El Basha Mediterranean Grill

I've been wanting to try El Basha for a long time. I got the El Basha Special Platter with lentil soup. The soup was really good. I really enjoyed the flavors. My complaint though is with the main dish. There was some kind of sauce (tzatziki I think) on top of the meat as well as some kind of cole slaw that I did not want, and in general just too much vegetable garnish that's hard to eat around. Now, in retrospect I should have sent it back right away; I tried to mitigate it as much as I could. By the time I decided I really should have sent it back, i'd picked at it too much and I didn't want to be "that person." I felt like this would have been an amazing dish if I didn't have to clean up sauce and eat around coleslaw. I really wish this was in the description on the menu so I would have known to specify without. I ordered tea and they forgot or something so I didn't really get to enjoy it with my meal. That was a little disappointing. The atmosphere isn't bad, but it's small and was fairly busy/crowded around 5:30 on a Friday. All told, I might try it again knowing what I know now.

We came here by chance and were surprised that Omaha has such a great Lebanese restaurant. Great food, friendly counter service and reasonable prices. What else could you ask for? This place is very unpretentious and has a lively atmosphere. You order at the counter and they bring your order to the table. Drinks and utensils are self-service. Service is efficient, but don't expect anything like full service. The food itself was excellent and very authentic. We had the moussaka, which is vegetarian. It was terrific. Make sure you have time: I suspect there may be a long line at the busiest times.

The best !!! Mousaka, Tabule , baba ganush (sorry spelling it wrong I know). The Turkish coffee and pastry was just outstanding

We’ve going to this place for more than a decade and never got disappointed. The food is always great! Love their wraps and salads

My husband and I have driven past this spot countless times and finally decided to stop in and wow, are we glad we did! Everything was absolutely incredible. It’s easy to see why they’ve earned Best of Omaha and so many other awards year after year. The food is authentic, and full of flavor. I had the chicken shawarma plate while my husband ordered the gyro plate, and both were fantastic. Their sauces are next-level definitely ask for extra! We dined in, and the service couldn’t have been better. The staff was so friendly and attentive, and the space has such a welcoming vibe. Bonus: they also have a charming little patio that’s perfect for nice days!!

El Basha is an absolute hidden gem! Truly some of the best food in all of Omaha. The lentil Soup to start kicked off this meal with absolute delicious depth of flavor. The Greek salad is always fresh with perfectly toasted pita. The Gyro, the Shawarma, and the kebabs are all must try. El Basha makes some of the absolute best cauliflower around and it is a must try. This is one of the best Mediterranean experiences, the service is excellent for such a small restaurant and the food never fails. An absolute must try in Omaha.

Loved my meal here. Ordered the beef kabobs with the house salad. The salad was delicious: a crisp spinach base dressed with a bright citrusy oil, with mixed veggies of cherry tomato, cucumber and red onion. The salad is topped off with a noticeable spice blend that adds a savory sparkle to the citrus. Loved it. The beef kabobs come on a bed of rice accompanied by grilled veggies. It was delicious and had a distinct sweetness to it that I attribute to the tahini sauce. My one complaint is that the beef was extremely well done, but I had ordered it medium rare. Not sure why they ask how well you want it if they are just going to cook it to the extreme anyways. The place was very busy when visiting on a Saturday night. They do a brisk carryout business with folks coming in and out nearly constantly to pick up orders. Despite that, I was still comfortably seated in the dining area since they have a pretty efficient seating layout (although they could do without the 3 seat bar that no one used while I was there). It's a very high energy place with quick service and good food for a decent price.

This is an order at the counter, they bring food but you do the drinks and silverware kind of place. The food was amazing! The place was packed with limited seating in the small restaurant. We had hummus, lamb, gyro, grape leaves, and sampler. All very good. We had to ask for the soda to be replaced and it took a while. We had to pick up our own silverware and they were so busy it was limited. Only had two restrooms and neither had a child friendly place to change a diaper. Overall disappointed in atmosphere but made up in food.

This is one of our repeat family favorites. We enjoy sitting outside with our kids. So many great dishes! It can get very busy and get tough to find a spot/be a little wait for your food. Lots for littles to try!

