I AM SO GLAD THEY'RE OPEN AGAIN!!! Years and years ago (over 20) I dated a cousin of the family and this was a favorite place to eat! Ordered take away and was not at all disappointed. The tabouli was so flavorful and fresh with just the right amount of bulgar wheat and lemon. Same goes for the signature salad with Sito's dressing. Mind blowing flavor and tastes. The owner's daughter is now responsible for the dressing he created and you can buy bottles to take home. Lubia omg the lubia! Yum times a thousand! The tomato sauce is brilliant and homemade and reminds me of the flavors of the kitchen from my boyfriend's Sito (grandmother). They even have kibbee nayee on the menu. I don't eat lamb, especially not raw but my current boyfriend had it and raved about it. He liked the texture and style of the fresh ground lamb. We also had spinach pies and the dough was amazing. Fresh, light and pleasant on the palate. The portions are nicely sized because we have leftovers for tomorrow! Lots of great choices on the menu. Next time we'll be eating in. read more

Khalil's II - Syrian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This quickly became my favorite Syrian restaurant in Pittsburgh , very friendly owner, good service and clean setting. They have a great selection of middle eastern food and my absolute favorite is the mowzat , very tender and juicy lamb with seasoned tomato sauce , really flavorful dish that I have ordered multiple times. Their other dishes are also worth a try but this dish the most unique one I have tried. Their baklava is made fresh at the restaurant and tastes amazing. Just a few of the dishes to try here, their hours are a bit short so keep that in mind, the music playing from the TV can sometime sound distorted and of low quality, it gets a bit annoying sometimes. Will definitely be back here! read more

Food is phenomenal. Restaurant is beautiful. Manager was running the show inside serving tables. We had a separate server. However, I don't say this lightly but this was the worst service I've ever experienced. Sat at the outside seating area among a small handful of other patrons. We had our whole dinner with only two water glasses for the three of us. Asked for another- never got it. Our apathetic server was unbelievably absent and unprofessionally short with customers. Very bad at anticipating and fulfilling needs. Took over three hours from start to finish. Will only be ordering takeout or seating where the manager is giving service next time. read more

My favorite restaurant in the world Have come here off and on for 30 years The family is wonderful ... service is wonderful and the food is fresh and delicious - unparalleled read more

We love this place! We recently moved to the area so we've only had takeout, but it's been amazing. The food is absolutely delicious, the portions are huge, it always comes out hot and super fresh, and the staff is so friendly. They give you tons of pita bread with the Mazza plates and each entree comes with their amazing salad. You can tell the ingredients are fresh and authentic. We're lucky to live a short walk down the road from such a great place! read more

Omg!! Best Middle Eastern food. Nice atmosphere, nice people. We had the Sleek and Chicken kabob dinners. The salads were wonderful. Dinners hot and yummy. Thank you so much. 11/2/19 - We keep coming back, and I have to tell everyone. Stop coming here!! It's to hard to get a table. Food still wonderful (stop coming here!) salads awesome! (Stop coming here!!) people friendly (stop coming here seriously). read more

Khalils is a wonderful family tradition that is so special. The Khalil family is so kind and greets you like part of the family. You are greeted with homemade artisan bread made exclusively by the owner.Food is fresh and flavorful. Ambience is awesome. Can't say enough good things. Definitely worth visiting! read more

So glad it's open again. Authentic food since 1972! Very true. Delicious and in great even more authentic setting. We will be back for more. read more

Khalil's II - Syrian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Had a great experience with Khalil's. We ordered a Christmas Eve dinner for pickup. Very easy to communicate with them via e-mail to arrange the order. The food came in four trays. There was a perfectly cooked shrimp and fish medley in flavorful cream sauce, a fresh salad with a bottle of their signature dressing (simple & delicious by the way), a garlicky green bean dish, and rice pilaf. There were also rolls and butter, plus baklava for dessert. Everything was fantastic. I am looking forward to returning and try dining there in person when Covid calms down. Another bonus - huge portions! Not sure if it's always like that or if it was just a special dinner, but there was enough left for lunch on Christmas day. Thanks for a great dinner! read more

