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Tarboosh

4.4 (111 reviews)
Open • 11:30 am - 11:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

Tarboosh Photos

TARBOOSH ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Tarboosh

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Reviews With Photos

Chicken Shawarma Plate
Lindsay M.

Tried the falafel wrap recently - I'm convinced it's the best falafel in America! Wonderful family owned business.

Blue B.

This. Garlic. Sauce. It's whipped. It's fluffy. It's the purest garlic sauce I have ever had. It goes on everything. The shawarma is good. The garlic sauce makes it amazing. The falafel is good. The garlic sauce takes it to terrific. The flatbread options are fantastic. They do pizza, but it's the Manakish that I would kill for. Get the za'atar. Heck, GET THE NUTELLA. Yeah, that's right, they do a dessert Manakish. They lay it on there. It comes out hot like the best fried dough from the county fair except EVEN BETTER because it's crispy and baked and would probably even be good for you if there wasn't like a one-inch thick layer of chocolate hazelnut spread on top of it melting into the best mouth lava of your sorry life. It's worth every second of searing pain. Also get some Vimto. This stuff tastes like a condensed Shirley Temple. I wrote this review on Vimto. Take a can to go and mix it with vodka or silver tequila for a dang good time.

Za'atar Manakish
Helen L.

I cannot say enough god things about Tarboosh. It is a hole in the wall in the best way. They have about 6 tables inside and a great takeout business i which os connected to multiple apps. The people working there are so nice, it really seems like a family owned business. They have plenty of veggie options. I usually get falafel and tabouleh. And the zaatar manakish is amazing! After spending months in Lebanon this was the one place I found authentic flavors when I came back to Boston.

Chicken Shawarma Plate with rice and Garlic sauce
Jillian M.

Best Turkish style food I've had in the city. This quaint restaurant offers delightful staff and many incredible food options. We were greeted by Modi who was very helpful, answering all our questions and making recommendations. Our group ordered chicken and beef shawarma, veggie falafel, Knafeh, and baklava. Every meal was made to order, and so tasty! They really put extra effort into the seasoning and quality of the food. That being said it is small scale dining, so only a few tables and you will be eating with plastic silverware. Don't let that fool you, the food tastes as if it were a fine dining experience. The menu is moderately priced for the portion size, we had plenty of leftovers. The Knafeh has to be ordered an hour or so in advance, and definitely worth planning ahead for.

Chicken kabob sandwich (listed at $7.50, but I paid $9.56 April 2015)
Logan D.

I stopped by today to use some of my LoopedIn cash at a new place and was intrigued by the menu as it was pretty minimalistic (main staples are pizza, shawarma, and kabobs). I thought it was odd I couldn't find the menu online ahead of tim, but I always admire places that do a small amount of things well, so I had high hopes. I ordered a chicken kabob sandwich, listed at $7.50 and waited around 10-15 minutes for it to be prepared. The man behind the counter asked what I wanted on it and I said "whatever it comes with," but he then asked if I wanted lettuce so I asked for lettuce and peppers if possible. I also asked for tomatoes, but he said that they were not included. I was a bit irked when my total ended up being $9.56 (nowhere near $7.50). The sandwich was actually a roll up and included chicken, peppers, lettuce, French fries (??) and some thick white sauce that looked like ricotta cheese (possibly Tzatziki sauce?) The sandwich was a good size--2 meals--but the chicken was dry. The peppers were limp (versus crisp), and the sauce had that very odd consistency. The pita was good and the fries (while a big surprise) had good flavor. I wouldn't jump to come back, although the man was very nice and apologetic for the delays. TIP: Be careful paying with LoopedIn as I don't think many of the staff are trained to use it.

Mediterranean Pizza. Humus under the sauce.  Was so so
Sam K.

