I had a reservation here and when I arrived there would be a short wait for inside or outside…read more(which was kind of cool that night) or immidately at the bar. Okay, for a solo adventure I chose the bar and yes, they took me to a seat there. Looking at the menu I knew it was tapas style going in but before I could really start looking at anything the bar tender said, "or, there's a chef tasting." Okay, stop there, let's just do that and add the meat and fish option. To start was the Strawberry Fattoush - Little Gems, Cucumber, Pomegranate Vinaigrette, Pita Chips, Sumac - amazing. Next was the Warm Buttered Hummus - Basturma, Tomato, Black Olive. Still doing great! Then the Fried Mussels - Hot Peppers, Turkish Almond Tarator Sauce. Can't say I have ever had those before! The Spinach Falafel - Tahini, Beet Tzatziki, Pickles was next. Though you could roll it up, eating it that way was pointless. Back to the knife and fork. After that was the Grilled Asparagus - Sorrel Aioli, Puffed Black Rice, Bergamot Honey. Probably the most familiar looking dish of the night. Then the Sultan's Delight - Tamarind Beef, Smoky Eggplant Purée, Basil. Aamazing! Still going after that was the Swordfish - Nettle Freekah, Red Pepper Tahini, Buttermilk Fried Fiddle Heads. Then finally the Turkish-Style Profiteroles - Brown Butter Crème, Sesame Caramel Cashews, Halva with something else on the side. All of this with a Shepherds Pilsner which I believe is my first brew from Palestine. Who knew that was possible? Needless to say, the meal was quite an adventure. Definitely worth it. All amazing as was the service at the bar!

Oh, Oleana! Tucked…read moreaway in Cambridge, Oleana is a cozy Mediterranean restaurant serving small plates. My partner and I managed to snag a last-minute reservation on a Tuesday night, and even at 9 p.m. the restaurant was still lively. Between the beautiful decor and warm atmosphere, it made for a great date night spot, though it was admittedly a bit dim (apologies in advance for the photo quality!) Between the two of us, we ended up ordering quite a few dishes: Whipped Feta (4/5): This was good, though I was hoping for a stronger roasted pepper flavor. Nothing wrong with it, but it didn't quite stand out. Interestingly, we overheard the table next to us mention the same thing, so maybe this one's a bit hit or miss. Spinach Falafel (4/5): Another solid dish. It was bright, colorful, and fresh, though a little messy to eat. Our waiter rather bluntly told us to "just wrap it and bite," which caught us a little off guard, but it was good nonetheless. Fatteh (4.5/5): Our favorite appetizer of the night. The creamy roasted cauliflower paired so well with the crispy pita, and I especially loved the sweetness the onions brought to the dish. Sultan's Delight (5/5): As everyone else says, this is the one to order. The beef was incredibly tender and rich. In hindsight, I almost wish we'd had the potatoes from the Adana Kebab to eat alongside it because they would've been the perfect accompaniment. Vermont Quail Kebab (5/5): Tied with the Sultan's Delight as our favorite entrée. The quail was juicy, well-spiced, and surprisingly easy to eat. I'd absolutely order this again. Adana Kebab (4/5): By this point, I think we were simply getting full. The kebab itself was good, but not nearly as memorable as the other meat dishes. Ironically, the potatoes and peppers that came with it might have been my favorite part--they would've paired perfectly with the Sultan's Delight. Baked Alaska (4.5/5): Delicious. The toasted meringue paired wonderfully with the coconut ice cream, though we were a little mixed on the passionfruit caramel, which came across slightly burnt and more acidic than expected. After a while the meringue did become quite sweet, so we ended up pairing some with the Muhallebi. Dark Chocolate Muhallebi (3.5/5): Yes...we ordered two desserts. I was mostly drawn in by the kaymak ice cream, but the Muhallebi itself was almost completely unsweetened. I'm usually all for desserts that aren't overly sweet, but this one leaned more savory than I expected. We actually ended up adding some leftover meringue from the Baked Alaska to balance it out. Looking back, given both our appetites (and our wallets), I think we would've been perfectly happy just ordering the Baked Alaska. Overall, Oleana was a lovely spot for a date night. While it didn't quite live up to the lofty expectations I'd built up from all the praise, we still had a really enjoyable meal. Our main waiter was kind, and I appreciated that the dishes came out in rounds, giving us plenty of time to eat and chat. The meat dishes were definitely the highlights for us, but overall there's a lot to like here.

