Al Zaytouna

Al Zaytouna is one of the rare Tunisian restaurant in Philadelphia. It’s a small restaurant and their location is just perfect. I was expecting to get really good food but unfortunately I didn’t. I ordered appetizer falafel which was very tasteless and very dry. Falafel had almost no flavor. Main course I had mixed kabob that came with grilled chicken, lamb and kofta. The main course served with grilled vegetables, hummus, rice and mixed greens salad. Chicken and lamb were very average but kofta was good. Rice was cold and it was very dry. Salad was fresh and hummus was just delicious. Their food quality wasn’t good but their portions were very generous. The restaurant’s atmosphere was below the average and it wasn’t clean at all. I was the only one at restaurant and I saw three tables were dirty and this is not acceptable at all. The manager or maybe the owner was very nice man but he wasn’t very good server. They should hire some professional servers which can make really good difference for their business. Their menu was pretty rich and their prices were very reasonable. It’s a BYOB restaurant also.

I hope this is taken as constructive criticism, but the falafel sandwich isn't great. It was way too dry. The falafel balls were way too dry and they didn't put any tzatziki or any other sauce on the sandwich. Every halal street cart I've ever been to in Philly makes a far superior falafel sandwich.

I order delivery occasionally (always the same thing-- chicken kebob salad and hummus) and the food is always so fresh. You can tell the lettuce is chopped fresh (and not from a bag) and the grilled chicken on the salad is still warm when it arrives. The hummus is so creamy, my favorite in the city

Absolutely delicious! Will be ordering again. Food was fresh and yummy, cooked to perfection!

I’m usually a huge fan of this restaurant but today I had a terrible experience and won’t be going back again. I asked for dressing on the side but it was mixed in my salad & the salad was completely warm and wilted. The cucumbers in my salad were inedible. We also ordered wings which are usually our favorite but half of them were just bones with meat on one part of them and very dry and over cooked. Our fries were also very soggy and covered in oil and were inedible. I’m very disappointed considering I have had positive experiences before. We spent $45 on food and could barely eat it.

First time at this place. At first thought, I was thinking this place is small but when I walked in, it is small but nice. The restaurant is very clean. They have music playing in the background. Nice setting. Ordered the chicken kabob platter. It wasn't what I had in mind. The kabob is not on a stick. It's a stickless kabob but it was very good. The mixed green salad was pretty good too (missing from the picture). Didn't too much care for the rice and I love rice. I would recommend people to try out Al Zaytouna. Forgot to take picture when I got the food. Sorry bout the half plate 😂.

First time. Ordered and paid for fried falafel app to go. Waited over 20 minutes and just left with nothing. Now I'm hungry and cranky. How can 3 people in an empty restaurant take so long to prepare such a simple item? Can't comment on falafel, a lot of reviews say it's not great, maybe I'm better off.

If you have not had North African doid, this is the place to start. Try the cous cous - the ultimate comfort food. Or taste any sandwich - and see what you have been missing. But everything is delicious. My most recent visit proves that Al Zautouna is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. I feel so grateful that this family decided to plant their restaurant here, in Bella Vista. Until now, this neighborhood was woefully bereft of North African offerings. Every time we buy food here, I am reminded that it is not easy to settle here when you are from another country. And yet the Al Zaytouna family has done just that - and in doing so they have given us the gift of Tunisian cuisine - an exceptionally tasteful and energizing set of options. I urge you to give this restaurant a try. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the city. It is refreshingly different and totally satisfying - and very healthy also. Al Zaytouna prepares exceptional Tunisian food. Their sandwhiches and entrees are fresh, with real vegetables ( not the ho hum kind), and authentic flavors. Their cous cous entrees remind me of meals from my childhood. The owner and his wife are warm and welcoming; this restaurant stayed open through the pandemic serving as long as people needed food. There are few restaurants ( despite all the hype), that really seem to care about the actual quality of the food they serve. This is one that really does care - and it shows. Everything is consistently terrific.

Ambient cozy restaurant, went there with a couple of friends in an afternoon. We were warmly greeted by the owner and received several suggestions. We tried the Egyptian mint tea, it was refreshing. Though we were the only seated table, a lot of pick ups kept the owner / chef busy. We tried a couple different Hummus, and end up all trying the Zaytouna combination for main course. The hummus were our favorite. End up taking some home with us. Overall it's a very cute lil restaurant that doesn't try to fill all the space with tables. Very relaxing.

