Cafe Beirut

Way overpriced - $34 for seitan shawarma salad and side of falafel, before tip. Salad was swimming in dressing - see pic. Pita had mold on it - see pic. Never going back.

I was excited to see a Lebanese place near my new house, I did not know it will be my first and last meal there. I'm Arab, so I know what I'm talking about.. The kibbeh was not fresh, portions are huge, but unfortunately, bland, dry, and generic combinations with no authentic flavors. I used the washroom, and I saw in the hallway a huge bag of dry chickpeas open, just next to the washroom!! To be fair, they have a lot of potential if they fix these issues or just focus on a few items, and perfect them instead of having a long list of dishes they rail to deliver on. The service was great, and the dude at the cashier was helpful.. The place is lively, but you won't enjoy it if you are here for the food. Many other places offer better quality for similar or lower cost.

I love this place and they have one of the best spots to be in on Centre Street. They always ready and the food is always hot. I love there Pita bread. The rice. The lamb! The shrimp is made so perfect this place makes my mouth water. I love it.

not a picky eater and not one to leave negative reviews but beef shawarma was pretty much inedible / rubbery. Portions sizes are large, salad is fine, but that shawarma should not be served to anyone unless you don’t like them

This is some of the best middle eastern food I’ve ever eaten anywhere. Vegetarian dishes are exquisite - highly recommend the seitan shawarma, the halloumi shish (so well grilled!!), and the fried okra. Dolmas are also amazing. Every bite of the pita wraps were dripping in flavor. Portion sizes are huge and food is very reasonably priced. I’ll be back many many more times.

The food was delicious! Staff very nice and accommodating. We tried fried cauliflower, pumpkin kibee, and olives and pickles on our mezza. Perfect! Then had shawarmas. Great atmosphere to relax and eat yummy food.

Always great to see vegan options clearly labeled. The portions were very generous. I had the pumpkin king roll up which had great seasonal flavors. Nice modern decor.

I liked the vegetarian dish, also the red snapper. The kabobs were a little bit overcooked. Overall I think the red meat and kabobs are not top notch in this place. But their fish, vegetarian dish and stews are good. They do not have dine in in the pandemic. Maybe it will become available in the future...

I don't get the bad reviews, this place is great, good flavor in the meat, sauces, and tahini that isn't watered down! I ordered Kafta Kabob pita.

I rarely go out of my way to write a negative view but I'm so baffled they sent me burnt food. Our kebabs were burnt. The lamb was covered in salt. Pilaf was drenched in water. How can you serve burnt food?!?

I really wanted to like this place, but it lacked tremendously in customer service and quality of the food. There was no one at the counter when I arrived, which is fine, and a kind gentleman in the kitchen told me "she" will be right out and mentioned that to her. The "she" turned out to be a rude and abrasive lady. I didn't ask for her name, but my receipt said "Amy." She's an older lady with glasses and she had a lot of anger and aggression issues. It was quite bizarre. She stormed out to the front and started berating the staff in another language and kept this up for an uncomfortably long time. It seemed like she was angry that someone told her what to do, but I believe her issues run much deeper. When I asked her about the food, she abruptly told me I can see all the details on the menu for myself and was completely dismissive. The tall gentleman in the kitchen was very, very nice and welcoming to everyone. He greeted each person who came in and asked how they are. But the "Amy" lady really should not be interacting with customers. Her attitude will bring the business down.

Great quick service Lebanese restaurant. Staff were friendly and provided great recommendations for combinations of shawarma. A lot of options on the menu as well. Would definitely come back to try different combinations of shawarma

WOW WOW WOW!!! I recently ordered the Vegetarian mixed grill entree and it was phenomenal! The place came with rice, pickled veggies, fattoush and then halloumi and grilled veggies. Flavor was phenomenal and the veggies were cooked to perfection! I had ordered the food through a delivery app so I don't have much insight on the cafe itself but food was delicious and traveled well through delivery!

