was cheery, professional and very helpful with questions. She even brought out complimentary tasting plates of the garlic chips, fried cauliflower with tahini & a very unique version of fried zuchini with a red vinegar reduction (all 3 dishes shined). We ordered off the menu Kibee which were suprisingly moist compared to other versions I've sampled,Surkey, which was by far the shining star of the evening! Excellent balance of local cheeses fresh chop parsley, garlic, olive oil, the taste suprise of the night! Fatoosh salad was fresh, vibrant and layered with flavors garnished with a sprinkling of the house made garlic chips for added crunch and flavor.. Finished the night off with the server recommended rice pudding which was very good, but was totally impressed with the house made version of cheese filled baklava. Soft, flaky and served warm with a just sweet enough syrup. Fantastic! I couldn't help but think of another warm piece of this with with my morning coffee. Sometimes you go out to eat and you want to have the total experience (comfort, service, quality food & beverage service). Sometimes you want to put on a pair of jeans, grab a nice bottle of wine and have a great time with friends and eat some fantastic food. Damascus is where you go.No better Syrian food, no better service, reasonably priced autentic food, serv rd by a nice family! read more

Former Detroiters who frequented some of the best middle eastern food there was ecstatic with finding this gem on a recommendation. There was no disappointment! They were busy and Raneema worked hard to take care of all our needs. Hummus, fatoush salad, falafel, baked kibbee, lamb and topped off with birdsnest. Stuffed and satisfied. read more

First timer...had high hopes based on the reviews...did not disappoint. Had the Lamb Kabob (at the host's recommendation) for lunch. Fresh ingredients. Incredible flavors. Well fed but does not feel too heavy. There were several other items that I wanted to try. Next time. read more

We just had dinner at this wonderful little gem of a place, and we're so glad we did! Everything was very tasty and contrary to one reviewer, we had plenty to eat with leftovers. Very plain decor, definitely a neighborhood place, but the food and service are top notch. We started off with a surkey appetizer (Syrian cheese, tomato, onion, etc) with pita which was great. Then while waiting we were served some hummus and babaganouj. Our entrees were moussaka and shawarma platters. Dessert was baklava. Everything was excellent! Seasoned perfectly! Service was friendly and pretty fast. I felt it was reasonably priced considering all we ordered. Two tips: first, it is a small place so make a reservation if you think it could be busy. It's easy to drive right by it so look carefully. If the school next door is out there is plenty of room to park on Liberty Street. Otherwise it might be a bit tricky. It's worth the extra effort, though. read more

Damascus Restaurant - Surkey appetizer - Middle Eastern Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

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