Sooo so delicious! I ordered the beef tongue baguette and the manti. WOW! Definitely exceeded my…read moreexpectations. The beef tongue was super tender and you can taste each spice and herb it was cooked in. Super flavorful! The baguette itself was crisp but soft and coated with garlic sauce and garnished with juicy pickle slices!! Very great quality. The manti was crisp and buttery! They were stuffed with a fragrant spiced minced beef and the garlicky yogurt really brought it together with sumac!! I paired it with a pineapple Bonjus and also a minty yogurt drink. I am so happy they're here and so close to home as well. I can't wait to go back and try out more items. I hope they continue to thrive!! Unfortunately I did not dine in so I didn't get the full experience but I did order for delivery and the food arrived nice and hot!!

We really wanted to love this place but sadly it just didn't live up to the hype or expectation…read more Stopped by on a weekday around 1pm and ordered three wraps. The place is pretty small and hard to navigate around the seating. The best and our favorite of the three wraps was the tongue wrap. This was seriously outstanding and one of the best I've had. It was juicy, lemony, cooked well and flavorful. After that, things went downhill. The vegetable wrap was greasy, almost slimey, and falling apart. The vegetables were all soggy and there wasn't much flavor. The chicken shawarma panini was the biggest disappointment. This was so salty and had a bad taste like the chicken was rancid. It was dry and just not good at all. On the way out we spoke to the owner and mentioned how salty it was, to which he said he knows about it and people complain about it often. So why isn't there a change? Sadly not a place I would return to

Sunnin has an incredible menu, and it's easy to see why they've been a local favorite for so many…read moreyears. The flavors are authentic, vibrant, and consistently delicious. They've also done a great job evolving with the times, offering plenty of clearly marked vegan options along with choices for other dietary needs, including gluten-free. Everything we ordered was excellent. The grape leaves were fantastic, the eggplant dishes were so flavorful, and the portions were very generous. The foul (bean dish) was delicious, and when we asked if they could add a little extra to it, they were happy to accommodate us. The service was warm, welcoming, and genuinely attentive. And don't skip dessert--the baklava is some of the best we've ever had. I understand they've recently changed how they make it, and the result is outstanding. It's wonderful to see a restaurant that has stood the test of time while continuing to evolve. We can't wait to return and explore more of the menu.

Well, here I am back in La La Land doing some work that needed to be done…read more Staying at my dear friend's condo in Westwood with a view of the Mormon Temple and Santa Catalina. Being so close to a zillion restaurants at my feet, my friend's "significant" said let's do some Mediterranean food tonight. I put my thumbs-up and it was unanimous: Sunnin Lebanese Cafe on Westwood Blvd. and Santa Monica Blvd. it was. Well, I never heard of this place, but I said "let's Go"! When we pulled up to this strip mall entrance that was overflowing with human beings wanting a table at very happy this very we had a RESY. We ordered: * Hummus of course - which was delicious * Babaganouj - which was creamy and extremely dippicle [sic] * Beef Kafta Kebab - just lovely * Taboulah Salad - that was excellent * Fool or Ful depending on what Mideast country - was deepened with fava beans * Alamaza Lebanese beer that paired perfectly with our dinner. The staff here were friendly, helpful and accommodating. I've been gone from Los Angeles close to five years now, and every time I come back, I get a nice surprise like I did at Sunnin.

Food is so good I wish we came with a bigger group and could order more. Baba Gnoush is great and…read morethe beef is so tender! The restaurant is a part of Hollywood history and such a great vibe.

Our dance group came here after our performance in LA to celebrate his birthday! We had a…read morereservation for 9. The waiter or owner Baba, was so very welcoming and wanted us to feel like we were at home. He was very attentive and described our dishes perfectly! Delicious Would definitely recommend coming here! Charming and cozy and friendly!

