al Badawi

If you want to enjoy a great family style Palestinian meal then “al Badawi” is the place. We enjoyed a late lunch on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in downtown town Sommerville. The service was great and the atmosphere matches the food. I enjoyed an amazing grilled lamb dish that was great. You won’t go wrong at this great restaurant.

Leisurely lunch at Al Badawi. We made reservations. Street parking- check meter schedule. Restaurant is decorated with wall murals and plants/trees. Food was tasty, generous portions. BYOB Took leftovers home. Server gave us check without asking if we wanted dessert. When I asked for the dessert menu, he commented there were only a few desserts available. Not a big endorsement on dessert so we just paid the check.

We truly enjoyed the food here! The lamb chops were AMAZING! The filet mignon and beef kafta were good, maybe lacked a bit of salt. The chicken was well seasoned. But that pita bread?!! TO DIE FOR! I got the mango bliss, which was very good and refreshing! They are also BYOB, which makes the experience even better. We will definitely be back!

Absolutely delicious food, definitely some of the best that I've eaten in a long time. The flatbread with chicken was my favorite, but the other dish that we ordered was very good too. Definitely going to come back here again.

Fresh and tasty food. Appetizer sampler platter is a must try. Pita bread was warm and the thyme and oil were flavorful. Ambience is really good. Baklava sundae was perfect for my sweet tooth. Service was slow and can be improved.

Went to Al Badawi for Father's Day lunch. The interior was amazing, especially with the Badawi trees 😀 The bread was amazing....warm and soft. The condiment accompanying the bread was addictive 😋. I can just go for that. For drinks we ordered the Hibiscus Mojito and cardamom rose smoothie. The mojito was amazingly good but the smoothie fell short on cardamom. We skipped the appetizers, because we were already a little stuffed with the bread 😀. But I had the lentil soup, warm and a great way to start the meal. For entrees we ordered Ouzi chicken, chicken kebab and falafel platter. The ouzi chicken had great flavors and very close to tandoori chicken. The spice rub hit all the right taste buds. The skin was crispy too. Meat fell off the bone...very tender and moist. Tasted the chicken kebab, but didn't really warm up to it. Chicken felt a little tough. The falafel was crispy, flavorful and as authentic as it can get. Bread + falafel = bliss 😊 For dessert we had Nutella cheesecake. We just inhaled it in seconds. An absolute thing to try. Overall a great place to have food. Will go back again to try the other dishes.

Holy cow! This is the best food in Somerville. Do yourself a favor and eat here. The decor is gorgeous and the food is so, so flavorful. BYOB.

We had a really mixed experience while here today, that turned sour as we were leaving and actually ruined my family’s Sunday because it was so disappointing. Most of our concerns relate to the service, transparency and cost. I tried to speak about it with the only service person we saw, but he honestly did not seem to care about our experience. Take it for what it’s worth, but it may explain why the huge restaurant was basically empty. Starting with the good: the restaurant is beautiful. The seats are so comfortable and the artwork is thoughtful and lovely. Everything seems clean and brand new (though we were plagued by well fed fruit flies during our meal, which was gross and annoying—but can be tough to eradicate in the summer). The food ranged from mediocre (my drink, hubby’s flatbread) to really great. Now to the bad. We fell for the trick of selling us a special “vegetarian“ main dish that’s not listed on the menu, and we paid a fortune for it. Our drinks were tiny (think 6 ounces), and my date/almond smoothie was inexplicably warm, and lumpy. It needed to be chewed to be consumed. My daughter liked hers, but it was basically a mango lassi in a tiny martini glass for $11. Our serve server did not check on us while we were eating, and just continued to deliver food and walk away, while we sat puzzled over what had actually been ordered). As he delivered the check (but before I looked at it), I told the server that I wished they had publicized vegetarian meal that they had, because I would’ve come in sooner. Instead of taking the feedback, he went off at me on how many vegetarians eat there and no one has complained before. I guess you’ll never know how many people haven’t bothered to come in because they assumed you couldn’t feed members of their party. But, sure, flex those muscles. Now for the shock: my husband ordered a $17 flatbread for his lunch. Our total check was $150. This means my nearly 10 year-old daughter and I were charged $125 for the “we are headed to Costco” lunch we received. It was only when my jaw hit the floor and I asked for clarification that I was told we had been charged the same price as a particular meat entree even though they’d substituted out the most expensive ingredient (halal meat) for a cheap vegetable (cauliflower). I also learned the meat entrée was on the menu, and could’ve been pointed out to us rather than the garbled verbal description we received of it. That would’ve given us a chance to ask questions about the cost and clarify what we were ordering. (we certainly did not intend to order an entire mezze platter, a side order of Falafel, and full main course for a mother and child to share at lunch). The waiter, who seemed young, but also very invested (I’m guessing he may be related to the owners) did not want to hear my feedback and immediately became defensive and argumentative when I asked for clarification. I still paid. I still tipped 20%. But I was not expecting to spend $150 on a casual, alcohol-free lunch in downtown Somerville (we chose this place over Cava, haha!). I don’t think the food quality was there (hubby certainly doesn’t), though I’d have been much happier if we’d just split the rice dish, skipped apps, and smoothies. Given how I was treated, the poor service, and the reaction I received, I don’t think they’ll be disappointed to hear we won’t be back. It’s unfortunate, because I think the restaurant could have promise (but only as a special occasion venue given crazy pricing) if they significantly improve front of the house service in terms of attentiveness, information sharing/transparency, and focus on customer experience.

