Small and very clean, almost hole in the wall kind of place in an old shopping center in a…read moreresidential neighborhood. Arabic music playing. Service is very friendly, and as quick as possible, considering that stuff seems to be made to order. I ordered a chicken kebab platter which comes over a bed of basmati rice, possibly with saffron. Whatever the rice tasted great and it wasn't dry like at a lot of places. The chicken was marinated in a tangy yogurt-spice mix, grilled and topped with a tahini sauce. Delicious! As sides I got mujadara and roasted vegetables which were also tasty. I'll be back for takeout for sure in the future.

"Bodega-like Mediterranean Grill & Grocery in Parkwood area of Durham"…read more This place is WAY off the beaten path for most, but I'm so happy to have gotten to try it out. Nestled in a little strip between a Muslim school and a mosque is this grill and grocery. We came on a Wednesday evening, and almost every table was already taken by diners. You order your food at a counter, and it has the Middle Eastern foods you'd expect-- kofta, shawarma, gyros, falafel, baba ghanouj, hummus, baklava, etc. I opted for the lamb gyro sandwich with a side of baba ghanouj, and my dining partner had the falafel sandwich. They call your number when it's ready. Food took maybe 10 minutes to receive, so we browsed the market area. It's not a huge selection, but very traditional-- nice seeing so many labels in Arabic, and along with standards (e.g., canned fava beans for Ful Medames), they also had things like frozen chopped mulukhiyah leaves-- that's definitely a rarer sight. Lots of good spices too. The food was EXCELLENT. The lamb was juicy and perfect (unlike what another Yelp review said), the tzatziki sauce was delicious, and the baba ghanouj was perfectly cooked and textured. I had a small bite of the falafel, and it was indeed one of the best I've had in the US. Price was fair, too-- the sandwiches are all under $10 before tax and tip, and making it a combo with side and drink cost just something like $2.50. And service was friendly-- although they called out numbers, they did walk out with the food to try to find and bring you your dishes. And while it was an older space, it was overall still generally clean. Overall, I'd VERY happily come back.

Food , service and Ambiance get five stars I believe Met…read moreDeli is the real deal. I've been coming here since my UNC days starting in 2008 and even though I'm now much farther away, I still make the drive. That says everything. This place has been a community staple for years, and I was so relieved when they reopened after the fire. The Mediterranean menu is unlike anything I've seen -- the selection is massive and everything is fresh and authentic. They also serve Turkish-style pizzas, bake their own bread daily, have a small grocery, and offer desserts. Don't skip the chocolate baklava -- perfectly baked, not too sweet, and generous with the pistachios. The owner is kind, engaged, and genuinely part of the Chapel Hill community. You One practical note: downtown Chapel Hill parking is no joke -- towing and ticketing are aggressive, so give yourself extra time to find a spot. Totally worth the effort though. If Yelp allowed ten stars, Met Deli would get every one of them.

We came in for a weekday lunch. The lunch room is chaotic…read moreand a bit confusing but repeat customers probably know what to do. We figured out how to place our order at the counter. Food is then dropped off at your table. You bus the table yourself. They want a minimum 20 percent tip. That is becoming irritating when you get no service. To the food:chicken kebabs were a bit undercooked but I had picked two delicious sides, including tabouleh. Sides were sensational. My partner also loved the sides and the pita bread. The biggest disappointment? Baklava. It was old and not freshly cooked. So no flakiness.

Delicious Mediterranean style food! The pita chips were well seasoned and the meat was tender. I…read morewish there was a sauce that came with the meat but overall a pretty good dish. Not pictured but also ordered was the spinach pie which was good. The service was quick and there's not too much seating but luckily we did not have a hard time finding a spot. The people were also really helpful and attentive.

This falafel was insanely good!! Nice deli kind if setup with lots of seating inside and a cute…read morespace (:

This place is very special! She makes this food with love and mostly organic ingredients if not…read morefully! You can taste the difference! I cannot wait to go back!

Persian flavors and Mally are the reasons to visit this out-of-way kitchen. My wife and I stopped…read morein for lunch while looking at another nearby shop. We were greeted warmly by David, the assistant, and he explained each of the available dishes on the trays stacked on the shelving unit. We chose pirashkis, flaky dough filled with meats or veggies, and plenty of yummy spices. Our two favorites were the tomato and the chicken and sausages. Mally, the owner and top chef, engaged us in conversation that felt like we were welcome guests in her home, specifically the kitchen. Mally gave us a plate of fresh greens from her garden complete with edible Nasturtium flowers. Very limited seating was available inside and the breezeway outside had a number of tables where we enjoyed our food and a cool breeze. After our lunch, we walked back to the kitchen to tell Mally how delicious everything tasted and I picked up a baklava to go. Tasty walnut and honey in layered philo dough was a great finish lunch. This woman-owned small business is worth supporting, IMO, for all the reasons above. Additional Note: Rice and stew options are available as noted by other Yelpers.

