First, some advice: Ignore the one-star reviews- it is unethical to post such reviews based on one visit, and the reviews are not accurate at any rate. Don't, for heaven's sake, park on Forest Ave. With the lane-hopping speedsters it is too dangerous for you to exit from the driver's side. There is ample room to turn in to the parking area in front of the restaurant. The various containers of treasures in the coolers are not labeled; bring a roll of masking tape and a marker pen. The staff will help you label your items. (They are courteous, engaging . Now, I will assume this is your first visit and that you are getting take out for two. Start with a bag of bread. Add a container of Persian pickles, and one of olives. Get 1-3 containers of the various hummus. Add one tabbouleh. One babaganoosh. You will need two containers of the baklava so there is no resentment harbored between the two of you. There is mushroom soup, frozen. Take one. For meat, you will see soups/stews of chicken, lamb, beef. There is no goat. Any of those meat dishes are celestial; you will swear they are the best you've ever tasted. Depending upon how much restraint you exercise, this should cost you $50-75 and will comprise several meals. Tip generously- you will be back and you'll want them to remember you. read more

Good food, a bit expensive and great service. We had it outside on the benches. Skip the fries, hummus and baba ganoush is great. read more

Dina’s Cuisine - Mediterranean Near Me - Portland, Maine

This was my first time trying Dina's and it was pretty good. The location was easy to find and had a few spaces for parking. They're kind of tucked away on Forest Ave and it's a pretty small place so not a ton of seating if you have a large group. Service was quick (I walked in to order to-go and only waited about 5 minutes) and the staff was friendly and welcoming. I got the chicken shawarma plate, which had several different components. Everything was authentic and fresh. The chicken was well-seasoned and delicious paired with their tzatziki. I could've done without the additional fries included with the plate, as they were kind of bland to me and the meal had plenty of food already. Next time I would try rice instead. It would be helpful if they added prices to the menu boards. Overall, no big complaints. I plan to come here again to check out the samosas. read more

Dina’s Cuisine - Chicken Shawarma Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Portland, Maine

This place is amazing. The best bread the best sides and the best wraps awesome employees read more

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Different staff every time I go in, Food tastes different each time. I once had an incredible chicken wrap there but it was a few years ago and now it just tastes like hummus and a bit of chicken. Sweet people who work there but food isn't good. read more

BEST mediterranean food i have ever had!! the food was delicious. the chicken shwarma has great flavor. the pita bread was so fluffy. the hummus tasted so good. this place should have more locations. im not from maine and i am so upset i have to leave this restaurant behind. i dont ever write reviews but this hole in the wall deserved it! if i ever come back to portland ill be eating here everyday. nice work chefs. the workers and the owner are very kind. read more

Dina’s Cuisine - Chicken Shawarma Wrap Beef Shawarma Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Portland, Maine

Dina's is THE place for Middle Eastern takeout! When you look online you'll see their menu (with helpful photos) of everything you'd expect--falafel, gyro plates, pita and hummus, and more--but I recommend making the trip and ordering there. While you wait for your order you can browse the huge selection of pre-mades in the refrigerated case: there will be at least three kinds of hummus (some with red pepper, which is insanely delicious), baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, pickles of various kinds, soups, stews with chickpeas and lamb, and so much more. I'm addicted to their sliced pickles, which are brined with a whole lotta garlic and spices. And don't forget to order extra pita bread! This isn't stale supermarket stuff; these are big, pillowy pitas the size of a dinner plate that they make right there. (If you look at my photo that's only *half* a pita, and it takes up more than half a large plate.) Tip: if you don't come out this way on Forest Ave. a lot it's easy to miss Dina's the first time, and there are really only two spaces to park in their tiny lot. But you can park anywhere on the curb, which is always easy to do. Highly recommended! read more

Dina’s Cuisine - pita with hummus, pickles, tabouleh, and dolma - Mediterranean Near Me - Portland, Maine

