Lovely restaurant with a family feel. Nice place for a date night and adult outing. The grilled meat is fantastic and their pita and hummus are second to none! Love the menu! read more

In an area filled with cookie cutter chain such as greasy Italians , this is your best bet around for a flavorful ethnic dinner. People were extremely nice , the owner came to check on us. The lamb chank was a nice portion, some Oregon Pinot Noir is on the menu to go along. Will go back when in the area. read more

First time visit: very unusual and unique menu, short on leafy greens. I had never been served a martini with a slice of lime, so I think the bartender needs a refresher course...or a copy of The Essential Cocktail. Our waiter was attentive and made good recommendations. The pumpkin-walnut appetizer was interesting and the entrées of chicken, lamb, and beef dishes were all delicious. Highly recommend. read more

Every visit to Phoenician Taverna reminds me that I just don't get here enough. It's not in an area I frequent often. The rewards justify the trip though. The platter of small dishes is the perfect way to wade in to the extensive menu if what I assume are traditional dishes. Next level quality and flavor. I get the impression that the couple that are always there, she working the front of the house, he taking care of the back of the house, must be the owners, and there presence goes a long way to explaining why this is always a great experience. I can't recommend it more highly. Just great. And don't visit without trying the ayran yogurt drink. read more

healthy. delicious.... my new favorite food and restaurant. staff is great. get the whipped garlic!

Lots of good reviews, but the service and food here was definitely a winner. I couldn't pass up on the idea to try the walnut dip and the spinach pies. The walnut dip is unlike anything I have had before in a Middle Eastern restaurant, and very, very tasty. The spinach pies were more won-ton sized, so they were small bites, but very flavorful and there were four of them. The service was provided by very attentive wait staff members. I highly recommend trying this place if you like Middle Eastern food! read more

We are from Tiffin, Ohio and there is no Lebanese food there, so this was a wonderful treat for us on Wednesday night. I started my meal with a delicious fatoosh made with crunchy bites of romaine lettuce, cucumbers, fresh tomatoes, small toasted pita pieces, sumac, mint, and yumminess. It was amazing! My husband had a lentil and kale soup that he enjoyed. For his main dish he had the Lamb Shank cooked in a glorious tomato based sauce. I had Ouzi, which is bits of braised lamb, pine nuts, and almonds, served with a yogurt salad. My husband had a Lebanese wine and I enjoyed mint tea. The owner graciously greeted us and talked to us like old friends. I want to go back before we leave Cincy! read more

Really great food! Great service! Great atmosphere! As a native Chicagoan , I'm a foodie at heart and this place met my expectations and more! Definitely going back ! read more

Amazing! The other reviewers are right: the food, service, and gracious atmosphere make this restaurant a standout. But in addition, what I really appreciate is that this is a sole proprietor (he's always there, or else his wife is) trying to do something really ambitious, way above the typical gyro-in-a-diner. In Cincinnati, middle eastern food is still perceived as unfamiliar, so he's swimming against the current. But give it a try, let your waiter guide you. You won't be sorry. (The vegetarian kibbeh is superb) read more

Food and atmosphere is very nice, especially for the price. The only place I know of in Cincinnati that makes their pita fresh. I went for dinner and unfortunately they don't have falafel sandwiches for dinner, only for lunch. We also tried their cashew dip as an appetizer and that was tasty. Would definitely go back. Also, vegetarian friendly. read more

Had the chicken shwarma and veggie platter during lunch time. Restaurant was crowded but service still quick and friendly and food was amazing. I enjoyed everything i had, from the warm pita bread to the dolmas. Was not expecting it to be so nice inside from the strip mall feel on the outside. More upscale than expected. Will be a new regular stop in Mason for me. The only very minor suggestion: With lots of food names that are new for many diners in the 'burbs, server should try to make sure you know what everything is and explain it a little bit. read more

Consistent, there or taken out. Food is solid. Service is genuine. Lamb tartare is amazing. Worth the try. Love the filet kabobs. Keep going back. read more

Yummy! Super fast, friendly service. Hummus and pita was delicious! The Kibbeh(lamb beef meatballs) was my favorite part of the meal, so yummy! My husband and I shared the lamb Shawarma. I found it a tad salty, but still very tasty. This was more than enough food for two people- two appetizers and one entree. Loved the intimate romantic feel to the restaurant as well. We were in and out in less than a hour on a busy Friday night. Would love to go back and try the chicken that you can see roasting in the kitchen. read more