Mediterranean Deli, conveniently located on Williamson Avenue just off-campus from Elon University,…read morefeatures tasty, freshly-made, and very generous portions of Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine in a very casual ambiance. I recently stopped in for lunch while visiting my niece at Elon and really enjoyed the experience! The atmosphere is very casual.. you place your order at the front counter and then grab a soda or iced tea from the self-serve soda fountain and a table while they prepare your plate. Our meals were freshly made and incredibly tasty. I ordered the hummus and falafel sandwich ($10), a generous portion of freshly-made falafel and regular hummus topped off with lettuce and tomato served in a pita, which was delicious and very filling. Just a heads up -- it's a little messy to eat since the hummus broke out of the bottom of the pita. Portions are reasonable for the price and the freshness of the ingredients was obvious. The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the staff could be a little friendlier, but the food quality definitely makes it worth a visit while you're near campus. PRO TIP #1: Bonus points for the small sauce and pickled vegetables bar available to patrons no matter whether they grab one of the handful of small tables to enjoy their meal in-house or take their orders to enjoy elsewhere. PRO TIP #2: Mediterranean Deli doesn't have a private parking lot, but there's plenty of free on-street parking on Williamson Avenue and Lebanon Avenue.

Update: I usually give an establishment at least one more chance before writing a bad review. This…read morepast Friday was the second time that Med Deli has missed the mark with both customer service and food quality. First, customer service has been declining. Workers constantly watching tv, talking, or just like this last Friday, on their phones. We walked in and the man at the counter & young lady with purple hair did not look up from their phones-NOT ONE TIME. They did not greet us nor ask did we need any help. And it wasn't just us. Another customer came in and they proceeded to ignore them. This set the tone and went downhill from there. The food selection was scarce but we made do. However, the food, especially the sun dried tomato penne pasta was just bland and not good. The pasta was gummy and there was absolutely no flavor at all. We wound up tossing the food. We used to wonder why this place was never busy like the one on Chapel Hill. Now we know why-it's just not as good. Won't be returning.

"Consistency Matters"…read more The food is delish, let's start there. This hasn't been on my bingo card for a while and boo hoo! The garden pizzette and chicken shawarma are fan favorites for a reason. Chicken Shawarma is a (IMO) well seasoned cinnamon forward profile that delivers a tender chew. Don't let the cinnamon description deter you. The flavor is complex, savory, and very good! The garden pizzette is delicious. The perfect mixup of feta, mint, tomato, and cucumber...Chef's Kiss (dip in hummus and/or tzatziki for that extra, extra added flavor). We also loved the tzatziki/lebnah sauce. Perfect balance for our Americanized palate. My biggest complaint, would be consistency. I ordered twice in one week. Each meal was delicious, but noticeable different. Not a huge factor, but one I thought worth mentioning. Bread was whole wheat ... cool/ not a problem .. but also not my preference. All in all, a darn good meal! Sold side options. Fast casual Mediterranean/Lebanese : 4.5

I usually go to the Cary location for multiple catering orders that I place per month. The people…read moreat the Cary location have been very polite, friendly and helpful. I was going to be closer to the Raleigh location this past month so I decided to go to the Raleigh location and see if they could do the same as cary. I went in and asked a young man he said that should not be a problem for me to put in my catering orders and then have my payment done a certain way at the register, as they usually do, in cary. I placed my order and got to the register and then the very nice girl that was there was going to ring me up. She wasn't sure how to manually enter my credit card information that I needed to give, so she asked what I'm going to assume was her manager or whoever was in charge that day? The woman turned around and looked at me as if I walked in and started in her face. Her face was so disgusted, twisted up, and snarled with disapproval. She asked me, with a huge attitude, "what was going on here?". I politely explained the situation, which is that, at the Cary location our company pays over the phone when I arrive. I handed her the phone to give her the credit card information and she was speaking to my boss (who is a very world-renowned doctor) about the payment info. She was so rude to him and said "well usually we don't do this but we'll do it this time". I informed her that from now on, since it was such a problem we will gladly go to the other location or just another restaurant in general. The younger people at the register were extremely friendly and polite and really made this experience the most positive thing from this whole trip to this location. As I was leaving the female who had the attitude earlier did say that she " was sorry, and that she just didn't know what she was walking into". At this point, I really did not care about an I'm sorry, because I will never go back to this location. I don't care who or what she is, but if she doesn't know what she's walking into, then the best idea for her(if she had any business or common sense)would be to approach it in a professional manner and not with a stank attitude. I have worked in doing catering sales,amahing businesses, throwing events, and ordering multiple catering orders for other businesses that I run. I have never and would never, approach anyone like this if I was uncertain of any situation. It puts a really bad look on their whole concept. I have already talked to multiple people about this and told all the physicians that I work with. I have also discussed this encounter with other people who do multiple orders for catering and other event networking groups. I will never be ordering from this location again. I hope whatever they do, they get it right, and start hiring people who appreciate having a job, to make sure that no one else feels so turned off by someone like this. I'm only giving a two stars for the Friends League kids that were at the counter and at the cash register