We got food from here at least once before when it was Ameera. This time we ordered a chicken shawarma plate, two samosas, and a beef and lamb kufta kebab wrap/sandwich. I think by mistake, they gave me a beef and lamb kufta plate, which is several dollars more and a greater amount of food, so I'm not complaining. I found both the beef/lamb and the chicken to be well seasoned but very dry. Mixing them with hummus helped a lot. Each plate also comes with an *enormous* piece of pita bread, though I also found it dry, and an array of pickled beets, stuffed grape leaves, and a salad. The pickled beets were my favorite thing out of the whole lot to be honest. Absolutely delicious. The stuffed grape leaves I thought were okay, but bland. The salad was also very good. It has a mild creamy dressing on it. Each plate came with hummus and tzatziki dip, both of which were very nice. read more

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We just tried Dina's for the first time last night - and when we said it was our first time, the man behind the counter smiled and excitedly told us we would love it. He was right!! The chicken shawarma and lamb kofta are AMAZING. Don't miss out. We also got some kibbeh and fries. It was my first time trying kibbeh and it was amazing, the breading was flavorful and the meat inside was so aromatic I had to make everyone smell before I took a bite (which was even better). The fries were a little sogged from being contained, but it didn't matter since they essentially just became a vehicle for the best tzatziki I've ever had. What a gem!! read more

Delighted to find this amazing newly owned Middle Eastern gem on Forest Avenue in Portland, Maine. Fresh, delicious ingredients and lovely presentation for take out or a quick bite inside. All the standards are delicately seasoned to perfection. Took home extra sides of dolmades, baklava, and their amazing eggplant salad. Thank you, Dina's cuisine, for your memorable menu, delicacies, and service! read more

Dina’s Cuisine - Dina's delicious eggplant salad. So good, brought extra home...! - Mediterranean Near Me - Portland, Maine

If Dina's isn't on your radar for takeaway, you're missing out! I can't speak to any of the plates, platters, or sandwiches (though people I know rave about the sambosa wrap [which I don't even think is on the menu, so consider this a "secret" item and pro tip to order it!] and the pistachio burmas), but I come here for the grab and go fridge which is always stacked with my favorites: Dolmas! Makdous! Pickled beets! Spicy baba ganoush! Zaatar Hummus! But most importantly: the muhammara! Never had it? It's peppers, walnuts, bread crumbs, and pomegranate molasses pureed and seasoned with more peppers and cumin. It's sweet, savory, salty, spicy... all the best flavors! Each container costs between $4 to $6 and they are *absolutely generous* portions. Also, can we talk about their bread?! Their warm, pillowy-soft house made flatbread??! There's nothing else like it. There are so, so many vegan and vegetarian items (they aren't marked, but the ingredients are all on the website/you can just ask!)! The parking is abundant on Forest Ave, making it super easy to run in, grab your stuff, and go. The vibe here is hole-in-the-wall, but what they're lacking in ambience and seating, they more than make up for in hospitality and exceptionally crafted Middle Eastern food. Be a hit at your next potluck by stopping here and loading up on, well, everything! read more

Must go to for shawarmas in Portland! Chicken shawarmas and garlic naan were made to order fresh and hot! Huge wrap! Had enough to eat later. Also not sure why someone said this is expensive, as a tourist wanting to find a cheap spot, highly recommend. read more

The food here is great and I'm not sure what the reviews about it being too expensive come from. 2 of us got wraps and sides for under $30 and the portion sizes were great, we have leftovers for dinner. Employees are welcoming and from what I could see it was very clean. read more