The Reviews don't live up to the Hype. I wanted to try this new restaurant out for months. The other day I finally got my chance. A few things before I start: The Pizza Prices are really expensive here. A medium pizza is like 15-17 dollars and a large is 19.99 or higher depending. They are regular pizza sizes, large being a 16" , Medium 14", small, 10". They dont wear gloves when cooking the food, everything is made with their bare hands. Ingredients come out of buckets and bags. Although they did cut up a Fresh tomato and Onion. They put Hummus under the sauce of the Pizza. - not a bad thing just an FYI as its not written on the board. I walked inside and there was already a Muslim family eating, good to see customers. So The guy behind the counter says "Yes, my friend" but very low. I said I would like a Medium Mediterranean Pizza with chicken on it. He stared blankly at me and again with a very low insecure voice says something I cannot hear. So I asked "what was that?" He says " Medium"...... ok so I say "Yes Medium Mediterranean". All he then says is "Ok, yes ok" and point to the table I guess for me to sit? Which tells me his English is very bad. Then waiting I am wondering if he even knew what I said in the first place. He was the only cook for the next 8-10 minutes making other food. So I was about to just get up and leave as I didn't have that long. Another guy came in from the back and started helping him (On break I guess). Sounded like he spoke better English to the next customer, but all of a sudden that customer started having a hard time as well. I guess they know greetings and goodbyes but The middle area is grey with broken Business English skills. I got up and tried to speak with the 2nd guy just in case my order was going to come up wrong. He just ignored me and walked past me...... seriously? The guy I originally spoke with Yells from the back, Mediterranean? Yeah I said, could I get that to go with chicken. He says. Ok, ok my friend very low. Both "cooks" spoke very low, hard to hear and really need to brush up on their English Skills. Wasn't the cleanest place I have seen around. I actually love Mediterranean food but this wasn't my cup of tea. Why? Well, why bother going into a place that is hard to order your food? Just like other reviewers said, you can order one thing and get another or a lot of other miscommunications. Sorry but I am paying money, Im not going to say oh well I didn't order it but lets not hurt their feelings ( Which a lot of PC kids do around this area ) The pizza was a bit under average imo. Not worth the 15-16 dollars for a medium. The Hummus didn't really help any but was interesting. To much of a hassle to order from, long wait time, Expensive for what you get.

Menu Part 1
Michelle Z.

Came in last night for dinner. Soooo good!! I had greek salad with chicken. Lots of chicken and the dressing was perfectly authentic. Super healthy, flavorful and light. My other half got a plate, a little meager on the veggies/salad, but the garlic sauce is TO DIE FOR!!!!! THIS is what garlic sauce should be! The best part is? There's a ton of variety! Really excited to go back... want to try the Nutella pizza, a Syrian or Fatoush salad or Tabouleh, the lamb everyone is raving about, anddddd the beef pepperoni pizza. P.S. The fries were amazing too, and i'm a fry-fanatic :)

Chicken shwarma plate
Nishat K.

I really thought this was going to be a "hidden gem" as many claim it is. I went in knowing I wanted the chicken shwarma plate and had read recommendations from within the last 2 months. The chicken is not tender like someone said, but very dry. The only good thing on my plate was the fries *sigh*. They were crispy. The experience overall was underwhelming and frustrating. There was only one other person who appeared to be waiting for food and he and I both waited for at least 15-20 mins. That's a lot for a "plate" and "take out" place. There was only one person working and it was a hot day, but the person did next to nothing in terms of communicating. As I sit here with my food I'm also really nervous about the garlic creamy sauce thing on the side. It's slightly sour and I can't tell if that's sour cream or it's been out in the heat for a bit too long. Yikes! Won't be returning here again. Tons of other good food in the area.

Syrian Saj Lamb Shawarma
Rich U.

