Love this place down bad !!!!! i still remember the first time i tried the Lamb chops from here . Needless to say mouth watering !!!!!!!!! The service was always great and made to order .. so if you're in a hurry call order in and pick up . The restaurant it self has a great laid back vibe , very open and spacious .. also serves as a hookah lounge. kinda a whole in the wall vibes with beautiful accent pieces . love love read more

Frequently run out of items they do not tell you sometimes you get someone else order in addition to yours. Take out is more of a consistent miss! Rice and chicken seasoned nice with authentic flavor but if u order here you better have a plan B because there is zero consistency and management says O read more

The good was awesome! Had the lentil soup and veg sampler. I was the only one there. Completely empty. The server never came to check on me and never refilled my water. So disappointed. What was she doing the whole 30 minutes I was there? I'll come back for the food or course. Training training training..... read more

Layalina Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge - Lentil soup and veg sampler - Mediterranean Near Me - Denton, Texas

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First time here! Decor is very nice. I loved the colors and the lighting. Big space that can fit a lot; plenty of tables and bar space. I came in for lunch so not many were in. I was able to choose my own seat and was greeted by the bartender quickly. I took her recommendation since I'd never eaten here before. She recommended what many order here. The salad was good. Very fresh. The fried pita chips on top was a nice crunch. The meal itself was decent. The chicken had good flavor but was incredibly dry. Rice was fluffy and had good flavor. The l to go ramekin with the white paste was very spicy, but yummy. I'd be willing to try more here, but would shy away from any chicken entree. read more

Layalina Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge - Chicken Shishtawook - Mediterranean Near Me - Denton, Texas

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What a lovely experience! Mom and I decided we would try to find parking in downtown Denton because this restaurant looked wonderful online. The place is simply yet ornately decorated in a style that feels like the near East; beautiful lamps, mosaics, and draped cloth softening the feel of the space. The person who waited on us was delightful. Knowledgeable, kind, professional, and thoughtful. We hope the next time we go we get to see them again. OK, and then there's the food which is absolutely delicious. My mom had never had baba ghanoush and she fell in love with it. That made me so excited. We had the veggie platter appetizer we couldn't even finish because we also had beef and chicken Shawarma with rice and another side dish. We both agreed the food was excellent. We had just ordered too much! The proportions, generous, herb and flavoring well balanced and best of all the food tasted incredibly fresh! Will be back for sure . read more

Layalina Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge - Veggie appetizer platter and beef and chicken Shawarma with the rice. - Mediterranean Near Me - Denton, Texas

What delicious food! We have been here several times and went again Thursday and they now have great daily specials! The hummus is fantastic with warm pita bread (always our starter). I also like the meat pie but didn't get it this time. I usually get the chicken shishtawook (skewers) which I always love, but this time I got the falafel burger and I now have a new favorite meal. Soooo delicious! It has hummus and tahini sauce and oh so yummy. The Thursday special is a free lassi with an entree, I got the sweet lassi (my first time ever having lassi) and it was so surprisingly refreshing! I may have to go again this week, that falafel burger is calling my name. read more

Overall meh. Went for lunch. Had the gyro sandwich and fries. The positives: Generous portions Fries were well seasoned and crispy Gyro meat was good (not great) The negatives: The pita was over toasted and likely stale. It broke in half the minute I tried to pick it up. There was very little sauce. Between that and the overdone/stale pita it was super DRY. The tomatoes were in huge hunks better suited to a salad and were low quality and mealy. I asked for more tzatziki to make up for the dry pita and they charged me for a tiny side cup. I won't go back. Hopefully their dinner service and entrees are better! read more

Best shawarma in Denton, but the lack of attention to detail kills the experience. Made my order wrong at least 4 times.

