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    Samira's Cafe

    4.5 (72 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Samira's Cafe Takeout or Delivery

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    SAMIRA'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Samira's Cafe

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    Beef shawrama is full of fatty inedible pieces.
    Christine D.

    We had a large order for delivery. The PRO: it arrived quickly, the rice tasted good. The CONS: 1) my 6 y/o nephew unfortunately took a bite of his chicken fingers and the chicken was completely RAW. Thankfully we noticed immediately. 2) beef shawrama was full of fatty pieces, and inedible. 3) chicken shawrama had a weird citrus aftertaste and was tough/overcooked. 4) the dolmas (Grape leave) was disgusting- very dry and no flavor. I threw it out after one bite... it tasted like it was very old. 5) the tabouleh was full of long stems that got caught in the back of my brother's throat. 6) the baba ganoush had a bitter aftertaste, perhaps this was old too? We called and was passed around on the phone, there's a communication barrier... they didn't seem to understand the gravity of my nephew eating raw chicken. We drove there to get a refund. I was only refunded the chicken strips and the beef shawrama.

    Beef Shawarma platter.
    Jay B.

    Samira Cafe left me full of regret and still kind of hungry. I ordered a beef shawarma platter for eighteen dollars and expected a proper meal. What I got looked like it was assembled during a fire drill. The portion was so small I honestly thought they handed me someone else's leftovers. The salad cost ten dollars. Let that sink in. They made it smaller and charged more. That takes a special kind of creativity. The lentil soup was eight dollars and barely filled half the cup. At this point I was just impressed by how confidently underwhelming everything was. And no utensils. Just tied plastic bags and a silent dare to figure it out on my own. The food did taste good, but the value was nowhere to be found. I paid thirty-six dollars and left with a light snack and a heavy sense of betrayal.

    Beef shawarma platter with rice and tabbouleh salad and chicken Shawarma Chicken Platter with hummus and babaganoush.
    Greg And Angela P.

    Amazing food and amazing service! Hidden jam in this area. Recommend: chicken shawarma platter and babaganoush!

    Samira's in Bartram Walk, Fruit Cove, Saint Johns, FL
    Donna L.

    If you haven't been here.... What are you waiting for!! Fantastic!! If you aren't familiar with Lebanese food, start with the Gyro (chicken or Lamb). I would recommend the Lamb. My husband loves the Black Bean Salad, I have to agree, it's very tasty!! And don't forget to get some dessert, it's all incredible! No alcoholic beverages but they do have to go and looks like Uber Eats, Door Dash, Grubhub and something w/Google. Can't get any easier than that. Service is great, people are super friendly and the place is very clean! Dining in is nice too. Keep our small businesses going... this place is awesome!

    Chicken shish tawook
    Joshua J.

    An unassuming, little joint that serves up some excellent platters and sandwhiches. I've been here a handful of times and the chicken shish tawook is my go-to item on the menu. It's got the perfect balance of chicken, pickled turnips, lettuce and garlic sauce. So good. The falafel is a good finger food or starter as well. The couple that works this restaurant are always very friendly which goes a long way. Prices are definitely fair and the portions are perfect. Please stop buy here if Mediterranean and Lebanese food is your jam because its well worth it. Supporting local business like this is a no brainer.

    Shawarma ($8) ~ I requested a mixed beef & chicken ~

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

    Food was amazing! Fresh and Delicious. Best Falafel I've had so far. Lentil with rice was excellent too

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    6 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Food has been really good at two times I have gone there. You only give him five is there too much dressing on the salad?

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    2 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Great food and family owned business. Definitely worth a try if you like Arabic food and are in the fruit cove area.

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    2 years ago

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    9 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Very good and large portion! I enjoyed the chicken more than the beef. Very good sides and warm bread. Will be back!

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    7 months ago

    They have really clean and delicious food they are the best Mediterranean restaurants in jacksonville

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    8 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Best baba ghanoush I ever had, falafel pretty good also! Friendly, clean, and they also have a selection of mideast grocery items.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Salad was great, flavors on point. The rest of the menu looked very appetizing as well. Fast pickup for takeout. The Will be back.

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    2 years ago

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    Beirut Restaurant & Spirits - Chicken Shawarma

    Beirut Restaurant & Spirits

    4.3(294 reviews)
    6.6 miSouthside
    $$

    The hummus was delicious, I really liked the pita bread too. Cheese rolls, falafel and grape leaves…read morewere great, too. Chicken kebab had flavorful meat but needed a better dipping sauce and more veggies. Service was slow. Outside eating area was nice if hooka smoke doesn't bother you.