Hidden gem! Great authentic Lebanese cuisine. Perfect for lunch. Staff is very friendly as well.

The chicken roll-up did not survive long enough for the picture ! Some of the most flavorful chicken I've tasted. Large portion size for the roll up (looked like a big burrito). Excited to try the vegetarian stuffed grape leaves (please excuse the bad picture I put them in the fridge).

This menu is totally overwhelming, which can be great or simply too much to choose from. The portions are hugs so make sure you order accordingly. They have veg*n options so that is a definite plus. I am a fan of several of their dishes like the pumpkin kibby, falafel roll up, grape leaves, etc. Everything is simply so damn tasty. It's something you don't get just anywhere since Lebanese food isn't easy to come by. Check it out.

Ordered take out from Cafe Beirut this evening. Was really excited about some of the vegetarian options on the menu that I haven't often seen offered at similar restaurants, such as the pumpkin kibbeh. Sadly, the meal was really disappointing. We ended up throwing out most of it :( The fattoush was covered in pomegranate molasses with unseasoned pita chips, and the very finely diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions that made up the rest of the salad did not taste fresh. They had been clearly soaking in another dressing for some time. The mujaddara was mixed with what seemed like tasteless white goo and had little flavor. The kibbeh was OK and had some interesting spices. The batata harra (french fries) didn't taste particularly fresh, though I liked the seasoning. We also ordered the seitan shawarma, which was enormous. Sadly, it did not taste like shawarma. The accompanying vegetables were not fresh, and the whole thing tasted a bit burnt. I hope this was just an off day for Cafe Beirut!

4/20/2022, The meat was tough and fatty, I could not eat it and threw it away in the trash. Money is tight, Shame on them for serving such garbage. I ordered from this establishment years ago when they first opened and the food was good. Never again. Trash

Went here for the first time on a Wednesday night and was pleasantly surprised. There were so many different combinations of dishes, veggies, proteins and toppings that we had fun creating our own pita rolls. I got a falafel wrap and it was pretty darn good. The customer service was friendly and the prices were very fair! Will be back to try more!

Neighborhood favorite for sure. Delicious middle eastern food with a very friendly staff too! Went on a Saturday evening and it was busy but no wait for a table. Started with the fried cauliflower with tahini mezza that was the best dish of the evening. For my entree I did a build your own plate with fattoush, garden salad and shawarma chicken with hummus and cucumber yogurt sauce. My husband had the pumpkin kibbe, bastourma plate with moujaddara and baba ganoush. The baba ganoush was phenomenal. It was all excellent and I will definitely be a regular!

I dont know why there are any reviews that aren't 5 stars!!!! Absolutely AMAZING food, the lady at the register was super nice, and the restaurant itself was really cute and they played great music!! Seriously though the food was some of the BEST food I've had in awhile. Hands down. Treat yourself and a loved one, because you wont regret it.

Been eating this family's food at their (former :() Longwood trolley for going on two decades now, so I've been a fan for a while. They put a lot of love and spices into their food, and it shows. They also genuinely care about their customers, which means you'll be taken care of here. The menu in this location (which is both sit-down and take-out) is reasonably priced and extensive with tons of choices (what, like a dozen proteins?), including a choose-your-own-adventure portion (what kind of meal? salad? side? protein?) so you're getting exactly what you want. I adore their moujadara and their veg grape leaves, and also enjoy their hummus and the dressing on the tomato/cucumber salad. I'm not super keen on their falafel and pumpkin kibbe, because they're both very forward with all spice which just isn't my personal favorite, but you'll love them if that's your thing. Can't wait to try other items I've never had (shrimp, halloumi), as well as some items I had years ago but not since (fool moudammas). (Update: the shrimp is excellent, lightly spicy and grilled perfectly.) A must try if you're looking for good Lebanese food (or just good food that's reasonably priced, period).

