This was an excellent dining experience, as we recently visited this Lebanese restaurant. It is conveniently located on Devine street in Columbia, SC and they have a private parking lot it is a popular restaurant, so parking can be challenging. There is also available street parking as well. Upon entering this restaurant, we were quickly seated and greeted by a very professional staff member. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and helpful. Their menu offers plenty of delicious entrees, and they also have daily specials. We placed our order after checking out their menu, and we truly enjoyed everything we tasted. I'm positive that we will return for another visit soon, and I'd strongly recommend this restaurant for friends and family members. read more

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Came here after my run one night and man was I pleasantly surprised! First, the atmosphere was absolutely great. It's a super chill vibe with dim lighting and not a ton of busyness. The seating was comfortable, had tons of cushions so it was definitely a vibe. Our waitress was absolutely amazing. Came to the table the right amount of times and was pleasant as anyone can ever be. The food was on point! The gyro meat was seasoned to perfection. I opted to swap the rice out for their veggies and it was a great call. There were bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms in there which complimented the meat perfectly. Their tzatziki is homemade and the perfect contrast to the dish. I'll definitely be back for lunch or dinner soon! read more

Arabesque - Gyro Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I hadn't dined at Arabesque in a few years, and the food definitely did not disappoint. We ordered the sampler appetizer, and everything was fresh, flavorful, and exactly what I remembered. Unfortunately, the overall dining experience fell short. We chose to sit outside, but were constantly bothered by flies throughout the entire meal. Given SC's climate, restaurants that offer outdoor seating should consider adding fly fans to tables to improve the experience for guests. Service was also lacking. Our waitstaff was not very attentive, made us aware that they would have to pay for the mistake in the drink served, thus making us bad for their error and ultimately drinking, what was not ordered. In addition, there were multiple errors throughout our visit. While the food was enjoyable, the service and outdoor dining conditions left a lot to be desired. I'd return for the food, but I hope the overall customer experience improves. read more

Food is delicious. The service is attentive. The music is hopping. Great ambiance all around.

Ambience, food & waitress were great. We enjoyed our time at Arabesque! I should have taken more pictures of the decor. read more

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Every aspect of the dining experience was perfect! Incredibly comfortable seating, and or staff (Erin) was extremely attentive, and knowledgeable about the cuisine. It was the freshest tabouli, hummus, and babaganoush I have ever had, and their brunch is very ambitious. No let downs, and they offer a military/veteran discount as well :) read more

Arabesque - Arabesque omelette - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Wanted to come back to my favorite places ... I'll spare the details ... but as always dope music and dimly lit and my server was on his A game from the jump ... I ordered the mussels like I always do and never miss. For my entree I ordered the Curry with the Lamb with the hot heat level ... this should be interesting ....sooo the spice level didn't meet expectation so the waiter recommended the Shatta hot sauce and it hit the spot. The curry was seasoned good and the veggies were a perfect blend .. personally my lamb was cooked a little too long but still was delicious . Shout out to the bartender .. my Mexican Mule with Don Julio silver did what it was suppose to do. It was always a pleasure ... until next time read more

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Absolutely delicious! I have passed by many times, but have just recently had the opportunity to dine. Everything was so spectacular and delicious. The fattoush is incredible. The baba ganoosh may be the best I've ever had. So perfect. read more

Excellent service, great atmosphere and the food does not disappoint. We will return and bring our special out of town guests to enjoy some of the best in Columbia. read more

My partner and I stumbled upon Arabesque's booth at Columbia's St. Patrick's Day celebration, and WOW--we're still raving about the food days later! From the first bite, we were hooked. The chicken alone was a masterpiece--juicy, tender, and seasoned so well. The array of sauces and toppings took it to another level; we loved mixing and matching to create new flavor combos with each bite. But the real showstopper? The salad with fresh mint, it has been living in my head rent-free ever since--it was so refreshing and paired perfectly with the juicy meat and chicken kebabs. If their festival setup was this incredible, we can't wait to visit their actual location! Arabesque has earned a loyal fan in us. read more

Food excellent!! Service A plus Ambiance A plus Will be back!! Love the food and menue read more

One of the greatest food combinations can be found here if you get their Hummus, Garlic Paste and Damascus Bread. It is game changing. If you don't fill up on that, get the Shawarma Platter (1/2 chicken, 1/2 lamb). You will not be disappointed. The pizzas are tasty as well! read more

Arabesque - Lamb Shawarma Pizza - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Stopped here for lunch on the way home and had the beef kabobs. Best beef I have had in years. Marinated to perfection!