    I really wanted to love Beirut and will give it another chance, but my first impression wasn't…read moregreat. I came in as a solo diner and was seated quickly, although my table was kind of nestled underneath the high outdoor bar. That meant hearing some of the bartender's phone conversations. I ordered a glass of Lebanese rose wine and liked it! But my meal wasn't impressive. The vegetarian grape leaves (one of my favorite dishes, generally) were OK, although several were split up on my plate (but hey, it happens). I thought the flavor was underwhelming; there was a lot of acidity but nothing else. I also ordered a side of "extra crispy seasoned potato fries" which just turned out to be generic crinkle fries with salt. Definitely wouldn't order those again. I thought maybe there would be some sort of twist on them? The big frustration was service. The restaurant was far from full when I went -- I counted maybe a dozen seated tables. After I finished eating, I spent more than 30 minutes trying to get my waiter's attention to get my check even as I sat with my plates pushed away, glasses empty, and credit card out. He walked by multiple times to wait on and check with other tables, and I saw at least five other employees working in the front of house and walking by me. Even when I got his attention for the check, it took quite a few minutes to get it, despite him walking out to other tables. (Although I will note he seemed busier than the other employees!) My check before tip came to $24, which felt on the pricey side for what I got. I hope I'm wrong, but I got the vibe that I wasn't exactly their favorite type of guest -- a solo diner who wasn't smoking hookah. (I noticed another solo non-smoker go similarly unnoticed by staff.) Maybe they heavily favor regulars, too. But they weren't at capacity, and I'd have gotten out quicker had I been able to pay. Maybe it was just an off night. But it's just not a great feeling to be ignored.

    Photos
    Beirut Restaurant & Spirits
    Beirut Restaurant & Spirits
    Beirut Restaurant & Spirits - Indoor seating & on the other side of the window is the outdoor patio

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    Indoor seating & on the other side of the window is the outdoor patio

    Mandaloun - Beef gyro.  A bit different than Greek gyros but still pretty good

    Mandaloun

    4.2(298 reviews)
    7.9 miSouthside
    $$

    Had a quick lunch there during my visit to Jacksonville. The restaurant serves Lebanese food. For…read morelunch, besides the regular menu, they also offered a small buffet, but I decided to try their regular menu. Ordered the Kafta Istanbuly -- a platter of two skwers of lamb kafta, grilled eggplant, lightly sauteed veggie (carrots, broccoli, zucchini), raw spinach and yellow rice. Descent serving size. Light, but very delightful seasoning. The lamb and veggie were just like what I make at home! The rice was cooked with peas and carrots and was good. It weighed about 6oz. Overall the dish was hearty and healthy. My server also gave me some complimentary fresh pita and zataar & olive oil (delicious). At only $27.5 (as of Feb 2026), this was a perfect deal! As there are not many Middle Eastern restaurants in Jacksonville, I am glad to find it and I would go there again the next time I visit this city!

    Tried Mandaloun today for the first time and was so impressed. We ordered the sampler with baba…read moreghannouj, falafel, grape leaves, tabbouleh, and Sambousek. Everything was so fresh and delicious. The grape leaves had a great texture and were perfectly lemony. The baba ghannouj was smoky and delicious. The tabbouleh tasted as if the herbs were freshly picked. I'll definitely go again. Service was excellent too, our server was very attentive and gave his opinion on dishes for us to try.

    Photos
    Mandaloun - Buffet bar

    Buffet bar

    Mandaloun - Grape leaves

    Grape leaves

    Mandaloun

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    Gyro 365 - Mixed Greens with Chicken

    Gyro 365

    4.6(123 reviews)
    3.7 miSouthside

    If you're looking for a spot that hits the perfect trifecta of quality, quantity, and price, Gyro…read more365 is it. I've stopped by a few times now, and they never miss. The Meat: Authentic & Fresh The star of the show is definitely the Shawarma. Watching them shave the Chicken and Beef Shawarma right off the vertical broiler (the upright rotisserie) tells you everything you need to know about the freshness. The meat is perfectly charred on the outside but stays incredibly juicy on the inside. You can taste the authentic spices in every bite. Fresh Sides & Toppings The attention to detail with their sides is impressive: * The Veggies: Crisp, bright, and clearly prepped daily. No soggy lettuce here! * Tabouli: This is the real deal--bursting with fresh parsley, mint, and a perfect lemony tang. * The Rice: Often an afterthought at other places, but here it's fluffy, seasoned beautifully, and serves as the perfect base for the meal. The Vibe & Value The interior is nice and cozy, making it a great spot to actually sit down and enjoy your meal rather than just grabbing a wrap to go. It feels welcoming and clean. The most important part? The value. In a world where portions seem to be shrinking, Gyro 365 goes the opposite direction. They absolutely load you up with food. The prices are incredibly fair for the mountain of high-quality ingredients you get. You definitely won't leave hungry!

    So good! Excellent hummus and their Gyros are large and delicious. Can't wait to try everything on…read morethe venue because it all looked wonderful.