This place is such a hidden gem in Pittsburgh. We love to order from here as their food is absolutely delicious. Chicken kebab dinner is my favorite which comes with pita bread, buttered rice pilaf and signature salad. Their buttered rice pilaf is so tasty that I can just eat it everyday. Service is very warm as well. Highly recommended ! read more

A gentleman at the Apple store recommended this place to us and I'm so glad we followed up on it. I'm half Syrian and although I make a few middle eastern recipes I don't often get to enjoy it out. I had the stuffed grape leaves and my husband had the ground beef kabobs. Both were delicious. The Lebanese rice was probably the best I've ever had. Better than my grandmas even. The ambiance reminded me of my aunts house. The salad dressing was almost exactly like my grandmas. I would definitely return. read more

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After seeing the large open window space in front after they re-opened, we had to check it out. I'm in love with this place! We got the labnee, Medumas, and a cod loin dish, which included a salad. All were delicious. We finished the meal with an arak. So yummy! The owner was super friendly and just adorable. We'll definitely be going back, and will be spreading the word. read more

We just had food at this place on Saturday. This is by far the best middle eastern restaurant I had in pittsburgh. The kabobs were nicely done and salads and hummus were delight. Highly recommended!! read more

The food is delicious here. The decor is warm and inviting and the service is outstanding. My favorites are the tabouli which is beautifully presented and the mahamarra which is so delicious read more

Khalil's II - Tabouli Salad - Syrian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

With no big family Thanksgiving get together this year, we ordered a larger than needed Khalil's special Thanksgiving take-out dinner. Wow! Delicious lamb shanks, ground beef - almonds - raisons stuffing, peas - corn - potato - etc. veggie dish, salad with mint, cranberry sauce - pomegranate, and of course pumpkin baklava. We have enough frozen for several more special occasions this winter, except that the two of finished off the baklava the second day. Can't wait to decide which holiday gift box to choose. read more

Khalil's II - Special Thanksgiving dinner. - Syrian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This is a neighborhood gem. We had appetizers, salad, entree, coffee, and dessert. They are vegetarian friendly, gluten-free friendly, and overall worth the visit. The decor is lovely, and the food is well spiced. The owners and staff are friendly. Highly recommended. read more

Khalil's II - Arabic Coffee - Syrian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I came here last night with my boyfriend and we ordered the special for two. We started with the best tabouleh I have ever had and a smooth, creamy, delicious hummus. We then had a kabob platter of herbed, lemony moist chicken, the most tender lamb kabob I have ever had , and a beef kafta kabob. The rice pilaf served with it was moist and buttery. The homemade baklava was to die for...Khalil's is hands down the best Middle Eastern restaurant in Pittsburgh!!! read more

How lucky we were to come across Khalil's! Great service, and out of this world food. Homemade with love. Usually there is a dish that is just "okay" but not here...Every single thing was delicious. Chef's choice is the way to go if you want to try a little of everything. read more

I came here with a large group of coworkers on a weeknight. There was only one other table of diners the entire time we were there--this was my first time at Khalil's, so I don't know if this was typical, or because it was a rainy Tuesday night. The waitresses were very nice and patient with us, even though we took a long time in deciding what to order. They brought out wines that weren't listed on the menu and told us about them, without being pushy. We really admired the gold teapots and glass teacups that came with the chai and orange rose teas we ordered, though the teas were a bit too sweet. The hummus appetizer we ordered was great. The chef also sent medamas (pureed fava beans) and the baba ganouge to our table, on the house, and they were also delicious. I liked the salad that came with my dinner (you can also just order entrees a la carte, without rice and salad), though there was too much dressing. Some of my co-workers didn't care for the dressing--if I'm not mistaken, it had dill in it, so it was a bit different. I was a little disappointed with my falafel entree. It was dry and seemed like it was fried a little too long. I did really like the rice that I ordered with the falafel, though. A lot of my co-workers, however, ordered the kabobs and were really happy. The chef sent another dish to the table on the house, something that's not the menu yet but that they're thinking about adding. Can't recall the name of the dish, but it had potato and wheat in it and was molded into the shape of a loaf/cake, and was pretty delicious. With so much food, we didn't have room for any of the desserts. The decor is pretty nice, with wall tapestries and the colorful tablecloths. It's a shame that it was raining the night we came--the restaurant had a neat-looking patio area. Despite the falafel, I was really happy with the meal, especially the great service we got and the appetizers. The chef even came to the table to say hi and came out again as we were leaving the restaurant to say good night. read more

