Taste of Lebanon

Great ambience. Food is good. They serve Pita bread and olive oil w sesame seeds for free. It tastes fresh n awesome. I had the beef shawarma. It was good!

Closed. I’ve been trying to contact this place for the past 3 weeks and every time I passed by I found a «closed until further notice» note on the door. I finally got in touch with Chadi at Byblos who used to work there and he told me that the owner pretty much took off and he’s not answering his phone. What a shame. This place had awesome food awesome hookah and awesome atmosphere. So sad and so unfortunate.

Very comfortable environment and by far the best Shesha in Houston. Ive tried many other Shesha places and this is my favourite! The food is of very good quality and the staff are friendly and welcoming. I especially enjoyed the live music on one of the days that i came here. Free parking which is also a major plus!!! Generally an enjoyable place to come and have dinner or simply a relaxing cup of tea and Shesha (Hookah)

Chicken shawarma sandwich is amazing. Service is amazing. Good lunch spot and well kept secret. Sit outside on a nice day.

I went once to this restaurant and I found it to be such a great alternative to the usual Fadi’s. The food was amazingly tasty and fresh and the service was remarkable. We tried a variety dishes and most were very good. During my next trip to Houston, I’ll have to return!

A Saturday night adventure to Taste of Lebanon. When we arrived at 8:30 p.m., the parking lot was rather empty. We sat on the patio to enjoy the evening. Now, the patio is plain vanilla. No nice plants or cozy touches. There was a fountain kind of plopped out there as an afterthought. The table for four people was too small & crowded to really enjoy our food and share dishes. Just too awkward. Around 9 p.m., the one-​man singer/​piano player showed up. We did enjoy the Arabic type music, but it was really too loud for conversation. Service: excellent. Food: the tabbouleh was good, pita & hummus good. Corkage fee: $ 10!!! I thought that was rather high for a very non-​assuming restaurant in a building that used to be a Hartz Chicken. Not memorable; not bad.

Food — ⁷⁄₁₀
Pros — Good Service
Cons — Uncomfortable chairs

I only had the non-​spicy hummus and the vegetarian stuffed grape leaves. Both were really good. The pita bread seemed made at the restaurant. You could taste the tahini on the creamy hummus. My complaint is that I paid $ 10 for a hummus and about five grape leaves. Furthermore, they should have a mezze plate with a variety of cold appetizers. They only have one that’s not on the menu, for $ 20. The waiter said I couldn’t make any substitutions on the mixed plate because it comes at such a good price. Seems like this combination plate only has dips including a non-​spicy and spicy hummus. The place seemed clean and they had a flyer for live music this coming Saturday at 9 p.m. I can find less expensive and great vegetarian Middle Eastern items at other nearby places. Wish they could take heed.

Wow, this got a three star drop. I mean, I was a really, really big fan, but I was sorely disappointed in my last visit to this place.
For awhile, my fiancé and I were on a kick and coming on a weekly basis. But the one time I bring friends, and am raving about this restaurant, they really, really disappointed me.
First of all, there was a party on the patio, which meant that they left the back door open making where we were sitting really uncomfortable. There were people constantly in and out, and the kids portion had kidz bop or something playing in the alley way, but it was not very enjoyable.
We all ordered, and it seriously took about 20 min for the appetizer to come out. We wanted to try the hot appetizer plate, but got the cold one. The thing that makes me really upset was that they decided to sub the two, due to a lack of ingredients, without consulting us first. Considering it took 30 min, and came out as the same time of our food, I would have just opted out of the appetizer. And, I wasn’t in the mood for a million cold dips.
After waiting SO LONG, it turned out they never made my fiancé’s order. He didn’t get his order until about 10 – 15 min after we all did.
To make it up to us, the manager offered dessert. This would have been great, but we didn’t even get a choice as to what we wanted to try. They gave us some, but it really felt like we were getting the left overs from the party outside.
Overall, it really ruined this place for us, and I haven’t been back since. Such promise, and so disappointing.