Very yummy food that was good portion size. My meal came quickly through delivery service. Healthy and tasty option.

If you want a quaint spot for a quiet meal this your spot. The ambience is great, the food is tasteful, fresh, and just plain good. As for the service I could not have asked for better. Please stop in and experience for yourself. This coming from a foodie who would not lie about food!! Miss Gloria

We are regulars at this delicious restaurant. The new owners are gracious and welcoming. The entrees are consistently flavorful and authentically seasoned. If you are new to Moroccan food, this is a fine introduction. If you have time, the seating is lovely and the service is prompt. Takeout is prompt as well. Enjoy.

I'm blown away by how good the food was and the fact that dine in was empty when we came. I got the mixed kebob platter and omfg the lamb made me shed a tear. The chicken was also outstanding and I enjoyed my first kofta and the beef was good too. The seasoning on the whole dish was perfect and it was SO MUCH FOOD! The platter came with hummus, salad, and pita which were f*cking delicious. Creating your own perfect bite into a pita pocket is something special. Another cool perk is BYOB so we came in with a six pack of Two Robbers from the bottle shop around the corner and they were cool about it. We finished off with baklava and the FIG was beautiful, it wasn't too syrupy which sometimes can happen. I'm sure they're also great for takeout, we saw a bunch of people come by to pick up their orders. Can't wait to come back and try everything else on the menu.

Work lunch that now received a 5 stars because everything was delicious! I stayed away from the chicken kebab since it was very dry last time. Ordered the shrimp salad this time and it tasted great! Perfect amount of shrimp which were grilled to perfection. A very filling salad! Ordered the same app where it came with a little bit of everything and just like last time it did not disappoint at all. The pita bread is extremely soft and the baba ghanoush was outstanding.

Walked in off the street and asked for a table which I think they were surprised by lol, this place feels more like a door dashing type operation. We just landed in Philly and headed straight to Angelo's and they were sold out. We were starving. We decided we needed some authentic middle eastern food in our lives so here we are. The owner was a charming funny and welcoming man who was happy to serve us and give us some insider details about where to go in Philly. The Falafel appetizer was yummy, fresh, authentic and a lil greasy just for me. But would still order again. My merguez wrap was actually surprisingly good. I didn't expect to enjoy it that much. It was pleasantly spicy and loved the contrasting textures of the French fries inside. The Kofta kebab platter was kinda dry and tough but the char and flavor made up for it. I would definitely eat here again if I lived in Philly!

We ordered pickup and weren't particularly impressed. Let me start with the good. We got the Grilled Chicken Kebabs Tunisian Couscous and Beef Kabob. The couscous was delicious. The hummus has a bit of a smokey flavor to it which was fun. The tiny bit of side salad had nice dressing. To quote my husband "if I wanted overcooked meat, I could have made it myself". So there's the bad. The ordering experience wasn't great. Everything went through and I scheduled a time for pickup, as far as I know that all went great, but besides the initial confirmation of receipt of my order, there was no communication about the food being ready or picked up or anything. I don't know that it had anything to do with the restaurant, so I'm not including it as a reason for my rating, but something to note if you order pickup too.

I order delivery from here often. My favorite is the Tunisian grilled chicken kabob with couscous, but I also like their falafel and hummus. Occasionally, I treat myself to the baklava (on cheat days). Not a big fan of their green salads, but everything else I've ordered has been pretty good. Again, I order from here often.

The lamb and couscous bowl has flavors that thrill, portions that kill. Comes topped with a pepper, plenty of veggies and tender, and juicy lamb. Quick delivery! Could either be one heavy dinner or two lighters munches.

This is my second review for this restaurant. ... do people even read these anymore? Every single meal I have ever had from Al Zaytouna has been excellent. To put out STELLAR delivery in the middle of a pandemic is just next level. Our family orders the same thing each time. Chicken kebab platter and lamb platter. this feeds two adults and two children with solid appetites. Each bite is flavorful, well cooked, and clearly made with the intention for the person eating it to enjoy. So obviously- this food is made with love. In a world that is scary and uncertain, I am glad that we are able to order from Al Zaytouna.

Great little Tunisian resto on the border of Philadelphia's Little Italy. Mediterranean cuisine is featured with a Tunisian spin on many dishes from that region. The service was very friendly, efficient; the food coming reasonable quickly when you consider some items are made from scratch. Give this place a try as it is interesting when you compare similar dishes from other countries you may have had.