Went to this place for the first time base on a random search for Mediterranean food. If you are around Denton and like Mediterranean food and lounge, this is a good place. The server was excellent, efficient, and polite. I went there for my lunch was not busy, and no wait time. I ordered their chicken shawarma platter with  baba ganoush and french fries, a plate of falafel with a side of hummus and pita bread, and a pot of tea. I liked the Hummus and the falafel plate. It was delicious and crispy. The chicken was a bit salty. The ambiance was good. I would go back to this place to try their hookah. read more

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This place is so interesting - popped in with some coworkers and I couldn't figure out the vibe. Half healthy restaurant then half hookah bar with music videos playing? Food was decent so I'd come back just for the food selection, not sure if I'd come back here at night. read more

This place has room for improvement. Service was good, but food was under seasoned ... consistently. Everything tasted like the next thing on the table. Not a lot of ppl eating in, more did takeout. read more

Wow, where to start. I ordered delivery to my hotel and made sure to mark that I needed utensils, none were provided. I also ordered kanafa but received two completely different desserts instead. The mixed shawarma was borderline inedible (overly chewy and fatty), and the so-called fattoush salad looked more like a basic garden salad with balsamic dressing. I am not sure how they are passing that for a fattoush salad. Being from Michigan, I know good Middle Eastern food, and unfortunately, this was one of the worst experiences I've had. I couldn't even finish the meal. I am not sure where all the good reviews are coming from. read more

About 4 hours after eating there I spent the rest of the evening and through the night on the toilet!!! It was awful! Beware, who knows how old or rotten the food was that I ate. Never again! read more

We stopped here for an early dinner on a week night and the restaurant wasn't very busy. Initially, we weren't quite sure we were in the right place since it didn't have the traditional look and feel of a restaurant. The music, which was on a loop and slightly loud, seemed more appropriate for a lounge, not a restaurant. Once we sat down, we were greeted by the server and we started enjoying the atmosphere. We ordered the vegetarian sampler, chicken shawarma, and the lamb kabab. Our meals came with a basket of pita on the side. The vegetarian sampler, consisting of dolmades, falafels, tabouleh salad, baba ghanoush, and humus, was excellent. Each item was fresh, nicely presented, and delicious. If you like a lot of lemon, this sampler has lots of it (in a good way). The chicken schwarma could have used a tad more seasoning but was perfectly cooked and tender. The rice was also nicely cooked and fluffy. The lamb kabab was the best of the bunch. The meat was very tender and perfectly charred on the outside and slightly pink on the inside. When I revisit, I will be ordering this as my main entree. The pita was served warm and was perfect to swipe up the hummus and the baba ghanoush with. There was some training in progress but the service was attentive and very friendly. The two young ladies checked on us several times during the meal. Portions were very generous. We had enough leftover for another meal. If you're in Denton, this is a good place for a healthy Mediterranean meal. read more

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Everything was great except for the turd and having to beg for water. Stick to the appetizers.

Charged extra for bread which is insane. The rice was the worst rice I ever had at an Arab restaurant. They didn't ask me how I wanted my meat cooked on the mixed grill and it was over charred. And the toum was so nasty, I would never go back. read more

The food here is very good! The appetizers were excellent and our entrees were very well prepared - the seasoning was on-point, the portion size was excellent. Kibba appetizer was so delicious and a worthwhile experience. Mixed shawarma was perfect! Lamb kabob was incredibly tasty! Can't wait to get back here and try more off their menu. Quick note - the service here is incredibly slow. We arrived and it took a while to get served our appetizers and meal due to only the brunette of the two waitstaff really making an effort to attend to everyone. The blond waitress seemed to only be attending to the one hookah and later second hookah groups. Lots of people came in and left when they either didn't get immediately served, or when they found out how long the wait for the food would take. read more

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I hosted an early birthday lunch for myself on 5/15 and had emailed the owner days prior to ensure BYOB was ok. It is ok and I walked in right at 11ish to see my table of 15 already set up and right by the window. The window was open so we got to take advantage of the nice breeze that day. Let's just say that Layalina is one of my favorite Mediterranean places in Denton. The food is always fresh, homemade and the staff is awesome! We started with the babaghanoush, hummus topped with gyro meat, mounds of lovely pita, fried cauliflower and the lamb kebab. The table ordered many things as well but I got distracted with our pile of yummy food! It's a nice change of pace when you're looking for an adventure in cuisine. You can't go wrong with what I just mentioned. And, the dolmas were amazing as well. Grape leaves stuffed with lemony rice.. Now, I'm hungry again! What are you waiting for? Go there. Get some. Support a fantastic local place. Life is too short for boring food! read more