I absolutely love eating the fresh salads and sides at Sassool! It can get pretty busy during…read morelunchtime, so plan ahead if you're in a rush--but that just shows how good the food is. I usually order the two chicken skewer kabobs with rice, a super salad, and the jalapeño cilantro hummus. The hummus is *so* good that I often grab a small container to take with me when I travel. Everything tastes incredibly fresh, and you can really tell they use quality ingredients, especially with olive oil as a base. They offer both fresh pita and gluten-free pita, which is great for anyone with dietary restrictions. Honestly, I could make a meal just out of all the sides--they're that good. The menu is consistently solid, and I feel like you really can't go wrong with anything you order. It's a perfect spot for a low-key lunch or dinner. Also worth noting: on Tuesdays, kids eat free with a paying adult, which is a great bonus for families. Highly recommend!

The ambiance is nice and welcoming. This is an order and pay restaurant where you place your order…read moreat the counter, receive your food, and can sit anywhere you'd like. The portions are very generous, so if you can't finish your meal, it's easy to take the leftovers home. They conveniently provide to-go containers and bags for customers. One thing I found a bit challenging was the ordering process. There is a huge selection of food, which can be overwhelming for first-time visitors. I would have appreciated a little more guidance from the staff when making my choices, as I think it would have helped me order more confidently. Overall, it's a good place with plenty of options and great portion sizes.

Looking for a healthier alternative for lunch with my daughter…read more She had the Steak and Cheese Gyro and I had the Chicken Gyro and we shared a side of Falafel. So yummy. The service was great and everything came to us as soon as it was made so super hot. They even had a fancy tea dispenser that did sweet / unsweetened and you could add lemonade! Super convenient location and the restaurant and bathroom were super clean! Definitely visit again!

This place is a little hidden gem in a random strip mall. I was on an epic day of thrifting with my…read moremom, and so at one of our stops we yelped a lunch option nearby. We both love Mediterranean food, and the reviews were great, so we stopped in. The chef makes everything to order, and she evidentially is the former owner, who sold her shop in order to spend more time with grandkids. She's lovely! As we waited for our food there were a few others who came in and seemed to be regulars who knew how good this place is. I got chicken shawarma deluxe, and it was perfect. No notes! My mom got the vegetarian platter and specifically raved about the falafel- they were like adorable little donuts and really tasty. I would highly recommend this place! Glad to hear a change in ownership didn't seem to cause any issues.

I came to Bosphorus on a Sunday evening for dinner with friends, and the restaurant was packed…read more Thankfully, we didn't have to wait too long for a table. The service was friendly, though it seemed like a team effort, so different staff members would take our order or bring out food instead of one dedicated server. That occasionally led to delays when we asked for refills or extra plates, and we usually had to repeat the request to our waitress later. For dinner, I shared the Kofta Kebab and Lahmacun with a friend, and the portion size was just enough for both of us to leave full. Unfortunately, parts of the kebab were burnt, so maybe we just caught them on an off night. Surprisingly, my favorite part of the meal was the warm pita bread they brought to the table. If you're looking to try Turkish food, Bosphorus is worth checking out, but I'd probably order different dishes next time or visit when it's a little less busy.

We have been to Bosphorus a few times and love it!…read more If you're looking for somewhere fancy and upscale, this isn't that. If you want something that feels authentic and are willing to overlook some small cosmetic/ambience nuances for great food, this is your spot. The food is delicious and consistent every time! We usually get the grilled chicken kabobs which are always so juicy! I also love the cheese cigarras (can't remember how to spell). They give you complementary bread which is also delicious. Really wonderful, authentic place with great staff!

I have returned. For a fast casual lunch buffet, Falafel 54 is still solid. Most notably because…read moreit's one of the select few in the central NC region that offer a Mediterranean buffet. The buffet is vegetarian heavy, offering an impressive spread of fresh salads. From their perfectly cut tabouli, to their fattoush and cilantro salads, it's all tasty. Their crispy falafels are wonderful. The hummus options are crushing it too, like the jalapeño hummus. The true star of the show, however, might be their tzatziki sauce. It is exceptionally creamy, tangy, and packed with fresh ingredients. The dill and tangy flavor was quick to hit the tongue. It almost felt like a zap, and I loved it! The gyro meat, curry chicken and chicken kabobs were excellent. I kept loading up on the tzatziki sauce because it was too good! That sauce was amazing with the kabobs, the lentils, rice and salads! Great ambience and service.

Interesting place - almost a hole in the wall kinda buffet with Mediterranean food. Came in with my…read more25 y/o son. You pay then go to a very limited buffet. But, the food is tasty and we enjoyed all the selections. I recommend for a quick lunch - remember the hole in the wall comment ..... Don't recommend for small children and definitely not a date environment.