Amazing food. I also loved the ambience. It was reminiscent of the Mediterranean…read more The plates, plating, and serving ware were tastefully chosen. The service fast attentive and friendly. I'd definitely be back when on vacation again. The orange honey cake was mind blowing

Generally a positive experience though this most recent time we had a few odd moments that took…read moreaway from the experience. We dined indoors. There were a number of flies/ gnats that joined us for dinner, which was not our favorite. We requested an open table by the door but were informed it was only for parties of 3- but then, several other groups of 2 were seated there during the period of time we were there. It's one thing if those tables were specifically reserved- that's fine- it just felt a bit dishonest. Also a note that if you have leftovers, they may not package the entirety of it (though I am not sure why..). For example, we had leftover tiropita rolls but the Greek honey butter (an essential component of the dish) was not packed. Similarly we had a lot of the chicken souvla left, but the roasted garlic yogurt was also omitted? Well worth a try, but less impressive on this visit.

Unfussy little joint with fresh Mediterranean flavors. The rice is pillowy soft. The beef and lamb…read moreschwarma is full of flavor and the side options could be their own stars. Great spot for quick healthy lunch.

Small portion sizes for the price, limited topping options, bland food. Not terrible, but was…read moreexpecting a lot better. CAVA is much better in my opinion. Ordered takeout, so it was quick and convenient, though.

We spent New Year's Eve at Moona and loved every minute. The host and our server were both…read morefantastic. They were welcoming, attentive, and made the night feel special. For drinks we ordered the Oh, Snap! whcih was super refreshing, while the Saved By The Bell had a nice spicy kick with strong bell pepper flavor. For food, the Hummus Tahini was the best hummus I've ever had (with incredible pita), and the Feta Fritters were AMAZING!!!! easily one of the best appetizers I've had. The Syrian Batersh was good, but would be even better with pita. Great food, great service. The restaurant was small and cute! It was slightly cold near the door/windows but we will definitely be back. And can't wait to try out the new Central Square location!

Good spot for a night out. Cocktails and food were decent, and the service was spot on…read more We came as a group and tried a few different things family style. The mushroom hummus and the lamb hummus was good, but not memorable. The zatar pull apart bread was freshly baked. And the crudo was somewhat refreshing. The baklava was alright, I preferred the olive oil cake. Overall we liked everything, but LOVED nothing.

Although we came in their rush hours, the staff member were attentive and welcoming. I like the…read moresmall cozy ambiance here. The portions were generous, fresh, and well-made. Look for their off-menu delicacy of you can. Otherwise, what's on the menu is already good enough.

Great spot near my new apartment. Big portion, good ingredients and perfectly cooked…read more Had: Chicken kebab plate

fantastic！with advisor and college. Good beef tenderloin and lemon. so chill vibe I likeread more

Came here with mediocre expectations …read more.. Boy way I wrong! First off, Evan was incredibly delightful. Knowledgeable, friendly but didn't hover. I would like him to be my waiter everywhere. Every ounce of food was incredible: we eat out a lot and I have to say, the seared foie was my favorite thing in awhile. We had escargot, foie and carpaccio. All incredible. Our meals were epic as well. We got duck and branzino. Both the best I've had of their kind. We will be putting this on our rotation of special event restaurants. It's worth it.

I had the Best Start of my Birthday here. The Staff went over and beyond for me to have a great…read moreexperience. S/o to the whole staff plus the two servers in the front & management. S/o to the lady that paid for my meal also!! Food was a 10/10 I will be back! Ambiance is was outstanding .

Most of the food was good, especially the bread, but I ordered eggs medium and they came back easy…read more I almost never do this, but I sent them back -- they came back nearly the same! Tuesday morning kitchen crew needs to up their game. Maybe since it's not a busy day they have an amateur cooking? There were only a couple of people in the restaurant..

My husband and I were walking on Newbury Street in downtown Boston and were hungry for lunch. This…read morewas a random pick and I'm so glad we ended up here. Aceituna Grill is a small, local chain in the Boston area with four locations. The menu has three main Mediterranean options (pita roll-up, rice plate, salad plate) where you can mix and match with different proteins and sides. I ordered a salad plate with falafel for protein. It came with pita bread and two sides so I got hummus and fried cauliflower. Everything was fresh and it was a TON of food for $15ish which you can easily make into two meals. We ordered at the counter and ate in the restaurant. Service was quick and the restaurant was clean. I highly recommend if you're looking for a healthy food option to check out Aceituna Grill!

This is like a Greek chipotle, wasn't expecting super high quality food but everything was pretty…read moresour tasting to me. The beef and lamb, the spicy orange sauce, and the vegetables were all too sour. The fried cauliflower was good but a little cold and soggy. Service was quick and efficient, and there's plenty of indoor seating and a tv like a sports bar if you need a place to chill on Newbury street.