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    Nineveh Assyrian

    4.8 (70 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Nineveh Assyrian Photos

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    NINEVEH ASSYRIAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Nineveh Assyrian

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    Greta G.

    I was in Olympia for a work training and was browsing Yelp for the best spots. Nineveh was highly rated by many and immediately intrigued me. My husband and I went on a Thursday evening around 6pm and it was already packed! The host was still able to seat us right away. We wanted to try everything but settled for the roasted carrots and Za'atar & cheese flatbread for appetizers. The carrots were absolutely incredible. For entrees I ordered the Duck confit biryani on recommendation from our waiter, and my husband who is vegetarian ordered the Ful medammes. We both really enjoyed the flavors of the meal and were very full after. Nineveh is definitely a place we will be coming back to and will recommend to family and friends!

    Pomegranate chicken wings - IG @bougiefoodieboi
    Kyle W.

    We went here around 5pm on a Saturday and we didn't need to wait for a table, but we took one of the last few tables as the wait can be 30-40+ minutes if you go after 5:30pm. There are not many restaurants that stood out when we were searching around Olympia, but this was one of the few, so it made sense. We got the Tlokheh, pomegranate chicken wings, duck confit biryani, and tahini pie slice. For cocktail, I tried the Tooyta D'Ishtar which has arak, so it was a fairly herbal drink with a bit of strawberry touch. Tlokheh is a red lentil soup with flatbread which has a bit of extra flavoring with onions and other add-ons, so it was not one dimensional. The flatbread was soft and chewy. Pomegranate chicken wings were well recommended. It is a bit on the cooked side but the chicken is still juicy and flavorful. I love the sauce as it had a bit of sweet and sour to it. Duck confit biryani is decent but a bit pricy. The duck is fall off the bone texture while the rice can be a bit more flavorful and of larger quantity Tahini pie was very rich and a bit nutty, with just the right amount of sweetness. Service is good as the server checked up on us a few times and fulfilled requests in a timely manner. I wished we were seated a bit further from the entrance as the cold breeze can make it quite chilly, but otherwise the dining experience is solid.

    Duck Biriyani
    Robb M.

    We have been looking forward to trying Ninevah Assyrian for quite a while. Between the great reviews and some coworkers who fawn over it. Maybe this just made the expectations a little high. We were a walk-in on a Saturday night around 6:00. We were told it would be about a 25 minute wait, and we put our name on the list. We didn't really pay a lot of attention to the time as we popped into the few shops in the area that are open at that time. An amount of time I would deem "reasonably close" to the predicted 25-minute wait time passed and we received a text at 6:26. By then we had already returned to the restaurant, so we popped right in when the text arrived. So far, so good. We were seated at the table second-closest to the door. This is unfortunate; it was around freezing outside, so we were blasted every time the door opened. We knew that was a possibility when we saw the layout. So unpleasant, but not a surprise and no one's fault. Just something to be aware of if you go. So we were seated right after that 6:26 text. A minute or two later, a couple was seated at the table next to us. They were greeted and served first. Normally I wouldn't complain about that at all since they were seated relatively soon after us, but in this case it was a sign of things to come. When we were greeted, the server took our drink order (my wife got a glass of wine, I stuck with water). The couple got their drink order. We waited. Finally, half an hour after being seated and twenty minutes after ordering, the glass of wine arrived. (Those table ready texts are helpful so I can really, really tell how slow service is instead of going by vibes.) When the wine finally arrived, the server mumbled an apology about the wait and took our appetizer order. The wine glass, for its part, had water and wine drops and dribbles on the outside, enough that my wife had to wipe down the glass with the napkin. Ew. Our halloumi appetizer came out and while the flavor was okay, it was just a hair over room temp and the texture had firmed up quite a bit. To be fair, maybe this is how it's supposed to be, but when I've had grilled halloumi in the past, it was right off the grill and still had that very soft but not melty texture. This was that squeaky-teeth texture that I don't love. Again, maybe I've been spoiled with hot halloumi, but I much preferred it that way. The fried arugula and the butternut puree that came with the halloumi were okay but we found them a little boring and they didn't add much to the dish. We ordered entrees, she the duck biriyani, I the 8oz beef tenderloin skewers. The skewers were cooked perfectly and well seasoned, and the meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender. It was served with an arugula and herb salad and some fresh pickled vegetables, both of which were light and fresh and tasty. The duck in the biriyani was rich and unctuous, like duck should be, but we both thought the pomegranate glaze was overpowered by the meat, and ended up a little too subtle. The rice was okay, but JUST okay. I'm used to biriyani that explodes in flavor, and this was aromatic and nutty, but again, we found it a little subtle. That all said, though, the main criticism, the loss of stars was the service. Just not there. Besides the very delayed/messy wine, our server was inattentive and unhelpful (on her), and seemed overloaded with tables (on the business). Waiting for wine, waiting to order, waiting for food, waiting to get checked on. When the water for the table ran out (it's all I was drinking), our server took the bottle but didn't return with another one. I did notice the table next to us got theirs replaced. Again, not in itself a huge deal, but it just added to our feeling forgotten. "How are you doing this evening? Have you dined with us before? Do you have any questions about the menu? How is everything tasting? I completely forgot to grab your wine, I am so sorry, that's on me. Any plans for the rest of the evening?" Just some cordiality would have made a positive difference. We'll be trying the food truck in the future, but between the so-so food (on average) and less than so-so service, we do not feel compelled to return to the brick-and-mortar.