Just got takeout and it was truly excellent. Ordered the chicken shawarma platter and falafel platter. Both had a nice mix of pickles and a small salad on the side. Excellent pickles with a sweet and vinegary flavor. The chicken shawarma came with the customary garlic paste / dressing which was very well done. The falafel were distinctive and extremely tasty and nicely crispy. I enjoyed the vegetarian grape leaves as well. The portions were substantial. Great meal.

Highly recommend this place! Big portions, fairly priced and alwaysssss delicious!!!!

Nothing like lebanese food Shawarma is nothing like a traditional shawarma, just like any another chicken sandwich. Tabouli didn't taste like tabouli

Amazing!! I was excited to try this restaurant and was so satisfied. I got the beirut style salad with fattoush & romaine & chicken shwarma. HUGE portions- I was able to have 3 meals out of this $16 meal. Really delicious food & the spices were on point. Highly recommend!!

We tried the Vegetarian Mixed Grill and the Vegan Combo Plate. So delicious! Highlights were the pickles and grilled halloumi. Huge servings too. We'll be coming back.

very delicious, filling and fresh. I live in Jamaica Plain and this has become my new go to joint for lunch or dinner. I definitely recommend stopping by to explore new foods or if you're a shawarma fanatic! So so good.

Yelp local during quarantine: we have had take out from here twice lately. The first time I had a big salad with various toppings (you can build your own) and chicken shawarma, which was flavorful and most. BUT my husband had the falafel and I was SO jealous... this is by far the best falafel I've had in Boston. They are moist inside, crispy outside, wonderfully spiced. Often I find falafel to be bland hunks of chickpea paste... not so here. So the second time we ordered, I got the falafel, lol. My son had the rice plate with shawarma, which was also great. The sides you can choose are all great, but I really recommend the baba ghanoush. It is made with roasted eggplants and has a great smoky flavor. I also enjoyed the vegan tahini mayo with my falafel. They did a good job setting up the restaurant for pick up during quarantine. Happy to support a local business!

Looks so quaint but delivers some of the most delicious food I have ever eaten!! I have been up and down restaurants in Back Bay and they've never been good enough for a second visit -- Cafe Beirut I visit almost every week and always get Halloumi. I am vegetarian so cannot speak for the meat based items but if they're anything like the vegetarian and vegan options, they're amazing. The workers here are a family and so sweet. I am so happy to support this business and family and extremely grateful for their delicious, borderline addictive food (yes, it really is that good and I'm such a picky eater).

I just had the BEST falafel wrap this afternoon! It wasn't dry like falafel can often be. It was the perfect level of spicy and it came sans tomatoes just as I asked. My husband had a lamb shawarma and he raved about how incredible it was. The man who took my order was kind, quick and efficient. All employees were wearing masks/gloves and the restaurant was clean and set up well for proper social distancing measures. Our order was ready in only 10 minutes and the food was fresh and delicious! It was also packaged securely so that we could easily take it with us to Jamaica Pond and eat it without having to touch the food with our hands. And---the total was only $21. for two giant wraps and a 25% tip! This place is bringing their A-game and we will surely be back. Thanks for making the quarantine more bearable, Cafe Beirut! Stay safe everyone. :-) P.S. I am sorry I didn't include photos. We ate too quickly!

I'm going to echo an earlier review. I ordered the Kofta roll up and before I bit into it, my partner said that something smelled off. To no surprise, the wrap tasted off- like old meat. Definitely disappointing and gross.

I'm not a rosewater type person. This visit clinched it. So I found myself preferring the Tallab (a blend of dates, raisins, and rosewater) over the Rosewater Lemonade because the floral nature of the rose water was stronger in the yellow fountain drink (both $2.49). The Chicken Shawarma Roll-Up $7.48 was tastier than the somewhat drier and gamier Beef & Lamb Shawarma Roll-Up $7.48. The portionwise, their roll ups seemed scant at first glance, yet my summer appetite was satiated. And the baklava finger $0.93 was just the perfect hint of sweetness with which to end the meal. (Although JP Licks is just across the way...)