The phone eats first, that's the yelpie motto. Fun night with great people tasting amazing and flavorful dishes. Mixed cold deep and falafel as appetizer; Followed by chicken platter and lamb. The food was great, the ambiance beautiful and the price terrific! I'll be back soon

The place is very aesthetic and has nice decor. The portions are also really big. They were quick to seat us and take our order. We definitely had to take a lot of it to go, but I would recommend going with a bigger group so you can try more things.

This was one of my best experiences with "good chicken." For many years, nothing came close to Pio Pio's Peruvian Matador chicken, but Al-Badawi's Maklouba, a tender, fall-off-the-bone slow-cooked chicken, drew par. A must-try. Service was a little slow, but the staff were friendly. Ambiance was dreamy and lush with greens. I felt transported to another country.

Super cute Palestinian restaurant in Somerville. There was plenty of street parking nearby when I came on a Sunday. The ambiance here is so cute and there's a ton of seating. Everything I ordered tasted amazing, my Palestinian friend even confirmed that the food tastes authentic and reminded her of her family's cooking. I tried the hummus and kibbeh for apps. The shakes/ mocktails came in cute cocktail glasses. I had the Labneh shake and it was so good. The entree portions were large, we ordered the Maklouba and the Ouzi chicken. The only downside is that the servers/ food runners rushed our meal and kept asking if they can take away our plates with food still on them.

Leisurely lunch at Al Badawi. We made reservations. Street parking- check meter schedule. Restaurant is decorated with wall murals and plants/trees. Food was tasty, generous portions. BYOB Took leftovers home. Server gave us check without asking if we wanted dessert. When I asked for the dessert menu, he commented there were only a few desserts available. Not a big endorsement on dessert so we just paid the check.

I had hoped the issues last time were just growing pains as the restaurant was newly opened. I came back here again on a Wednesday to a nearly empty restaurant. The service was good but the ambiance and food was not. The music is strange hits from 2010s with ads and sometimes it stops playing so that it's silent for a few minutes. Sounded like someone trying to DJ using their iPhone with a free Spotify account. It was very humid and warm inside as well but luckily the let us sit closer to the AC. There were also ants and fruit flies on our table which makes me concerned about the cleanliness of the kitchen. The biggest disappointment is the food still wasn't great. The watermelon halloumi salad was the only decent dish. Our kibbeh was overcooked and hard to cut into. The meat in the Fattah Lahma was dry and tough. It was like leather and low on flavor. Overall, I wouldn't recommend eating here when there are so many great restaurants nearby.

Ordered takeout but would definitely love to dine in next time! The restaurant is elevated and beautifully decorated, and they have a large space that'd be great for larger groups or parties. Food-wise, all the dishes we tried were fresh, bold, and flavorful. If you come with a group, the dip platter is a must-order - it's fun trying the variety and all of them go well with any entree that you order. We enjoyed trying different dishes family-style, and particularly really liked the kefta and ouzi chicken entrees. Looking forward to coming back with friends!

From the food to the service and decor it is all around a great experience! The food is delicious and filling. Ask the staff for their favorites they won't steer you wrong.