This is a family favorite and a true gem for the area! Don't be deterred by the location in a strip mall. The interior of the restaurant is elegant, and more accurately reflects your dining experience! The food is fresh, delicious, and authentic. I highly recommend the hommus to start--the best I've had made even better when eaten with the oven-fresh, homemade, hot pita they serve with all the food! Entrees are equally delicious. The kebabs are fresh and cooked to order. Service is always on point. Special recognition to the extremely friendly and passionate owner, who mingles with all the customers in the dining room and makes everyone feel welcome! One of a kind restaurant for Cincinnati that's a must-try! read more

Service was great. The almond dip appetizer tasted a little like sloppy joes to me but was completely edible. I also had the chicken kabob. It had a very subtle taste. It was good. The lemonade was fresh and good. At the end of the day, it was all probably excellent, but just not for me. read more

We had both the regular and vegetarian mezza. Great taste on all the items. Service was fast and friendly during lunch. Will definitely be back. read more

Wonderful atmosphere everyone was warm and friendly starting with the owner. The best service I have experienced in years. The food was excellent . At the owners suggestion we shared three appetizers and one entree . A great way to try many things. Our entree was a lamb dish which was very good and lamb done well isn't easy to find in Cincinnati. I'm glad it's close by so I can go there often read more

This place is amazing. Wasn't sure what to expect since it is located in a strip mall. Walked in around 7:30 on Friday night and it's packed. Thought it must be good with all the people eating here. The staff is super nice, helpful and knowledgeable. We sat at the bar and it was the best experience. We spent most of the night talking to the guy behind the bar about the food and the restaurant. Just by telling him I really like lamb, he recommended 3 entrees that I would like. We took his advice on one of the appetizers we got and couldn't have been more satisfied. He even picked the entrée we split. Everything we ate was excellent. High quality food for a really good price. Definitely be back. read more

This is probably the worst Restaurent in Mason and in Cincinnati area. The waiters don't have clue about food and the owner is down right rude. When we asked for vegan food they gave us meat and were unapologetic about it. Sultan is far far better in attitude, service and food. Pathetic food, bad service. Thanks but no thanks. read more

Really good food. I had chicken kebabs and my boyfriend had the lamb shawarma. Very flavorful and tender meat. Finished with baklava - floral and tasty whereas baklava is often overwhelmingly sweet. read more

Last night, Phoenician Taverna became the newest addition to our list of favorite restaurants in this area. Excellent food, nice casual ambiance, and responsive, friendly service! I was looking for something different for date night with my wife and was surprised to see the Yelp recommendation because I'd never heard of the place. I was even more surprised to see the location, because I drive by it every day and never noticed it. So I made a reservation. We were seated immediately upon arrival, which is always nice. We're fairly new to Mediterranean and Lebanese food so we started with the Mezza sampler platter recommended by our server (Zack, I believe), who was very helpful. Moments later we realized happily we were in for an unexpected treat. We'd found a gem of a restaurant. The Mezza sampler came with nine sample dishes, perfect for two. Many of the dishes sported names we'd heard of but never had a chance to try. It was fantastic! For the main course, my wife ordered the Sambousik (meat pies) and a Lentil soup, while I went with the Warak Inab Blameh (grape leaves wrapped around lamb, beef, and rice).Both were absolutely delicious. We can't wait to bring friends back to share our new discovery and try some of the other dishes. That Phoenician Taverna accepts reservations means this is a place we can head for on a Friday or Saturday evening without having to worry about being stuck with a long wait. read more

wow, excellent service, pleasant staff, and fresh delicious food. It's on my list. Can't wait to return. read more

Sometimes I step out of my comfort zone and try a new place. I went here with some coworkers for lunch. Now I did enjoy the Schwama wrap it wasn't something I would crave or die to go back for. The roasted chicken was also good but again nothing special. All of the dishes seem bland or basic. Service was good and the restaurant is nice. read more

This restaurant is a symphony of flavors. You must have the lamb, in any form, with garlic whip. If you like yogurt based sauces, these sauces are amazing. The lamb is freshly cooked and shaved to an amazing tenderness. You really can't go wrong. The shawarma dish is always a go-to, but you have to try the specials. Wassim, the owner, does an amazing job of meeting guests and perfecting their experience at Phoenecian. Highly recommend for a special night out or a casual night with family. read more

Chicken shawarma sandwich was AMAZING but unfortunately the classic shawarma was a huge disappointment. Overall, great food.

