Here on vacation with my family , saw this place near our air bnb ! Beyond glad we stopped by , the food and service was AMAZING !!!

We popped in for lunch after waiting two weeks for renovations to be completed. What did we discover? A new and improved East Bistro with a new, enthusiastic and friendly owner and an excellent engaging chef. He is respecting the successful original and also adding some improvements! @Peter selected this place and we enjoyed it! Abdul, the new owner, introduced himself, gifted us free black tea with mints leaves, and encouraged us to sample various items such as homemade falafel and homemade lentil soup. I ordered the sampler platter called Trifecta and got the feta cheese on the side since I am currently dairy free. The presentation was excellent and I enjoyed everything served. The hummus was very nice and included a sprinkling of sumac as a garnish. The kabobs and rice were flavorful as well! The excellent falafel, which I asked about, turned out to be Abdul's grandmother's recipe from Jordan! Delicious! We met Z, the chef and were able to examine the huge gas powered oven for flat bread and more. Z's food was very nice, both tasty and beautiful. I also got a spiced/herbal flatbread to go for my wonderful wife. We will heat it up and try it tonight! . Life is good with an excellent meal, great service and a spotless and welcoming restaurant. read more

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I am completely heart broken, crying for days now.. I cannot believe what has happened here. What was my completely favorite place to grab Kabob lunch has now changed hands & the food is completely different, and not in a good way. The elderly gentleman from Lebanon that used to make my food was so kind & carried a gift for grilling kabobs. We talked about this all the time. I told him every time I visited, his kabobs were the best. He was so modest & would tell me, "everyone's the same" and I would laugh & say, "no they aren't, yours are the best I have ever had." He would always graciously thank me modestly. He knew I knew. He was so special. His food, his kindness, his smile, all so unforgettable. Last time I was there, they had reopened with all new people. I didn't recognize anyone. I asked, "where is the elderly man from Lebanon?" The new people told me, "he had to go back to Lebanon." They told me, "you will love OUR FOOD" so I ordered my usual chicken kabob platter & it came out totally different. I took a few bites of everything & was so upset I started texting my husband to tell him that the food was all different it wasn't the same, we were crushed. Heartbroken. Completely heartbroken. So, the new young man kept coming over asking me what I thought of "THEIR FOOD" & finally, after three times, I was fighting back tears & just decided to tell him the truth to his face. I looked him right in the eyes & said, "I'm sorry, I will be honest with you, I like salt. I like salt & seasonings on my food. This is not the same food I was getting before." He was trying to be nice & started telling me that they know the elderly gentleman from Lebanon, they are the same family and they can get his recipes from him bla bla bla they can change the recipes... At that point, I was so upset that the restaurant I walked into was completely wrecked & different, I just took the container of food to my husband to see what he says also. My husband came to the same conclusions: The chicken kabobs the elderly gentleman made were seasoned to perfection, cooked to perfection, every time. You can see from my videos & photos that the kabobs have tons of seasonings & grill marks from the grill. The new video has none of that AND, as my husband pointed out, the cut of the chicken is completely different. The elderly gentleman cut the chicken into small bite size pieces & put them on the sticks all in a row, long & small. Whoever is cutting the chicken pieces now, cut them too big, there isn't any seasonings & they don't grill them the same. The elderly gentleman from Lebanon had this super special way he fashioned the kabobs with a "special cut" into the styrofoam container on its sides that the sticks fit in it perfectly & wouldn't slide around. He had a special way of doing things, he was a master. I feel honored to have known him, to have had his food. I just cannot accept, I may never see him again! (Crying) His yellow rice was butter toasted rice. It wasn't mushy & over cooked. It was firm & flavorful. Their rice was not butter toasted & was so overcooked & mushy omg it was horrific. His garlic sauce was so thick & full of flavor. The sauce that the new people gave me was watered down yogurt sauce! A completely different sauce! It was so bad, and hubby LOVES yogurt sauce & it was so watered down & horrible he didn't even eat it, he threw it in the rubbish. The tabouli? OMG. The elderly man from Lebanon made the best tabouli we have ever had. He made it with a white vinegar or something, it had a very distinct sharp pungent flavor of fresh parsley & vinaigrette. It was legendary. He was legendary. The tabouli that they gave us was SWEET with raisins or some crap in it. It was HORRIFIC. I am so upset, still crying. I can't believe this has happened! To the new Owners: If y'all are the same family, you should put the elderly man's food back on the menu. What you are serving now is not acceptable. We will come back when the elderly man from Lebanon comes back. Let me know ASAP of any changes & I will be the happiest person alive to see the legendary man from Lebanon again, & update my review accordingly. read more