Levant Bistro (the bakery part has merged with the actual restaurant) is so special. My friend and…read moreI planned to meet here for Lebanese brunch on a gorgeous Saturday. It was such an unforgettable and refreshing experience. Chef Anita has such a vision. Every detail was well thought of, from the outdoor patio dining surrounded by olive bushes to the indoor wooden and oak touches with Fairouz playing overhead. What's even better is EVERY single dish is labelled clearly for allergy diners! AHHHH as a nut allergy girly this had me geekin. All the celiac diners can enjoy their dining experience without any triggering fears as well. I went with their famous Lebanese egg pie and my friend got the grilled salmon plate. We shared the ful mudammas, my fave dish. The gluten-free pita bread def changed my brain wiring. I don't enjoy gluten-free food, and I was drooling. The pita was pillow soft, like how do you do that? Magic, I tell you. The egg pie was SO special. Pillow soft as well and super filling. The flavors of every dish were legendary. We couldn't stop talking about the colors, the plating, the top tier service. Everything about Levant deserves to be raved about. Come one come all. Def coming to Levant next time I'm in Echo Park.

Levant Bistro is charming, the staff are warm and welcoming, and the food is absolutely…read moreoutstanding. From start to finish my experience was everything I could ask for. We arrived midday on a Sunday and we're promptly sat, having been given the option for patio or indoor. We chose the patio, and between the clematis, lantana, and olive trees it is a very lovely setting in which to enjoy a meal. We were promptly brought a bottle of cold water and glasses, and our beverage orders were taken. I had a honey lavender latte with oat milk, and my husband had Lebanese coffee (no milk no sugar.) my latte was fragrant, the perfect temperature, and just the right amount of sweet. The Lebanese coffee was smooth, floral without being perfume, and excellent. We started with the falafel and the batata harra. Both absolutely excellent. For our entrees we selected the shakshuka and the Lebanese egg pie. Both were also excellent. Everything was well cooked, well presented, flavorful without being overwhelmed by any component. We took home a baklava tart, because we simply did not have the ability to eat more at the table. It was tender, moist, not too sweet, the pistachio flavor coming through as nutty and grassy, seriously so good! And it's worth noting, this whole restaurant is gluten free. I would not have realised if I had not known ahead of time. The texture of the pita with the shakshuka was exactly what one would expect, as was the bread of the egg pie. The pastry of the tart was flakey and delicious. And having said all of that, the service is what puts it above and beyond. Everyone was warm and pleasant, and seemed to genuinely appreciate the compliments. Staff seemed like they liked their jobs, which for me is always a good sign.

We just got home from dinner here and my wife and I loved it. The food was absolutely top notch. We…read morestarted with the potatoes in garlic sauce and an order of the haroumi and watermelon. What a great kick off! As for our mains, we both ordered a variation of the combo plates. I had the chicken tawook and beef. The Mrs. had the chicken and lamb. All good. Based on the food alone, we would recommend this place to anyone with a beating heart and more importantly, a mouth. This is quality food at a quality price. The atmosphere? Really great. It's a little dark and twinkly inside which sets a nice tone. There is cool artwork adorning every piece of wall, the place is very easy on the eyes...including the restrooms. Very clean. Our sever, didn't catch his name, but what a nice dude. Was super helpful without being "too much" he should teach a server class. He's pretty much who you want taking care of your table. He knew the menu well and made great suggestions. It was actually refreshing. We will come back, most likely with the family. Our waiter told us that they can accommodate larger groups which is great. I recently ate food at Saffy's and I didn't enjoy it one bit. The servings there are too small, too pretentious and too overpriced. Open Sesame is the exact opposite and that's why it rules. A wonderful experience in Beverly Boulevard.

How Do I Start This Rationally ? Atmosphere Is A 5/5. Service Is 5/5. Food was 2.5/5. I Will…read moreExplain. If You A Charging $145 For A Group Platter, Then Everything Must Me PERFECT ! The Chicken Shawarma Was Inedible Because Is Was Obviously Dry And Lying Around For The Next Customer. The Beef Was Good. The Beef Shawarma Was AMAZING ! Probably The Best Thing. On The Menu. Tabouli Was Great. $260 With Tip Divided By Three Is Too Expensive For My First Experience Here. I Told The Manager That They Shouldn't Have Served The Chicken Shawarma If It Was Dry. Anyways.