    Photos
    Gyro 365 - Inside

    Inside

    Gyro 365 - Beef and Lamb Gyro Special

    Beef and Lamb Gyro Special

    Gyro 365 - Interior Decor

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    Interior Decor

    Athenian Owl - Faki Soup  Lentil bean

    Athenian Owl

    4.5(299 reviews)
    7.9 miSouthside
    $$

    Each and every time we come here, Georgia the owner makes us feel like family…read more We love the ambience, we love all the staff, and of course we love the food!!! We went last week and will be going again next week!! 10/10

    I'm Greek. And I adored the matriarch and chef Georgia. And I'm reluctant to criticize a family…read morebusiness. But I'm a foodie. And eating out now is so expensive that the meal better be worth it.   Sadly, I'm not going back to the Athenian Owl. (Even though Georgia promised to set me up with a nice Greek man.) My biggest complaints were the TINY servings for mostly overpriced dishes (especially the Souvlaki and the grilled Octopus), and the comically bad service .... Especially maddening is that a steady Greek Chorus of customers have lodged similar complaints on Google and Yelp -- all seemingly to no avail. Georgia's son George, the otherwise friendly owner, responds to each critical review with only a sarcastic "Have a Blessed Day!"  The Athenian Owl offers a big variety of home-style, traditional Greek dishes. The family launched it about a decade ago -- after opening and running for years, then selling -- the still-popular Athens Cafe. I hosted a luncheon for four. I prepared a tasting menu of shared platters (see orange menu photo), and went to the restaurant days ahead to go over it with Georgia. I prepaid $292, no drinks, tax included. I left a $50 cash tip at the table (frankly, that was kind).   Greeks are huge on hospitality, and take pride in being generous hosts. And they eat big. Even an ordinary Greek meal feels like Thanksgiving, with loosened belts and emergency naps ....  So, when skimpy platters landed on the table, I was taken aback -- and upset. Days later, I'm still upset .... I've eaten hundreds of Greek meals (was even fed Greek baby food! lol), and I have Never, EVER, seen such skimpy servings! It was like that old TV ad: Where's the beef?   BEST: -- Hummus dip w/ pita -- Saganaki flambé: fried Kefalograviera cheese. Alas, instead of a dramatic fiery show, the waitress lit only a small flame that quickly extinguished. Still tasty, but disappointing. -- Spanakopita: Spinach & Feta w/ phyllo crust. Get the entree pie, not the appetizers' triangles. But $20/slice is too high -- Grilled Vegetable Souvlaki -- Sautéed Mushrooms w/Capers: not on the menu, but it's the Riganato dish, minus the lemon sauce -- Baklava: phyllo pastry of chopped nuts & syrup -- Galaktoboureko: custard pie w/phyllo crust & syrup JUST OK: -- Pastichio: Greek lasagna. Too little ground beef. And I couldn't detect any cheese or sauce. It was mostly just noodle, ridiculous at $21/portion. The bechamel rescued it for me, but my guests barely touched it. -- Dolmades: stuffed grape leaves. So-so, saved by the lemon sauce topping. Dolmades at the Whole Foods' buffet are tastier -- and they come from a can! -- Elliniki salad: good tomatoes and vinaigrette. Tasteless Feta chunks. Overrun w/ onion. HARD PASS: -- Souvlaki: each Kebob chunk was TINY. And the serving sizes were also galling. I ordered 3 skewers of chicken ($30) and 2 of lamb ($24), and we barely got half the meat that's typically served at other Greek venues -- at like twice the price! .... I was so irked that I called Georgia over. C'mon, chicken is cheap. I've had bigger and better for 10 bucks at street food trucks.  -- Grilled Octopus: a Greek specialty, and traditionally a signature dish. I complained to Georgia again: Not only was the serving not the customary entire tentacle, but it was also the world's thinnest. What, was this the last octopus in the ocean? At $24: another rip-off. -- Avgolemono: supposed to be thick and creamy soup, with a lemony egg broth. It was thin, as if watered-down. Almost no chicken or rice. -- Lemon Roasted Potatoes: lemon? undercooked  -- Orzo "Rice": the waitress delivered this pasta side after the meal was over. Literally a "leftover," so I took it home. Blah.  Speaking of the waitress: Other reviewers here have often cited woeful service. Our waitress was nice and well-meaning, but .... She forgot the Orzo. Ditto the Tzatziki yogurt dip and pita w/ the Souvlaki. She screwed up the Saganaki flambé. She delivered the meals in the wrong sequence. She even had to be reminded twice to bring the bread basket .... What's nuts: She didn't have to write down a single dish -- it was all pre-ordered! And, she had only a few other tables. Luckily, Georgia often checked-up and pitched-in. I bumped-up a Star here for her.

    Photos
    Athenian Owl - December 2022

    December 2022

    Athenian Owl - December 2022

    December 2022

    Athenian Owl - December 2022

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    December 2022

    Samira's Cafe - lebanese - Updated May 2026

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