My husband and I travel the world and we make it a point to try restaurants every time we are in a new city! I am hoping this reaches many viewers! If you have a chance to visit Columbia South Carolina, please try Arabesque! The sampler of the appetizers is amazing! Also the Mix plate for two is amazing. The use minimal salt and allow you to ad. To your preference! The spices used are amazing! This is a Lebanese restaurant! I will be having dessert here soon! Talk about having food coma! Love i read more

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I had the chance to finally try out the Arabesque on Devine restaurant, and I must say I was very pleased! The ambience is very nice and adequate. I love the lightning and the lebanese decorations. The sound of the music is amazing and fits the theme of everything while enjoying your meal. My entree was the Grilled Fish. It was lightly seasoned with a lemon twist sitting on a bed of steamed rice with sauteed vegetables. I loved the look of the plate with the garnish of fresh parsley. The wait staff was friendly, professional and on time with the order. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for a beautiful delightful feast! read more

Arabesque - Grilled Fish Entree (Tilapia, Rice and Vegetables) - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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The food quality and service has gone down dramatically, Service with just my server in particular, the other others seemed fairly competent around us. it aaa my birthday dinner and was a complete disappointment on all level. I do not plan to go back again. All the food was completely overcooked, I even sent back a falafel because it was inedible and the new one came exactly the same, except a little bit warmer. I even spoke candidly to the server, who did absolutely nothing about anything. read more

Started with a Lebanese coffee which was deep and flavorful... non coffee lovers may need a dash of sugar as it is STRONG. The Schwarma plate, I could only eat half of. Love having so many sides like the herb potatoes and hummus. read more

Arabesque - Lebanese coffee - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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This was our 4th visit to Arabesque and we will continue to eat there on special occasions ! The food is delicious and you have your choice of inside or out with plenty of room if you would like a little more privacy ! It is to me one of my favorite restaurants in Columbia ! read more

The food is good, while the service and ambiance make it great We had a party of 8 and we will definitely return.

The decor is a bit dated, but the excellent food and service make up for it! We had a holiday party in the back and they brought out tons of food! Everything was delicious, and we all had plenty of food to take home. Loved the hummus & pita, chicken & shrimp skewers, grilled veggies, and rice. The meat lovers enjoyed all the beef & lamb dishes. We also had some yummy desserts. I would definitely eat here again based on this experience. read more

it's a shame to write a review about lack of service when the food is good. But to call in for a pick up on pizza and be told it will be ready in 15 to 20 minutes ... only to get there at the 20 minute mark and still have to wait another 30 minutes is absurd. not one apology or update the whole time. Again, pizza is good but service is lacking. read more

I try to find new places to eat whenever I am in the Columbia area, and this place looked good. The food was good. Service was good. The place is dated. There's carpet and the last time I went, there was a really bad odor which seemed to be coming from the carpet. Prices are fair. read more

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Great little place for a date night. Very reasonable and wonderful service! Would definitely recommend and will be back!

Fantastic food, great service, welcoming staff, encouraging regulars, nice ambiance, clean restaurant

Great ambiance, welcoming staff, and our food was fantastic! We had the appetizer sampler, and mixed grill platter for two, with lamb chops. We will definitely return. read more

This is not my first time having their food but it is my first time dining in. My bf and I came for a little lunch date and we came about 40 minutes after they just opened so it wasn't anyone in there yet. It was really cold though so i was freezing. The inside is beautiful with the setting and decor. We ordered lobster Alfredo which was one of their specials, I got lamb shwarma cauliflower crust pizza and my bf got the mixed grill skewers. First off, the Alfredo was so delicious. The lobster was fresh and cooked perfectly and the noodles were al dente and had perfect amount of seasoning and garlicky flavor. I think it was my favorite thing we had today. I'm keto so I LOVE the fact that they have cauliflower crust. The lamb shwarma is really tender and the cream sauce they put on it gives it nice depth of flavor and texture. I normally get the meat lovers which has beef pepperoni and chicken ..I think I prefer that more but still loved my pizza. If you love lamb shwarma, you'll love this pizza. And they give you a nice size pizza with 8 slices vs other places that are more like personal pan pizzas I can eat in one sitting. My bf said his food was really good but it wasn't the flavor he was looking for. I did try his chicken and it was really juicy and tender. The green beans were actually delicious too. I wasn't sure about the sauce on it but it gave it a nice taste and added texture as well. I'd give this place a solid 8.9/10 read more

