What a delicious restaurant! We ended up here after a long day walking the city, and upon entering…read morefelt transported into another culture. It was welcoming and vibrant and homey all at the same time. The owner was there talking with customers, and after giving us time to look over the menu she came to us and asked us to place our order all together. We got grape leaves, baba Ghosh, Greek salad and tabouli to share. I also got hot tea which was dark and fragrant. The meal came quickly and melted in our mouths! I loved the vibrancy of the tabouli, and the texture of the grape leaves were amazing. We sat to enjoy the meal and would fur sure return again and again. It was delicious! If you are t familiar with Lebanese food this is an excellent place to try it as it is amazing!

I got the Kafta wrap and HOLY MOLY, was it super duper tasty. It was super amazing. The beef was…read moresuper tasty and had a wonderful amazing seasoning. The sauce was tasty, and the wrap was very tasty. The owners were very kind and super fast. The restaurant itself was super nice and the decor was really pretty. I'll definitely go back!!

My best friend wanted to take me to Phoenician Taverna for the longest time. She raves about this…read moreplace and been coming here for years. Finally she made reservations for Saturday evening (it is recommended because they get super busy). We got there and was greeted by the owner. BTW, was very down to earth. So their menu looked good (Lebanese food). There is so much to choose from and hard to decide. I especially loved their drink menu, especially wines. We ended up ordering: Appetizers: Baba ghannouge M'hammara Taverna falafel Dinner: Shawarma chicken Kebab mixed grill Drinks: Chateau kefraya, Les Bretches Almaza Pilsner My favorite from the appetizers is the eggplant and falafel! Super fresh and the bread that came with it was so good. Even the dipping sauce was amazing. My Shawarma chicken was super delish. You have to put the garlic butter on the rice! It gives it great flavor. My Mr enjoyed his meal as well. We definitely had to get a to go box because there was so much food. But we will look forward the next day to eat it. Overall, the service was great and I loved the experience. We can see ourselves coming back for more! I can see why my best friend loves it here! Highly recommend you try it.

A couple very close friends of ours recommended we try this spot with them and we're definitely…read moreglad we did. The food was fantastic, the service was awesome, and the atmosphere was very laid back. We even met the owner who was immensely friendly and welcoming. We went for dinner on a Saturday evening. For weekends, reservations are strongly recommended because they get busy FAST. They're only open for dinner hours too. Their menu is pretty big with a plethora of options to choose from including lots of appetizers, flatbreads, shawarmas, kebabs, falafel, and lots of tasty desserts. Their libations menu was very nice too, with numerous options for beer, wine, and spirits. (Try the Almaza for a crisp and tasty Pilsner) all at great prices. Here's what we had: Appetizers: Baba ghannouge M'hammara Taverna falafel Dinner: Shawarma chicken Kebab mixed grill Drinks: Chateau kefraya, Les Bretches red wine blend Almaza Pilsner Hoegaarden Belgian wit bier They also give you unlimited fresh pita bread with a delicious dipping sauce. Everything was incredible and cooked to perfection. We'll definitely be coming back here again. Unfortunately, this time, we had no room for dessert, but maybe next time.

This was my first time having Lebanese food and definitely won't be the last! It was very good, and…read moreI really enjoyed the sauces. The chicken was cooked perfectly and had excellent flavor. The grape leaves were better than I was expecting and really refreshing. I would have liked a little bit more seasoning on the chicken, but it was excellent!! The service was great , despite a slight language barrier. Very accommodating :) I will add that the inside of the restaurant was very warm. It made the 85 degree weather feel cool, haha. Would not stop me from going back, but just a heads up!

Food is SO GOOD! The chicken is flavorful, the rice is great, not over cooked or undercooked, the…read moresalad is good and the veggies are great and the spicy potatoes are

We ran into this eatery while in the area and decided to give it a try. Every single thing we…read moreordered was delicious. The garlic dipping sauce served with the food was out of the world. I couldn't get enough of the pesto hummus and the bread. My husband ordered a plate and he said the meat was tender and cooked to perfection. Can't wait to try out other options on the menu on our future visits.

We were quite disappointed. My family had three entirely different entrees, and they were all…read moreovercooked. My lamb and rice and vegetables, my wife's fellafel salad, and my daughter's vegetable pizza. The grape leaves and the spicy cauliflower appetizers were good, but the hummus was bland. Service was good, and the place was full of patrons on a Friday night. I wouldn't return.

Updating my review bc I got takeout for dinner with friends and it was so much better than the…read morefirst time I had it. We got labneh (SO GOOD), hummus, a falafel platter, and a chicken shawarma platter. The chicken was amazing! As was the falafel (not dry at all). The garlic sauce was a little spicier and less flavorful than I'm used to, but I was glad to try it. The only negative was that the hummus had a bit of an odd flavor-- a little spoiled tasting? Though I'm sure it wasn't!

I ordered the gyro platter, which comes with two sides. I chose rice and salad, and the crunch and…read morefreshness complemented the gyro meat perfectly. I opted for sauce on top and the garlic flavor was a great addition. My friend ordered a wrap and fries on the side. Overall, great portions and delicious food! Nice workers and ample seating for a casual meal.