I’m Lebanese, I know what I’m talking about… (ok just kidding)
Being loyal to another Lebanese place, I came here with apprehension and ready to be critical. They impressed me, they impressed me enough to come back a second time within the same week. I ordered for my family a slew of our favorite appetizers and the «Taste of Lebanon» platter for our entrée. Every single dish was delicious, authentic, and fresh. The babaghanouj is the best compared to anywhere around. The grape leaves (with meat) were perfect and the falafel were crispy and delicious. Our entrée consisted of a combination of grilled meats; chicken & beef kebabs, and kafta with a side of salad and pickles. Tasty, juicy, tender, and most delicious. But wait, that’s not the best part… The cherry on top truly was the service. Our waiter was George, a most pleasant, hospitable and knowledgeable young man. He made all the difference as it was so refreshing to have nice and courteous naturally without the «fakiness» that you find when waiters are trying hard for their tips. I highly recommend this place, and will be returning to it next week to hang out on the patio with Lebanese coffee and a hookah.

So when I pulled up, my family in tow, my husband joked that the architecture reminded him of an old Hartz Chicken. (Yes, we study the architecture of greasy chicken places thankyouverymuch.) Well you can tar and feather me if it wasn’t a converted Hartz Chicken. He gets a drumstick.
We were immediately greeted by an eager and happy host who became even more eager and happy when we informed him that we were meeting a group of people for a party. Since we are the family type losers who show up early to events (we don’t get out much) we were the first to arrive and he promptly set up shop for our little get together.
The seating outside was pleasant, the hookahs were large (I did not partake nor am I an expert but they appeared large), and there was a water feature that could keep my kid entertained. I handed her sticky pennies from the bottom of my purse which she then gleefully tossed into the fountain. I’m not sure if that kind of behavior is condoned, but no one tried to sell her off for being a menace, so I think we were OK.
Once everyone arrived, out came the cold appetizer platter accompanied by fresh, hot pitas. I wish I knew how to say «hot damn» in Arabic– it was amazing. There were 4 creamy sauces for my dunking pleasure– hummus (traditional, smooth, not too much tahini), spicy hummus (heeeyyy-​oo they aren’t kidding), Labneh (thick yogurt with olive oil and mint) and the baba ghannouj. All I can say is I offended the lady sitting next to me once I tasted that outstanding eggplant purée. I actually moved her hands out of my way so I could access it easier– you can judge me all you want, after you try it.
The husband and I decided to split some hot appetizers and an entrée. (When we go out, we like to look as gluttonous as possible.) The fried Kibbe was outstanding. It was flavorful and pungent ground beef, fried to golden perfection with a delicious yogurt dip to go along with it. It looked like a holiday bauble deep fried for my consumption. Which reminds me, this Christmas, my fake tree will be all dressed in golden meat nuggets. The Soujok was an Armanian sausage that had the consistency of ground up beef jerky and tasted like old goat. I should have known better considering this hailed from the same country of origin that gave us the Kardashians. My kid insisted on the pickle platter only because she heard the word pickle– and it was your basic plate of pickles, olives, and oddly, jalapenos. I thought they were an institution of of our Southern most neighbors, but I guess the Lebonese are partial to them as well. The entrée (Mixed shawarma) was a glorious and pungent meat pile. There were bits of chicken and beef intermingling among the mint and yogurt. They all danced happily together in warm pita which I promptly gorged myself on. The baklava was pretty good, but at this point I was sweating Za’atar seasoning so I couldn’t really taste much anyway.
Service was prompt, and they didn’t shoot me mean looks when I kept doing the «and a… and a… and a…» thing, which anyone who has ever worked in the service industry knows, is the most ANNOYING thing on the planet. Well done Taste of Lebanon, I shall return.

