Old Damascus Fare

Very nice people, but sub-par food. The meat is dry and flavorless. The rice is oily and flavorless. The falafel is dry and flavorless. The desert is sweet and flavorless. I've tried this a few different times. I love Middle-Eastern food because of the intricate flavors. This one does not offer that, and charges Berkeley prices.

Has the best chicken shawarma I’ve ever had outside of Syria. The grape vine leaves (wara8 3einab) are phenomenal, and everything about this place reminds me of home. Strongly recommend if you want some authentic Levantine cuisine.

Absolutely delish! They catered for an event and was an absolute hit! Very flavorful home cooking. They were very accommodating with any last minutes changes to the menu and the warmest people to work with. Will definitely do it again.

Good food

Very generous portion sizes. Good food!

I always love family owned restaurants. A Syrian family that owns the place and cooks the food. Very authentic delicious Arab and middle eastern food. I really recommend this place because ever since I got it Berkeley, I haven't found any restaurant around that provides this type of authentic and unique dishes. Food is clean and cooked by the owners themselves which is always something special especially when they just came from the mother county that serves the food they cook.

Clean! Exquisite! Authentic! Made with love Earth food No GMO and no Lard And out of this world desserts! I make sure to stop by every time I am in town even when not hungry!

This restaurant surpassed my expectations. The falafel plate came with salad and hummus as well. I would highly recommend this as the portion size is generous. This was a very ideal dinner and I would definitely come back.

Had a fantastic dinner from their pop up shop in UC Berkeley's MLK building. Got the chance to chat a bit with the family--they are beautiful people who take pride in their food. I really encourage everyone to go check out their food and get to know their story. The daughter started at 1951 and now is helping her parents with the first Syrian catering business in the SF Bay Area! I ordered the moussaka (layered eggplant and tomato dish with curry spices), and they let me sample the tamarind hindi. I was concerned with the food being too oily, so I asked about it. They told me that it's 100% olive oil, and they took the time to drain the vegetables before giving it to me. Indeed, it didn't taste too oily. Thank you for the awesome experience!

Old Damascus Fare serves Syrian eats. it's a pop up in the Martin Luther King Student Union Building @U.C. Berkeley offerings: mains, salads, appetizers eats: beef mandi(10) -"smoked basmatic rice, cooked with ... mix of middle eastern spices, topped with almonds". served with cooked (boiled?) beef chucks and side of vegetable salad. -everything tasted fresh, seasonings subtle and flavorful. -textures alternatively complex and simplistic.. leftovers: -got sampling of a beverage. tasted wonderful except for it's sweetness. great for anyone who has a sweet tooth. -lots of food options: appetizers, salads, sides.... -quick, helpful service. -definitely would repeat except for white rice(avoiding).

I love lamb and rice so this place is great for that with a healthy serving of tomatoes and cucumbers. The lemon / lime drink is mild and refreshing without being too sweet. The showstopper dessert was the warbat - pistachios sweetened with honey with layers of phyllo. My sister and I split one and it was absolutely a delightful treat. Definitely will come back, thanks for a tasty lunch!

Overall it's a 5 star place but it'll explain. The biggest bummer for me was that the wrap was a tortilla. I would prefer pita or lafa. The flavour was nice but it reminded me of an Indian flavour and not very Middle Eastern. The size was great as well as for the chicken. I would prefer for the chicken to be cut thinly but it's fine. Price wise I don't know if it's worth the 12$. But overall I am happy and would come back.

I asked for a falafel wrap and it was not heated up. If anything it was cold, and it was wrapped in an uncooked tortilla which I found strange because tortillas aren't Syrian. I'm sorry to say, and I really want to like and support this place because the owners are immigrants, but this wrap was pretty lousy and not worth the money I paid for it. However, the portions were big and it was close to closing time. Maybe I just came at a bad time. The owners are still as friendly as ever though.