I would hesitate to recommend this eatery. We were running late and hungry placed the order within the last 90 minutes before they closed but really wished I had walked into it first before ordering online but such is life. First when I walked in the walls look like they hadn't been cleaned for months, oil and dust streaks lined the walls. The a/c had dust caked on it and looked also greasy and dingy. As I waited for the order to be finished I looked up and saw what I hope were not cockroaches on the sign above the register. I will say the door was propped open and it was quite smoky so maybe they were some other bugs (and not cockroach) that waltzed in from the open door, until I saw one crawling up the far wall above the fryer that was not on. So again not really sure what it was that I was seeing but it was alive and it was crawling and appeared to have wings and again it was a bug of some sort. So be forewarned!!! But again the order was already 70% done and it was late and I was trying to be optimistic as I could see the biryani being prepared far away from where I saw the bugs and the guy was wearing gloves so hopefully it was safe?! We ordered a chicken shawarma meal that should have come with a drink and dessert (not included), Chicken Biryani, garlic naan, and an order of Persian pickles. The shawarma didn't have any of the traditional toppings like tomatoes, lettuce, etc. The flavor was ok. The biryani was also ok, not too spicy or overly seasoned that makes you feel like all you're eating is seasoning and not actual food like protein and rice. I saw the gentleman prepare the garlic naan and saw him spread something on it before putting it on the grill, but while the naan was warm it didn't taste like garlic and was a bit dry. Again I have had frozen naan from the supermarket that was more flavorful versus what I got from here. The pickles were ok but not what I was hoping for. I will have to continue to try other places but for now only Jaffa at the Maine mall still has top billing for their pickles. Maybe this is a one off but my recommendation would be to go to Mazzat's on Bishop St. Which is far better, way cleaner and their food is amazing. I won't be back to Dina's unless I have more time and I will walk in and see if they have cleaned first before I order again. read more

I grabbed a to-go dinner the other night from here and it was stellar! I had the beef & lamb kufta dinner. The kufta was several pieces of delicious, perfectly spiced, and juicy meat served with one of the best homemade tzatziki sauces I've had. The dinner came with hummus, pickled beets, stuffed grape leaves, salad, French fries, and a piece of flatbread bigger than your head. The owner used to own Ameera Bread and knows his stuff! I was in here once before earlier in the day when he was making the bread, and he cooked it up fresh for my meal - nothing better! Even re-heated, this bread is killer, scooping up hummus, or rolling some meat in it. Let's talk about the salad. Usually at middle eastern restaurants, I find the salad to be an afterthought. Not here. It is very flavorful and chopped with fresh herbs and a little raspberry vinaigrette for extra flavor. Very good. Meal was about $18 but well worth it for the quantity of food and the quality. I made a solid 2 meals out of it and shared some! I ate my meal at my hairdresser's while i was waiting for my turn and both my stylist and her client asked what I was eating as it smelled delicious. I gave them each a piece of meat and they were blown away by the flavor! The customer said she might swing in on her way home to grab food! They both will be trying Dina's. Dina's has a lot of to-go packed containers of their homemade sauces, dips, desserts, etc. for purchase. Don't miss the baklava - it is amazing! The restaurant sits back off Forest Ave next to the vacuum cleaner place and is easy to miss - but don't! It is a literal hidden gem! read more

The falafel is fantastic. Every platter we ordered was full of fantastic flavors. We just want to keep coming back. You get a fair amount of food for the price. Friendly service and some parking. There are two small tables in side and two picnic tables outside. This is not a fine dining experience. This is a good food experience. read more

Firstly, the food is really good. Dalmas were a little old, but maybe they make them different I'm used to Tolmas and Dolmas and love them so much. Second, I've last this place for a long while seeing the illuminated sign for a yummy looking sandwich thing for $4.99. So I figured a plate would be double that price. No pricing on the menu. The person there was nice but didn't understand English at all. I initially wanted the the sandwich and pointed out to it and even walked outside with the person and pointed. Buuuut figured I'd try a couple more things that the plate does come with. The price was astronomical 2 Saji Plates, didn't get the fries pictured on the menu, 2 of the sodas from with Arabic writing. (They were good, not too sugary) and decided to do their Turkish delights as we dined inside. I heard $15 and though that wasn't write as I tapped my phone I saw just over $50.00 - I was tired and in a hurry to get to our work. I don't know if that's their normal pricing or if they just wanted to take advantage of a local supporter but either way buyer beware. Final thoughts, Great food, price can't be correct, feel cheated. Honestly would give 1 start for that but again the food was good. read more

I've eaten A LOT of falafel in my life. Easily 20 plus restaurants. This was at worst the second best I've ever had. The only better was maybe 20 years ago and I don't remember it well enough to accurately compare them. I really don't like turnips at all. The pickled beet and turnip salad is phenomenal. I actually ate all of it -- I've never enjoyed turnips before. The tzatziki was also epic. The ambience holds this back from being a 5 star restaurant but the food is absolutely 5 star. As a visiting vegetarian it's nice to know there is an exceptionally good vegetarian option not far from downtown Portland. I will be back! read more