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4.9 Stars rounded up to 5 Stars. It was my turn to choose a restaurant for our regular get together. I chose East Bistro. We tried to eat here a couple of weeks ago, but the restaurant was closed for a week so the new management could renovate. The new management opened shop on 8/1/2026 and has improved upon the already impressive base he purchased from the old owners . In fact, they work hand in hand. The old owner still comes in the morning to provide fresh baked 'To Go' treats for the new owners to sell. Ancient family recipes passed down made for unique flavors and textures. The menu has something from every region around the med. So you can't go wrong. Abdul and 'Z' run the restaurant and kitchen like a well tuned clock. As soon as All-Star Elite Dave W. And I were seated we were brought complimentary Black Tea with several floating fresh mint leaves. Delicious. Z invited me back into the kitchen to see the new brick oven they have installed. Impressive. You can tell Z is proud of his tools and is committed to quality. Both Dave and I opted for water with our meal and were delighted to be served bottled water (No charge with a meal, $1 on its own). I ordered the Gyros Plate ($16.50). You won't find it on the menu, it needs to be updated. But there is a sign on the door that Gyros are available. Fantastic presentation with yellow rice, hummus, and a small Greek salad included. Only 2 pieces of pita pockets, but you can get more on request at no charge. The new owners are generous with helpings, but do not want food to go to waste. Extra olives on request as well. Mediterranean black and green olive medley. The Gyro meat was sliced off the rotating rack, then lightly grilled to perfection on the stove. Homemade tzatziki sauce was tasty as well. So, for all this great food and service why only 4.9 stars? The plasticware provided was the cheapest and flimsiest available. The plastic knife could not even cut Dave W's kabob. It bent in half when he tried to. Abdul took our recommendation of providing real silverware to heart and made a note. I have no doubt that on my next visit I'll see real silverware. The napkins were also the thinnest and least expensive available. I used about 20 or 30 of them. Upgrading the napkins to better quality will probably save them money in the long run because people will end up using less. Abdul was appreciative of our constructive criticism and I believe he will follow our recommendations. Next visit will definitely be five stars. read more

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The owner is super friendly. The food is fresh and delicious. The portions are generous. Most everything is homemade. It's my go to place when I want healthy takeout. Love the meat pies, and the chicken Shawarma. Had hot tea and the owner put fresh mint leaves in it. Everything is delicious. read more

East Bistro - The Mediterranean Eatery - Hot tea with fresh mint leaves. - Mediterranean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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Stumbled upon this gem of a place. Food was fresh and seriously delicious. The gentleman behind the counter was super friendly. It's a small place and you order at true counter. They have a case with homemade pastries as well. Food was priced very good for the portion size. read more

East Bistro - The Mediterranean Eatery - Chicken Shawarma platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

I had a disappointing experience here. I was told my lunch order would take 20 minutes, so I stepped next door while I waited. When I came back, it still wasn't ready and I ended up waiting another 20 minutes on top of the original estimate. The place was empty, so either my order was forgotten or delivery orders were being prioritized. Neither is acceptable. When I finally got my food, it wasn't even heated. I had to say something, and the owner (I assume) just threw it in the microwave......... Also, he was wearing gloves but touching everything, which is just unsanitary and defeats the purpose completely. read more

I was looking for authentic Mediterranean food and found this hidden gem! I had a chicken shawarma wrap and hubby had the beef shawarma platter. We also had their falafel. All I can say it was the best food in the area! It was delicious. The service was amazing. This place is highly recommended and we will definitely be back soon. read more

Great people and hot fresh food.. i would definitely be back again. Thanks alot for the hospitality

This a cute little Mediterranean restaurant in a strip mall. Both of the two people working were friendly and helpful. They explained the dishes and even offered tastes. The food was delicious! We ordered lentil soup, falafel pita, chicken schwarma platter and baklava. All the food was flavorful and satisfying! read more

What a gem of a find! Locally owned and such a lovely place! Jehad (owner) was so grateful to have us and proud - and should be! Clean and cozy- and not to mention the food was INCREDIBLE! Highly recommend the Beef Shawarma! Great amount of food for the price and everything is made fresh to order. He even gifted us a baklava to go! Please go support local and say hello to Jehad! read more

East Bistro - The Mediterranean Eatery - Beef Shawarma! - Mediterranean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

Affordable and delicious! It seems the prices are higher if you order online compared to in the store, but I didn't mind since it would be ready when I arrived. The inside has some seating available and was clean there was also a showcase of all the tasty desserts. I ordered the meat pie, kibbeh, and werbat, they were all fantastic. The meat pie was light and filling, the kibbeh was freshly fried and seasoned well and the werbat was flaky and sweet. I look forward to returning and trying more of the menu. read more

