This was our first time back since Olive Tree expanded into the neighboring space, and my parents'…read morevery first time here. We were shocked by how packed it was at 7:30pm on a Sunday. The wait was about 45 minutes, but it was completely worth it!! The Olive Tree Sampler is a must, so you can try a bit of everything. We also ordered three chicken shawarma sandwiches and the mixed grill for the table. Everything was just as good as we remembered. FYI they serve Matrix, a Jordanian zero-sugar cola. It doesn't taste like Diet Coke, but it's a fun part of the authentic experience and worth trying. Looking forward to bringing more people here. If you haven't tried Chef Yousef's food yet, put Olive Tree on your list!

The food is tasty here! The falafel has to be some of the best I've had in Tampa. Our table enjoyed…read morethe grape leaves and hummus as well. Another star was the warm yogurt sauce that had me wanting to eat it like soup! We also tried the beef and chicken schwarma sandwiches, the mixed grill platter and Chef Yosef's famous dish Mansaf. I wish I could have enjoyed a crisp white wine with this meal, however they do not serve alcohol here. Maybe they could consider a BYOB option in the future. We got a cute booth by the window and enjoyed the natural light and beautiful plants along the front of the restaurant. I wish our service would have been better though. Our waitress seemed distracted and maybe a bit overwhelmed by the amount of tables she had. Overall I don't think I would go back to dine in again but would consider take out.

As usual, this place is amazing. Today I decided to have my usual three falafel with a side of…read morehummus instead of yogurt sauce and a lamb burger with fries. Sometimes I get salad instead of fries, but today was that kind of day. The falafel is fresh perfectly fried extremely tasty. The hummus is their usual high-quality homemade version. Lamberger came out piping hot, juicy on a fresh bun and the fries are delicious. I also ordered an unsweetened iced tea and that came out just fine exactly the way I like it ice cold. Even though I sat outside and it's a bit noisy here and a bit hot. I really don't care because I do love this place. If something goes wrong here, make sure to tell them right away and they'll fix it. They're very good. Finally, let me just say how much I appreciate the consistency on your Quality as well as the freshness of their ingredients at all times. As usual, highly recommended!

While in the area I craved authentic Turkish food. A quick search on our fav app and several spots…read morecame up. It was a tough decision between three places nearby and I chose Tazza. I'd hate to go against the many great reviews, but I wasn't impressed with the Turkish dishes. Firstly the name is deceiving. It should be called "Tazza Turkish, Mediterranean, Greek, Italian and other international food". And yes, I know I should've picked up on that bit of knowledge from viewing the menu - I get it. On the food - the hummus and tzatziki apps were good , except the pita bread were just reheated pitas found at the local Publix. The coconut shrimps were not coconut. The mixed grill was ok. Lastly the kunefe was eh.. The Turkish coffee was good. Overall not impressed with the Turkish food. It wasn't terrible just not as authentic as I expected. And quite overpriced

Came here with a party of four on a Saturday at 5:30 and and there was plenty of seating. We had…read moresuper fast service and the restaurant was very clean. We started off with the mint lemonade, which was amazing. Definitely recommend. Then they let us to half of the family platter, which is very generous of them. It was the perfect amount of food for a party of four. All of the sides were super delicious And their pita bread was awesome. Definitely plan on coming back next time we're in Temple Terrace!

This Mediterranean BBQ place is one of the few new restaurants in temple terrace. The place is big…read more We came here during the Ramadan and they run out of the table. So we revisit them in the different date. We order the mixed grill. This dish comes with shih kabab, kafta kabab, chicken kebab. The side dish includes rice, grill onion, grilled tomato, grilled jalapeño, nan, veggie, and more. The mixed grilled is good for two as old person like us. The best among the grilled protein, the chicken kabab is the best. Service is good. The wait may take 25 minutes to grilled. Overall they are good food.

It was a great experience the food was Made with love, excellent customer service, we wish to have…read morea restaurant like that in Orlando.

We ordered the Petra Mixed Grill, which came with rice and a side of baba ganoush. The chicken,…read morebeef, and kebab were all flavorful. They were big, hearty chunks of meat that stayed juicy and tender, never dry. My top favorite was the babaganoush. This eggplant dip wasn't too sour, wasn't too salty, and that smoky undertone made it absolutely irresistible. We also ordered the Maklubk, a traditional dish featuring a fried half chicken served over a generous mound of rice. The chicken had beautifully crispy skin and well-seasoned. The rice was impressive-soft and aromatic, layered with eggplant, cauliflower, onion and potato. Truly unique. Portions were generous. We walked out with two boxes of leftovers. The service was good and the dining area was clean and comfortable. The dishes took about 25 minutes to arrive. But once the food hit the table, it was clear the kitchen wasn't cutting corners. The chef took his/her time, and it showed in every bite. We had a genuinely enjoyable experience here.