Wow, awesome, delicious, Pakistani Family fare. I will try to accurately describe my experience but I'm concerned I won't do it justice. Just understand I will be returning many times to try everything on this wonderful menu and experience. Al Badawi opened just a few months ago. West Main Street in Somerville. Ample seating, including a cool bar setup for dining. Beautifully decorated comfortable seating. On cool days, they can open the front floor to ceiling glass doors that is going to be my hopeful next time I go. I love the interior comfortable, natural, plenty of space. There was a group of what looked like 10-12 at one table so yes they handle large groups. Pauline served us. The chef greeted us which made me feel so welcome and invited to explore. My friend & I shared 2 appetizers, Hummus, and Muhammarah, a Roasted sweet red peppers blended with walnuts, and pomegranate molasses. Wow! Both very filled with rich savory spices. We could have stopped with the apps but the menu is incredibly rich with delicious dishes to explore. I think my friend got the Tabbouleh Salad Finely chopped parsley mixed with fine bulgur, tomatoes, onions, olive oil and lemon. It looked & smelled amazing. I asked Paulina to recommend my entre. She suggest, as one of her favorites, Mansaf A stew of bone in lamb chunks & fermented yogurt sauce served over a bed of fresh sajj. Wow! Filling, delicious richly full spiced tender lamb. Absolutely amazing. For drinks I tried Pakistani Apple Soda which was perfect with the meal. Not too sweet but yummy addition. We ordered with our eyes and both walked out with take out bags. I know what I'm having for dinner tonight & I'm coming back frequently to try more of this incredible menu. I'll update this review when I return. Don't hesitate to explore the rich flavors of traditional Pakistani family foods and enjoy that kind staff who love to explain what different items are. I'm thankful that Somerville attracted Al Badawi to open here on Main Street. They have two other restaurants in eastern New Jersey. Look at their website for the addresses. My friend tried

I finally had the chance to get dinner at Al Badawi. I went with a friend around 5pm on a Tuesday night. We didn't need a reservation and were seated immediately and we were the only customers there at the time. The waitstaff were very kind to switch our table when our table was really wobbly and our water was spilling. The inside of this restaurant is gorgeous. So much art and lighting. It's very aesthetic for those looking to take nice pictures. I can imagine this would be a nice place for a birthday or celebration. There's even a back area for larger parties too. For drinks we had a Shirley Temple and the Laziza peach flavor (Arabic soda). The Shirley Temple was a little too syrupy but the Laziza was very good. For food we got labneh, fried halloumi, and the chicken kebab large platter served with rice, salad, and pickles. We also got free bread at the table. We were happy to see we got 4 pieces of fried halloumi which was the perfect amount to share for 2 people. The labneh was so good with the bread and also with the chicken too! The chicken kebab was seasoned well and wasn't dry at all. Especially with the rice together- it just melts in your mouth. Everything came out fresh, hot, and fast! We were unbelievably full after this and couldn't eat dessert but I would definitely come back again. I would love to come back with a big group and do the family style meal.

Quick in and out made a tasty satisfying meal. Large dining area with ample seating , bright painted artsy wall , quick service and moderately priced makes for a good restaurant. Relatively new in the Somerville food scene this spot caught my attention as I love Mediterranean food . Decided to give it a try on a week day and as expected it was less crowded . Vast menu with multitude of options. The seafood entrees caught my attention. We decided on an appetizer and an entree . Wara Dawali - Stuffed grape leaves which was served warm with a yogurt dipping sauce Branzino filet which was served over a bed of rice with a side of potatoes , greens and pickled veggies Both dishes were pleasing to the eye and delicious on the palette. They had a lovely medley of spices rendering great flavors . Branzino was perfectly cooked and the plate was a feast to the eyes . This place is a keeper . I will definitely be back to try the other traditional dishes and their coffee .