This place had been on my radar from the day it opened because of the hookah. I fortunately no longer worked in the Uptown area when this spot opened up, so I had no good reason to be in the neighborhood until today. I was very skeptical of how high the star rating was, since us hookah-​types can be very finicky (not Finnick Odair) about multiple different things that always skew a star rating for one reason or the other. However Josh’s review (elite/​yelp friend) was as solid as I needed to come on in without hesitation.
A friend from Austin was passing through town for a job interview in Uptown this morning so unfortunately it was not going to be a bourbon soaked Friday like I had hoped for when he told me he was in town. Since he needed to head back to Austin like a total square. I suggested this place for lunch since it was close by the office tower he was in, and also I have been slacking on my 100 reviews for the year, so I definitely need to try more new places. Since he had been fair game for both Byzantio and Pasha last time he passed through town it was an easy sell that they had hookah and it was not «New American» style food.
It’s in a surprisingly serene location just off S. Voss on Del Monte. It definitely doesn’t feel like the road-​raging Tanglewood soccer mom/​scuzzy tax cheat business-​guy atmosphere this zip code just reeks of every time I am in the area. It’s a fairly large parking lot for anywhere in the area, unlike the mess in front of Russo’s and anything off Westheimer, or the Whataburger and anything off of San Felipe in the nearby vicinity.
There are five main selling points of this place: (1) customer service, (2) the patio, (3) the hookah, (4) the freshly baked bread (free!,) and (5) the pleasing serenity and atmosphere you would almost think this was Percy Jackson-​style Lotus Hotel & Casino from the world of Camp Half Blood.
The guy running the show, who I am going to guess was one of the owners Ahmed A. alluded to, was the most pleasant, friendly, and gracious host I have seen at any hookah establishment across the US (I travel a lot.) He was extremely patient and nice while we decided what we wanted. Trying to choose a nice table he even took the «Reserved» sign off of the patio furniture near the fountain on the patio for us, saying «Reserved for you my friend» so that was A+ all around. And it wasn’t just him, the coal guy was super pleasant, and the water refill guy was just as nice. While I am pretty stingy with five stars, this is what five stars were meant for you: you get treated like a proper kingslayer here. You could take clients, friends, co-​workers, family and know you are in good hands. How often does that happen in Houston with bad attitudes and trying to shuffle you out the door as quickly as possible so the next sack of money can sit at your table?
The patio is just ohmyglob. Even as hot as it was, there are plenty of fans and it’s a big patio overhang so you are entirely covered, you do not need to get coated in sun cream, unlike the patio at Little Woodrows for instance, where you have as much shade as a tiny parasol in your frozen fruity drink if you are lucky. The fountain gurgling just adds a nice element to it, it helps drown out the bit of traffic passing by on Del Monte.
The hookah flavors are numerous, and they offer the fruit head if you are going for a little something extra. Watermelon-​Mint was our pick. The flavor is strong and lasting, even at a $ 13 price point, this is high quality.
The freshly baked bread with the olive oil w/​spices is just immensely pleasing. It’s not a tiny little taste either, two large pieces. It is fresh, warm, and I would take it out dancing. It is that good, and even better, free. Considering some places charge more for just hookah and then charge you again for tap water, this is a steal to be in a place like this, you will actually feel like you are among the Lotus-​eaters, because nobody will want to leave. I would have stayed all afternoon and brought a sleeping bag if my friend didn’t need to pick up and head back to Austin.
If you are looking for an awesome casual hang-​out spot that has hookah, A+ customer service, and a nice patio to top it off then this is your next Unilocal bookmark and ⁴⁄₅ star review that you are going to write.
It’s not that busy yet. I don’t like giving such glowing reviews to places I like that nobody else has found yet, because you all will flock there and it will no longer be my tiny little hipster spot I can go without a wait. But with such a great experience I owe it to them to try and get more business coming through the door.

Excellent quality food. The place is immaculately clean. The staff is super friendly and attentive. I am so glad I came here to try it out!
For my first visit here I got hummus, tabbouleh, kibbie, and some potatoes. All was excellent! Portions are large so be sure to share.