I ordered the chicken Shish kebab over rice with a side salad & WOW! I loved the freshness of the salad and the dressing that was drizzled on top. It made for a perfect starter to our meal. The shish kebab had a surprising kick to it which I really enjoyed. Veggies were roasted to perfection and went perfect with the tangy tzatziki sauce. My only two complaints are that some of my chicken chunks were tough while others were soft and tender. Also I wish it came with more veggies but I'll have to order a side of them next time-again they were very good! Lastly, you MUST order the mango cheesecake. The cheesecake itself had a perfect graham cracker crust with a creamy vanilla filling. The mango sauce was the star of the show ! It was like puréed fresh ripe mangos were drizzled on top. Also, despite the place being packed, service was excellent and our food came out pretty quickly. I cannot wait to go back!

El Basha is a quaint Mediterranean restaurant with authentic food. Place your order at the register and self serve pop. They do have a wine and beer menu. Great price for the Gyro combo at $8.50. Average prices for entrées. We also had the lentil soup that was splendid and lemony! Delicious food, but the Shawarma beef was a bit dry, and my pita bread was tough and overcooked on one side on the Gyro. Overall seems to be a popular place for regulars. Friendly and helpful staff and great prices!

first time trying this place it was recommended by a friend. Now I will say once I arrived I was befuddled when I observed the frolic coming from the long line at the door but after getting my food I understood. The young lady running the cash register was quick and polite when taking my order she explained a couple of items on the menu that I was unfamiliar with. The location is a very intimate space so if you don't like crowded spaces I would recommend to get your order to go or visit the restaurant during the week when there is less people. There were about three people running the restaurant so please be patient as the cashier had to also bring out the orders. The food is definitely an acquired taste I enjoyed it considering I never had Mediterranean food before. Small businesses are important to support and I will definitely go back. Plenty of parking and also there was a handicap spot closer to the door. The location was easy to find.

It's been a number of years since my last visit to El Basha. One thing is consistent is they serve great Mediterranean food. I had the gyro salad and it was wonderful. Gyro meat was moist and the salad dressing was a nice compliment. I noticed a hint of mint. Oh that rhymed :). I should frequent this restaurant more as the food it good and the staff is always very friendly. Overall a great experience and will plan to return.

Someone had a hankering for Mediterranean and I was just along for the ride! Usually we share entrees but I wasn't feeling chicken schwarma and he wasn't feeling kafta. Say no more! Daily specials come with soup or salad, and we both opted for their killer salad! Fresh, decent portions, excellent dressing, spices, and thinly sliced onions, a bit of purple cabbage, and tomatoes. The hubs snagged the chicken schwarma over rice ($13.99), with grilled yellow/green peppers, onions, tomatoes, and drizzled with tahini sauce. Their rice? Always a plus in our book; so fragrant and paired well with the choice of protein and veggies. Plate was empty when we left! I choice the kafta kebab over rice ($12.99) with a tahini drizzle, thinly sliced onions, purple cabbage, thinly sliced tomatoes, and a trickle of garlic sauce. The kebab was grilled just right; not dry and not overly greasy, either. Paired perfectly, again! I'm telling ya, that rice gets me every time. Unfortunately there was a rather long piece of hair laying across it and noticed it after bite two. Daily specials are also served with a fountain drink; which is self served, self refills too. While you're there getting your soda, lemonade or unsweetened tea on make sure you grab your silverware! Napkins and some condiments are already on the tables.

The location of the restaurant is easy to find and plenty of parking. There are a few handicap parking spots right in front. They have a small entry space allowing time before reaching the dining area. The restaurant is very intimate with the dinning area and ordering counter in close proximity. The woman at the counter was very friendly and helpful with suggestions for first timers. The timing between ordering and food being served was perfect. The food is fresh, full of flavor and the portions size was great. I've been here a few times and the food and service are awesome. They're consistent. El Basha, what a perfect name for the perfect Mediterranean spot! Please continue to support our local businesses!

Great food, wonderful atmosphere. What more do you need!? You can literally pick anything from the menu and you can't go wrong!

Wonderful food and people! Whenever I get a craving for real Middle Eastern food, this is my number one choice!

Very delicious food We enjoy every visit Prices are very fair which is good I have tried am lost everything on their menu And advise you not to be afraid to give it a try

Take the beef shawarma off your menu since you NEVER have it for lunch. If you want beef shawarma plan to not go before 3pm, because they DO NOT make it for lunch. 5 out of 5 times I've come for the beef and 5 out of 5 times it's "sold out" 30 minutes after the place opened with only 5 people dining....