I was shocked to see that this gem of a restaurant was in a small plaza I drive by all the time. My husband and I tried the stuffed meatball appetizer, those were excellent! And, the spinach pie flat bread, also very tasty. For entree my husband ordered the salmon which was to die for and I ordered the chicken, lamb chunks with basmati rice combo. The flavors on the plate where unique. There was a salty tomato base under all of the meats, a serving of strong garlic whip, a cilantro olive oil pesto-looking sauce, which we ordered more of, and a small pile of shaved onion, cilantro served cold. I took great please at arranging different bites of grilled meats and veggies with the different items on the plate. It was very, very, good. The ambiance is awesome! We walked right in at 7:30 PM on a Friday night and although busy, the noise level was perfect for good conversation with my sweetie. I can't wait to go again so we can say we've tried other things on the menu. Very pleasantly surprised at how a restaurant like this is in the little corner of the small strip mall I drive by all the time. Who knew? read more

Yum! High quality food at very reasonable prices. Sometimes I feel bored with Mediterranean food menus and expected the same, but there were many options on the menu that were new to me. Enjoyed everything but will get the walnut dip at every future visit. Sooooo good! read more

We were in town for a tennis tournament and were looking for a place that could seat 12. We called that day and were able to get reservations for 6 that evening. We needed a place to accommodate a vegetarian, several gluten free and in general just starving tennis players. This place went above and beyond any other Mediterranean food that any of us had ever eaten. The homemade pitas were amazing. Every dish was perfect. Portion sizes were ideal and the wine selection was great. We will definitely be back next year!!! read more

Fabulous! EVERYTHING was expertly prepared and served. The Owner chatted to ensure that everything was perfect. That's the sort of personal touch that will keep me coming back. I felt more like family instead of just a patron. Put all this together with very reasonable prices and it results in a SUPERB dining experience. I can't wait to go back - this is my highest compliment for any restaurant read more

Wow. Starved tonight. New to the area. Guided in by Yelp. Really homemade authentic satisfying wonderful food. Great service. Warm and hospitable ambience. Food that makes you happy. Check it out read more

Some of the most amazing food I've had in Cincinnati. Simple, yet uber delicious. Garlic whip me good!

Great food and knowledgeable staff. Had several small plates and apps. Falafel is best I've ever had.

This is an AMAZING place for Med Food! Great people running it too.

One of my favorite places to go, the food and service are always consistently good, great value for money and one of my favorite things about this place are that they don't load the cost of the drinks on top of the food. I love their pies, humus and every entree has been excellent. My most favorite thing on the whole menu is the Shawarma, really, really delish. The staff are always excellent, very friendly and knowledgeable. I would recommend making reservations as they are always busy and rightly so read more

We moved to Mason 3 months ago. Looking for a new place to dine. In looking online reading reviews my husband mentioned this place. WE WILL BE BACK. From the hostess super nice, to the owner treated you like family, to our waiter Jake who made awesome food recommendations and then to our FOOD unbelievable delicious. Priced perfect. Thank you!!!! read more

Great staff! Beef and lamb dish was average... Hummus was very good with fresh flatbread served hot... Prices were slightly high, and at the end of the day, it was just okay read more

Phenomenal and authentic food with great service and a delightful owner. The M'hammara and shankleesh were fantastic on piping hot pita. I can't wait to return to try the shawarma and falafel. In a sea of chain restaurants in the area, do yourself a favor and check this place out. read more

Love this gem. The Walnut Dip is AMAZING!!! Hard to believe it's vegan. Love the fries with garlic whip as well. The Rotisserie Chicken is a winner too. Pretty much everything I've had has been good. Even the Jallab was surprisingly delicious. The server Mychael is always a pleasure and gives service with a smile. read more

Loved the food! The cabbage rolls were delicious! I loved the walnut dip and fresh pita! The server was pleasant and nice. The owner came up and explained some garlic lemon dip we had... and then I guzzled it- very tasty! Definitely a place to try! read more

I got take out and those who I assume were the owner and chef were very very nice. The chicken shawarma that I had had good flavor but was a little dry. The spinach flatbread was good and tasty and had a slight zing which I suspect is from the sumac. OVerall very good read more