We had a really mixed experience while here today, that turned sour as we were leaving and actually ruined the day. Starting with the good: the restaurant is beautiful (though we were plagued by well fed fruit flies during our meal, which was gross). Unfortunately, the food ranged from mediocre to really great and is just unpredictable and expensive. We went for lunch as a party of 3 on our way to Costco. My nearly 10 year old daughter (who stands on tippy toes to get on rides) and I are vegetarians. There's not a vegetarian item on the mains side and of the menu, unless you count the appetizers. As we were ordering, I explained to our server that my daughter and I were vegetarians and would be sharing something. We ordered the mezze platter (good, but huge for two people--more than enough for an entire meal), and I said "my daughter wants to try your falafel." He nods and chimes in to say that the chef can make a vegetarian dish subbing cauliflower and (I think) falafel instead of meat. I couldn't understand half of what he said due to his own low tone of voice, the pronunciation of some of the words, and the volume of the music, but we are not really picky, so I said "Ooh, perfect." Now, I take this on myself a bit. Who buys the special without asking for the price? I did not suspect my daughter and I would be presented with enough food for six people--or charged as such. We also ordered a mango and an almond date drink. These cost us $20 but didn't come until after our food. They were delivered in tiny martini glasses with full size straws--gone in three sips. The almond date was lumpy and it was inexplicably warm. Between having to chew it, and the odd temperature, it was difficult to drink. My daughter loved the mango drink, which was like a tiny expensive lassi. The mezze platter was huge. Hubby's flatbread was underseasoned. (He only ate one piece--no one asked why). And there's a plate of falafel. All of this is put down without comment. I said to my husband "I must've misunderstood him-- but this is already too much food so I'm glad." Ten minutes later, we were done, with more than half the mezze platter, and leftover falafel, when the waiter suddenly delivers a rice dish to the table. I was surprised, and told him we were done at that point. He wordlessly put it down and walked away. The bite I had of the dish was wonderful, don't get me wrong. I wished we had skipped everything else and just had that. Neither my daughter or I could eat much of it (see image). At this point, we requested the check and some to go containers. They didn't have a proper package for the mezze. Unfortunately, all of the salads became a mixed jumble on the way home and have since gone in the garbage. As he delivered the check, I said to the server "what has stopped me from coming in for dinner is the absence of a vegetarian main. You really should list it on the menu so vegetarians know!." Instead of saying "thanks for the feedback, I'll pass it along" the waiter began to argue with me about the plentiful vegetarian options on the menu. Yes, I know there are a lot of appetizers--but as a grown adult, I don't consider eating an appetizer to be a stand-in for a meal when everyone else is having salad, proteins and sides. I tried to make it clear that it was just a recommendation. He was clearly frustrated and responded that they "have lots of vegetarians" who eat there. I just gave up at that point, and he left. Now for the shock: check is $150. Hubbys part was $20. My nearly 10 year-old daughter and I were charged $125 for the "we are headed to Costco" lunch we received. II asked for clarification that I was told we had been charged the same price as a meat entree even though they'd substituted out the most expensive ingredient (halal meat) for a few pieces of cauliflower. Needless to say, the falafel was also not included in the $32 we were charged for this rice dish. That was an extra $11 on top of the $29 mezze and the ~6 fluid ounces of drinks at $20. The waiter was already argumentative. I still paid. I still tipped 20%. But I was not expecting to spend $150 on a casual, alcohol-free lunch in downtown Somerville (it was this or Cava, haha!). I left feeling terrible about the whole experience.

Grabbed dinner here after seeing this place on Instagram for a while. The interior is beautiful and will make you forget that you're in New Jersey. Everything in the menu sounded great but we opted for a mezze filistini (mixed dip platter) and falafel. The dips were amazing and the bread was warm and scrumptious, with a nice chew. We felt so bad because we kept devouring the bread and asking for more lol! My favorite dips were the muhmmarah and hummus. But my bf also loved how fresh the tabbouleh was. I also liked how the babaghanoush came with pomegranate, such a simple but great addition! The falafel was great as well-- crispy and flavorful. The appetizers were able to fill us up, but I'd definitely come here again to try an entree and some drinks!

Passing by a couple times when strolling in Somerville, we finally went in there last Sunday. They brought us the pita bread shortly after we placed the order. Warm fresh pita with evoo and spices is the best! We got the appetizer sampler, mezzo filistini, it was interesting and delicious. For entrees, we had the beef kebab and stew of bone-in lamb (mansaf) The lamb was delicious and tender, falling right off the bone. We ordered the beef kebab medium rare but only one cube was like medium and rest was medium well. It's either overcooked or the waitress heard us wrong but it's still tender and flavorful. The service was good and food was served quickly. I like how they use the space. It's a really nice addition to Somerville!

Great addition to Somerville. Such an inviting entrance. Once inside, so beautiful. Decor is amazing, modern but has old world murals on the walls. Tiled black and white walls in hallway to bathrooms, reminded me of Alice in Wonderland, got confused as to go when I came out. It's a very big space, you don't realize how big until you walk around inside. Staff is lovely. Food is lovelier. Delicious, flavor combos are different but so tasty. Everything we tried was great, spinach and cheese rolls to start. Shawarma Salad, made with lamb shawarma and chicken kebab's. It's byob we were able to have a little celebratory glass of vino. Will absolutely go back. No pic's of food. Too busy taking pics of the decor and ate everything before I thought of it! Next time for sure!!