We had the Shawarma platter. Incredibly chewy meat and very flavorless. Not sure why this place has so many good reviews. It's also incredibly dirty. The windows, bathrooms and just everything is in desperate need of a deep clean. If you want good Mediterranean, go to Legacy Gyro in West Omaha instead.

I've been to Lebanon many times and my husband is Lebanese. I cook Lebanese food and know how delicious it is. This place is very authentic. We ordered Mezze (shared plates): fried Kibbeh balls, Hummus with Shawarma, Manaeesh with Zaatar, Cauliflower and stuffed grape leaves. If you order the grape leaves ask them to serve them cold (that's how they are meant to be served but for some reason they heat them up. These aren't the meat-stuffed Grape leaves that are supposed to be served warm). I wish they rolled them smaller, I don't like them this fat. The cauliflower was very different than my Mother-in-law makes, but that could be a regional thing. The cauliflower here at El Basha was very garlicky and spicy, served with yogurt. We usually deep-fry it and serve with tahini sauce (taratur).

I finally got to check out El Basha recently and met a friend here for dinner. The space is smaller than I expected, and you order at the counter (they do have quite a bit of patio space to use when the weather is nicer). We grabbed a table, and our food came out really fast! We got the falafel appetizer, and I got the chicken shwarma wrap with fries. The falafel was maybe the best I've had, crispy outside with a soft, flavorful inside. The wrap and fries were also so good! Overall, it's a great bang for your buck, and I'll definitely be back next time I'm craving falafel.

I love the food at El Basha always fresh and delicious. Mezza Plate is amazing. I recommend the El Basha Special Platter with beef shawarma if you're a first timer. GO TO THERE!!!!

Love the food at this small Mediterranean eatery. Counter service is fine, portion sizes are large. I had the El Basha Special Platter. My wife had the gyro wrap with mash. My chicken, gyro and kabob were excellent. Strong flavors, mint, lemon, garlic, red wine vinegar and all the things you love about Lebanese, Greek and Mediterranean food. The salads are large and tasty as well. All for a reasonable price. If you are in Aksarben, make time to drop in here for a great bite to eat. Anything larger than a party of four, you might need to look somewhere else. This place is small and quaint, just the way we like it.

The service is horrifically slow. I was the 2nd person to order food after they opened at 11am (3 apps) and waited 45 minutes for my food. They brought our multiple other orders before mine.

Great halal food. The chicken shawarma is really good you can get it in a burrito which is awesome the beef shawarma is great as well. It's a small business. Very popular I would recommend getting it to go but if there is a little sitting eat there the service is really good

Wow... THIS WAS GOOD!!!!! My significant other ordered the steak shawarma wrap and I ordered the chicken shawarma wrap combo (which is just an added fry and drink) we literally came 5 minutes before they closed (they're open from 11am-7:30pm) and got to order just in time. We talked about coming to this place for a while so it was now or never and I'm so glad we did. This will definitely be a place we visit very often.the food was fresh and cooked to perfection, the taste was such a pleasant surprise and nothing like I've ever had before (you know my fat self was excited about that) Customer service wasn't that great BUT it was at the very end of their nights at work and they may have just been ready to go so we understood. Not to mention they have a neat little patio area and also have HOOKA !!!! I definitely 10/10 recommend this place!!

