Julia M.

Juniper is always great! You can't go wrong with any of the dips. My favorites are the tzatziki and the baba ganoush. The octopus is great when they have it, the salads are huge, and the seafood stew is amazing!!! You have to get the date cake for dessert!!

Alyanna T.

My partner and I shared the pear pressure drink, Lebanese spice fried rice, schnitzel, and warm date cake - TASTE: 5/5 - so glad we randomly went here lol. Enjoyed the artichoke heart and tomato gravy in the fried rice (thought there'd be a tad more spice though?), and well-seasoned chicken schnitzel. Wow, the date cake was amazing w its nutty, toffee, and cinnamon-y combo TEXTURE: 5/5 - highlights included the fried rice's edamame and over-easy egg, schnitzel's breaded chicken and home fries-style potatoes, and everything about the date cake lol: moist cake, crunchy pecans, and whipped cream PRICE: 4/5 - bit of a splurge, total came to $127 SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - wish there was a lil more rice, but still satisfied us for dinner SERVICE: 4/5 - walked in at 5pm on a Sunday and snagged a table outside. Our waiter was friendly and helpful. My drink was ready 5min after ordering, and food started coming out 15min later ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - lovely space outside w music, and dark and moody vibes inside PARKING: 4/5 - more metered street spots than expected on Central St

Helen Z.

This place does their carbs right. We have been here twice already in 2 weeks and the main draws from the first visit were the fluffy pita bread with delicious spreads (our favorite so far is the muhummara but we've only tried that and the baba ghanouj so far) and the date cake. We were stuffed after both meals, but somehow this cake opens an extra stomach or something. It is warm, moist, earthy, not-too-sweet, and reminiscent of sticky toffee pudding but lighter and more addictive. Can't get enough of it. The first time we were here for our anniversary and we tried the yellowtail ceviche (which I loved, it was very citrusy and refreshing), the chicken skewers, and the strip steak. Everything was enjoyable, steak was a little on the salty side, but still great (and somehow even better as leftovers the next day). The second time, we got the chopped salad and the strip steak again. The salad did not really stand out for me, but the shrimp in it was tasty. The seasoning on the steak this time was better than the last, they had changed it up from cheesy/herbs to a red pepper sauce, and this time perfectly cooked brussel sprouts were included as a side. This time around there were a couple hiccups including a longer wait time for our food, but we did come in to a full restaurant at peak time on a weekend, so that was understandable. Service here is friendly and attentive. I think we'll be coming back often to try more things, but the spreads and the date cake are unskippable for us.

Madisyn F.

I had a WONDERFUL time at Juniper on a wintry Saturday dinner outing with friends!! We were told that it can get busy so we arrived anticipating a wait, but we were seated upon arrival at 5:45 by a kind hostess. Each waiter and waitress we encountered was extremely polite, improving our experience with every interaction. They gave us advice on the menu, took our plates to make room at the table, brought us more water as soon as we were close to being out. These details improve the dining experience and I was thankful. The lighting was low, making it perfect for a romantic date night or a chill dinner to catch up with an old friend. It was a little warm inside (I wish I had a thinner layer under my sweater), but it's better than being cold in a restaurant. The group shared the SOOO FLUFFY pitas and they were delicious with the Muhammara dip. My partner and I ordered the lamb kebab - crispy and soft, with the tasty tangy yogurt sauce - and the braised short rib - perfectly tender and flavorful with the carrots and grits - to share. YUM! Everything was beyond my expectations and the portions were big so we left feeling full. I will be adding this to our rotation for dates or special dinners!

Taz H.

6 stars if I could! We had fantastic service and dishes during our Saturday evening dinner. The waiter was one of the best I've had - he was attentive and checked in at all the right times, wrapped up all our leftovers thoughtfully and with extra pita, and never needed to write anything down. I was very impressed. Our appetizers and main entrees were delicious - charred octopus, fattoush salad, an array of 3 dips, schnitzel, salmon, and bolognese. Even our picky 5 year old said "this is really good, can I have more?" :) We sat in a booth towards the back and as we were leaving, noticed the bar area had a super fun ambiance with dim lighting and music, perfect for a date night.

Shaun L.

Oh my Lamb-ta. Went with a group and was able to get my lamb fix (wifey hates it). Don't worry not all of the dishes are lamb, but one of their best dishes is lamb. The food here is delicious. They don't take reservations so get in early or be prepared to wait. We started with the 3 for $30. The dips were solid but the fresh pita were the stars of the show. They were little warms pillows, a must try. Then came the appetizers with the special cauliflower curry salad, the chicken, and lamb kebabs. All were great but the lamb kebab was easily the best thing we ate all night. The servers say this is their most sold out item on the weekends. The chicken kebab was great as well but the thing that made the dish special was the kale that accompanied it. It wasn't a raw kale salad but cooked down and seasoned perfectly. The cauliflower was great but it wasn't as transcendent as the lamb kebab. For the entrees we did it family style with the short rib, the chicken schnitzel, the Greek stew and the lamb bolognese. Everything was very good, although the chicken schnitzel had varying opinions either it was too salty or too citrusy. The lamb bolognese was good because of the fresh pasta and the huge portion but it felt like a let down because the lamb kebab was that good! Will definitely visit again when I'm in the area.