If you're looking for a taste of Palestine, this restaurant delivers the experience beautifully. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted by the warmth of hand-painted murals that capture the essence of Palestinian culture, an olive tree as soon as you walk in and branches with leaves scattered around the space make you feel like you've stepped right into the heart of the country. The fresh-baked pita is complimentary, and the mezze platter is a unique twist on the classic, bursting with flavors that are different from the usual. I ordered the Halloumi Watermelon Salad, but was served fried halloumi instead. It's an acquired taste. The Mezze Filistini was delightful and unlike any mezze I've had before--definitely a must-try! But the Pistachio Flatbread? Hands down my favorite! It's like a cheesy, pistachio-loaded pizza that completely exceeded my expectations. The Mixed Grill was fantastic--the meats were perfectly cooked and tender, while the Red Snapper was nice but be mindful of the bones and the strong lemon flavor. The space is clean, beautifully designed, and comfortable, though a little chilly, so dress accordingly! The staff was friendly, and the bathrooms were well-maintained. Overall, a wonderful experience, and definitely worth a visit!

All the stars for all the things! Pleasing to the eyes as well as the palate. The place is huge yet manages to be cozy because of the leafy decor and full sized (fake) trees inside. Prices are reasonable, especially for the size and quality. Service was quick and pleasant despite being packed. All the Middle Eastern staples are on the menu, plus some twists (like many flatbread options). Already booked our next celebration here!

Now this place knows what's up. If you are looking for delicious Middle Eastern cuisine, then look no further. Straight from Brooklyn, Al Badawi features mouth watering dips, flatbread, platters, salads, meats, falafel, etc. and great traditional eats. Surprisingly everyone's favorite was the pistachio flatbread -- we were blown away by the flavors of the pizza & the way they paired so well together. I would 100% recommend it to everyone!! Another favorite or mine was the mezze filistini appetizer with 6 dips (hummus, babaghanoush, muhammarah, tabbouleh, salata tahuna & labneh) and warm pita bread -- everything was so tasty, plus the servings are huge! The platters and falafel were also enjoyed by everyone. All meals were an absolute hit, make sure you come hungry!! The interior is beautiful with lots of greenery. Our food did take a while to come but it was understandable as we went on a busy Friday. I would definitely recommend this place overall.

Food is absolutely incredible, dishes range in price from $20-$30. However, the amount of food they give is definitely worth the price. I ordered the Mansaf and it was enough food to last me for two days. The ambiance and service was amazing as well, definitely will come back

The fruit flies completely ruined the meal. We even moved to a different location in the restaurant and it didn't matter. The flies were everywhere and it was excruciating. Service was also incredibly slow (and they were not busy). After bringing our wine glasses 20 minutes after being sat, they never checked on us, even after the food came. We essentially didn't have a server - so bizarre. Food was ok, but unfortunately won't be back.

The dish I had at al Badawi ranks in my top 5 all time meals. Yes that's extreme but I'm obsessed with the flavors. I ordered Zahra Ma Laban - a yogurt stew with roasted spiced cauliflower and chunks of lamb. They have a traditional menu and I plan to try everything on it. My husband had the mixed plate with grilled beef and chicken, classic rice and veggies and his was excellent as well. He also had the house salad which was substantial, fresh veggies and a delectable salad dressing that had hints of peanut, sumac and other spices. Service was great - polite and helpful with suggestions. I've already told my family about this place and we plan to come back again and again. Omg and the freshly warmed pita and olive oil and spices to dip into... this is authentic food and you can taste it!

This was a great find for a Friday evening. We were looking for a place with a good vibe and healthy food options. And we were not disappointed. On top of that, Sommerville has a cruiser night on Friday evenings that made it into an outing. The mezze dips and Qatar bread were fantastic. I wouldn't order the mixed grill again but order specific kebabs as they were not all great. The filler mignon was a bit chewy. They had run out of snapper and branding. Given we went there looking for fish, that was a let down. The lamb, chicken and shrimp kebabs were good. Will be back to try more of the food and desserts.