[2.83/5] What do you do when your go-to like the Super 88 Market Food Court is packed and you just want a quick comforting bite of food? Naturally, one would browse the area for something similiar and just like that my cravings travelled thousands of miles from something Asian to Mediterranean within a split second. I wanted some slices of protein on a bed of rice. This is where Tarboosh came into play. With promising reviews and takeout options, this was the best option given the circumstances. My journey begins... Review #049 Restaurant Type: Casual Dining. Food (65%) Taste to price 2/5 Quality to price 2.5/5 Portion to price 3/5 Average = 2.5 Service (20%) Friendliness 3.5/5 Promptness 4/5 Average = 3.75 Cleanliness (15%) Bathroom n/a Dining area 3/5 Kitchen area 3/5 Average = 3 Overall Score = [F(.65)]+[S(.20)]+C(.15)] = [1.63]+[0.75]+[0.45] = 2.83 The Pluses... + The staff was nice. There were 2 guys behind the counter. The one that took my order seemed like a cool dude, like someone I'd hang out with. + OPEN KITCHEN. Customers can see everything going on. The only problem is that it's a double edged sword. You'll see what I mean when you read below. I admire their transparency though. + I liked the seasoning they used on their RICE which made it pretty delicious. + Their SALAD was fresh. Their tomato, pickles, and lettuce looked really good. Lots of color. The Negs... - I don't think I've ever been to a Sharwarma place without the presence of a ROTISSERIE. Most places have them out in the front for the customers to see what they're getting. At first, I was thinking they hid it in the back but standing there, I saw my server open the fridge behind the register and pulled some raw meat out. He then ran to the microwave to thaw it out (I'm guessing), and as the grill warmed up he threw it on there. At first, I didn't think it was mine but once he put it in the plate and handed it to me, you know I couldn't speculate any further :( - When most people order a Sharwarma Plate for dinner. Most expect layers of sliced meat on top of a bed of rice. When I got my order, I was surprised to see slices of a wrap placed on the side with rice and a few pieces of lettuce, and pickles/tomatoes slices. When I bit into the wrap, there was very little meat in there. Not what I expected especially at $14 plus tax. - PRICEY, PRICEY, PRICEY. I could get the same thing but with larger portions and equal quality at Garlic 'n Lemons for $12.50 and Azama Grill for $12. I'm sorry but what I got that day was not $14 worth of food. The Neutrals... o Not much here. In Conclusion... The reason I enjoy shawarma plates is because of the balance of macronutrients. I know I can get my fiber, carbs, and protein in one plate. At Tarboosh, I felt I was committing carbacide. I can only comment on the LAMB SHARWARMA, so I am hoping their other entrees are better. From the pictures alone the MIX GRILL, and some of their Syrian delicacies looks really good. I'd come back again but I'd have to say my journey was not worth the risk of getting my car getting towed at the 88 lot. #ChowYouLater **If you enjoyed my review and need help with the Boston area, follow or add me as a friend. I have tons of reviews like this.

Linda E.

So delicious! If you come here for the pizza please try other dishes! I tried the beef kofta because I love it and I wanted something meaty. Not to mention that it is served with some really good perfectly crispy french fries! They have all sorts of Mediterranean goodness that I want to try and keep on trying. I saw Mansaf on the menu and it looks pretty legit to me! Is it authentic? I dunno I'm Mexican, but who cares, it is down right tasty! The prices are reasonable and the service is friendly!

Hummus!!

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11 years ago

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8 years ago

This place was amazing! Super good Mediterranean food! Falafel wrap Great spot for after a show or a night out in Allston!

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8 years ago

Falafel sandwich is excellent but chicken Shawarma wasn't delicious and not recommended it!

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6 years ago

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11 years ago

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8 years ago

This place is amazing. The chicken kabob dinner is perfect and delicious. Will most definitely be back!

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11 years ago

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7 years ago

Unassuming surroundings but delicious food. Delicious, crispy falafel, moist on the inside and filling.

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11 years ago

Clean, friendly, simple and delicious. Probably the best falafel and hummus I've ever had.

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10 years ago

I have tried the chicken shawerma and it was a fabulousmeal .. great food and great fries .. Highly recommended ..