Such wonderful food and wonderful people! I got to experience this restaurant with some students that I work with. The falafel plate and the Polo drink were very tasty! Would 10/10 recommend ! A family owned restaurant that cooks with love

I had Old Damascus Fare cater a workshop that we hosted in Berkeley. They were able to deliver and have the food beautifully plated on reusable dishwater (with a small additional fee). It was a really great price at $20 a person and we ended up having so much food. Great for both meat eaters and non meat eaters as well. They had a delicious eggplant/hummus dip that was so creamy and toasty. The family is super nice. Will totally order with them again!

Not bad. Has a big portion of rice, which is good, but we all know that's not the expensive part of a meal. The beef mandi was good, although quite dry to my taste. I've never had Syrian food before, so I don't know if that's the style. I really liked the way the rice was cooked. The spices were really lowkey but fragrant. In general, the whole meal felt really healthy, like an Asian mom would make.

Great service and huge portions! Love the beef mandi, and the sauce is great. Love supporting this business in MLK!

Just went here with my family. Great food and a very nice person (Mohammed the owner). He gave us extra food for free and was gracious! Everything was good and price is affordable. I will go back definitely. The best things I had were the chicken schwarma: huge, and the tamarand drink (orange). The baklava is great get the big ones they are really good. Smoked rice is great. So was the beef. Everything is good here. They are probably very busy during the day if you are not a student, so go later on in the day if you arent.

Flavorful and great portions. There were 3 of us and we got 2 dishes to share. The rice and beef kabob was plentiful and tasted super fresh. Anyone visiting UC Berkeley or around campus should definitely check it out. HIGHLY recommended.

Wonderful and beautiful establishment at Cal offering the finest of Syrian Damascus style cuisine that a vegetarian food lover like myself truly appreciates. Warmest friendly staff! Highly recommend

Just discovered this place recently and have already gone twice! The folks behind the counter are so nice and let me order a falafel platter with dolma instead of falafel (have not tried their falafel but generally I don't go for falafel), and the dolma are SO good!! The hummus and babaganoush and fresh veggies are amazing, too. I wish there were a "veggie platter" option on the menu with like a "pick three" among hummus, babaganoush, dolma, and falafel, so that I could get both hummus and babaghanoush. They give six dolma but I'd be content with like two or three dolma if I could have both spreads! Thanks, Old Damascus Fare!!

I've catered from here many times. The flavors are so rich and full -- truly nothing compares to fresh warm spice infused Syrian food. They serve a hearty dish and truly want to make everyone happy. Definitely try their eggplant dish, Moussaka over Mandi, smoked rice. Love Rawa & her husband Mohammed. They are so loving and work so hard to even cater my last minute orders.

5 stars for the food and the family. Behind Old Damascus Fare's authentic Syrian food is an amazing, hardworking family that deserves every bit of the success they've seen so far. HIGHLY recommend this place to anyone I know!

Very nice people, but sub-par food. The meat is dry and flavorless. The rice is oily and flavorless. The falafel is dry and flavorless. The desert is sweet and flavorless. I've tried this a few different times. I love Middle-Eastern food because of the intricate flavors. This one does not offer that, and charges Berkeley prices.

I stopped by for a quick bite between meetings. I wasn't expecting too much, but I was really pleasantly surprised! I ordered the gyro plate and I was really impressed. The meat was flavorful and tender, and the rice side was very good. The man who served the food gave me a copious amount of sauce, which I really appreciated. The best part was that he served me a very large portion, and I feel that this place is a good value for the price. I will definitely return. A few constructive criticisms: while the serving is large, it is really carb heavy. I'd prefer the meat:rice ratio to be increased. I also would like the option to add more vegetables to the dish.