Layalina Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge - Dolmas (stuffed grape leaves), babaganoush and hummus topped w gyro!!! So good! - Mediterranean Near Me - Denton, Texas

Really cool atmosphere and great Mediterranean food!! Chicken shawarma was great as was the gyro sandwich. Warm fluffy pita bread was spot on along side the Hummus and falafel. read more

Layalina Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge - Chicken Shawarma - Mediterranean Near Me - Denton, Texas

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First time to this restaurant. I was looking for Mediterranean food, and saw this on Google maps. Took my wife here for an anniversary lunch. We were the only ones in there, but the atmosphere was pleasant. We ordered the dolmas for appetizers and the chicken kabab plate (with rice and hummus) and the gyro plate (with rice and baba ganoush). All of it....let me repeat LOUD and clear .....ALL OF IT WAS DELICIOUS. The dolmas had a nice, soft grape leaf with a flavorful rice mixture inside. The seasoning on the tzatziki was really good and enhanced the profile. The gyro was well seasoned and very delicious. The chicken kabab was moist and had a delicious flavor. The rice was a star on its own. Not dry and had flavor that made me keep wanting more. I will definitely be back again! If you in the Denton area and need a little Med kick, swing on in and you won't be disappointed. read more

I went with my husband here on a Friday night - the place was pretty empty. I loved the staff - they were very responsive and active. We ordered hookah and it was OK too. I got their falafel basket with a side of rice and really liked the food. Was just expecting a little bit more vibe. But happy with the service and the food. read more

Layalina Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge - Falafel Basket - Mediterranean Near Me - Denton, Texas

The food was not my cup of tea. The rice had an awful flavor. I love Mediterranean food but I was very disappointed

Great Mediterranean restaurant! Falafel sandwich was DELICIOUS and the serving size was huge! Restaurant has a great atmosphere and the service was fast. Owner was also really sweet! Highly recommend! read more

Layalina Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge - Falafel Sandwich - Mediterranean Near Me - Denton, Texas

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Service was good and the environment was clean . A woman took our order and gave us her recommendations. We had the mixed platter and mango lassi. Both were very delicious, the platter featured 3 styles of meat. The lamb kebab was a little tough in my opinion. read more

Layalina Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge - Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Denton, Texas

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Great Mediterranean place with lots of interesting choices that you don't usually see on Mediterranean menus. Eggplant cauliflower sandwich?!? Of course! And it was great. Fun atmosphere too. Hookah couch area and games. Slow service. Unapologetically slow. read more

OMG this place set the standard on what Mediterranean food should taste!! Fried Cauliflower was flavorful, hint of salt, acidity of lemon and almost creaminess of the Cauliflower. Zatar pie was great- olive oil and zalat seasoning paired beautifully. Chicken shwarma platter balances with the softness of the rice. Fattoush salad- fresh lettuce, zesty dressing. The hummus makes you want to throw out all of the crappy hummus you've ever come into contact with. It's toe curling good. The dish that caught me by surprise was the lentil soup. Damn it, you would've thought there was some chicken or something in there. But it's just lentils and it's such a party of flavors that leaves you scraping the bowl. The owner is such a sweetheart and adds such a touch of warmth to the visit. To top it off, they have incredible hookah. Most definitely will be back. read more

Always so good. Always so fresh. I've had several different things here and have never been disappointed. Everything tastes like it was made that day. Highly suggest it! read more

I'm a picky person and always looking for the real taste. Layalina's serving and kabob quality always answers my cravings. Not your ordinary kabob. You'll feel the mediterranean spice and stuffed juicy beef that was seriously made special to every order. Price wise? Perfect. Super recommended for your ground beef kabob cravings. read more

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WOW. Sat down at a table around 3pm on a hot Friday afternoon after a graduation ceremony. We'd found them on Yelp & local reviews and were excited to go. One big table towards the back who seemed to be friends of the staff, plus a 2-top on the side, and we 4 close to the front. They not only slow-walked coming by with menus, they made faces at us as we sat down -- like waiting on another table was the *last* thing they wanted to do. We never even got water. We could see them argue about who would take our table, then both avoided us altogether. For 15 minutes. We waved, we walked closer and gestured for water, it was shocking. Almost funny, if we hadn't been so thirsty & hungry. read more