    House blend cardamom tea
    Yuki M.

    When I was visiting Olympia, my friends introduced me to this incredible, cute gem -- and I'm so glad they did! We arrived just before they opened at 10 AM on a Saturday, and soon after, the restaurant was absolutely packed. It's easy to see why. The menu offers a unique and exciting Mediterranean / New American fusion concept that truly makes you want to try everything. The dishes we ordered were so flavorful and delicious. The interior is just as charming: it has a cute, teal-color-themed atmosphere that feels welcoming and modern. The staff was also very friendly and helpful. This place is absolutely a must-visit destination if you are in the area!

    Chicken stew?  ( forgot name)
    Michelle L.

    We went bc it had a 4.9 Yelp review. The food and service were great! Super friendly staff. Restaurant is pretty small, not a huge amount of seating.

    Lunch menu
    Michele B.

    Nineveh Assyrian is sooooo yummy!!! My husband and I ate here for the first time and were not disappointed. We had their trio of dips, with pita, beet feta, a bowl of lentil soup and shared a cauliflower wrap, we walked out stuffed and didn't finish the wrap. We will definitely be back to try some new things. We drove 40 minutes to eat here, so you know if I'm loving it, it was delicious. Do yourself a favor and give Nineveh Assyrian a try.

    Beet feta salad, pomegranate mimosa, bloody mary.
    Beth G.

    We went in Sunday, and were offered seats in the back for a Jazz brunch! The store front is unassuming, but it's much bigger in there and you could bring a group. Loved the music and the decor. We had very nice cocktails and the food was outstanding. Service was excellent. I'm hoping to go back soon, and often.

    This was the lamb shank special for the night. It was tender, meaty and delicious.
    Debra B.

    There is not anything about Nineveh Assyrian that merits less than 5 stars! We came for the food & drink - and it did not disappoint! We started with some delicious cocktails off of their extensive menu of cocktails, beer, cider, wine, and Araks (distilled spirits made from anise). Hubby had the Sumac Goldrush (yummy ginger aftertaste) and I had the Saz-Arak, a perfect whiskey cocktail. We decided to share our food orders - the amazing wings in a sticky pomegranate molasses glaze. The 4 wings are served whole and they are huge. The drummette section was the size of a leg! These were addicting! Our entree was the evening's special braised lamb shank. It was large, meaty, and tender on a bed of rice with fava beans and pickled veggies. Although we enjoyed it very much, the lamb could have used more seasoning. There are so many wonderful items on the menu, we will have to sample our way through them all! We had to share an order of the unique and tasty tahini pie - it was like nothing I've ever tasted and we enjoyed it! We arrived at the peak of the dinner hours and were quickly seated at the last open two-top in the dining room. They also have seating in the lounge. The vibe was energetic and the first thing we noticed was the amazing aroma. Service was friendly and efficient. Our server answered our questions and explained some of the menu items we were not familiar with. The wait time was very reasonable - especially for a busy Saturday night. We just found what may be the best Middle Eastern restaurant in Oly!