I have ordered the chicken Shawarma over rice from this place so so so many times. I will say it is delicious, and it is pretty consistent. However, today February 26, 2024, I had a very unfortunate experience. It is very disheartening to be treated in such a poor manner as I feel I have been a consistent and loyal customer who tips very well. I called and placed my to go order over the phone at 6:03 PM. They told me 20 minutes until the food was ready. I arrived promptly at 6:17. I ended up waiting in line until 6:43PM!!!!! (UNREAL!!!!!) until I was at the front register to pay for my food. Meanwhile, the whole time upon arrival, I had paid attention to what bags of food were sitting out front on the counter in the open. Mine was there from when I walked in until I got up to the counter. I proceeded to explain to the young man at the register how I would did not want to pay for cold food. He proceeded to tell me that I can take it and warm it up at home. He told me "it's not my problem. Do you want your food or not?" " there's plenty of people who take this food and they enjoy it, what's your problem?" Well, I personally know plenty of people who do not want cold food after they pay good money. If I'm paying money for food, I don't wanna go home and have to do extra things to it. Eventually, after banter back-and-forth, I just wanted to know what he wanted to do about it, if they could simply even heat it up. He finally said, "OK let me go talk to the manager", and as he turned and walked back all I saw was a snarky smirk on his face. I knew then that I probably will never come here again. And it's a shame, because I will not recommend this place to anybody else. He came back and proceeded to tell me there's nothing we can do about it, do you want your food. I asked if I could speak to the manager... he said "no, he's busy, I just talked to him."... I said, no I don't want the food, I didn't pay for the food and I ended up leaving. I am extremely disappointed, it is not my fault that they left my food out and didn't keep it warm. I don't want that food. I want warm food. I was on time. I arrived early. It's not my fault they can't keep up with the demand, at least have something to keep the food warm for the people who are ordering. Very very unpleasant experience, the food, not the worst part. I would say the worst part is the way I was treated. The disrespect was just hard to tolerate. I had to leave.. would not recommend this place, at least until they get some new staff and/or management.

I spent a good chunk of the past several years eating a lot of middle eastern food, and there is some amazing food out there! El Basha has great hummus, maybe the best in the Omaha area. The schwarma was ok, but not the best I've eaten. And the schwarma over rice was good with the veggies! The have a great wine selection for the type of restaurant it is though, and I definitely recommend getting a glass while you're eating there. There is also a nice outdoor seating area for those nicer days! It's worth your time to eat here and I'd go again!

Food was excellent. Loved all the starter items. Could easily just order a bunch of those and eat small plate, family style.

I have always loved going here with my friends. Be careful that this place is very popular and gets very busy over the weekends. It is incredible from the gyros to the soup or salads. I really recommend going around 5pm

Food is always delicious and well seasoned. If the weather is nice, sitting outside is very pleasant. I've been going here on and off for around ten years and haven't once been disappointed.

We love pretty much all forms of Middle Eastern food. Ever since a trip to Jordan, I've really tried to find a place that is a good as the home-cooked Middle Eastern food I had the honor of eating there. El Basha is the only US-based place that is as good as what I had in Jordan. Rice...I usually find rice uninteresting. I don't talk a lot about rice. But, WOW! I am unsure what el Basha uses for spice in their rice, but it is fantastic. It might be saffron. Whatever it is, it makes every dish they serve better. The el Basha hummus ends a 10 year search for Middle East-quality hummus. It's smooth and perfectly done. Get.their.hummus. Their lamb is always good. If you get their gyro, you'll have to eat some of the meat before folding it up to eat the whole thing because it's overstuffed with lamb goodness. Kebabs are typically well cooked and well spiced. I've only gotten a dry kebab once here. The only negative us that they do not offer a lamb gyro and rice entree. That would be perfection. They close early (1930), and they often are full.

There are not words strong enough to describe how absolutely delectable this place is!! My family is Lebanese. I know great Lebanese food first hand from all of the amazing chefs in my Family. El Basha is my home away from home for my palate!! Always fresh! Always seasoned to taste. Just remarkable that I've moved 1/2 way around the world to find this remarkable restaurant in Omaha, Nebraska!!! I feel truly blessed to be just minutes away from El Basha. Grabbing dinner on the way home from here is the highlight of my day!

El Basha is my go to spot! As someone who is vegan/plant-based/gluten free, it's awesome to have such an incredible restaurant in Omaha serving a plethora of fresh, healthy, and delicious options! The prices are fantastic. I daydream about the lemon lentil soup, the moussaka, and the big salads topped with fresh herbs.

Excellent food! The tabouleh is likely the best we have had, the garlic sauce for one of our dishes was fab. Chicken and beef kabobs, hummus, tabouleh, side salad, kibbeh, soup. Will be back!

The food is always fantastic at El Basha. There are plenty if good vegan options for a great price. They have a wonderful Baba Ganoush. I highly recommend getting the Mezza Plate so that you can try a lot of their food in one dish. The staff is always friendly, and the atmosphere is great--there's a nice outdoor patio area we love to eat at. This is a must visit in Omaha--especially if you're looking for good vegan food.

