Went out for a ladies night here and let me tell you this place keeps up to all the hype !…read more They offer free Valet parking on Friday and Saturday- so parking was a breeze ! We had made a reservation so as soon as we walked in we were seated inside in a booth ! The place felt cozy and comfortable as well as nice vibes ! They even offer bar seating ! They have a covered and temperature controlled patio too ! Our server was amazing and professional and answered all our questions about drinks and other stuff ! The cocktail were amazing - I was curious about their onion bagel drink I think that's what's it's called and my server got me a sampler ... definitely I went with something else . We ordered few dips and appetizers and 2 entrees! Everything was delicious! To end the night we got the Krembo dessert and OMG it's a must try !! Can't wait to ge back soon !!

The food here was tasty, but the service was what really stood out. Attentive, friendly…read moreknowledgeable staff who did not make us feel rushed and paced the food out nicely. They were happy to chat with us without forcing conversation. As a group of 3 we ordered the traditional hummus, whipped bulgarian feta, beet tahini, the cucumber labne, falafel, pan fried halloumi and baklava apple pie for dessert. The group was not what I would call big eaters so we had leftovers (we likely should have ordered 1 less dish), they recommend 2-3 dishes per person (dips and meze). The hummus was decent, but I would not feel the need to order it again, the bulgarian feta was delicious and was tied with best dish of the night with the falafel. The falafel had perfect texture, crispy on the outside without cutting your mouth and soft on the inside. The beet tahini just tasted like beets and nothing else so I would not get that again. The cucumber labne was tasty and the halloumi was the only dish I took a bite of and would not take another. The texture of the cheese was rubbery, so despite having a crunchy exterior and delicious sauce underneath, I found the halloumi to be extremely disappointing. I am not a chef, but if they simply grilled the halloumi and served it on top of the sauce I think it would be much better. Desserts are not my thing but my friends enjoyed it even though they admitted the baklava apple pie was painfully sweet. I liked that it came with labne ice cream to make it a bit different. Overall it was a nice meal, the ambiance is modern and clean and the service was fantastic. A good spot for a nice dinner out.

Amazing food and service as always!!! Chicken shawarma plate, falafel and hot pita. They've added…read moremore tables to the outdoor space too!

I came into town to visit my sister and she swore about this place! Such good food and such a sweet…read more& humble man. Please give him a visit you won't regret it!

The food here is consistently delicious and well-portioned for the price. Highlights are the super…read moreduper wrap (as big as my forearm), the crave fries, and falafel. This is my default spot when I don't want to think about what to get, and beats the neighboring Chipotle any day. No notes. Shoutout to Julio and the rest of the staff for the genuinely cheerful service that keeps me coming back for more and leaving with a smile.

I ordered from the kebab shop through uber eats. I had the bowl and then also tried their falafel…read moreand hummus. The falafel and hummus were great. The bowl was only okay. The chicken was a little weird and I avoided it. The bowl overall had a little bit of a strange chemical ish taste. I don't regret trying it and wouldn't be opposed to trying again. Not a must have though.

Why 4 stars? Because I had a halal itch and this kind of scratched it…read more --- --- --- I recently visited New York and every time I do that, I usually have to visit a halal cart. This time, I barely managed to squeeze one into my trip, and it was kind of a last minute stop from a food truck that wasn't even on Yelp. It was fine, but I was left yearning for more after barely getting a taste of it. Enter: my trip to Austin. Upon doing my food research, I was struck by Halal Time's great rating and couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit. I was staying in a hotel less than a mile away, which made it even easier to stop by. The result? I wouldn't say it fully hit the spot on what I'd remembered from old NYC trips, but I did enjoy it. I went with the Beef Shawarma Over Rice plate and it was a perfectly "good, not great" dinner.

First let me start and say the portion is huge. I could not finish it and it was very tasty. At…read morefirst I thought it was too much sauce but once you mix everything together. It was the perfect amount. the chicken meal and baklava dessert was $17 which I felt was good price. My complaint. I preordered on door dash and picked up my order and 3 of my coworkers orders. I get a 30 min lunch and it takes me 8 min to get there and another 8 min to get so I should have had plenty of time. I go up to the window, tell him I'm here to pick up the order and he says door dash has not given him orders for 3 days. So my orders were not made. I had to call everyone to find out what they order and as I'm calling out the orders he's like oh yes I see them. Very confused as to how he has no orders but also has orders? There was construction and graduations going on that day so my commute was a little longer but he not having the orders ready also made me late.