    Qarnabeet (fried cauliflower with lemon garlic tahini)

    This was my first time here. I had the Qarnabeet. It is fried cauliflower with the lemon garlic tahini sauce. So delicious!! A definite 5 out of 5. My friend had the Classic Breakfast. It was a basic breakfast, 4 out of 5. It's a small space with not much seating, a little loud, but it was still OK Overall, I really love this place and I can't wait to go back and have my cauliflower and try another dish

    Arak service
    Sara P.

    Went to this lovely Assyrian restaurant tonight. Nineveh has had a food truck and catering for a long time, but their brick and mortar restaurant is pretty new. There is a dining room and a lounge in the back. If you are in Olympia you should definitely check it out. All of the food and cocktails were delicious. Can't wait to go back and try more things. We shared the seared scallops, shrimp schwarma, lakhma and dip, and bademjan. I had the MT Ararat cocktail. We finished with the tahini and lemon pie slices. The service was very good as well. The one thing I wish they would do is add some acoustic panels to the ceiling and walls to absorb some of noise. It was very hard to hear the person across from in the Lounge.

    Qarnabeet, chickpea fritters, wings
    Sabrina C.

    Cozy and comfortable, great service and kind staff. We got started with some chickpea fritters, wings, and qarnabeet. All very delicious, the wings were the full wing and a real eating experience! The lahamajeen was very interesting, and the flatbread was the perfect chew. We also tried the noona smookta and the spinach & garbanzo stew. Both were perfectly flavourful, and a good portion to fill you up. Overall very enjoyable meal!

    Food truck on top. Front entrance to Nineveh restaurant below. There's a back entrance from the parking lot too that goes into the bar.

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    1 month ago

    Fun food. Relaxed atmosphere. The beef and lamb kebab plate was my favorite! Delicious kebab with a tasty arugula salad.

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    5 months ago

    Food is excellent and always different changes regularly. Service is incredible and the room is beautiful

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    10 months ago

    We went for the Saturday brunch. Food was fresh, made scratch, delicious and flavorful. I can't wait to go back and try the dinner menu.

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    Outstanding food and service. Unique and delicious menu choices in a comfortable atmosphere.

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    Yalla Seattle

    Yalla Seattle

    4.6
    (214 reviews)
    47.9 mi

    Yalla is a walk up window slinging unbelievably delicious Palestinian food. I went on a gorgeous…read moreSaturday just after 12PM and there was no line, but it looked like they were packing some take out orders. The signature saj bread is cooked fresh on a hot stone and is almost like a Middle Eastern flour tortilla with the way it's super thin and satisfyingly chewy bite. The only seating options are a few large benches on the sidewalk, but there's a poster saying you're welcome to sit at the neighboring bar which opens in the late afternoon provided you purchase a drink as well. Ended up sampling 3 of their wrap options and the Zaatar Wrap was deliciously nutty and fragrant, but texturally there was so many herbs that the center ate a little dry. The Lahme Khuruf (Lamb) was my favorite by far with super juicy ground meat with some tang from the labneh, sweetness, freshness from the tomato, and texture from the pine nuts. Absolute home run on this one! The Awarma and Cheese was a close second, but personally, the flavor profile was just a little less interesting than the lamb. Tip: grab some extra napkins as the wraps can fall apart a bit at the end!

    Update: I left a comment on the Square receipt about never getting the hot sauce and the business…read moreowner responded within minutes and refunded. Great service and fast response! I got a build-my-own saj wrap with the mushroom base saj $6, sumac chicken $7, tomato $1.5, cucumber $1.5, pickled turnip $1, and a side of hot sauce $2. The saj bread itself tasted good, but got soaked through by the juice of the chicken and became very soggy. We walked to a park 10 minutes away to eat the wraps and the wraps were bending. The ingredients are fresh but nothing particularly stood out. I didn't quite taste the mushroom on the wrap, and on top of that, I got charged $2 for the hot sauce, but never tasted it in the wrap or found it on the side. My partner got the falafel saj wrap which was overall ddcent, but he also found the saj bread quite soggy, yet the falafels were on the dry side.

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    Yalla Seattle
    Fityr and Labneh Saj with added chicken
    Fityr and Labneh Saj with added chicken
    Beef

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    Nineveh Assyrian - mideastern - Updated July 2026

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