I got delivery from Dina's this evening and I'm so glad I did! The star of the show was the chicken shawarma wrap, which exceeded expectations! It was a good value and very large. But the flavor! Soft bread, tender and perfectly seasoned chicken! Despite being full - I kept picking it up for another bite. The hummus and tzatziki were also busting with flavor and I went for a garlic naan for dipping. The naan was large and soft. I ordered an additional side of bread which didn't arrive but I received a credit from DoorDash so I'll overlook it. I was just disappointed I didn't have more bread to dip into the hummus and tzatziki. The samosa was ok - it wasn't triangular, as I was expecting and resembled more of an egg roll. I thought it could use a little more filling but the filling was flavorful. I'll definitely be back! read more

Authentic, delicious, local food made with love and tradition. This place is magnificent. It's a neighborhood eatery that is just beautifully set-up and presented. Everything you can get here is top quality, all the veggies and sauces and meat are perfect in preparation and taste. The tandoor bread/wraps deserve special mention. Not only are they superb as part of the sandwiches, but you can buy a bag of fresh, warm flatbreads on their own for whatever your heart desires. Throw pizza ingredients on and cook them, cut into small pieces and fry, use them for dipping, make your own sandwiches, or even just keep them around for snacking. They're delightful any way. Truly, Dina's deserves your business and support. Everything is done right, you'll be very satisfied with what you get. read more

Great food, friendly service, great prices! This is a little hole in the wall that has one table you may sit at. Parking is limited, but you can park along the street for an easier in and out. It's worth the visit for authentic middle eastern food. read more

Dina’s Cuisine - Falafel with a side of za'atar bread and hummus. - Mediterranean Near Me - Portland, Maine

Fantastic food at reasonable prices. Fresh, creative, wide variety, homemade bread, Hoping they consider a sit down restaurant

Don't let the location fool you: this is probably the best Mediterranean place in Portland. Admittedly, this is the only Mediterranean place I've been to in Portland, but it already rivals all the Mediterranean food I've eaten so far. The meat is delicious and juicy, and the sauces are absolutely phenomenal. Special shout-out to the labneh. The owners were some of the friendliest people I've ever met. While making our food, he explained the origin of a lot of the foods he was cooking, and we had a really great conversation with him. The place itself is cozy and homely; any fan of small, hole-in-the-wall gems will absolutely love this place. It's not even a question of 5 stars at this place, it's more a question of "how could anyone ever not give this place five stars?" read more

Everything was delicious, picture includes the Baba Ganoush Olive & Feta Shirazi Salad Red Cabbage Salad Persian Pickles Beets Pckles Turkish Walnut Salad Chicken Biryani Plate Falafel Balls Kebbeh. I really enjoyed the salad that came with the chicken biryani plate. read more

Dina’s Cuisine - Array of food, Yelp wouldn't let me post all of it. All is delicious - Mediterranean Near Me - Portland, Maine

My review is only based on their falafel and service. Very nice people. We only had time for some falafel to go, but it was the best falafel we've had in Portlnd. I mean some of the others like Mazzat and Falafel time were pretty good too, but their's was a step above. Very crispy on the outside and tender inside with a lot of great flavor. They make it fresh to order. We wanna go back soon and try a kabob sandwich. read more

We got food from here once before when it was Ameera. This time it was a chicken shawarma plate, two samosas, and a beef and lamb kufta kebab wrap/sandwich plus some extra hummus, tzatziki, salad as well as frozen items. By mistake, they gave my wife a beef and lamb kufta plate we think (?) which is several dollars more and more food, so she was not complaining. The beef/lamb and the chicken to be well seasoned but on the dry side. The hummus helped a lot. Each plate order includes a piece of pita bread that's honestly the size of your head, though also a tad dry (cuz it should be used with the hummus or tzatziki I'd wager), an array of pickled beets, stuffed grape leaves, and a salad come in the container as well. The pickled beets were my wife's favorite thing out of the whole lot to be honest. Absolutely delicious she said, but that seems to be what she's learned about food from that part of the world. The stuffed grape leaves I do not eat and gave her. The salad was also fine and had a mild creamy dressing on it. Each plate came with hummus and side cup of tzatziki dip, both of which were very nice. Our french fries were crispy and the sambusa were a surprise. While crisp, the third bite told me they had more spice then I had considered. Not a bad thing, just caught me off guard. My wife was happy have the lion's share. Our frozen items will be had soon and I intend to go back for future lunch stops. read more