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What I loved about this restaurant was the quality and freshness of the food. I order the shrimp plate and it was super light but flavorful. The vegetables were perfectly cooked. My friend got the arabesque special pizza. She loved the crunchy crust and the fresh vegetables on top. We also shared the calamari and fried cauliflower. The calamari was bigger than I normally see at restaurants but surprisingly it wasn't chewy at all. I didn't care too much for the cauliflower, it was left in the frier a little too long and barely had a flavor. Unfortunately a few of the drink items my friend and I wanted to order were not available that night. The waiter did make an effort to offer other suggestions though. He was very friendly and attentive the whole night. What will make me come back is the live music they offer on Thursday nights. The two gentlemen were very talented and entertaining. During the same time the restaurant offers a happy hour menu with plenty of delish items to choose from. This place is great when you want to dine out but still feel healthy. read more

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Our group of 30 people had a wonderful time at Arabesque. Almost all of us are from out of town, as far as Tokyo, Japan for the celebration of 50 years of International Business Global Summit. The food was excellent, especially the lamb chops. Hat off to our waitress, Gracy, who single handled our table. If you happen to be in town, be sure to come and taste some of the most delicious Lebanese dishes. read more

The food was amazing, the service was amazing, I enjoyed my quiet lunch. I got the chicken shawarma wrap and pesto orzo salad. Everything was freshly made and well prepared. The restaurant itself is nicely decorated, cozy, and very clean. I will definitely be going back. read more

Loved the food. Had the Caprese Salad, one of the best I've ever had. We were a party of 10 and our server was friendly and fun. She took on 10 fussy men in full stride! The atmosphere screams Mediterranean! I will be a regular guest going forward. read more

So... of NOTE, Arabesque does NOT serve pork. So that's a good thing for those of who don't eat pork for whatever reasons! APPETIZERS: Today I decided to try 2 things I haven't tried before. 1) Soujouk $8 - Lebanese spicy beef sausage sauteed with in olive oil with garlic and finely minced tomatoes and onions. OMG ! So delicious! I would love to dump this plate into a proper hoagie roll! You know the kind that has a chewy crust but super soft center? 2) Fatayer pies $8. I got the mixed kind. There were 3 kinds: Beef, Cheese, & Spinach. For all of them I found the pastry to a bit dry. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be that way, so I'm not going to judge that too harshly. It was a savory dough though, but I felt maybe it could use a pinch of salt in the dough? The dough didn't really have much flavor to it. ----- BEEF: the meat has very delicate seasoning. If you slather it with the cucumber yogurt sauce, the sauce overpowers the meat but at least it lends moisture to the dough. ------CHEESE WOW! So yummy! The cheese is devinely seasoned with herbs and I think some finely minced onion. So good! The cheese has enough moisture to help the dough out, so this was softer, and I enjoyed the texture better in this pie. ------- SPINACH. Another WOW! The seasoning in the spinach was amazing and the spinach was well cooked, tender but not mushy. I totally want this spinach as a side dish , it's AMAZING! Again the spinach lent moisture to the dough, So I enjoyed this better than the beef. ENTREE (of sorts) I really wanted to try the garlic potatoes so I decided to create my own entree. I ordered the "Skewer only" order of Lamb chops $10 and the garlic potatoes "Batatta Harra" as my side. Potatoes: to die for! Super flavorful and a little spicy, these spuds are addictive! Lamb Chops. The flavor is so good! I think I was supposed to just get 2. But my plate came with 3, so I'll have to check my ticket to see if I got charged extra. If yes, well, they are delicious so I won't complain. Overall my food bill should be around $32 plus a few glasses of wine. And I'll definitely have leftovers for lunch tomorrow, so that's not a bad desl for 2 meals (basically). I'm definitely a huge fan of Arabesque, so give it a try! read more