I really wanted to like this place so I am sad to leave this terrible review. I ordered a beef and lamb Shawarma plate, with yellow rice, fattoush salad, pickled beets and cucumbers, baba ghanouj and pita. The beef and lamb looked crumbley and was clearly several days old and reheated. The white rice was mushy and the flavor tasted old. Fattoush salad also seemed like it had been sitting there for days. The pickles, one of my very favorite things, tasted like they had been opened and were sitting around for a month. The pita bread had been vaguely heated up and was passable but dry and also seemed old. The baba ghanouj, which was incredibly average, what is the best tasting thing of the bunch. This cost $18. I hate to disrespect an establishment in the middle of a pandemic when business must be very difficult, but you've got to do better than this.

Bought their Falafel roll up. It is massive and probably about 2 meals unless you are seriously hungry. It wasn't too bad but I wish there was more tahini or some sauce because it was very dry until you got to the end. Not bad if you're looking for a quicky easy meal and not too fussy but I'd order a side of hummus or something with the wrap. Partner ordered a chicken shawarma and had same dryness problem and he barely got through half of it before he gave up.

Confident it was worst delivery experience I've had. When I accepted delivery and saw the soda was dripping through the bag, the delivery guy told me he doesn't work for the restaurant and I need to talk to them. Had a tough time getting to him since he was most eager to just ride away as fast as possible on his bike. I ordered Baked Lamb with Yellow rice and a Diet soda. Now when you order soda you don't expect a cup wrapped in plastic, you expect a can (or a bottle). The soda leaked all over the rice and lamb. I ordered another side dish. And you guessed it right, it was wrapped in food wrap too, luckily the soda didn't leak into that. But hey it was cold, hard to chew and tasted terrible so I wasn't too surprised given the past few min. Here's my advice - Don't order any drinks from them. If you like Bland, cold food this is a good place. Also be prepared for that one delivery guy who doesn't care how they deliver your food.

The taste is okay, nothing special but not too bad (though my husband didn't like it that much). BUT. The part that really bothered me-- their prices are not what they list. We ordered the lamb dish and the vegetable platter and they charged us for $18 each, even though they are listed as $17 and $15. We paid for it and still tipped a lot since it we didn't want to make a big deal out of it/ our waiter was very nice. However, it does bother me a lot when restaurants aren't listing prices correctly/ aren't honest or transparent about the prices. I wouldn't recommend this place unless you're okay with paying whatever prices they throw at you. I hope they correct this for the sake of everyone who dines here!

I have been coming here for twelve years. The owners used to have a cart off of longwood avenue across from my high school. I would get coffee there every morning. The owner still remembers me when I walk in. She is so sweet and kind and hard working. Her food is also incredible. The pita wraps are delicious and everything is a big portion. There is also really good Turkish coffee. Yesterday I got fattoush salad with lamb shawarma. The portion was huge and I have left overs today! The food was very fresh, filling and healthy. There are also non healthy options if that's what you need too!! Overall an incredible staple in Jamaica Plain.

It was hot and stuffy and a bit crowded, but it was delicious. I ordered my first baba ganoush ever from there and I was definitely not disappointed! My friend got these yummy looking lamb dishes that came with a gazillion things on top, as well as yogurt dip. My other friend got this rose berry tea that was surprisingly refreshing!

Really delicious meal, great portions & flavors. Recommend for all diets too as I'm eating vegan currently and was able to keep to that diet, but had lots of vegetarian and meat options. Yum!