Ordered for delivery through Grubhub. Food arrived on time. The delivery person was courteous and wearing a mask. Chicken schawarma platter comes with a small salad and hummus in a comparted container so they don't mix together. Rice and chicken were a little bit dry and needs more flavor. Hummus is decent. Baba ganoush doesn't have the signature smoky flavor, it has strong garlic flavor. It's the winning dish in my order. Foul mudama has weird taste. I didn't enjoy it at all . Baklava is small and the pastry isn't crispy, I don't think it's fresh

THIS FOOD IS AMAZINGGGGG!!!! the service was perfect the workers are super nice ! and its just a beautiful restaurant!

Al Zaytouna is my go-to takeout spot when I'm craving something rich, delicious, and not deep fried. Their menu is full of Mediterranean and middle eastern dishes, everything is fresh and artfully made. My go-to is lamb shank cous cous, with fire roasted vegetables and meat that falls off the bone; a Greek salad w/ nice fresh olives, and a side of babaganoush and warm pita. Al Zaytouna makes ordering in feel deluxe.

*This review is strictly about the chicken shawarma* This place has some brass balls to have the nerve to call this shawarma. It has absolutely *zero* seasoning and flavor to it and looks more like chopped up boiled chicken. I'm also very confused by the rice. It has what appears to be those pre-cut frozen chopped up carrots and peas mixed in it. One question: Why? I've never seen anything like this, and the taste and smell was off putting as well. This shouldn't be on the menu. Actually, it shouldn't be on *any* menu. I can't speak to anything else from here -- although I will say I did like the hummus and pita that came with it -- but this meal was so bad that I had to come out of Yelp Retirement and write this. If you're looking for shawarma don't bother with this place.

Update review... Had chicken kabob again. I would say it is above average overall, although not as good as the best places in Philly. Ingredients taste very fresh across the board. Rice pilaf is kind of boring. Could use garlic sauce or something. Chicken itself is very good as is the salad and the hummus is too. General lack of seasoning kind of annoys me a little bit compared with what I think of as the best places in town. But overall I do recommend it and prices are quite reasonable. Lower end of 4 star range for me

Second trip, not as good as the first. I got a salad with chicken and we live close by, picked it up the salad was warm and soggy from the hot chicken. No garlic sauce I asked for. My husband had a lamb wrap, small and not much meat. Disappointing for the cost. First trip This place is wonderful. I was craving some hummus and chicken kebabs, and I was really glad this popped up when I looked. They were everything I wanted and more. I also had the grape leaves and falafel, the dip for the falafel was garlic heavIf you like fresh homemade middle eastern this is the place for you.

A great little Tunisian spot in Italian Market. The Lamb kebab was my favorite. The menu is very diverse with options for everyone. The owner was very friendly and welcoming and also very knowledgeable on my gluten allergy! Will definitely be going back!

The food was lovely. Tasty, healthy and clean. Nice portions. PROBABLY the best I tasted (nyc 18 yrs). NOT SALTY AT ALL!!!!! Very delicious/ even my 75 yo Dad enjoyed it! I'm a new fan! Thank you

Great take out! The pita bread here was AWESOME. I had a Greek salad which also hit the spot- the chicken was cooked perfectly. Highly recommend checking this spot out for delivery- and I'm looking forward to visiting in person!

Delicious! We got hummus (came with delicious and warm pita), stuffed grape leaves, tabouli, and falafel. All of the items tasted fresh, we'll definitely be back.

We ordered delivery, couldn't believe how fast it arrived and the price was great. Chicken plate: chicken was tender and flavorful, with a salad, hummus and veggies! Great food Baba Ghannouj : it's an eggplants dip for those who haven't tried it, so yummy just enough spices to add flavor but not overwhelm. Foul Mudam Mas: a fava bean dip, creamy and good for you! Delish! Chicken Phily cheesesteak: finally a Phily cheesesteak I can let my husband have more than a bite of! He loved this sandwich and I loved how delicious yet healthy it was.

Ordered a dinner here from the website menufy, waited an hour, it never came. Tried to call the restaurant to find out what was going on but they were already closed for half an hour and the phone number just rings a few times and then goes to some kind of Verizon messaging service that asks you to enter the number of who you want to reach. Now it's nearly midnight and I have no food. Edit - the next morning a lady called me and said Hey, we got this order and it's for like 10:30 but I'm not sure if it's for this morning or what's going on so call me. So I did and she was like, we close at 10, so that website had the wrong hours. I'll tell the owner, sorry! Sorry? That's it? How about like "Please let us make it up to you by taking 50% off your next order?" or something like that. Ya'll screwed up by not updating the hours on this website that literally sends orders to you; it's not like it was just an inaccurate Google listing or something.