Came here about a month ago from this review. Great food and great service. Plenty of seats. We ordered chicken shawarma plate and the beef kifta kabob plate with a side of hummus. The hummus and pita breads are so addicting. A plate is enough to share among 2 people. Definitely recommend checking this place out if you're near by. read more

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I was looking for some amazing Lebanese, Armenian, or Greek food while staying in Denton, Texas for a conference this week. We got out late and we're starving. I had a good friend from Kenya with me, and wanted to get something that he would like. I was thinking Shwarma or a Gyro without the veggies would be similar to beef or chicken with Chapati (a bread that he is used to, which is similar to pita, or Naan). We started off with the Baba Ganoush, and Grape leaves which were both delicious! Unfortunately my friend didn't care for them, but they were both very good. Then came the Falafel which was just ok. The disappointment of the evening was the shwarma which had a funny flavor (sauce with it) that I had never tasted before. I may not be an expert, but I have eaten a ton of shwarma and never had anything like this. I asked the waiter where they were from and he said Jordan. I think it must have been very authentic for that region and yet much different from the Lebanese, Armenian, or Greek that I am used to. read more

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I just had lunch for the second time at Layalina and it was scrumptious once again! This time I had the half roasted chicken. Crispy skin, perfect seasoning, tender juicy meat. Perfection! My friend had the chicken shawarma which looked spectacular! These came with a big basket of pita, warm and fluffy. Also we chose hummus and salad for our sides. Both delicious! Portions were large and we both had take-a-ways. Service was spot on! The waitress was prompt and checked back with us discreetly. Prices are reasonable, there was NO wait, and the background music was great! I'll go back again! Just wish I had taken photos... read more

Food was so good! I've never had Mediterranean food before and I'm hooked now! Our waitress was so sweet! The atmosphere is really cool! The decor is gorgeous. read more

I ordered gyro and fries through Uber Eats. Simple enough, but the driver waited over 30 minutes. Fries were over cooked. The meat was crispy on the edges...way over cooked. The naan was burned, and the tzatziki sauce was barely there. Do better. read more

We order lamb kabobs and baba ganoush. The Arabic salad is good. We have found our greek restaurant! read more

The best of the best mediterranean restaurant Denton Texas has to offer. They have the freshest meats and vegetables. Plus the most courteous staff. The best steak kabob I have had in Denton. This place beat out Beruit Mediterranean by a mile and cheaper price as well. Hats off to the cook and staff. Superior dining at a good price. read more

Layalina is by far the best Palestinian / Jordanian cuisine in northern Texas. Every element of the menu is given special attention. I lived in Jerusalem for several years and have traveled extensively throughout the region. Layalina dishes authentically represent regional cuisine. read more

Layalina Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge - The Fried Cauliflower and Fried Eggplant starters. Excellent examples of Palestinian mezza. Zaki ikhtir! - Mediterranean Near Me - Denton, Texas

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Three of us went for dinner tonight. Had chicken shawarma sandwich, fried cauliflower sandwich and grilled chicken salad. It took a while to get our food and it was great to hear our server apologize for the delay. They had a bunch of delivery orders, so great to see a lot of business! The food was great and the service was very good as well. Price is very reasonable. Definitely a place we would go back to visit and recommend to others. read more

This was my first time here with my Dad and Grandma, we loved it! The service was great and the food was excellent! I enjoyed the Mediterranean cultural atmosphere of the restaurant. This is a delicious spot! read more

Layalina Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge - Lamb Kabab - Mediterranean Near Me - Denton, Texas

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I've been a fan since they were on Ft. Worth Dr. and so happy to see they've moved into the square. The new location is super cute and late night hours can't be beat. Top notch food & customer service. Always fresh! Sana the owner is awesome and she always wants to know about your experience. A genuinely friendly family owned business! I will come here again and again as long as I'm in the area. Can't wait to come for the hookah lounge experience on the weekend. read more