Dave R.

I'm super surprised I haven't written a review for Juniper before now (I thought I did!). Juniper has been a favorite of mine since it opened. It's brought to us by the same people who are behind Sweet Basil in Needham but Juniper is closer to where I live, so I'm there much more often. In my opinion, it's one of the top restaurants in Wellesley. I like to order from the appetizers menu and share the dishes with a dining companion. The chef(s) are creative with their dishes and everything I've eaten here has been delicious. The other night a former colleague and good friend of mine met up there to catch up with one another. We sat at the comfortable bar and followed the approach I described above. We stared with the Yellowtail Tuna Ceviche (fresh citrus wedges & juices, radish, scallion, pomegranate, peppers). It was super fresh and delicious. From there we went to the Steamed Mussels. We were still a little hungry and the person next to me recommended the Lebanese Fried Rice (from the entrees section of the menu) so we shared it, too. Everything we had that night was great, including the drinks from the awesome bartender. As I said, it's a favorite. So I know I'll be back one day soon.

Clarissa L.

A group of us came in on a Friday night around 6 and got seated without a wait. The restaurant size is a bit deceiving, it's actually pretty big towards the back. For apps, we had 3 dips, mussels, octopus, chicken skewers, and falafels. My favorite was the octopus with the jicama. The falafel also had a great crunch and texture inside. Chicken skewers were average and the mussels could have been skipped, the broth was a bit too sweet. For entrees, I had the chicken tagine. The chicken was soft, but definitely lacking in flavor. The couscous accompanied with it was also bland. I had a scallop off my boyfriend plate, and while it was fresh, it was a bit too salty. My favorite might have been the little piece of schnitzel I tried off someone else plate. We had the creme brûlée and date cake for dessert. The cake was great, but the creme Brûlée was so thin, it was more like eating pistachios and jam! Also, the restaurant was extremely hot for the winter. We were sweating for most of the meal and slightly uncomfortable while eating.

Mike B.

I want to tell you the story of the moment I saw the light drain from a child's eyes, as the crushing reality of the background sadness and banality of modern life was revealed to him in vivid detail. But first, I'll tell you about the food since that's probably why you're looking at Yelp reviews. I was in town overnight this summer and all of my plans fell through. Out of desperation, I picked the first nice place I could find that had outdoor seating. It worked out well. The food was good, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the whole experience was relaxing and tranquil. I had the muhummara and chicken shish taouk. Both were fresh and well-presented, though the chicken was a bit underseasoned. Next time, I would try the chicken tagine instead. Much more room for creativity there. Surprisingly, the pita bread served on the side was incredible. I didn't even want bread but couldn't stop eating it. Anyway, the whole point is, this was the time I saw a child crushed by the weight of society. Next to me was a couple with their child. It was the father's birthday and this was their family dinner to celebrate. The child was incredibly excited. Couldn't stop smiling. He had gotten all dressed up for his dad. He was so proud of himself. His parents seemed... disaffected by everything. Like they had no idea how to accept happiness, in any form. Thin smiles barely covering the cold, bleak reality of a life lived in constant terror of the opinions of others and the need to conform. So they're reaching the end of the dinner and the mother decides she wants a family picture. The kid is excited again. He moves over to be closer to his dad. And for whatever reason, he decides he wants to point at the sky in the picture. Out of pure joy. The sky must be pointed at! His mother turns to him with this withering look and says something like, "Put your hand down. We don't do that. Act like an adult." Then she stares at him, until he meekly complies. And in that moment, I could see every bit of joy, whimsy, and innocence drain from his face. No more pointing. No more smiling. She got her wish. He stared at the table, looking just as indifferent as his parents. I'm not sure what the point of telling you all of that was. Maybe I just needed to process it. Or maybe: A place like Juniper offers you a canvas to decide who you want your children to become. Make the courageous choice and encourage them to be happier than you are. Sure, it's a risk. Maybe people will notice them smiling, rather than constantly blending into the background of an unremarkable life. But is that so bad? Don't let your indifference leach into their lives. It's ok for the next generation to be everything you never let yourself be.

sarah h.

The service was excellent. We sat outside since the inside was full, so we didn't get to experience the inside of the restaurant. Both the host and the server were the perfect amount of attentive. The cocktails were okay, but had a great presentation. I preferred the wine that we had over the cocktails. The food was great. We ordered the steak which was cooked exactly how we wanted it. The ceviche was good too. Very summery flavors Overall a great spot for a date night, but make sure you are prepared to wait around 15 minutes for a a table since they don't take reservations

Sarah C.

pita was sooo fluffy and soft and the muhummara was great if you like nuts. couscous in the chicken tagine was delish and the chicken was pretty moist. lebanese fried rice also very flavorful

Robert B.

Excellent. Everything from drinks to dinner was top notch. The menu selection is eclectic as are the drinks. We kept it simple. We ordered the scallop plate, which was incredibly great, and the schnitzel. Both were excellent.