It has been over 10 years of enjoyment for my family of this once upon gem. Now, we are sorry to saw that they have lost the thread. Our last order was so overladen with salt as to be inedible from the moujahara through the baked lamb down to the baba ghannouj. Nothing was saved for leftover, we never finished. I started my introduction to lebanese cuisine at the Cedars on Shawmut Avenue ( Boston, South End) back in 1980 watched the Teta roast aubergines over the gas burner on the whopping huge cast iron oven.. led to my invention for baba on the grill. One posibility is that the cook may be a very heavy smoker, leading to over salting the food. What a shame, Byblos in Norwood is so far away.. Owners never called me back..

Great food at a very affordable price. For those who aren't familiar with Lebenese food, Messa Platter and the Chicken Shawarma are said to be the best. And they really were.

This little place is unassuming but the food is so good. Generous portions, packed with flavor. Love the husband and wife duo. One of my favorites in JP - highly recommend!

I just went here yesterday with my mom to take her for dinner with the anticipation that it was going to be terrific but in the end we could not finish our meals. When the rice pilaf is the best part of your meal, you have some issues. Others have noted how great this place was so you just need to speak to management if for any reason it doesn't taste great. One big issue I had was the music that they played was a loud version of Indy rock which was not conducive for this type of place. If you're trying to sell Mediterranean food why can't you play some Arab music or at least some instrumental music as a background and not blast away because that's what the employees or shifts in may like? The Tabouli was the worst I've ever tasted, too lemony or too sour, we weren't too sure. The Hummus was very creamy but unfortunately the taste was not there at all, it was missing something. And what I expected to be the best item here which was the meat was over cooked and some pieces were very salty. I spoke to the manager who was very nice and he comped us one of the meals at my insistence even though he was gonna comp both of them, and I made sure he understood that the food was not tasting that great and they needed to make some changes. So I will probably stick to the lamb kebabs next time and make sure they're cooked medium without any salt and order other items instead of what turned out to be disappointing. If you are ever in the West Roxbury area there is a great place for Mediterranean food whether to believe it is fresh parsley and fresh tomatoes and everything else is cooked perfectly that you may want to try. Try Fairouz on Washington street.

I have been trying different dishes from here for a few years and I am a big fan of this restaurant. I would say it's Middle Eastern Soul food. So tasty. The Shrimp & Grits had a twist on it with plenty of shrimp with scrambled eggs & gravy.

I've been going to this restaurant for years and they have always been great. The menu had some new changes about a year ago and this place seems to keep getting better! Keep an eye out for new menu items and their seafood and vegan "happy hours" Lots of vegan and vegetarian options as well!

Good food. For veggie options, my faves are the ploughman rollup and the mixed veggie grill (the grilled veggies are BOMB). Their halloumi is so so SO good.

I originally went here back when it had first open and was less than impressed (I'm a falafel snob) and vowed not to come back. After a lot of positive reviews under the new management, I decided to give it another try. I had the Pumpkin King roll-up which was very flavorful. The best was the halloumi kabob - the char brought out this amazingly rich flavor. Looks like I'll been brought over from "never again" to "yes please!"

Amazing food! My husband and I found this place in the neighborhood and eat here at least once a week. Their food is really amazing and their service it great. Highly recommend!!

Really enjoyed the take out I recently got from this spot. The woman at the cash register was really nice, and I ordered on the phone and it was ready quickly. I got the Vegetarian Mixed Grill and the spices, rice, and halloumi were really great, it had eggplant and zucchini that were good, but I preferred the zucc to the eggplant. Traveled well and I was happy with it!

The food was over salted (everything) and the lettuce was old. The food did not taste remotely like other middle eastern food that we have had before. We were really disappointed. The food was not cheap either. For the price point I would have expected better quality.

I've had their falafel sandwiches several times and they're pretty good. The red sauce is great (spicy). The falafel itself is tasty. Nothing too fancy or special, but this is definitely a place that serves up some pretty good wraps.