The chicken and rice were not seasoned at all, not even salt which was so disappointing :/ However the hummus and falafel were very tasty. Baba ghanoush had a bit too much garlic for my liking. The service is pretty fast though, we didn't have to wait too long. Also I loved the interior design and thought it was decorated well :)

Started with a Turkish coffee. Perfectly sweet and strong served in a stainless steel cup. We had the Falafel Deluxe and Kofta Kabob sandwiches served in a very thin and tasty pita. The sandwiches were well put together and properly seasoned. Highly recommended for the non standard lunch. We ate mid afternoon on a Saturday. Service was mildly slow (relaxed?) and not real attentive. (Better then hovering I suppose.)

Never been there but lived off their chicken kabob platter during the pandemic--I must have ordered it forty times and it was perfect each time.

We ordered the meat platter, which came with lamb, shrimp, ground beef kabob, and chicken. Everything was so tasty, juicy, and fresh. The platter fed a family of four (2 small kids) and my kids housed everything. All the apps and other items served with our main course were equally delicious. The owner was also so kind and welcoming truly taking pride over the authentic food he served. By far my favorite restaurant in Doylestown yet!

I wish I can give this place a 4 star review because I really did like the quality of the food. however, their portions were too small for the price. The fact that there wasn't enough bread presented with the already to small appetizer did irritate me. I ordered what is equivalent to a mixed grill and they gave me 1kofta and 2 pieces of lamb. I've eaten at many Mediterranean restaurants and my common order is always a mixed grill and I don't recall ever having that small number or size of meat. The waiter was nice, but inattentive. I asked if they could change the music...seeing as my friend and I were the only ones at the restaurant at that time of evening, but got ignored. I would've appreciated feedback as to why the music didn't change, but completely getting ignored was unacceptable. It was overall, an Ok experience. Probably wouldn't go out of my way to visit again.

I've wanted to try this place, but hesitated because I am fairly new to Mediterranean cuisine. So this review is based on poor lack of aquaintance. Locaed in the Italian market area, it was not for upscale dining. But the place was clean and cozy with small open kitchen. Interestingly, the kitchen was located right next to the entrance. I had Egyptian iced tea and mixed kebab (beef, chicken, lamb and kofta). Meats were slightly overcooked and thus had tougher texture for me, but taste was on point (for my very limited exposure to kebab). Iced tea had peppermint and chamomile flavors according to my less educated palate. Overall, it was very satisfying lunch, and maybe encouraged me to try more Mediterranean food.

I had gone this secret restaurant on Tuesday. It was dinner time and I was the only guess in the restaurant. What a shame because this Tunisian restaurant deserves much better. I ordered Salmon Steak Entree and I finished everything quickly. It came with side of salad, rice, hummus and fried vegetables. Everything was delicious but wasn't enough. I was expecting bigger portion and right amount of salmon, but it wasn't. So great taste of food especially hummus, but small portion of food served. My waitress was also very friendly. It was very clean restaurant and I really loved their clean restroom which was very impressive. You should try one day this restaurant.

Food was delicious! Great value for the amount that you get. Super quick takeout experience. Loved the chicken shawarma!

I got a kabob wrap and took one bite and noticed the ground beef was completely raw in the middle. Absolutely disgusting! Learn how to cook the kabob first before pathetically opening a business.

We loved this place! We went on a weekday and had no problem getting a table. The service was great. Everything we ordered was fresh, homemade, and perfectly prepared. The restaurant is also BYOB which is always a plus. We got the appetizer sampler and Tunisian Couscous with lamb and chicken kabob. The appetizer sampler was amazing, especially the falafel! The Tunisian couscous was delicious. Both the the chicken and lamb were perfectly cooked. We also got a side of the homemade hot sauce which had a unique flavor that complemented the dishes quite well!

If you're in the mood for Greek/Mediterranean food look no further. Their falafel was beautifully, flavor fully, & deliciously crisp, hummus delicately creamy, and rice so good. Our food was delivered and arrived BEFORE time. We were pleased with our meals and looking forward to our leftovers.