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This please and although going through some renovations is still the go too place for authentic Mediterranean taste like mom makes

Went there for dinner as they're open until 7 today. We walked in at 5 pm. The cashier said they are shutting at 5 today. There was no sign starting such on the door. The chairs were stacked and I was a amazed the for was even open for us if they were going to close early. They have a deli counter and we asked if we could have 2 spinach pies and some hummus. She got those items and we paid for them and left. Ambience seemed nice but can't say much about it. Have yet to eat the food as we took it to go and haven't gotten home yet read more

Just WOW! My husband and I came up today from Bradenton to try this restaurant - just from the pictures, for catering for our daughter's wedding. It's the real deal, the food is AMAZING, the owner incredibly kind. We cannot wait to come back and we're excited to spoil our guests with this fabulous untraditional dinner. We will take pics next time and add them, they were an afterthought - we scarfed everything. read more

Food is delicious and staff and owner lovely. Have had several meals there and to go and each one has been stellar. Highly recommended!

I know I am the odd man out on this review...but, I was so disappointed in the food. I ordered Babaganoush which very good and a generous portion. However, it was served on a paper plate and was soaking through the plate. I had kibbie...it was average and very small piece. I had a spinach pie which was flavorless and the edges were so dried out that they were inedible. The pita bread was thin, dried out and flavorless...not fresh at all. They told me they bought it locally and showed me the package but never heard of the place and do not recall the name. It was not Sami's or Holy City bread which I am familiar with. The positive was the cashier/food delivered was very friendly and service was quick as we were the only customers. read more

Still hooked from my experience from Sahara I had to try this spot out. The inside is like a fast food joint with a couple of items out for display but they do cook some dishes fresh to order. There's minimal space inside for parties , by this I mean the tables are meant to accommodate 2 people in a narrow isle , if you plan on dining in with friends you'd have to push the tables together. Chicken shawarma was outstanding , just right amount of salt , herbs and spices and cooked to juicy perfection. Probably one of the best chicken shawarmas I've had.. 8.5/10 Falafel was pretty good but not as good as a saharas . The texture might been a bit softer in the outside but the flavor and aroma wasn't as pronounced as saharas. Pretty good falafel though !! 7.5/10 Baklava was solid, very view places can wow me with theirs but east bistro's has a hint of rose flavor that I normally dislike when it's overdone , it was just a smidgen here so it worked fine. 7/10 Kibbeh was delicious and quickly becoming one of my must orders at every Mediterranean spot. This one was served inside a pastry that is deep fried . Definitely a lot going on with this one , crispy exterior , soft ground kibbeh inside , moist with some onion flavor and a bunch of spices. It's delicious but on the smaller side . 8/10 Overall I like east bistro quite a bit and would visit again :) read more

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Spinach pie is my favorite. Zaatar pie on the boring side and red pepper pie WAY too spicy for me. When I return, I will just order spinach pies and try some of their almond cookies; the desserts look appealing but I haven't tried any yet. read more

East Bistro - The Mediterranean Eatery - Large falafel sandwich in pita to go - Mediterranean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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Hidden gem!!! the hummus was incredible, ate it in spoon fulls. Can't wait to come back.

The food is always very tasty and the service is great. I first came with a friend a couple of years ago and it was enough for me to go back. My partner and I get the plate that has meat variety, kibbeh, pita, salad, and hummus when we order from here. It's very good, have recommended this to others. Thanks for the great food and service. read more

Great authentic food well maid and top it off with a wonderful warm service. the food is fresh with high quality ingredients and taste the same as it is made back home with a wide selection. The restaurant is super clean and inviting, will keep coming back for great food. read more

East Bistro - The Mediterranean Eatery - Mediterranean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

What a hidden gem! This place is amazing...I only wish they delivered via one of the services because I would order it for lunch a few times a week! Best falafel I've ever tried! It is garlicky, herbie, crunchy - just, perfection! Their falafel wrap is HUGE and so fresh and delicious full of lettuce, tomatoes, and a sauce similar to tzatziki. My husband and I love getting an order of their hummus and a falafel pita to share - it is the most perfect lunch, doesn't feel too heavy, and is so refreshing. Their hummus is so flavorful and very creamy - definitely one of the best ones out there and the closest one in comparison to the one I make at home. We've also tried their Baba Ghanoush - which was actually so good, I never liked it before having it here - and the Trifecta platter with the beef kebab, and beef and chicken shawarma - omg it was so much food, I had enough for another meal. Delicious and, again, so fresh tasting. After writing this review...now I want it all again! read more