This is an amazing family-run business! I don't typically write reviews, but I had such a great…read moreexperience that I had to share. I had never been here before, but I was in the area and it was raining really badly, so I figured I'd give this place a try before driving home. I saw that they had great reviews, and I'm so glad I stopped! I ordered the chicken platter, and let me just say... the food ain't make it home because I absolutely DEVOURED it ! The chicken was cooked absolutely perfectly, and the rice was so soft and perfectly prepared. The salad dressing was also SO flavorful! Honestly, this is some of the best Mediterranean food I've had in Cincinnati. On top of the amazing food, the service was incredibly warm and hospitable. You can really tell this is a family-run business that cares about their customers and the food they serve. 10/10 -- I'll definitely be back!

Been eyeing this place for a while and finally made it out. Mediterranean is one of mine and my…read morewife's favorite cuisines, but haven't loved a lot of other places we've visited. Made it out here last night before seeing Pericles at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. We ordered a couple waters, which we didn't realize would be bottled, and some dawali to start. The wait was very short, maybe ten minutes. These were definitely the best stuffed grape leaves I've had, with a sweet and tangy sauce. Nice light appetizer. For our entrees, she chose the falafel platter, and I went for the Arayes, which is a dish we've made a couple times at home recently and has become a favorite. These plates arrived only a minute or two after we finished the grape leaves, so perfect timing. I must say, everything looked incredible. We both took a bite of falafel, then the arayes, then the salad. Everything was very undersalted. Usually, I think of this as a huge strike against a restaurant, but once we added salt to everything, the flavors popped. It wasn't that the food was bland or unseasoned, it was just undersalted, which didn't help the flavors stand out. This is the main reason I did 4 stars instead of 5. The entrees were $18, and came with a big bed of rice and salad, but I felt the protein for each platter was a bit sparse: 5 falafel for the plate, and 5 arayes, which had a very thin patty of meat in each. Both were topped with a delicious cilantro-tahini (I think) sauce, that i would have liked a bit more of, for the sides and the arayes which were on the bottom. The water bottles were $1.50 each, so I'd probably bring our own next time, but that's not a big deal. Overall, most of my issues are small and nitpick except for the salt, so if that was nailed next time, I think this place would be a home run.

Outstanding food and service! Delicious sampler appetizer and authentic entrées…read more Baklava for dessert is a must. Owner Fahri is very attentive to make sure you have a fantastic dining experience! Highly recommended.

Dear lord, this place is good. I've been three times now and they knock it out of the park every…read moretime. I don't know what they add to the rice, but it's perfect. The gyro dinner is my go-to and it is so, so good. The staff is always very friendly and very happy vibes if you grab a table. I waited to move to the area to check this place out and totally regret waiting so long.

I had never been to Oakley Kitchen and loved that it had a variety of options. I was ECSTATIC to…read morefind Olive Tree, a Middle Eastern restaurant with shawarma and felt so welcomed by the guy that was working. You could tell that he really enjoyed the work and making the delicious food. There was also a younger boy (his son?) helping out. Please look at the picture, is that dish not beautiful?!! And it's just as tasty. Oakley Kitchen has ample space and seating- great for large groups. My friend ordered from another place and we both had our fresh food within ten minutes and then ate upstairs. 10/10 will be back.

Amazing tabouli salad. Sucks they only cater. They do not have a walk in restaurant.read more

This is a family run business. I got the gyro and fries and both were excellent. It was to-go but…read morethey are very friendly. Will continue stopping in for take out!! Support businesses like these.

Best Persian food in Cincinnati! Baba is great and lamb kabob wraps are great too. Their signature…read moresalad was a perfect accompaniment to a light summer meal.

My favorite restaurant in Cincinnati! A must try if you're visiting or in town. My go to for…read morespecial celebratory dinners. Food: 5/5 Dishes are explained as slightly larger plates than tapas style. My favorites: Wood Grilled Octopus, Crispy Falafel, Bouillabaisse. Love the Moroccan Mint Tea as well! Service: 4.7/5 Very friendly! They course out your plates for you which I always love. They were able to accommodate my pescatarian diet (I.e., meats on the side to give to others at the table). On a less busy night, they offered a free toast for my birthday. I've been for other celebratory dinners here on busier nights where that hasn't happened, so it was a lovely surprise! Ambiance: 4/5 A little busy and can get loud on the weekends with table chatter, cutlery clinks, and the brick walls echoing noise around. Tables are also close together, so you can definitely hear the conversation next to you. The decor is pleasant and the lighting is soft and romantic enough that it is still a perfect date night spot! There are also a couple larger crescent booths for larger parties.

My husband I were visiting Cincinnati on vacation and found this place based on online reviews. We…read moretypically like small plates, bar seating and a lively scene where we can interact with others. This place hit all the boxes. We were able to score bar seats without a reservation and had a nice time here. Parking - we ubered here, it looks like they had street parking but that might have been more tricky. We tried: Octopus - great, a tad salty Gambas - my husband enjoyed this Salmon - I especially liked the crunchy chickpeas Chenin Blanc Normandia White Blend Neon Lights (cocktail) - not my favorite Rosé - amazing, a great porch pounder. (Muga Rose, Spain)