The food is great which is unfortunate since the service was so awful. They need to change how they run things because it ruined my experience. It seems like the workers don't have designated roles, everyone is hosting, bussing, attending to customers which makes things extremely inefficient. There were plenty of reservations opened but there was a long line. They either need to hire more workers or have a reservation only model. We waited an extra 30-40minutes just to flag people down. I was soo excited to try Palestinian cuisine and had high hopes, I usually don't mind if the service is no frills if the food is cheap but for the price tag I'm expecting good food and service. The fish and lamb were extremely tender and full of flavor. They also give free pita which is generous. I would pass on the desserts; the cheesecake was too sweet and was more like a flour cake. The tahini ice cream had an interesting stretchy texture but lacked tahini flavor. I would come back for the food alone but not sure if I would dine in if I have to deal with the extreme wait times even with a reservation. It is BYOB which is nice - I had a nice buzz but the poor service ruined it. Service + dessert - 2/5 Entrees - 4.5/5

Wow. Just wow. How could anyone passing by not be complete enraptured by the beauty of this restaurant. In the impressive, open space with ample lighting, you'll see the murals - so brilliantly painted onto the building's original brick walls - and the olive tree towering in the restaurant's center. It is truly a testament to the designers that they were able to make this restaurant look so new but also as if it has been here for centuries. Standing at the curb, looking through the window feels like looking into a postcard of a different world. How could you not step through? The food itself is as authentic as the decor, and SO delicious. The "Mezze Felistine" has all the classic cold dips served with warm, fresh baked bread. These taste fresh and like they're made in house. Heavy on the tahini: I love it! "Zaatar Flatbread" might be the best baked pizza crust in Somerville, and that's saying something. The generous zaatar and olive oil toppings are warm, nutty, and highly recommended. For mains, I highly recommend the "Mansaf" and the "Maklouba". Both are perfectly balanced with regards to their spices and herbs. I love how complex the flavor profile and ingredients are for each. Savor every bite! The "Bamia" is also wonderful. A rich tomato based sauce holds tender chunks of beef with okra. It's perfect for sopping up with your endless bread baskets. The "Rose Cardamom" shake is steeply priced for the amount of drink you get, but it's so delicious I had no regrets. Truly have never tasted any drink like that before. For dessert, I recommend the "Tahini Ice Cream". It's almost tastes like peanut butter and is the perfect palate cleanser after your meal. Of course, the most authentic aspect of our experience was the immense hospitality and kindess of our servers. They treated us like close family, catering to our every need without ever once dropping their smiles. Our kids were getting rowdy and the waitress even blew some balloons for them to keep them entertained. That's a world class luxury dining experience but with the feeling that you're at home. Hands down, best restaurant in Somerville.

Holy cow! This is the best food in Somerville. Do yourself a favor and eat here. The decor is gorgeous and the food is so, so flavorful. BYOB.

Such a wonderful place with a warm, inviting ambiance. The food is truly authentic--I can say that with confidence, as it's the food I grew up with. The service was outstanding, and the atmosphere is both vibrant and artistic. They've done an excellent job showcasing beautiful paintings of Palestinian people and landmarks, adding a meaningful cultural touch to the experience. What's amusingly surprising is that they are serving food that you'd normally not see it served except at home such as mansaf and kafta

The food was tasty and delicious Staff was welcoming and the ambiance is amazing Definitely recommend

i was so impressed with this place. me and my friend shared the dip platter and omggggggg it was amazing! i also loved the haloumi! cheese is life :) copied from the internet from the menu platter Hummus Freshly ground chickpeas blended with olive oil, tahini, lemon, and fresh garlic. (topped with chick peas, paprika and blended green garlic) Baba Ghanoush Oven-roasted eggplant mashed with tahini, olive oil, lemon and garlic. Muhammarah Roasted sweet red peppers blended with walnuts, and pomegranate molasses. Salata Bi Tahina Finely chopped mediterranean cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and parsley mixed with lemon tahini. Tabbouleh Finely chopped parsley mixed with fine bulgur, tomatoes, onions, olive oil and lemon. Labneh Strained and whipped yogurt paste topped with olive oil. they give you bread if you always ask lol. you finish what you have and then if you want more they give it to you. everything was so fresh and delicious. we also had the shawarma chicken beef and cheese flatbread. that was very good as well. its so much though lol. its more like a pizza lol. this spread is a must order and a must share. its big enough!

The ambience and service at this place is next level, the staff are so friendly and welcoming. The mocktails are absolutely delicious and pair really well with their mezze platter and fresh bread. So many delicious traditional dishes to choose from, cannot wait to go back to try more!

It took two hours to get the food and also they had ran out of half the menu items. We were forced to get the chicken platter which was mediocre. The servers seemed nice but overwhelmed. I'll give this place another shot when they have enough resources and food to accommodate the patrons.