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We patronized this place last week, we were not disappointed! So my wife and I ordered a couple of the appetizers (the steamed muscles, Damascus bread, and appetizer sampler), a couple entrées (NZ lamb chops and mixed grill platter), and desert (Limoncello Mascarpone Cake and tiramisu). Everything was wonderful. The muscles were delicious, not too tough but not soft either. The sauce they came in was a wonderful compliment. The sampler had delicious humus. The stuffed grape leaves were not bad, but I thought maybe had a touch of bitterness (maybe from the brine?). The Damascus bread was SO GOOD! I had to remind myself to keep my carbs down and not eat it all. My wife and I thought our entrées were very good. The meat was all tender and flavorful. The shrimp on the grill platter were huge! I also liked that the chicken was tender, not overcooked. My wife thought the lamb chops were also delicious, the rice and vegetables were a wonderful accompaniment. She's not a big lamb lady, but for this one time she took the plunge and she enjoyed the dish very much (consuming all the chops first). The desert was probably a bad decision, we were already so full and probably should not have aggravated our stomachs with more food. But upon seeing the Mescarpone and Tiramisu, we couldn't possibly turn it down! Both were so delicious and so rich! I didn't know if Lebanese cuisine delved into something Italian like these, but they definitely did a great job preparing them. We probably added 4 percentage points to our body-fat proportion that night, but it was well worth it! The service was good; we were attended to regularly and the food was brought out in good time. The restaurant's decor and dining area was very appealing to the senses. There's a front area that looks more relaxed and a traditional seating in the back area. It did have a feel that took us away from SC for a bit. 5 for 5 on everything, we will come back. Thanks guys. read more

Thanks to the team at Arabesque for ANOTHER outstanding meal! I have been visiting this restaurant for more than 10years and the food is always on point. Today, I was in town for business with my family and we started with an appetizer platter - hummus, baba ghanoush, grape leaves, falafel and bread (destroyed before I could get my camera focused); then shared the grilled meat platter - shrimp, kafta beef, and lamb over pesto orzo and Lebanese green beans. The three of us were stuffed and we took food home! Put Arabesque on your eatery list for your next business meal, family outing, date night or "me time" solo date. No matter what, put it on your list. You will not be disappointed!!! read more

Arabesque - Grilled meat platter - lamb, Kafta beef, chicken, shrimp atop pesto orzo and Lebanese green beans. In a word....DELICIOUS!!! - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I have eaten there in June 2023. My food was excellent the service was excellent and the prices are right. I've always enjoyed their pizza. They're Damascus bread is worth the trip there and their hummus is better than any other place I know. I particularly like one of their salads. Overall I think it's a fun place that's very comfortable and quiet I enjoy going there. Family-owned and family run. Hard to beat read more

I stopped in for a solo lunch date and at first I was a little nervous because it looks as though the bar area and seating there had not been cleaned but I saw photos online and I really wanted to try it so I remain open minded. My waitress was extremely nice and help me with the menu. Let's just say I'm glad I stayed the food was so flavorful and fresh. The beef tenderloin could have used a little love and was overcooked but other than that everything was great! read more

Arabesque - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I visited Arabesque on December 31, 2023 with my boyfriend. The food (we ordered the mixed platter for 2) was absolutely delicious and the bartender Ms. Shelly was awesome! The ambience was nice and We will definitely be back again soon! read more

Beautiful weather to sit outside. I love the area. The service and food was excellent. Their chicken is never dry and we really love the menu. read more

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Great server ! Everyone is there because they love it there . A lot of regulars . The lamb is bomb dot com. read more

Service there was amazing I felt very welcomed and served well! Food was also super delicious and highly recommend this to anyone! The setting or Ambiance is a nice place for dates and super relaxed place to be! read more

Usually, I love middle Eastern food. I have family and friends, who live in Michigan, right outside of Detroit, so I have had plenty of delicious Middle Eastern cuisine. My expectations were high for this place. Comparatively, it is not as good as the Middle Eastern food I have eaten in the Midwest. We came as a large group on a Friday night to celebrate some family events. There were a variety of meals ordered around the table. One that we all shared was the pita and hummus. Although the hummus had a decent flavor, it was certainly lacking something. I ended up asking for garlic spread, which was much more like the Middle Eastern food I'm used to eating. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with the pita being served so you have to ask for it on the side and pay $2 per (tiny) side cup. Besides that, it was a delicious spread and enhanced our appetizer. We passed it around the table because it became the preferred dip. We ordered and shared the lamb shawarma pizza. Again, I felt that there was flavor missing from the dish. It was underwhelming despite being cooked well and looking nice. We each commented that it still needed more of something... At the end of our dinner I needed to change our toddler so we headed to the restroom. Neither the men or women's restrooms had a changing table. HUGE disappointment as a family that brought four kids total to dinner in our party. I can't remember the last time we went to a restaurant that didn't have a changing table. Two things come to mind: either they're telling customers that they're not family friendly or they are missing a piece of their market by not providing better facilities. I made this comment to the manager on duty and he brushed it off like they didn't care. Disappointing. Overall, this isn't a place we would frequent. I'd love to leave a higher rating, but our experience was lackluster. read more