Ordered the vegan plate and the spicy fries. Fries were good, but I think those are hard to mess up. The platter though was very disappointing. The hummus was sour- definitely off. The falafel barely held together, and the pita was extraordinarily dry. Threw out the platter, so just fries for dinner. Not sure if this was simply an unlucky day for Cafe Beirut, but based on the other most recent reviews this might be a trend. Wish I had read those reviews before ordering! (1 star because of the very friendly man at the register!)

Not good. I don't even wanna waste any time writing this review because I want to forget that I ever went there. I paid $17 for a plate of hard beef and some lettuce. The fries were good and the soda was as expected. I mistakenly wiped my face with the pita thinking it was a napkin. It was indeed a pita. I can't believe I've put this much effort into this review.

I had been to Cafe Beirut a few months ago and thought the food was okay, but pricey. I was walking down Centre St. yesterday, though, and saw a Lebanese restaurant with a far more appetizing menu - turns out it was still Beirut just with a revamp. I ordered the mezza sampler: sambousek, labneh, and a feta mint dish were my choices. I have to say: for $10, it was a phenomenal amount of food and everything was delicious - especially the labneh which was perfectly tart and thick. The sambousek reminded me of an empanada, but waaaaay better (lamb filled and deep fried). Feta mint dish was okay. I thought it could be better if it were less crumbled. My friend did try the spicy sausage roll-up and found it amazing. While eating, I had a chance to compliment the owner on the new menu, then he offered me more pita. How can anyone that gives you extra pita be a bad person? Very happy with the meal and owner's generosity, but if I had to complain I'd say service was a bit slow. Makes sense though since they're still acclimating to the new menu. I generally love Greek/Lebanese/Mediterranean food and have been to relatively nice places (Committee, Anoush'ella, etc.), but Cafe Beirut seriously stands out as a favorite. Highly recommend.

First time I tried Cafe Beirut I was so excited. I ordered the seitan shawarma plate. It was so disgusting & I am still sick thinking about it months later. But I decided to go back and try something else. $17 for a SALAD with no flavor. Will be my second and last time there.

I saw that this place had undergone a remodel. Stopped in and was impressed with the new menu. Got a falafel sandwich which was delicious. So far so good! But that was at like 2PM on a Tuesday. Stopped in on a Saturday night at dinner time, hoping to grab a yummy falafel sandwich for a quick dinner. I waited 45 minutes for a falafel sandwich. You know, the sandwich that the guys at Falafel King or Rami's put in your hands seconds after you order. One guy working the counter and one guy in the kitchen were not enough to deal with the volume of business. The food was, as expected, good, but not worth waiting 45 minutes for. There's more to running a food service establishment than making good food. You have to be able to deliver it in a reasonable amount of time with some semblance of customer service. (An apology and/or a grape leaf while we waited a shockingly long time would have gone a long way toward making this a better experience. So would "there's no falafel ready right now and it'll take at least a half hour--is that okay?"' when we ordered.) One person in a kitchen during the dinner rush is simply inadequate. If this business can't afford to staff up, it needs to shut down. I am obsessed with falafel, and this is the closest falafel to my house. And I can't imagine coming back.

Judging from the no frills appearance and typical shawarma places, we came in expecting a quick, cheap lunch. Instead, we got really delicious, quality food - but at a higher price tag than anticipated. Maybe if they marketed themselves differently, or just redecorated the interior, I wouldn't have been so surprised, and thus upset, by the price. Because the food is definitely good and you do get what you pay for. My bf's shawarma roll up sandwich was the best I've ever had. It was perfectly crunchy on the outside and juicy and flavorful on the inside. My side of hummus came with generous portions of pita and creamy hummus topped with shawarma, nuts and onions. Tasty overall, but I much preferred stealing bites of my bf's sandwich. Our friend ordered one of the plates, which came with chicken and beef-lamb shawarma, some kind of cucumber tomato salad, and a few sauces. While it looked delicious, I don't think I would have shelled out close to $20 for a plate like that. Definitely 5 stars for the food. But -1 star for the unexpected price and the service which I felt could have been friendlier.