Authentic Lebanese food. We’ve wanted to find truly Authentic Lebanese for a while and finally found it.
Big thanks to the owners. We’ve been here twice and enjoyed it both times. My only gripe is that the Chicken Shawarma isn’t the real deal, but rather grilled shredded chicken, which was fine but I wouldn’t mark it as Shawarma.
The Hummus, Tabbouleh, grilled meats and hookah are all great and definitely tipping points that tell you if it’s authentic or not.
The environment and scene are nice too. Quite lively but not annoying.
Will be back a lot!

The place is nice and the food is ok but not the best in town. I tried the chicken shawarma sandwish and it was great. But the fattoush salad was below average. The hummus is oK but could be much better.
I also tried the chicken taouk and was alright but i have eaten better at other locations. I also wish they have the daily dish like other Lebanese
restaurants. I would come back again but would definitely not order Fattoush salad again or hummus. I just hope the food improves over time.

Awesome food and doubly awesome service. My children brought me here for Mother’s day. The falfals are the best ever. Spicy hummus and hummus extra delicious. Taste of Lebanon salad, lentil and potato soup great. My daughters boyfriend had the mixed Sharwma plate delicious, and the kids loved the grape leaves. We ate leisurely and smoked hooka. The best time with my children. The place is SPECTACULAR. Amanda provided the very best service. We ate outdoors and it was a great 2 hours. Enjoyed everything about it. The restrooms were clean and offered lotions and body spray. Cannot say enough good things about it. Go Now! A+++++ SPECTACULAR & WONDERFUL. I enjoyed it more than Fadis.

This place is right around the corner from my apartment and I wanted to compare it to my Favorite spot Fadi’s. I visited here about a week after it opened. It is very nice in the inside and has a great patio area. I met both of the owners and they are very nice.
I was impress on how friendly they were and open. I ordered the chicken shawarma sandwhich. I don’t think that they are as good as Fadi’s only because I like to be able to tell if they are using white/​dark meat and I couldn’t. It was also just a little smaller. It had good taste but I am white meat only. I did ask to taste the hummus and parsley salad and it was Excellent. I will be visiting again.

Went there last night for dinner. Amazing service! Pretty quite for a Friday night though. New business and they’ve invested a lot in their business and set up. Nice from the inside and high quality food. They bring out complimentary bread — so fresh and hot and yummy!!! Ordered their spicy hummus (yes, it does have a kick) and falafel for appetizers — both were out of this world. The falafel had some unique flavors that made it taste sooo good, and ive had my fair share of falafel. The entrees were good but not as amazing as everything else we had already sampled. I had a shawarma — they put potatoes in it!!! It was an awesome surprise. I love potatoes. And the hubs had the mixed plate — he left more than half of it. Not his favorite. Lastly, for dessert, we tried their chocolate baklava — amaze balls.
The prices are reasonable and the food is awesome — I would just order something different as my entrée next time. Hell I could just eat their spicy hummus and falafel and be set. Seriously it’s that good!
Oh — and the meat is zabiha friendly :)

I am no expert on Lebanese food, but I really enjoyed my meal at ToL. I had a mixed plate of chicken and beef shawarma with a side hummus and was very pleased with both dishes. The hummus was creamy with lots and flavor and the pita was a very nice texture which, in my opinion, is the hardest thing to master when making pita. The meat was deliciously flavored and the environment seemed really nice and open.
Great place. I definitely recommend it.

In the 2 years I’ve been in Houston this location has been a Hertz Chicken and then a Hola’s mexican fast food and now a Taste of Lebanon. I was happy to see that they did a lot of remodeling to change the atmosphere and aesthetics of the place. I live really close and had never had Lebanese before so decided to try it out. I was very happy overall. I ordered take out so I didn’t get to experience dining in but the food was delicious. I ordered the Mixed Grill plate which had a variety of meat with vegetables, bread and hummus. The meat was tender and flavorful. I would definitely recommend this place. Their menu has a wide variety and I look forward to trying out more of what they have to offer.