Such a great place to get a gyro over in Omaha! Honestly gyros are one of my favorite foods to get, so I haven't gotten too much else from here but it's just so tasty, but I will say that they have really affordable food for great quality. They have combo and platter options; the combo comes with fries and a drink, while the platter comes with potato's and a salad. Their fries have a good crisp to them, so I usually just get the combo. I will say that your food doesn't come out too fast exactly if you're expecting a quick take out, but you could also always just call ahead. Definitely recommend this place!

Do you love quality Mediterranean food at a super reasonable price? Me too, el basha knocks it out of the park. This place has restored my faith in the restaurant industry.

This is my favorite mediterranean grill in this area. I love their gyro meat and is my go-to place. I have had both their gryo salad and their gyro wrap, so delicious and affordable. If you are looking for a low-key night out, give this place a try. For around $15 a person, you can get a meal, side salad or soup, and a drink. It is a self-serving restaurant, meaning you order from a counter. There is a server that walks the floor and delivers the food. On the weekends around dinner time, expect there to be a line.

First off there are lots of tables but also lots of people so be prepared to get your order to go if you're there at a busy time. Orders are taken up front then brought out to your table. The falafel wrap may look small but it is PACKED with deliciousness and was a ton of food. Fries were crispy. Staff was so dang friendly our whole visit. Other folks got a gyro and kafta combo and raved about how good they were. Next time we're going to try out all the apps since our stomachs would have exploded from all the food.

What a fantastic place.... If you like gyros, then elbasha is the place to get one. I had the sample plate that had a variety of chicken, gyro meat and a kebob, and my ride had the gyro, it was huge! Not only were the portions large but the price was reasonable and the flavors were out of this world. Is a small space so if you go, it might be a bit crowded, but worth the wait or being in closer to other tables. Seriously, check this place out.

Amazing flavors!! Great products so fresh, good service. Too small place sometimes a little bit uncomfortable.

Chicken shawarma over rice with their lentil soup - I could seriously eat this every day. I love El Basha so much and I recommend it to so many people!

Great food! I have eaten here plenty of times, and it rarely disappoints. Inside is seating for around 5 people or less. You can definitely push tables together if that is the most helpful. Be sure to order before they close! Even if you are in the door and in line, they will send you away once the clock hits the time they close. I ordered the Chicken Kabob Plate with veggies and a lentil soup on the side. Their lentil soup is out of this world! As far as the hummus and pita, would love to eat it but the hummus has soy, so I can't with my allergy.

El Basha is my I'll line it anytime and especially I'm not feeling we'll pick me up place. I always get the mezza plate. Falafel, hummus, baba ganoush with tabouli. Their tabouli and we'll just about everything is some of the best I've had. A place you will crave and dream about when you're hungry.

Doesn't seem to be much from the street view but, the Lebanese restaurant seriously blew my tastebuds away! My husband , son , and I stopped here after a day full of errands and it was slow so there was plenty of tables for us to pick from and get ourselves comfy. We ordered 4 different menu items, the specialty platter, chicken shawarma, their cauliflower appetizer, and the eggplant tomato appetizer(I can't remember the specific names). My personal favorite was 100% the cauliflower appetizer. The chicken shawarma wrap was really good also and I tried my husbands gyro meat from the platter he got and was very pleased! Not a Siegel thing tasted bad, the food came out quick, and you can really just sit back and enjoy your food . This is probably my new favorite place to eat in Omaha. HIGHLY recommend.

I think this place is phenomenal. I read another review that said they straight up leave tables un-bussed for a long time. I agree. It's weird. I don't care. It was so good. I had the Kafta Betahini with a side of lentil soup. The soup came with some fried bread type things to dip in the soup (sorry I don't know the technical term) that were great. The main dish was served with a side of rice. The dish itself was basically pressed ground beef and potatoes in a tahini sauce. Anyone familiar with plain hummus will recognize the flavors since tahini (sesame paste) is very present in hummus. Will absolutely go back if Im ever near this part of town!

One of the only places I make sure to hit whenever I'm Homaha. Everything is perfect. The staff is friendly and food amazing. My favorite is the falafel but would eat anything off the menu

I would give it a four out of five stars just for the fact it's a very small area and you're almost feel rushed to get out of there because of the line of people going up to the counter. Now about the food this has to to be one of the places that I could say has the most flavorful food every bite. Unique taste to it and absolutely delicious. Service was impeccable and order came out in a timely fashion and the prices.