I would say the food was average but service is poor. We went today 10/31 and when we walked in there were only few tables occupied. We were seated promptly. Ambiance was good! But we didn't get any service for 15 min until we flagged someone. Every time you need something you have to flag someone. Unfortunately we won't be back.

Stopped by for an early dinner this week and was overall pleased. The decor was modern and the food was delicious. Service was quick and attentive. Had the lamb kebab and even the small portion had me satisfied. Next time planning to go with friends

This restaurant deserves more recognition! The food is incredibly flavorful and I especially enjoyed the pomegranate molasses dip. The baklava was the perfect balance of crispy, soft, sweet, and the pistachio flavor complemented the dessert as a whole. The servers are very kind and enthusiastic and the restaurant is very clean! I love how they designed the interior, from the art to the lights and the flowers, it's very well thought out.

The restaurant inside is absolutely beautiful, and we really enjoyed the food! The standouts for us were the labneh shake drink, Wara dawali, and the kousa mashi. The fresh baked bread was also piping hot and soooo good. Excited to come back and try more here! They're also BYO

Tried to place an online order and it didn't work so called on the phone to place a pickup and once again not the greatest. Maybe it's better to dine in here, who knows. The food was okay but they ended up messing up my order even after I confirmed with them multiple times over the phone and in person. The food was okay. I've had better shawarma and falafel elsewhere. Maybe I went on an off night and may try again in the future but at the moment it's not my go-to spot.

beautiful... Beautiful.... BEAUTIFUL!! Such a picturesque venue!!! From outside to inside. A MUST SEE!!! Beautiful location ... Affable staff.... This place is WORTH visiting. I'm glad I went. They do not serve alcohol... The food was mid... the salmon in my salad smelled fishy.... But the venue, presentation and staff were AMAZING! Oh! The lamb was DELICIOUS!

So happy there's a location here in Somerville NJ!! This is exactly the type of place this strip needs :) From the moment you walk in this restaurant, you just know you're in for an amazing experience. The ambiance, service, and food are all impeccable. It's hard to find a restaurant that nails all 3 of these, but they definitely have. The Mezze Filistini pictured here is an absolute must have!

Beautiful restaurant with great service. The hummus was fantastic, the bread -a chewy pita and my Ouzi Chicken was delicious. My sister got the salmon kabob with lemon potatoes and loved it as well.

In town on business and was looking for some good food. Found Al Badawi after a fast browse through yelp. This place is a stand out and some of the best middle eastern food I have ever had. Add in great ambiance, and fantastic, friendly service. It will be hard to find a better meal before I head home in a few days. We ordered the appetizer platter and the Ouzi Chicken. Left delighted, satisfied, completely full and wishing we had a home to take leftovers to. This place is a must try. I will be returning next time I am in town.

The food was delicious and the portions were generous, definitely great value for the price. The atmosphere was calm and relaxed -- perfect for having a good conversation without too much noise. However, the service was quite slow. It took a while to get the server and was inattentive nor helpful with menu items. I hope they work on improving the service, because the rest of the experience was very enjoyable. Not sure we are coming back. Food: Hummus Mixed Grill Baklava Water (no refill)

Ambiance is super cute with plenty of space. The food was excellent. Highly recommend the chicken shawarma (that garlic sauce ), kibbeh, baba ganoush, and mint tea. Everything on the menu looked great. Service and food timing was on point. Glad to finally have tried it. Will be a frequent customer of this restaurant!

Finally got to try this spot after seeing how beautiful the restaurant is on social media. It looks even better in person. The staff was friendly and attentive, even as the place began to fill up on a Friday night. We tried a bunch of different dips and the Baba Ghanoush, Muhammarah and Labneh were the standouts. The Fried Halloumi Cheese and all the fresh pita were great as well. For my main I got the Fattat Jaj and since this was my first time experiencing Palestinian food, I had no clue what to expect. The plate was towering with food! The chicken and rice were flavorful. The crispy pita and almond slivers added great texture. But that garlic sauce. Next time I'll ask for extra sauce but can't wait to go back and try more dishes. A great addition to all the different cuisines Somerville has to offer!

First time coming here and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food. All dishes were well prepared, fresh and delicious. Service and ambiance were good as well. Worth visiting if you are in the area.

Fresh, flavorful mid-afternoon meal. Hot puffy pita, luscious olive oil, all dishes beautifully served. Cheerful, helpful service. Comfortable, brightly decorated, large room but not crowded tables.