Many thanks for the BEST Mediterranean meal I've had since being quarantined! My friends surprise me with this fantastic meal for my birthday and I was oh so very impressed! Will definitely be ordering sooner than later:) Thanks for filling me up for 3 days!!!

Went here on a Friday night...and boy was it quiet! This place is charming and a cute little hole in the wall in the italian market area. Let me just say, for the food and the price...is perfect. I highly recommend the grape leaves. Do it...and thank me later.

As someone who order takeout a lot, I often order from Al Zaytouna--and I have a very important report: - They make some killer appetizers, which is one of my go-tos, and best part? I always have plenty left over. Hummus, falafel X 2pieces ,foul, grape leaves X2pieces & tabouli -DELICIOUS! - Chicken Shawarma. Perfection is NOT a myth. I checked, and you should check too to double-check, just to prove me right. - Mixed Kabob: Chicken, Lamb, Beef and Kofta. Treat yourself with an extra- special meal, and your tastebuds will thank you. - I dined in once at Al Zaytouna, and my experience was great: Cozy restaurant, friendly service, and tasty food. - Bonus: Delivery service is Super-fast. Four Yelps.

Don't understand how this place isn't packed on a Friday night. Soooooo good. We had stuffed grape leaves for appetizer and each of us had a different entree. Chicken shawarma, lamb kebabs, chicken kebabs, and the special - branzini. We all cleaned our plates. We also had the tiramisu and baklava - both were insanely good. The chefs were working their tails off in the little kitchen AND waiting on tables. Incredible place. We will be back!

We love Al Zaytouna. Have had take out many times and eaten a few times at the restaurant. Everybody is very friendly. Food is always delicious, very authentic. My son is obsessed with the chicken kebobs, and the couscous is very tasty as well. A go to for our family.

First-timer's take for a delivery order: closer to 3.5 yelps. The order was filled correctly, packaged well, and arrived promptly. The vegetarian items we ordered, which included hummus, baba ghanoush, and falafel sandwiches, were good and also fresh, but everything tasted slightly under seasoned. We'd order again from this place because it was fine but we're definitely still on the hunt for our go-to falafel delivery joint.

The falafel deluxe sandwich is delicious. I loved the flavors and the addition of eggplants made it especially delicious. The bread was thin and chewy.

We've gotten delivery from here a few times so this is purely food based decide. To me, the food is pretty bland, and not flavorful. I love middle eastern food, but I find their pita dry and seems a bit stale, their humus run of the mill, and their shawarma very light on flavor. Would not recommend.

Ordered from GrubHub. Food arrived extremely fast, within 30 minutes of placing the order. Chicken kebab platter is bomb and so much food: chicken with grilled vegetables over rice, salad, hummus, and pita. Would order again for sure. Great value for how filling and nutritious the food is.

Checked out this BYOB for dinner on a Friday in July and we were the only dine-in customers. Service was (understandably) quick and pleasant. Falafel entree that came with rice, mixed veggies, hummus, and 2 pieces of pita: 3/5, it was fine, nothing inspiring though. At least the pita was warm and soft! Grilled chicken pita sandwich: 3/5.. same.. decent but nothing inspiring. The price and quality of food was about the same as Naf Naf Grill (the Chipotle/Qdoba of Mediterranean food)

Ordered this as take out and it did not disappoint! The food was ready the second we went to pick it up and when we got home, opened the to-go box, the food looked like it was made from the kitchen and instantly put in front of us. The veggies were fresh, the rice was flavorful, the hummus was creamy, the chicken kebab was generous. This is the real deal and the full package!

Great Mediteranean food, casual atmosphere w no lines. Owner is great and chef carefully prepares your food as if you are her cousin, the one she likes.

I ordered in delivery from here recently, having a craving for Lebanese food and a lack of willpower to get to my usual digs for such cravings. Judging by the 4 star reviews of this place, I was expecting my Chicken kebab to be great! The food, although reasonable in portion size, tasted DREADFUL. The rice did not seem fresh, and it was extremely evident that they used frozen vegetables in it. But the biggest issue by far was the actual chicken itself. Multiple pieces of the kebab were raw!! I tried to find the positives in this meal, but just couldn't find anything worthwhile.

Delicious, inexpensive Mediterranean food. Parking is a little difficult. I ended up going with the Mergez sandwich, Cheesesteak, and the Mishwi platter, which was recommended to me by a friend. The Mishwi platter is excellent and is a Tunisian specialty.