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12 years ago

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Oleana Restaurant - Fatteh

Oleana Restaurant

4.3(1.9k reviews)
1.9 mi•Inman Square
•$$$

I had a reservation here and when I arrived there would be a short wait for inside or outside…read more(which was kind of cool that night) or immidately at the bar. Okay, for a solo adventure I chose the bar and yes, they took me to a seat there. Looking at the menu I knew it was tapas style going in but before I could really start looking at anything the bar tender said, "or, there's a chef tasting." Okay, stop there, let's just do that and add the meat and fish option. To start was the Strawberry Fattoush - Little Gems, Cucumber, Pomegranate Vinaigrette, Pita Chips, Sumac - amazing. Next was the Warm Buttered Hummus - Basturma, Tomato, Black Olive. Still doing great! Then the Fried Mussels - Hot Peppers, Turkish Almond Tarator Sauce. Can't say I have ever had those before! The Spinach Falafel - Tahini, Beet Tzatziki, Pickles was next. Though you could roll it up, eating it that way was pointless. Back to the knife and fork. After that was the Grilled Asparagus - Sorrel Aioli, Puffed Black Rice, Bergamot Honey. Probably the most familiar looking dish of the night. Then the Sultan's Delight - Tamarind Beef, Smoky Eggplant Purée, Basil. Aamazing! Still going after that was the Swordfish - Nettle Freekah, Red Pepper Tahini, Buttermilk Fried Fiddle Heads. Then finally the Turkish-Style Profiteroles - Brown Butter Crème, Sesame Caramel Cashews, Halva with something else on the side. All of this with a Shepherds Pilsner which I believe is my first brew from Palestine. Who knew that was possible? Needless to say, the meal was quite an adventure. Definitely worth it. All amazing as was the service at the bar!

I've heard the name Oleana numerous times over the years. heard it was fetching and provided a…read morelevel of quality and excellence unparalleled. and yet was never intrigued enough to go. Something seemed off, in-authentic, shallow. just read a few reviews many of which seem to validate this burnished image and reputation. finally last Saturday night it was no longer an option to avoid an experience. There was an event to celebrate and I was invited. the propitious moment was hoisted upon me. would it measure up or be a mirage in the desert? Having never dined there I had no real experience to compare it with but for a Turkish-Mediterranean place it felt like all sizzle, no steak. While there are too many things to take issue with the most obvious is the wide discrepancy between the quality and quantity of portions relative to price. Under any circumstances the food was uniformly entirely unexceptional outside the fact it was consistently mediocre to poor. Tasteless, unimaginative, inappropriate cooked, greasy, ,lacking authentic spicing, and decidedly NOT presented for purposes of sharing. It is a deceptive approach to call it Tapas like and the predominant theme from our "primary waiter" was spend more money. The commercialization based on its reputation was frankly embarrassing and reason to cross it off a "must visit" list. Reminded me of a visit to Eastern Standard a few years ago. I have to imagine refined diners must have a wistful "used to be good attitude". My one and only trip made me feel like I was swindled at a Casablanca bazzar.

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Oleana Restaurant - Indoor View

Indoor View

Oleana Restaurant - Potato & Red Lentil Kubba with Swiss Chard, Pistachios, Eggplant Jam, Fried Carrots, healthy and yummy

Potato & Red Lentil Kubba with Swiss Chard, Pistachios, Eggplant Jam, Fried Carrots, healthy and yummy

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Krasi - Halloumi (grilled halloumi, watermelon, basil, dried kalamata, fig balsamic)

Krasi

4.6(581 reviews)
2.1 mi•Back Bay
•$$

Such a yummy greek experience!!! You can't go wrong here but be sure to get a reservation in…read moreadvance! The restaurant is cute but feels a bit small. The food is so delicious!! We ordered the meatballs, the souvla of the day and the salad. Everything was so tasty. You can't go wrong with anything here. The table next to us had the huge sampler which was about $240 but was one of every dish on the menu. This is a perfect choice for six to 8 people. Service was super friendly. They left a large bottle of water on the table, which I love. The restrooms were clean and well stocked. Go here! You won't regret it.

I would've given Krasi five stars for the bread rolls alone. Almost everyone in my dinner party…read morenominated this as their favorite. The menu refers to these as "Greek cheese bread" but somehow that doesn't do it justice - these were immensely pillowy and cheesy, with an amazing crust, with homemade honey butter on the side. I could have had just these for dinner and been satisfied. They really nailed the bread. My other favorites: 1. Hipiti: spicy whipped feta with crispy potatoes on the side. I don't do well with spice but I absolutely loved this. 2. Marouli: winter lettuce with the most amazing vinaigrette dressing. My only knock to this is, presentation-wise, they serve it with half of the plate empty and the other half with salad. I don't understand why restaurants do this because - one, it only highlights the smaller portion and two, we're just going to mix the salad all around in the bowl anyway. 3. Boudeto: daily catch in a beautiful tomato broth. For a seafood dish at a restaurant in Back Bay, this was priced at a fairly reasonable $28. The only dish that fell a little flat for me was the tzatziki - needed a bit more seasoning. As it was, I was eating mostly just plain yogurt. The table-side preparation was cool, though. The space is its own visual dinner, there's simply a lot to look at (including a drawing of Poseidon riding a surf board). We got the big table in the back, which was a beautiful glass structure with a whole terrarium underneath. We couldn't stop marveling at it throughout the meal. Our waiter was wonderful - very helpful recommendations, came by to check on us often even though we were pretty far in the back, super patient with our questions. Hard to get reservations but worth it! Don't bother driving / trying to find parking unless you're willing to eat a hefty garage fee, it's Back Bay.