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Best Mediterranean food I have ever had in the area, and the owner and his workers are amazing and super nice! read more

East Bistro - The Mediterranean Eatery - Trifecta Kibbeh Baba Ghanoush Tabouleh - Mediterranean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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Lovely food and lovely people! They were celebrating someone's birthday when I went in and they gave all of the customers a piece of birthday cake. I ordered the falafel wrap combo. The wrap itself was huge and super devious (even as leftovers 2 days later). I also got a cheese pie and a spinach pie. The pastry for the pie is more "bready" than flaky like a lot of other Mediterranean "pies" but not in a bad way. The spinach pie had a tart flavor (maybe sumac?). Not what I was expecting but still delicious. For dessert I got the bosbousa which was such a surprise. It's a denser cake soaked in a rose hinted syrup. So delicious!!! read more

East Bistro - The Mediterranean Eatery - Falafel wrap combo - Mediterranean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

I love the food and like the wonderful experience with the chefs. I didn't like the way we were treated at the time we were celebrating my birthday. We made a mistake with the time and the hostess was rude. I will definitely be careful with being on time. Even though the food was so good her behavior doesn't allow me to go back. I don't like to be treated rudely. I'm a sweet and kind person. The ambiance is busy and a little on the loud side. read more

What a gem. The food was so incredibly good and authentic. Freshly made falafel, hummus and pita for dipping. The tabbouleh salad was really good. I had the sampler platter and every single item was made by the mother of the owner. She came to our table for a little chat too. Of course no review of a Mediterranean restaurant is complete with sampling the baklava. Homemade by Mamma, simply perfect. Not too much syrup, a little hint of citrus and plenty of filling. I'm salivating just thinking of it. Apparently they also do wine tastings which I will try soon. read more

Finally got to check this one off the bookmarks after a month. Texture and taste of my wrap was excellent but the beef shawarma was clearly dry. Not crazy dry but noticeably dry and it affected the overall entree. The falafel I'm gonna go ahead and say is top 5 best I've had in Florida for sure. Super moist, insanely delightful flavor, and not bitter whatsoever, Hummus solid 8/10. Got a bunch of Baklava too which were a 9/10 in my book, both the pistachio and walnut. Excellent service, maybe I'll try the Chicken next time, or perhaps give the beef one more chance and hopefully it's not dry. Worth checking out for sure, lots of great vegetarian options too read more

East Bistro - The Mediterranean Eatery - Mediterranean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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Why 4 stars? Because I found my experience enjoyable and am rounding up from 3.5. --- --- --- After seeing East Bistro pop up as #12 on the top 50 in Tampa Bay list for 2018, I immediately bookmarked them. I don't make it out to this part of town very often, but made a point to check them out while I was on paternity leave because my wife's office is relatively close by and figured I'd stop in for a mid-day meetup with her. We were a bit overwhelmed on having to decide what to order because most of the menu looked really appetizing. We ended up going with the following: Meat Pie: 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the crust, but the meat in the middle was pretty forgettable. Honeycomb: 5 stars. This was my favorite part of the meal - sweet bread rolls with cream cheese in the middle. As simple as it sounds, I've never quite had anything like it before and would definitely order this without question for any future visit! Beef Shwarma: 3.5 stars. This served as my entree and I found it to be fine - not something I'd be shouting from the rooftops for my friends to order, but not something I necessarily disliked. I ordered it with a Greek Salad, which I really enjoyed and hummus, which I found to be pretty bland. Trifecta: 3.5 stars. My wife's entree was pretty similar to mine. Her beef kebab was more like ground beef and the chicken was solid. She ordered a Greek salad as well, but went with baba ganoush on the side, which we thought was a bit better than the hummus. Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable lunch and I'd gladly stop in here again if I'm in the area. read more

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Food from this region of the world is so comforting, healthy and full of flavor and not to be confused with Greek food. I like Greek food but this is so much more.... Let's start with the Baba ghanoush - ITS SO Good! It's Smokey, garlicky, and the perfect balance of lemon & tahini. Always my favorite go to!!! And they do it right. Their hummus is the perfect texture and flavor! (not that grainy crud) Its smooth and creamy like peanut butter and full of fresh goodness !!! The Shawarmas and kebobs have the right warm flavors of the region that pair perfectly with their fresh salads and dressings, but Ill be honest I go out of my way just for the Baba and hummus alone! oh and.... If you lucky and stop in when they're making their pitas fresh that day in the brick oven you'll have a real treat! Happy eating! read more