I have to say I'm so impressed about this place. I order to…read moretake out and one of the best in LA. I highly recommend it Also the portions were incredible. Must try

My husband and I usually have our go to Lebanese spot that we love, so we honestly weren't…read moreexpecting to find somewhere that could top it. We decided to switch things up and try Skaf's On York, and wow, we are so glad we did because this is officially our new favorite! Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. The falafel was hands down the best we've ever had. They were perfectly crispy on the outside, flavorful, and so tender on the inside. The hummus was also incredible, so creamy and smooth with just the right amount of flavor. The chicken was juicy, well seasoned, and had that perfect grilled char, and the rice was delicious. Even the cabbage salad was fresh, crunchy, and a perfect compliment to everything else. And the portions are HUGE. We were genuinely surprised by how much food we received. Everything was packed so generously, and they even gave us a whole pack of pita, which was such a nice touch. We had more than enough food for and plenty left over to enjoy later. You can really tell they care about the quality of their food and the portions they give their customers. Skaf's On York absolutely knocked it out of the park. We went in thinking we were just trying something different from our usual spot, and we came out with a new favorite. We'll definitely be ordering from here again and can't recommend it enough!

Carousel is hands down the best Mediterranean spot. I've been coming here for years and it never…read moredisappoints. Their arayes are a must -- it's basically like a lahmajun with two pieces pressed together, and it's insanely good. I usually go all in and order the tabbouleh, babaganoush, a pound of lula kebab, and shish kebab. Honestly, if you're with 2+ people (or even just really hungry), ordering by the pound with sides is way better value than getting individual plates. You get more variety and it just feels like the right way to eat here. Every now and then I'll switch it up and get the liver plate -- it comes with tons of greens and onions, and when you wrap everything in their fresh pita, it's incredible. Not an everyday order, but when you're in the mood for it, it hits. If you dine in, the indoor decor is super nice and really gives that authentic Mediterranean vibe. They also play a lot of 90s music, which somehow fits perfectly and adds to the whole experience. I've dined in plenty of times and the service is always solid -- staff is friendly and attentive. Just a heads up, food can take a little longer sometimes, but that's because they're always busy and everything is made fresh, so it's worth the wait. I've also done takeout here more times than I can count -- probably over 100 orders at this point -- which says everything. This is easily one of my go-to spots and I keep coming back for a reason.

I've been enjoying this restaurant for many years and always like to pop in occasionally for an…read moreitem or two. While I usually enjoy the chicken sandwich toasted, today I decided to try the chicken Shawarma plate. It came with a nice side of hummus, garlic spread, tahini, and a few other tidbits to layer your flavors. The people here are always very friendly, although they did miss one of the items on my over the phone order, even though when they read it back to me all my items were there... I really like the carnival vibe on the exterior of the building and you will be surprised that the interior of the restaurant is nicer than you would expect. The location is a little out of the way and the parking lot always seems too full, but this is a great place to check out if you've never been here, highly recommend the chicken wrap sandwich, make sure you get it toasted!

Thank god Bavel does not disappoint. I've been meaning to come back ever since I had that AMAZING…read moreduck at Bavel. I see why I love this place so much after watching the Odyssey too hahah the little lotus they served with the duck MUST be the lotus Charlize Theron has been feeding Matt Damon! That aside, this time we ordered the Fried Quail and the lamb manti. Both are just eye-opening delicious. It's fatty it's juicy and it's delicate. I do not want the food to run out, and it's much like the odyssey, hours later, I woke up to a different day and i still think about how insanely delicious they are! Different server this time, but still the and level of hospitality. Always checking in on us, bringing new utensils and recommending menus. It feels like we are the guests at a well run family dinner party. Loved the cocktails too. Nava and Semir are both excellent but maybe the former has a little too much ice. Loved their subtly. Definitely pricy, but I'd say it's on par with many of the Michelin starred place I've tried! Highly recommended for special occasions!