I've now been a few times. The first two times I had the gyro chicken with smoked rice, fattoush, salad, and some spaghetti and it was huge and delicious, and cost $11. I loved everything! This time I got moussaka, rice, chicken, fattoush, salad, and got charged extra for the salad. I was enjoying the moussaka, which had spices that made it very tantalizing, but I accidentally swallowed a bay leaf. Eaters beware! It was very painful and I kept coughing and coughing and no one was coming to my rescue and finally I remembered the time I choked on a fish bone elsewhere and how eating a doughy thing helped clear my throat, so I asked the cashier for some bread and she gave me a pita and phew! It was a very scary experience and I'm glad it ended well.

The food is out of this world very delicious people work there are very warm and very welcoming Highly recommend it

I don't know where to start. Best Syrian food I have ever HAD!!! It's a small kitchen but it's the authentic stuff, I'm proud of them although. I can't believe how low their prices are for the awesome quality and very clean. Give it a try, you'll love it. Thank you guys, for real delicious food.

Second time here and this time, I ordered Beef Mandi. It was so delicious! I'd highly recommend this dish. The portion size is big, the beef is well seasoned, and the side salad is very refreshing. The owners are very kind. Overall, one of the best restaurants on campus and in the area in general.

Batool and her parents catered a party at my house. Truly delicious outstanding food prepared and served by wonderful people. We are so grateful for helping our event turn out so well.

Best Arabic food and good service Especially Syrian food Wish the best to them is family owned

Absolutely love this place. I drive from East Oakland just to eat here, that's how good it is. Lots of options to choose from and I haven't been disappointed by a single one. Service is always great as well, very nice people. I only wish they had location in Oakland so I could eat here much more often. As it is I will continue to go out of my way for the opportunity to eat here whenever I can.

The greatest food from the greatest people ever. The owners are some of the nicest and most generous people I've ever met, and they serve some incredible good from their native Syria. Don't just eat--strike up a conversation!

Delicious!! Old Damascus catered our board meeting and the food was phenomenal! The Sambusas, mussaka'a, grilled mutabbal, salad and pita were all tasty and filling.

Batool and her family at Old Damascus Fare did an incredible job catering my wedding! They were extremely flexible with the menu and , honestly, delivered a spectacular meal. They truly made me feel like I was back in Damascus, and it was such a slice of home. It was affordable, delicious, and served 60 guests. Their kiosk in Berkeley also has a great selection od classic Syrian dishes.

Authentic Syrian food. Delicious Syrian food that caters to all dietary needs. Huge selection of vegan options. Large portions. Kind & welcoming owners. Try the tamarind with rosewater refreshing drink.

Delicious, healthy, and halal! And very authentically Syrian. Located in the Berkeley student union, this place offers some great dishes from Syria. And it's pretty student-friendly when it comes to pricing. Would recommend the shawarma and eggplant dish.

Amazing food and incredible owners. They are so nice and generous. The food has an awesome home-cooked taste with great quality. Love this place

I love that the UC Berkeley student center has partnered with La Cocina for its food court - the results have been uniformly terrific, and I've had a chance to try some yummy things that I haven't had a chance to try otherwise. Plus, I love the fact that my money is going towards fledgling businesses. Old Damascus Fare is one of my favorites in the food court this year. It's run by a family of Syrian immigrants (their story is really interesting). The menu is simple, but contains a number of Syrian dishes I have never tried, and it has a ton of variety. I can't wait to go back and try the smoked rice and the various salads. Today I had the chicken shawarma and WOW...I love shawarma/doner kebab and have tried variations of these all over the world, but the chicken shawarma here is really unique and delicious. What makes it amazing is the spice rub on the outside of the chicken,which seems to contain unexpected spices like cinnamon and cardamom in addition to expected ones like cumin. When paired with a carrot salad and pickled vegetables, as well as a generous amount of garlic sauce, the result is addictive and filling. The portions are extremely generous, and the family who runs the stall is really friendly and efficient. 100% would recommend.

Authentic Syrian cuisine prepared to perfection. Portions were generous and the food was delicious. It was super easy to coordinate the catering order over email and phone. They delivered the order to Palo Alto for an extra fee. Food arrived on time and was hot and ready to be served.