This place is my favorite falafel in town and the best! The amount of turn this restaurant does shows you how good their food is. You get quality food for the price and it's fresh. Check this place out when you get a chance, it's one of the best in town! ps sometimes when it's busy its a long wait, but not horrible

Amazing food. Friendly service. Greek salad with chicken shawarma and the kafta platter (wrap with potato salad) was delicious. Will definitely be back.

I had waited quite awhile to check this bookmark off of my list. I planned to try it in June, but did not get around to it, so when I came back to Omaha last weekend, this was a top option. My brother, SIL, and mom are all foodies and everyone likes Middle Eastern cuisine. They agreed to a late lunch here with my adorable niece of course after my mom and SIL got their nails done. My SIL took on ordering first, so she seemingly ordered every vegetarian appetizer/mezza available. My brother ordered a mix grill plate, and they told us (confirmed by the staff) that this was enough for four people. I still wanted to order something, so I got the beef arayis which were pitas stuffed with ground beef and spices! We tried hummus, baba ghanoush, falafel, tabbouleh, tahini, foul, manaeesh bel za'atar, and moussaka. All of this came with lots of fresh pita in baskets. My SIL had ordered labneh but it never came, so they gave her some desserts instead. She also ordered fattoush. My brother's plate had yellow rice, grilled chicken kabob, and gyro. He shared a little with me. Everything was really good, but I was really intrigued by the arayis I ordered (came with a tzatziki dipping sauce) and the moussaka. I have only moussaka in Greek style, like a layered dish of eggplant similar to a lasagna. This version reminded me of Spanish eggplant salad. It was fried eggplant in a tomato sauce with chickpeas and onions. It was more like a stew. Everyone loved it! Then, amazingly, later that day by friend who lives in Qatar posted that she made moussaka this way, so I got her recipe. I will try to recreate this soon! Everyone was quite happy with this meal. We sat outside in a shady spot near the little fountain. It was a pleasant experience and I have to return to try more items on the menu. I will order the moussaka again though, and you should try it too!

When my husband and I walked into this place, there were two young girls standing by the kitchen door and they said nothing to us. So I walked over to the closest girl and asked if we could be seated. She replied you can just sit wherever you want. So we picked a table and sat down. We sat and waited 15 or more minutes and nobody came to give us water, take our order or nothing. And while we were sitting waiting we saw two different men appear from the kitchen and they didn't even look our way. They walked back into the kitchen. This place had only ONE couple besides us that was sitting eating and talking. So they definitely were not busy. We finally got up and left. As we were walking out one of the young girls saw us as she was walking out from the kitchen however she still didn't say anything to us. We will NEVER go back here. And we made sure to tell all of our friends and family to stay away from this place. I advise you to do the same especially if you are a person of color like us. I would give it zero stars if I could.

Rude. We were ignored for 10 minutes and eventually got up and left. We ended up at Cateus Pita Arabian Grill and the service was a breath of fresh air. The food there was equally good.

Seriously this is one of the best restaurants, I have eaten at, in quite awhile. Each menu item (and the four of us ordered almost one of everything on the menu) was just as delicious as the previous one. I really liked how they paced the food bringing out two or three dishes at a time to our table. It gave us a chance to savor each unique flavor before trying the next set of food items. Some of my most favorites: Mezza Plate Manaeech Bel Zaatar Mousakaa - so so delicious! El Basha Beef Arayis Lebneh Fattoush Salad I simply cannot wait to return while I am in Omaha visiting family! It's not often that food tantalizes my taste buds, where I am simply happy, but El Basha did and I was smiling with joy with every bite! Run, don't walk, (figuratively), to this local gem and order (almost) one of everything! I promise you will thank me!!!

We love the food... Gyro, Greek salad, Mezza plate and Combination mixed grill platter are our "go-to's" - We get carry out frequently but they close at 7:00 and you may have to start your carryout call at 5:00 or spend an hour trying to reach them! It is obvious that they are trying to have good service but the restaurant is small, and if you get a table, you will likely have 7-10 couples standing in line to order or pick up an order. It IS worth it... This feels like family dining...very cozy and sometimes frustrating but friendly, authentic and delicious!