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The chicken shwarma was great. Everything from the rice to the hummus was on point. The Bhaklavas are also the best ive had

I visited East Bistro with a coworker while on business trip and the my only disappointment was that we didn't try this place sooner! I couldn't t decide between the falafel, the chicken shawarma and the chicken kebob so I asked for a recommendation. They were so nice that they split my entree between all three so that I could try everything! The falafel was incredible and the chicken kebab was really tender, but the shawarma really stole my heart with all of the flavor and spice. Next time I'm in town, I'm going to make sure to try the rest of the menu and leave room for dessert! read more

East Bistro - The Mediterranean Eatery - Falafel, chicken shawarma, chicken kebab, baba ganoush and tabbouleh. - Mediterranean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

Best Arabic food I found in Tampa Bay. We love the service and the food. read more

Delicious! My Auntie even asks me to get her treats they've made when our errands put us close. I have enjoyed everything we've tried.

This is authentic Lebanese food that I have been looking for and now I found it! We ordered chicken Shawarma, beef Shawarma, KIBBEH , Spinach pies and some of the best byrani rice . Yes of course we left with some pastries. The baklava is delicious made with walnuts and plenty of honey. The other mamoul( date cookies) We are very authentic made with cornmeal pastry. The staff was wonderful very attentive and cordial helpful and easy to deal with. read more

Authentic, Fresh, and Delicious... East Bistro is a neighborhood eatery and coffee shop. Providing flavors from east of the Mediterranean ( Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan,Yemen to name a few) in my military career I've had the pleasure of tasting the truly authentic dishes from all over the Eastern Mediterranean region and let me say East Bistro hands down is as authentic and sitting at any eatery in any of the above mentioned countries. You must try the kebabs cooked to perfection. The Kibbeh hhhmmmm yummilicious I took a few quality pics (because we do eat with our eyes first) reasons television commercials makes us hungry LOL. Try the Fatayer (which are traditional baked pastries stuffed with a variety of delicious fresh ingredients). For your sweet tooth Bosbousa, Baklava, and Knafeh to name a few of the filo dough goodies. Drinks offered are coffees, teas, mochas, lattes, espressos and more. Vegetarian Friendly with lots of Vegan Options and Halal. 10/10 for Food, Value, and Service with price range of $5 - $15. So make a trip to this fantastic Lebanese, Middle Eastern, Greek, Mediterranean restaurant for Yummilicious and Tastylicious cuisines. *all meals are also available for take-out read more

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I can't say enough good things about this place! You will never want store bought hummus or pita bread again, it is so fresh here. The meat is never overcooked & has the best seasoning. Staff is always friendly & the inside is very clean with TV menu screens on display & a fresh bakery case full of goodies. One of my favorites items are the bowls they offer but, they are not on the menu for some reason...they only display a sign about bowl options on their fresh good case. So here is the bowl menu in case you want to try one...so gooood! read more

East Bistro - The Mediterranean Eatery - Menu for create your own bowls. - Mediterranean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

Food was horrible service was good Chicken Kabob Plate was not evening tasty Spinach Pie was fair but couldn't eat it

Get a falafel and thank me later. I had to look back at pictures to remember what I actually got because the major standing thought I had from the meal was dang that falafel was delicious. And it was bittersweet because that wasn't what I ordered. I got the Hummus Pita Wrap, which is also delicious! I am in no way knocking that Hummus Pita Wrap, but when I took a bite of a friend's falafel, I fell in love with its fluffy hearty texture. I've never equated falafel and fluffy before, but it is here and it is amazing. The pita wrap is also delicious so I think the Falafel Pita Wrap is the way to go. I also got a side of Tabouleh and tbh I didn't like it. However, I don't think I'm a fan of parsley and lemon juice so what made me decide to try it is beyond me. Basically, don't kid yourself and if you aren't a fan of tabouleh normally, you still won't be a fan here. But don't let that take away from the falafel. Seriously, the star of the show, and this review, is that falafel. This restaurant is tiny. If you are a party of more than four you'll have to push tables together. It is a hole in the wall, but aren't those the best restaurants? I love locally owned and operated, no frills, businesses. This place is five stars, hands down, now bring me a falafel. read more

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The best Mediterranean food in the area! Everything is made fresh daily including breads and all the deserts. Vast assortment of fresh baked in house traditional flat breads aside from pita. They also have a huge assortment of desert pastries you can't find anywhere else. The food is perfectly seasoned, flavorful and nicely portioned. The family that runs this business is super friendly and really puts a lot of care into making all the food the very best! Order everything on this menu and you won't be disappointed! read more

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