Umm what?? An awesome authentic middle eastern restaurant in Sproul Plaza?! Amazing food, amazing service, kebab and shawerma galore. Fattoush salad so good. And the mint lemonade is also really good. Come check it out and support great food and people!

Has the best chicken shawarma I've ever had outside of Syria. The grape vine leaves (wara8 3einab) are phenomenal, and everything about this place reminds me of home. Strongly recommend if you want some authentic Levantine cuisine.

Absolutely delicious! So authentic and good portions. The Tamer Hindi drink is also very refreshing! Their Muttabal is INSANELY GOOD!!!!!

The best fatoosh salad and amazing customer service. Every time I visit Berkeley it's going to be a must to patronize old Damascus fare

We read about the food and the back story in the Chron a few weeks ago. Since my friend and I both love food from the eastern Mediterranean, with thought we'd give Old Damascus Fare a try. We went there on Friday evening, before a Cal women's basketball game. (The Golden Bears upset the favored Arizona State Sun Devils, by the way.) The family who own/run the restaurant and cook the food were so warm and welcoming, we were highly disposed to be happy there from the start. And then came the food. I love Middle Eastern chopped salads and their Fatoush salad, with toasted pita chips and a luscious, tangy dressing was as good as any I've ever had, including in the Middle East. And the portion, as with all the dishes, was at least "very large," maybe "huge." Their "Spaghetti" is a fine, satisfying, tasty pasta dish with olives and other vegetables (vegetarian) in the sauce. Again, the portion was more than generous. Both dishes were garnished with plenty of chopped parsley, brightening them up even further. We'll go back whenever we're around the Cal campus with a little hunger in our bellies. Maybe we won't even have to be hungry. Check out these folks.

Amazing Syrian food! We have hired Old Damascus Fare to do some large group events for us and they deliver wonderful food each time. Now, you can try them out right away at their new lunch location in the UC Berkeley ASUC. The Beef Mandi and the homemade soup with spicy pickles is top notch!

If you're looking for something new and amazing, check out Old Damascus Fare. I was very excited to hear about this place when it was first opening up, and when I tried it, it did not disappoint. I've tried their food at their location in MLK as well as their catering service. Both are so great!

The owners offer 100% true Syrian cuisine. Their food is delicious and always with great presentation and service. Mr and Mrs Rawas have a real mom and pop business and we have watched their business really grow. I would ask for their Taboulli, Hummus, Kafta and Kibbe. Best Middle Eastern food in the Bay hands down!

Excellent Syrian cuisine. I ordered the kabob and the meat was succulent, the rice was made with the real spices and pinion nuts found in the regional cooking, and the salad was fresh. I was amazed by the quality given that this was in a Student Union building. I would expect such quality from a restaurant, not a food court. I grew up with family making this food so I know what I'm talking about. Try it, you'll love it!

I highly recommend eating here! Not only is the food delicious, the folks working there make you feel like family. This my go to place when I want a home cooked meal. They also do a great job catering for large events and the food is ALWAYS a hit! Be sure to stop by and support this family run business! You won't regret it!

Was at a play in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago and tried their lovely golden Syrian Kibeh. The hostess had it catered by Old Damascus Fare. Told my daughters about this business and plan to pre order when family is in town for the summer. Supporting local small businesses makes me happy.

Best Syrian food I've ever had would definitely recommend ordering from them. The falafel is great, the pastries are phenomenal, and my absolute favorite thing they offer is the tamarind drink.

Best Falafel Wrap, Baklava, and Warbat I've ever had. Authentic Syrian Food in the Bay!

I had never tried Syrian food before, but after having 5 or so dishes from this business, It's definitely one of my new favorite cuisines! The owners are so kind and generous- definitely people you want to support and continue coming back to. I like the Horraa' Osbao the best! Can't wait to use them for an event.