Let Jess Tell It
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🗣️ Let Jess Tell It
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4.5 if I could)
📍 Souk Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar | 139 S Huron St, Toledo, OH 43604
🗓️ Visited: July 2025
💰 Price per person: ~$30 (cocktails + food)
⏳ Wait time: No wait on a weekday night (bar seating available)
🔊 Noise level: Moderate — conversational but energetic
🪑 Seating: Bar, indoor tables, full patio
🚗 Parking: Street parking only — might need to circle a bit
🥗 Dietary options: Vegetarian dishes available; menu leans fresh/whole food
♿️ Accessibility: Yes
👶🏽 Kid-friendly: Not the vibe I’d bring a toddler to, but teens or well-behaved kids would be fine
🍹 Alcohol: Full bar, specialty cocktails, espresso martinis, bartender-driven custom drinks
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💡 If you’re just skimming, here’s the quick take:
• Best bet? The cocktails — especially if Aaron’s behind the bar.
• Unexpected standout? The French onion soup.
• Dish to tweak? The short rib hummus could use salt or seasoning to match its plating.
• Vibe? Sophisticated but chill. It’s giving grown-up comfort.
• Would I go again? Yes — with curiosity, not cravings.
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🥂 Full Experience:
We came to Souk on a summer evening with no reservation, and even before stepping inside, we could feel the buzz. A full patio, cars slowly circling for parking, and the kind of sidewalk energy that makes you slow down — especially in downtown Toledo, where things are typically quiet. It made us say, “We’ve never seen this much action at a Toledo restaurant.” And after the visit? We understood why.
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🍸 Bartender Breakdown: Aaron (ask for him!)
I wasn’t planning to drink. But Aaron didn’t push — he asked thoughtful questions and made a custom tequila cocktail based on my preferences (citrus, ginger beer, mint, light/fruity — no syrupy stuff). What he brought out? Hands down the best cocktail I’ve ever had. Smooth, summery, balanced, and sneaky. I fell asleep on the ride home — safely, in the passenger seat — and I mean that as a high compliment.
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🧅 Food Ordered:
• French Onion Soup — Deep, rich flavor. Not the “cheese lid” style but still excellent. Even the bar guests next to me ordered it after watching my reaction.
• Short Rib Hummus Bowl w/ Veggies — Looked incredible. Fresh produce was top-tier. The meat needed more salt or finishing oil, and the hummus leaned tahini-heavy without much zing.
• Spicy Italian Pizza — Amazing crust. Sausage: flavorful. But toppings felt mismatched overall. Mushrooms were a bold move. I’d try another pie next time.
• Tomato Soup (observed) — Our neighbor at the bar ordered two bowls. Looked hearty, thick, and clearly someone’s comfort go-to.
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🧾 Total Bill: ~$60 for 2 people
Included 2 cocktails, 2 soups, hummus w/ fresh veggies, pizza, and extra veg. Well worth it for the quality, service, and ambiance.
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🌟 Highlights:
✅ Bartender knew how to read the room and tailor drinks
✅ Soup was a shockingly strong category
✅ Open kitchen ran like fine dining without the pretension
✅ Bar felt communal — we left with new Instagram friends and a dinner invite
⚠️ Hummus + short rib plate needs a flavor boost
⚠️ Pizza toppings didn’t quite hit as a combo, but still solid ingredients
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If you’re from Columbus like me:
Toledo isn’t trying to copy us. It’s doing its thing — and Souk is proof. It’s stylish without trying too hard, and the kind of place where strangers chat, soup gets shared by suggestion, and a bartender might change your entire drink game.
Would I return? Yes. Would I come just for the food? Not necessarily. But for the experience? Absolutely.
📌 Save this spot if you’re passing through Toledo, looking for elevated Mediterranean eats, or just want to sit at a bar that feels like real conversation is still possible.
Let Jess Tell It.