My food was prepared quickly, workers nicely took my order. Walk in and the Holy Quran is playing. Love it. Food is great and solid value. Difficult parking lot but on street available. read more

Food was excellent, had the Chicken Schwarma. Quality and taste were awesome. I finally found the best place and will return.

Please stop here instead of Falafel Time. Just because they have a bolder sign & a better parking lot, you'd be making a very distinct mistake. Dina's falafel wraps are criminally cheap & authentic. They also have their fridges stocked with some pretty intriguing-looking sides and dips- it'll probably take me the better part of a year to get through all of the options. Anyways, I love it here. They're so consistent. read more

Dina's rocks the best falafel in town! I'm glad I swung by there to try them for lunch. Definitely going back soon!

Dina's has a wide variety of wonderful dishes. If you are looking for a meal for today, they have kebabs, shawarma, gyros, falafels, either in plate or sandwich. Their sandwiches are on the most amazing naan I have tasted, and you can buy that on the side as well to take home. If you are looking for dinner tomorrow they have a freezer of excellent dishes to heat up and serve over rice or naan. Or if you want a lighter faire they have amazing dips for snacking with that naan. The staff is friendly and helpful. And did I mention the wide selection of desserts! Give it a try. read more

We were visiting Portland and wanted to get lunch out of downtown at a more local and authentic food place. This place was fabulous and what a find. It seems like a family run business and the to-go selections in the refrigerator case look great. We decided to get chicken shawarma sandwiches and dolma- and they were excellent. The owner was so friendly and we wish we lived nearby( I would go a few times a week) to try all they have to offer. read more

I love their prepared items (hummus, Tzatziki, salads) but wish they would label them, it's hard to tell red cabbage from beets in the container. I'd try more if I knew what was in it read more

Super fresh and delicious with large portions. I have come here for many years and have never been disappointed. I had the vegetarian plate with a samosa. The bread is outstanding, and the falafel was really good. The staff are super friendly and nice. I had the baklava for dessert which was so yummy! I'll be back! read more

The beef & lamb kebab and the sauce that comes with it is so addictive. The lahmajoon is like a turbo charged meat pizza if it didn't have any cheese & the sauce was extra tangy - sooo good. Delicious, ultra creamy hummus and good dolmas. read more

Small place, huge flavor! A party in my mouth! Prices are reasonable. Large variety in the freezer and fridge to take home. Munched on delicious baklava while waiting for my takeout. So good. Highly recommend. read more

Waste of money. Poor food quality, the place, and food handling were unsanitary.

Four of us from my office ordered lunch from Dina's today. We tried a variety of items off the menu...Salads, Hummus, Rice, Pita bread, Shawarma wraps, Tzatziki and Baklava. While I waited for my order, one of the lovely people working there offered me samples of a few items. She couldn't believe I had never tried Falafel and was excited for me to try some new things. I just can't say enough about how wonderful this place is and how much we all enjoyed our lunch. Everything was so delicious and fresh. The people working there are so friendly! If you haven't had a chance to try Dina's yet...do yourself a favor and go. read more

This place is INCREDIBLE. As a middle easterner - I can confirm that it's authentic and delicious. The falafel is fried fresh to order, the bread is baked fresh daily and is so good I bought a bunch to take home and freeze. The sandwiches and shawarma plate was full of flavor and the cherry on top was how incredibly friendly and kind the staff was. Next time we are in Portland we will definitely be making another stop. read more

Great takeout last night. Falafel were terrific, hummus flavorful and fresh, and the cabbage salad accompaniment was a nice sweet balance. LOTS of food for the price. read more