Decent and authentic food, good service and quality. People seems friendly and ambience was goodread more

Kofta was dry. Beef was overcooked (mushy and flakey). But the worst was the service. We were the…read moreonly people in the restaurant and still the waitress didn't come check on us for a long time. We needed water and cutlery but she was inside the kitchen or nowhere to be found. Won't go again.

They were so nice there. We were just eating our meal and the owner came up and told us he had a…read moresurprise. It was one of the deserts and we had no idea. He was so nice and kind to do that. We had a great experience.

had the most amazing experience Hamoody really made the first visit fantastic and the food was…read moredelicious loved all of his recommendations the tabouli, falafel and lamb kofta were absolutely amazing !! Definitely coming back

My first time coming here and it gave the vibes of a Subway really and I mean the sub shop not THE…read moresubway haha Uh well their falafel is delicious but their baba ghanoush not so much. But lus a lot of people who came in AFTER us were being served BEFORE us like what's up with that? Customers won't be happy with that and ya we weren't considering how long we already had to wait. Do a little better May's

Got a falafel pita... it's kind of like Subway where you pick what you want in it...Honestly I…read moredidn't even know hand the stuff but the guy made it easy for me.... they have a spicy option which I got... it definitely was but too overly spicy/hot, imo...Super quick service! Must have made my pita in less than a minute and then was at the register cashing me out.... Everything tasted fresh...Would go back again.

This is a marvelous spot. I started out with their…read moreclassic hummus. It is fresh with lemon and served with pita. Next I had some hot black tea which came with a mint leaf. Very good and a nice touch. Then I tried the mixed grill which is kofka, beef and chicken with vegetables. Delicious, fresh, juicy and not over seasoned. Also I had fries which were served extremely hot, crisp and tasty. Service is on point. They want you to be happy. A must try in Temple Terrace!

A hidden gem with a quiet atmosphere and good service! When we went, it was set up for Valentine's…read moreDay and I liked how they added a rose and candles to the tables. We ended up getting the shakshouka, lamb chops, and brownie tiramisu. The tiramisu impressed me the most; I originally thought it would be too decadent, but it was actually quite light and flavorful!

Hands down the best shawarma in Tampa, even after few days in the fridge still tastes AMAZING.read more

Shawarma Elshami is a middle Eastern cafe located on 56th Street adjacent to the Outback…read moreSteakhouse. It is in a orange plaza with mostly medical businesses. There are 6 tables inside and two outside for done in seating 24-30. It is a bit cozy inside. They offer Shawarma in both beef and chicken and either "loose" or wrapped in pita with some vegetables. There are combos that add fries and sodas. I got the Beef jumbo combo for $17. The shawarma wrap is cut in half and is about 7-8 inches long if not cut. The fries are fresh and hot. They give you 2 tablespoons worth of white garlic sauce which is nice. I used it for both the wrap and fries. They only have sodas from a company called Matrix. Apparently,it is an Iraqi company located in Jordan. I tried the "blue" one since it appeared to be the default. It tasted like a standard Coke but with 20 percent lime flavor added to the formula. I liked it but your mileage may vary. The soda is 8 oz not 12 oz like here. There are also some pickled vegetables included. The wrap itself is very tightly wrapped and stable unlike the very delicate Chipotle burritos which threaten to bisect themselves at a moments notice. The beef is fresh and spiced though not spicy. The pita is crispy which is different from other places in Tampa which is nice. I would recommend dining in if possible. There is plenty of parking and it is open Sundays. It is closed Mondays. It is not a quiet place with many kids running around so keep that in mind. I'm not a super shawarma expert but ths is one of the better establishments in Tampa and is a good value for the money.

We drive all the way to the restaurant to find it's already closed at 6:25…read more They need to update the hours because this is not convenient

Rare Ethnic Food #46 Syrian Cuisine…read more I am going with the bad first. The the consistency of great food at everyday need to bring it to customer. With that said. Our experience with the restaurants for one day is fantastic. We were there Friday buffet. That is the only best day or what we call Prime Day. The buffet set off day only Friday and Saturday from 1 pm to 6 pm. Friday we have visited is the best day compare to my friend went on the following day. The food at Saturday is not nearly good as to Friday buffet. The Friday buffet has Mansaf - a authentic Arab lamb dish. It was delicious. It also has bake and bbq chicken, beef, fried fish. Other than the main dish. They also have about 12 other choices including the eggplant. Food is great on Friday buffet. It worth the price and experience to try their food. Since it is buffet, get all you can eat. We were stuff with food.