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Krasi - Restaurant

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Krasi - Giouvetsi

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Krasi - Dips (tzatziki, kopanisti, taramosalata, sourdough)

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Desfina Restaurant - Greek Salad with steak tips - SO good! The steak is tenderloin and cooked perfectly!

Desfina Restaurant

3.9(311 reviews)
2.5 mi•East Cambridge, Kendall Square/MIT
•$$

Great spot near my new apartment. Big portion, good ingredients and perfectly cooked…read more Had: Chicken kebab plate

Service was excellent, food was not. We came here for dinner, but I was disappointed to see that…read morethere wasn't a very limited non-meat selection on the menu. Given that Mediterranean cuisine is generally pretty accommodating to that, not having even a falafel option for protein certainly came as a surprise! My first time here, we ended up with the fish and chips and baklava - both were edible but not great, and the best item on the table ended up being the complimentary bread (lots of end pieces, which I'm personally a fan of, but others may feel differently). The fish was uninspired and didn't taste like much, and the chips were steak fries, which lived up to the reputation of being less crunchy and seasoned. I was really excited for the baklava, but it also ended up disappointing. The texture was hardened, like it wasn't fresh, and it was so overpoweringly sweet that we couldn't finish it. On my second visit, the bread was just as good, and we ordered a nice spread: fried zucchini, spanakopita, beef dolmades, rice pilaf, and gyro (without meat). The gyro was sad without falafel or any protein option, but the veggies inside were pretty good. On the other hand, I wasn't a huge fan of any of the appetizers/sides. The fried zucchini was incredibly oily and wet, without much flavor; the rice pilaf did have some sauce on top but wasn't particularly tasty. The spanakopita was decent but I wouldn't go out of my way to order it again. I will note, however, that the staff was excellent, attentive and accommodating. The outdoor patio was also quite nice and a beautiful spot to sit on the street and people-watch.

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Desfina Restaurant
Desfina Restaurant - Ken

Ken

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Mistral

Mistral

4.2(1.2k reviews)
2.7 mi•Back Bay
•$$$$

Came here with mediocre expectations …read more.. Boy way I wrong! First off, Evan was incredibly delightful. Knowledgeable, friendly but didn't hover. I would like him to be my waiter everywhere. Every ounce of food was incredible: we eat out a lot and I have to say, the seared foie was my favorite thing in awhile. We had escargot, foie and carpaccio. All incredible. Our meals were epic as well. We got duck and branzino. Both the best I've had of their kind. We will be putting this on our rotation of special event restaurants. It's worth it.

Sat at the bar, and the service did leave a little bit to be desired. The bartender was pretty…read moreabsent due to being very busy with making orders for tables. Martini was OK - would have thought a place like this would have a better vesper. The grilled tenderloin was absolutely delicious and so was the creamed spinach and potato confit (I switched the sides). But not sure it felt worth $70+ Dessert was sadly a bust. Warm chocolate torte was so gooey inside that tasted like flavorless brownie batter. The bartender said he would put a scoop of mousse on the side since I was deciding between the two. Didn't really want to pay for two desserts (hence trying to decide on just one), but he charged me for both. The mousse was also super average. Front is pretty but rest of the ambiance is nothing super special

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Mistral
Mistral - Dover Sole Meunière-- fish texture tasted like it was baked. The meunière sauce was not as buttery. For $90 it could have been better.

Dover Sole Meunière-- fish texture tasted like it was baked. The meunière sauce was not as buttery. For $90 it could have been better.

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Tarboosh - pizza - Updated June 2026

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