Really enjoyed the food here! The restaurant is so pretty. Service is also excellent. Very friendly and warm. We had the traditional sampler with various mezze items. I had the shish kabob, husband had the sleek which is kale and lentils and lots of yumminess. Will defi come back! read more

My family is Lebanese and Khalil's came as close to our family recipes as any restaurant I have been to. Flavors were incredible and variety of menu items was wonderful! My daughter and I can't wait to return while we are on vacation in Pittsburgh!! read more

I love this place ! Their homemade dressing is to die for ! I always order the chicken kabob with the rice and salad .. hummus excellent too ! Please give them a shot if your in the mood for middle eastern food ! read more

I can't say enough about this restaurant! I'd give it ten stars if I could. My family and I went there last night for dinner and the food was fabulous. Can't say I was ever there when it wasn't! We ordered chicken shishkabobs and it melted in your mouth, the rice, addictive! They have a signature dish called "medumas" they created, a dip like hummus but made of walnuts, tahini and pomegranate that is to die for!! You can't beat the taste of their salad dressing and the salad was very fresh. The restaurant has had a makeover and there are windows now in the front that brightens the place up! Khalil's has an awesome ethnic atmosphere and the family is very welcoming and the wait staff so very nice! I absolutely LOVE this place! read more

I am sooo happy this restaurant is once again open. The food is FANTASTIC!!! Apps, hummus, grapes leaves, kabobs, SALAD, and on and on. The hospitality is very welcoming. Great place for a nice evening. Nice but not too "fancy" read more

Before coming to Khalil's I had never tried middle eastern/Mediterranean food (outside of hummus bought at the local grocery store). My cross-cultural communication class decided to eat here after going to the Cathedral of learning. For my first taste, I'd say it was pretty fantastic. My friend and I split the feast in half and there was more than enough food and by splitting it, we paid very little for a large meal. While I can't remember the exact names of everything, it was all delicious. From the skewered meat to rice, it was a joy to consume. The highlight was the bottomless, homemade and authentic pita bread with the hummus. Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm. I have never had hummus that tasted so wonderful. The staff was polite, quick and organized, especially considering I was with such a large group. They even took time to explain the different menu options to our poor uncultured souls. Since my first time, I've been itching to go back. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone interested in trying something new and delicious. read more

Absolutely awesome food. Prepared with loving and caring hands. Truly a wonderful family and it shows in their food and hospitality. read more

Khalil's II - Grape Leaves are Awesome: - Syrian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I have finally stopped in here twice after driving past for many, many years. My girlfriend is a vegan, so she loves the more hardy dishes she can get going to Middle Eastern restaurants. Khalil's has the vegan options and the food seems pretty good. The service is also high quality, although it does lag when they are busy. For some reason whenever we go there are strange people that disrupt our meal. This last time a man was sitting right next to us and he was talking very loudly about politics and wouldn't stop rambling about it. On and on into oblivion. We felt like someone had turned CNN up on blast right at our table. The time before that there was another man sitting by himself that was staring at my girlfriend a lot and seemed very strange. He was really checking her out, so much so that I asked him to stop. He just looked at me in that same strange way. I dunno, but obviously that is not the restaurants fault. Anyways, they are a pretty good place to eat. read more

I found a huge long black hair today in my to-go chicken salad I. GROSS! Dinner is destroyed. Seems like cooks do not cover their hair and there hygiene rules aren't well followed. read more

Absolutely loved our time at Khalil's (we visited pre-COVID closures). The menu is excellent and everything we ordered was delicious. Our waitress was personable and attentive. We look forward to going back! read more