Bavel is an upscale Middle Eastern style cuisine restaurant. It has modern decor with massive ivies…read morehanging down from ceiling planters. It's best to make a reservation in advance if you plan to dine here as they are almost always fully at capacity. They have both indoor and outdoor dining. If the weather is not too hot, I recommend sitting outside. Our mistake was choosing the indoors because it gets awfully loud to the point where you can't even hear the server(s) or your own party speak. Truth be told that's the major factor in the minus 1 star as it negatively affected our overall dining experience. 1. Farm Cheese Spread (5/5) The farm cheese was super light and airy. It's seasoned with sumac/fig leaf za'atar, rose petal (mostly for decor than taste) and fresh rosemary. It's served with 2 slices of crispy edged, doughy centered, black sesame bread that's toasted to perfection. 2. Baba Ghanoush (5/5) This is a dip dish made of smoked eggplant, Jimmy Nardello peppers (adds sweetness and smoky flavor), fennel escabeche, dill and olive oil. It's served with sites of fried pita bread. The eggplant was perfectly savory from the grilled onions and non-spicy, smoky flavor of the peppers. The Pita bread is like a fried beignet donut in terms of flavor. Another enjoyable appetizer to share. 3. Oyster Mushroom Kebab (5/5) Amazing smokey, well-charred and juicy mushroom with a nice price tag attached to it, but still worth to enjoy. It's served with avocado-lovage puree and sumac, which paired well with the mushroom flavor. 4. Grilled Octopus (5/5): The octopus tentacles were cooked to perfection - soft & melts in your mouth. It's almost like eating a very soft rice cake with a hint of seafood flavor note. It's served with sides of skordalia potato puree, brocooli, lamb xo sauce and coated in dill to give it a slightly spicy and savory profile. 5. Slow-Roasted Lamb Neck Shawarma (4.5/5) Super tender lamb meat that's also very fatty. It's served with a side of basil-cilantro like sauce, pickled vegetables and tahini sauce which was super creamy and helped to cut the gaminess of the lamb. The dish also comes with a full size laffa bread, which was fresh (made in-house; you can literally see them making it in the background) and pillowy-soft to wrap the lamb meat in. 6. Cherry Sumac & Ricotta cheese pastry (4/5) We ended with a crispy Cherry jam tart. The puff pastry was flaky puff while the cherry jam was tart and sweet. It paired well with their ricotta cheese, which was light and airy and sprinkled with sumac. It also comes with a scoop of Pistachio ice cream that's subtly nutty and floral but was a bit too sweet for our liking. Overall, the food here was good, but the dining environment was too loud for our liking. This place is often compared to Bestia, which we prefer. Fun fact - Bavel and Bestia are owned by the same owners.

Very extensive menu made it hard to choose! Very friendly…read morestaff helped us choose some really delicious dishes! The hummus was great as was the rest of our meal. Very simple set up with great food! We will be back soon!!!

Furn Saj is a family-owned Lebanese bakery and restaurant with three locations in Granada Hills,…read moreCalabasas, and San Diego. This Granada Hills location is the flagship location and it was ranked #39 on Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat for 2018 ( https://blog.yelp.com/news/yelps-top-100-places-to-eat-for-2018/ ). [Parking]: The bakery and restaurant share the same parking lot as Trader's Joe and I had no issue finding an available parking spot on Saturday afternoon. The bakery and restaurant share the same parking lot as Trader Joe's and I had no issue finding an available parking spot on Saturday afternoon. [Atmosphere & service]: There is a mural with two people baking saj bread and there are about half a dozen tables for in-person dining. I placed an in-person order and unfortunately the service was very slow. I eventually got my order after waiting close to 15 minutes despite the lack of customers. [Menu]: Yelp's top highlighted items are Chicken Shawarma, Beef Shawarma, and Spinach Pie. They also have a display case of various baked items. Other items they sell here include Mediterranean specialty pizzas, plates (e.g. lamb gyro), Mediterranean breakfast, and flatbreads. *** Beef Shawarma Wrap (Beef, spread of hummus, fresh tomatoes, onions, and tahini sauce rolled and pressed to a crunchy toast - $18.00): The order came with two wraps. The filling was gooey and messy, but it had a very distinct flavor profile. Not too bad at all. Mini Spinach Pie (Raw spinach mixed with diced onion and sumac herb - 1 piece $2.00): It was not my cup of tea as it tasted very sour. *** A solid 3.5-star for the wrap, but bumped down due to inefficient service.

Gets my vote every time! I'm a regular at Open Sesame and…read moreabsolutely love their food. It's always consistent, flavorful, good portions, and friendly staff. The Lebanese culture if felt through the restaurant and music is playing in every room. I love the ambiance too. Perfect for lunch, date night, or casual dinner.

I'm glad that I tried this place during the summer stroll in Belmont shore so I had to come and…read morevisit see what they're all about. I ordered the Sultan which came with lamb chops, filet mignon and grilled shrimp which your choice of dip and salad. I chose the hummus and tabouleh My friend ordered the beef kofta we got these potatoes super good. I like citrusy and hanging these potatoes came out surprised, but I didn't like was a two dollar up charge on the garlic dip the garlic dip that they gave you in the beginning. I thought that was free, but it wasn't. Come here on a Friday night so this place gets pretty packed