If you like good food, you'll love it here. The venue alone is a great reason to come and appreciate the beauty and detail of the restaurant inside and out. A beautiful restaurant also calls for great music and that is exactly what you'll get. The staff is beyond friendly and attentive and the bar offers all non alcoholic options but I promise they do not disappoint. As to the food....delicious! Everything is fresh, flavorful, tastefully seasoned and presented. The portions are pretty big so come hungry or prepare to share. This is wonderful addition to an already diverse restaurant scene in Somerville nj. This is now a go to spot for me and cant wait to go back!

We went to this place after some friends recommended us to go here instead of Patterson. So here it is. We ordered 3 different platters because they didn't have any family platter smaller than for 6 people. We ordered Chicken Kabob, Chicken and Mix platter. We also ordered a mix appetizer. ALL food is either sourced from other stores and just warmed up and served to you. Nothing seemed like it was prepared fresh. Meat to rice to hummus to Babaghanoush. All were what you buy at local Costco or cooked ahead of time and reheated for you. Food is 3/10 And then comes the service. We always tip well wherever we go. Here we were discussing how to tip as low as possible. Servers were more interested to stand in a corner and talk to themselves instead of asking if we even needed water refill, which was never offered. When asked for dessert menu, no one came back to ask if we wanted to order any desserts. Overall 0/10 on service. Atmosphere and location is however perfect. 10/10 for that

1st Time here (definitely NOT the last!) Excellent Food (We eat alot of Middle Eastern Food) Very well seasoned. The Pita Bread is particularly Excellent! Very Attentive Staff Five Stars from our perspective

This restaurant outclasses every comparable option. Their pricing undercuts similar establishments. The flavors dissolved perfectly while I savored with closed eyes. The service team is particularly pleasant and helpful. This restaurant has earned my regular patronage.

Don't come here if you are hungry and want to try Palestinian food. That was our original goal when we made reservations for this place a week in advance on Resy. Reservation was for 8 o'clock in evening on a Saturday night and when we walked in the door it was pretty packed. We waited at the front for a server, or anyone, to help us check in, and after 10 minutes a waiter flagged us down and asked how many people we were. We told them 4, and that we had a reservation, he said reservation doesn't matter and he found us a table. So first bit of advice, don't make reservations. They don't care about them. We waited an additional 20 minutes at the table for waiter to come and take our order. We saw a group of 5-6 waiters standing in a corner chatting, my husband got up and had to ask one of the waiters if he could at least have a menu while we waited for someone to take our order. They handed him two and a few minutes later one of the waiters arrived and said he would be taking care of us. We ordered our soda/water and appetizers and our main dish and thought we were set. But no. All we got to eat until 9:15 pm was bread, olive oil and zaatar. The appetizers arrived in stages. The hummus was there, but no bread. Then the soup arrived but no spoon to eat it with. I've never seen more grossly incompetent scatter brained waitstaff in my life. Finally, at 9:45 pm, two out of the four dinner dishes we ordered arrived. Then 15 minutes later the 3rd dish. The maqluba I had ordered for my meal NEVER ARRIVED. It was now 10:20 pm. Over two hours since we arrived . Everyone else at the table was done eating but I never got to eat dinner. Again, the original waiter who claimed he would take care of us was nowhere to be found, so I just asked one of the random waiters hanging out in the corner to cancel my dinner and take it off our bill and asked for the check. I went back to my table and shortly a waiter came with the check and a to-go bag with the maqluba in it and said, "this is for you, it's Maqluba, and we took it off the bill." But when I looked at the bill, the charge for the Maqluba was still on there! Unbelievable. These people have no clue how to run a restaurant. I again went to the Waiter's Corner to tell them they didn't remove the charge for Maqluba and wanted my bill corrected . They removed the charge, we paid and then we left. The first impression was the last impression. I won't ever be coming back here. Next time I want authentic Middle Eastern food I'll drive to Paterson to Al-Basha or any one of the restaurants there. This place in Somerville is a complete nut house. The only thing they have going for them is the decor. It seems all the energy establishing this restaurant went into the decorations. But the food, cleanliness of the bathrooms , and service is not a high priority for them. Neither is establishing repeat customers. I doubt anyone who comes here ever comes back. Horrendous experience. They are only getting 1 star because the interior decoration was nice and the hummus and bread was good. I would have given more stars if I got the dinner I ordered, but oh well, they're not gonna get it now.