This is one of the few places in town where I know I'm guaranteed to have an amazing experience…read more There are no misses on the menu, everything is pretty much assured to be absolutely delicious. There's really nothing to complain about, the patio and interior are stunning and transport you out of south congress. Service has always been prompt and good, they always refill the pita when you're running low. My personal favorites are the steak frites and the eggplant dip, seriously SO good. Everytime I come here I look forward to the next time I can go again

We recently visited Aba on a Sunday evening for dinner, and it turned out to be a wonderful…read moreexperience overall. I absolutely love the vibe of this place--it's definitely a high-end Mediterranean restaurant, perfect for special occasions. What really stood out was how beautifully everyone was dressed; it added to the upscale, elegant atmosphere of the entire space. The restaurant offers both indoor seating and a beautiful outdoor seating area, which really elevates the overall experience. The outdoor space, in particular, adds to the charm and makes it a great spot for a relaxed yet upscale evening. Since reservations weren't available, we decided to arrive early, expecting a long wait. Luckily, being a Sunday evening, it wasn't too crowded, and we were seated within about 20 minutes. For drinks, I ordered a Tender Robot Hazy IPA, while my husband went with the Verdant Mai Tai. I was a bit disappointed to learn they only serve canned beer and don't offer draft options, as I personally prefer draft beer and am not a big fan of cocktails, which tend to be too sweet for my taste. For the main course, I had the Heirloom Chicken Thighs, and my husband ordered the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes. Both dishes were cooked to perfection--flavorful, well-seasoned, and the meat was incredibly tender. That said, the portion sizes felt a bit small considering the price point. We ended the meal with the Sticky Date Cake, and it was hands down the best I've ever had--rich, perfectly balanced, and absolutely delicious. Overall, we had a great experience. Between the beautiful ambiance, flavorful food, and exceptional service, it's a place I'd definitely return to. I'm giving it 4 stars mainly because of the lack of draft beer and the smaller portion sizes for the price, but it's still a fantastic spot worth visiting.

I was just walking by when the smell stopped me, so I decided to try and WOW!. Everything was…read moreabsolutely amazing, from the flavor to the freshness. You can tell the food is made with care and love. I'm honestly mad I didn't find this place sooner. Definitely becoming a regular.

Rayan Lebanese Cuisine is parked just off East Riverside in a small lot with a cozy little seating…read morearea. It's shaded and decorated with wisteria garlands, and there's a TV playing a chill mix of old and new music--not too loud, just enough to set a good vibe. We ordered two dinner platters--one beef, one lamb--and they were stacked. Each came with rice, salad, baba ghanoush, and hummus. Everything tasted fresh and flavorful, and the portions were huge--I easily got a second meal out of mine. We also tried the moussaka and it was yummmaay! Lebanese food doesn't appear to be super common around Austin, so it's awesome to have a spot like this. I was really appreciative of how welcoming the staff were--they checked in with us and made us feel like we were guests in their home. Just really warm, genuine people. Great food, great people, and a chill spot to hang out for a bit