Khalil's has reopened. It has very, very good food. Go there. It's on Baum and close to East Liberty business, the Hospital and Hillman. I had Kibbeh Saynee Traditional lamb & beef, mixed with bulgar wheat and spices, baked to perfection $16.00. I had never had this and it was very good, complex. And you get a great salad with it. The family is really trying hard to make this work. It's worth a visit. read more

This could be dangerous...Khalil's is within walking distance and everything we've tried so far is yummy! The restaurant and people were just lovely -- very warm and inviting. The lamb kabob was enough for two and don't think we didn't argue over who got the last bite:-) The chicken schwarma salad and mazza sampler were also winners. We took our food to go but next time I expect we'll stay in and try something new...including dessert! read more

My favorite Pittsburgh restaurant is back in business and better than ever! I had delicious lamb kabobs with pilaf and salad. The hummus is excellent too, and the wine glasses are generous. A new wall of windows faces the street and lightens the dining room. read more

I was really craving some Middle Eastern food. I moved to Pittsburgh from Brooklyn and was having a hard time adjusting to a lack of cultural cuisine until I found Khalil's. It is a mom and pop place, kind of a hole in the wall, but has fun, if shabby, decor like Nights of Arabia, but the silly ambience makes it more fun in my opinion. The food was really good, authentic tasting. I have spent significant time in Egypt and Jordan and can vouch for the authenticity of the flavors. I had the Feast which is more than enough food for 2 people- pita, hummus, salad (with a ton of fresh feta), dolmas, lentil soup, shrimp, kofta, lamb and chicken kabobs over rice with roasted pine nuts, and a dessert (baklava). The total bill with wine and beer was $48 and we had a to go bag. The waitresses were also very friendly and the food came out quickly. I can't wait to go back to this place read more

We are frequent diners an have been for ten years. For two people, try the "feast" and split it -- a great way to sample all the good stuff. The rice is always very satisfying -- but the shrimp is hit and miss, often over done. Still, we keep going back. Love the soups and salad. read more

The appetizer was lovely. We ordered the mezza platter. Nice variety of options. My entree was the sleek. Well done. Save room for the coffee and baklava. It's worth the calories. read more

We were group of five had different food all of the food were really good. It is better than all Middle East food in all Pittsburgh, PA. The atmosphere and decor is great. I will be back again for sure. read more

I absolutely love it here. The space itself is beautiful, comfortable, and clean. The owners and employees are kind and hospitable. From the way they describe and serve the food it's obvious that they love what they do and enjoy their customers. The food is incredible. The zaatar is some of the best I've ever had. Same goes for the dolma. And the kunafa is as good, if not better, than homemade. Walking into Khalil's feels like walking into a good friend's home (if that good friend also happened to be an amazing cook). One of the best spots in Pittsburgh. read more

I am not from Pittsburgh but was here on business. I had a craving for middle eastern food. When I asked at the hotel, they couldn't think of any place. This restaurant was only .3 miles away, surprisingly, the hotel staff didnt know of it. Called in a take out order. When I went in to pick it up, the family invited me in to wait with them. I was introduced to the owner and his daughter, who seems to be the manager. Her daughter is the server. They were very friendly, asked where I was from, etc. I got a very good vibe from them. The hummus and Baba-Ganoush were delicious and came with a large amount of nice thin pitas. The Kefka (sp?) dinner came with a large salad and rice pilaf. The salad was just okay. The rice was very good. The Kefka itself was a little on the bland side. Not bad, not great. I plan to go back and try a few other things on the menu. Given the authenticity and warmth of the owners I want to give this place another shot. read more

Wonderful food, friendly service, and a beautiful environment. I'm probably just repeating the positive comments from other reviews here, but I'm thrilled that family-run Khalil's is back in business (it reopened almost a year ago). I enjoyed a sampling of vegetarian options and dessert and I look forward to my next visit (which will be soon)! Restaurants often come and go, but those that have been in business for many years with multiple generations involved deserve special mention (and our patronage)! read more

My husband and I have visited Khalil's about 5 times now and have had great experiences for each one. We love to split the "feast." They are even flexible with the choices that come with the feast. For example, we always get two salads instead of a salad and soup. I love the food and it is a great value. My only suggestion for the place is to do a little makeover. The decor is a little dated. read more