Really love this gem! Portion is large (especially the sides!). It feels warm and welcoming. The…read morespace has a rustic vibe--lots of wood, stones, and a big mural on the wall. Fresh pita & dips (free) - 5/5 As soon as we sat down the waiter brought out pita and a special dip that I never tried in other restaurants, and the pita was still warm like it had just come out of the oven. Soft, fluffy, and really fresh. I used it to dip into the sides we ordered later--the Baba Ghanouj and Hummus. The baba ghanouj had that roasted eggplant smokiness, while the hummus was thick, creamy, and very sesame-forward. Both were solid. Flatbread Trio ($15) - 5/5 This comes with three pieces but you can order a plate of three in the same kinds: meat, za'atar spice, and cheese. The za'atar one had that unique flavor--thyme, sumac, sesame seeds. The cheese flatbread came out hot and stretchy with three cheeses melted together. The meat one had minced beef and vegetables on a thin crust with slightly crispy edges. This one really impressed me. Lamb Kabob Platter ($19) - 4/5 Ground lamb mixed with onion and spices and grilled. The texture was fairly firm and the seasoning was pretty strong--you mostly taste the spices rather than the lamb itself. It comes with grilled tomato and onion, which adds a nice bit of sweetness and balances things out. It also comes with 2 sides--we chose baba ghanouj and hummus. The sides portion is really generous. Mixed Grill Combination ($23) - 4.5/5 It includes beef tenderloin, kafta skewers, and chicken shish tawook. The beef had a nice smoky grill flavor and was quite tender. The kafta had the strongest seasoning, and the chicken ended up being the lightest and juiciest of the three. It also comes with 2 sides--we chose baba ghanouj and salad. House dessert (pistachio pastry, $6) - 4/5 Looks pretty simple, but inside there's pistachio filling that gives it a really nice nutty sweetness. Not overly sugary, which I liked. I hope it could improve its appearance a bit. The food felt comforting and homey rather than fancy, and the portions were generous for the price.

Such a good find! I was in town with family trying to find a place for 11 of us to get something to…read moreeat and as soon as we walked in we knew we had found the spot. Staff were super welcoming and happy to quickly seat us. No waiting right away we had glasses of ice water and full baskets of their fresh warm pita while we made looked over their light up menus with helpful explanations from our server to help guide us. So many delicious things came out just as fast. Meats were all juicy and seasoned to perfection the chicken, steak, and kafta Delicious! Baba ghanoush and hummus to top all of it yummy! You can really taste all the work they put into making all their food great!

The food, everything, was very good. I had the Shish Tawook (chicken) with tabbouleh and hummus…read more The tabbouleh was fantastic! I don't know if it was authentic or not, but it was so good! The staff member that I dealt with was personable, pleasant, etc. Only one negative--I wish I could give the place a 4.5, but I don't think a 4 is fair--After I indicated that I was finished eating and ready for the bill (maybe I didn't communicate it so clearly?), it seemed to take quite a while before they came with the check. Otherwise, great food! (I did not try the hookah at all.) Oh, I forgot to mention: I was served a bottle of spring water rather than a bottle of "purified" water. That was fairly impressive.

All day Friday I was snacking. Mezze Cafe was one of my snack stops. I was told by a friend that…read morethey have the most delicious homemade hummus. So I ordered their hummus. My friend was spot on. You could tell that the hummus was homemade as it was thick and substantial to eat. It also had some extra virgin oil and some tasty spices. To be honest, I was not crazy about the accompanying pita bread. While it was plentiful, the pita bread was a bit hard. It did not appear homemade, as I expected. Moe, my server, was very attentive and brought my hummus rather quickly. While my hummus was $8, there were built automatic tips up 30%. You could opt to do no tip or a custom tip. Never seen a tip automatically built to that large percent. Their parking lot was a bit small, but was free for customers. I did enjoy my hummus and would recommend it. However, I would ask for crackers to accompany the hummus.

My fav. Turkish restaurant in Austin…read more Happy hour 3-7pm on Fridays: $3 beer and some off the sides. Wish there were happy hour on other days as well. I love their Beef Wrap. Plain ol fries, not so much.

So happy we stumbled upon this place. We were looking for a solid Mediterranean option in downtown…read moreAustin and this one absolutely delivers. The space is super cute and easy for us to walk to. We ordered one bowl and one wrap and ended up taking another of each to go. The food was delicious and loved that they offer a grass fed beef option. The person who took our order was also friendly and welcoming.. This is definitely going to be a repeat spot for us.

Fries were great…read more But the Beef Shawarma Wrap is low quality, most of the meat is hard to byte, and spices are mixed up in wrong proportions as I tried.

Dare I say this was life changing....might have been the walk I was forced to make. The salad was…read morerefreshing in between bites of rice, their sauces were excellent and the chicken was tender pairing perfectly with their rice. I loved their hummus as well drizzled with olive oil. Casual ambiance but worth it for good food.