One of the best places for middle eastern food. The mix grill is awesome and the pizza dough it's different fresh and home made, Demascus bread is my Favourite I always order extra. Some times I drive from charlotte to Colombia just eat there read more

Hands-down best Mediterranean/middle eastern food Columbia! The only thing that made me drop a star off is the price. I don't mind spending good money, on good food but it's exorbitant. read more

Best shawarma in the Midlands!!! Hummus and pita were amazing, too. This is what we've been looking for!!!

They are not rockin the Kasbah! Ordered the mixed grill, added lamb kebobs, and hummus appetizer...45 minutes later... Lamb and steak was nicely cooked, rest of it not great. Overall, the dish was boring. Hummus and their warm Damascus bread was quite good. The place was completely tired, run down, and dirty. The bathroom deodorizer permeated the dining room. They have work to do! read more

Let me start off by saying that I am of Middle Eastern ancestry, so you have to be very good for a decent review if you are a Middle Eastern restaurant. My sampler plate that I ordered was a bit pricey for a lunch, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! Spend the extra $2 and add some Kibbeh. The kibbeh was my favorite part! The bread is homemade, which you don't find often, especially in Columbia. The hummus and the baba ghanouj were fantastic! The service was good too. The only thing that may not work for everyone is the seating, particularly in the lounge. It's a bit unconventional, but comfortable. If you aren't familiar with Middle Eastern food, try Arabesque. You will be pleased! read more

Wow, we were sure about this place. We came on this side of town to visit Za's, but, we are beyond happy that we walked in here. First, they were slow to assist us, the young ladies appeared to be here alone and didn't appear very helpful. The service was slow, as a restaurant owner myself, we are patient. Almost everything was amazing, we weren't fans of the fried beef ball . However, the arabesque pizza, gyro feta salad, margarita and mango mule were AMAZING! We will be back!!!! read more

Really delicious lunch here. We ordered the appetizer Baba Ghanouj which came with the very fresh Damascus Bread. I would come back just for that alone! Seriously it was so good together. My lovely wife tells me that the Baba Ghanouj is roasted eggplant and tahini. Anyway, out of this world with flavor. She ordered the Lamb Shawarma Wrap with fries she reports was delicious. I ordered the Lamb Shawarma pizza and it was very good and fresh. I really liked the sauce and crust. She had a glass of Pinot Gris and my beer was very cold draft of Bluepoint Toasted Lager. Yumm. Service was good, not outstanding but the food came out swiftly and drinks were refilled appropriately. 5 stars for the food, 4 for service. We will be back! read more

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Looking for vegan friendly dining with meat eaters is a task. This restaurant was able to accommodate both. The owners of the restaurant had impeccable service. The food was amazing. I had a curry vegetable dish for the main entree and hummus and bread as an appetizer. I thoroughly enjoyed the environment. read more

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Had a group meeting there today & we were given the limited item brunch menu. I ordered 'Lamb and Eggs' (sounded great). When it came, I though It gotten the wrong order as I didn't see any evidence of lamb. Waiter went back to kitchen then confirmed order. I started digging around and still saw no evidence of lamb. So...asked the waiter again. He came back from the kitchen with an explanation that it contained ground lamb FAT and eggs with no actual lamb meat. If I had seen Lamb Fat & Eggs on the menu I would not have ordered it. One word: FuGusting. If I ordered steak & eggs and gotten a chunk of beef fat, I would have been just as pleased. The wait staff were trying their best. read more

More like 4.5*. We are a party of 5 and we all enjoyed the food and ambiance. I already intend to go back to try more dishes. We ordered the sample platter of apps (added kibbeh), more pita, more falafel, the mixed grill for 4-6 (added lamb chops) over rice and grilled veggies, a large fattoush salad and a large portion of their garlic spread. Everything was delicious, with the exception of the fattoush salad. The fattoush salad was not very flavorful, the romaine pieces were too big, the pita chips were skimpy, and it was not family-sized per my request. Our waiter recommended this salad; I should have gone with my original choice of the tabbouleh salad instead. The garlic spread was highly recommended by our waiter and he did not steer us wrong there. Though there was a bit of miscommunication here as I was wanting extra glaze for the lamb chops as mentioned by other yelpers. However, the garlic spread was SO delicious, especially dipped with the fresh baked pita. Beware of the a-la-carte pricing: pita was $2 a piece, the garlic sauce was $7 (?) We were stuffed, but still felt the need to end the meal with dessert. We shared the the pistachio, limoncello and a raspberry donut cheesecake. All were delicious. Parking is tight. There is an overflow lot across the street on Sims Ave (b/w Devine and Blossom). They do have happy hour M-F 4-7pm that is available throughout the restaurant, not just the bar area. The restaurant is larger than I expected. A large party room in the back, a quieter dining room in the middle, and a bar out front with a smaller dining area. There was a decent crowd dining in, especially for a random Wednesday night. I would recommend making reservations on the weekends. read more

Had Damascus Hummus and Beef Kabobs. Very tasty food! Service was a great!! We'll be back!!

Everything we had was exceptional. Try the hummus, tabouli, and creamy garlic butter vegetables.

Not many places were open tonight - we decided to try Arabesque on a whim. We were promptly greeted by our server upon entering... we sat at a cozy booth in the front (he gave us the option to sit in the back of the restaurant). We appeared to be 1 of 3 sets of customers in the restaurant, initially. We ordered falafel (wasn't anything life changing), 2 arugula salads (added salmon) and a large arabesque pizza (add jalapenos). We were starrrrrving. The falafel came out maybe 20 minutes or so after we ordered (we ordered everything at once). The salads finally came 15 mins or so after the falafel... but here's the kicker... the menu described the salad as "arugula, craisins, sliced apples, hearts of palm, goat cheese and pecans with a strawberry vinaigrette"... both of our salads came with spinach and romaine (no arugula, no hearts of palm). The salad was delicious and the salmon was grilled to perfection. We really enjoyed it buuuuuuuutttttt it was kind of a disappointment (I was looking forward to some hearts of palm). Our pizza was huggggge, by the time it came out, we were stuffed on salads and drinks so we both just had one slice and took the rest to go. Our server was very polite and attentive (towards the end of our meal, a huge party came out of the back... which I guess explains why it took forever to get our food). I don't think we'll be returning anytime soon - I would def. recommend the place tho. It's worth a try. :) read more

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Sunday at 1:30, church crowd is gone and hungover college kids are still asleep. Took a second to get sat, but there was one server for the whole restaurant it looked like, so I understand. I waited tables in plenty of places where we did the best we could when we aren't sure what to expect. It just takes a skilled server with a good attitude to get it done. We got that guy. We started with a large Hummus Appetizer and Fattoush salads. There was an issue with the Damascus Bread but our server brought us some to tide us over and then a piping hot portion when it was done. The Damascus is off the chain here. Salads were delicious. Very evenly dressed and seasoned with the perfect ratio of ingredients. I got the Falafel Wrap and the wife got a Gyro Wrap. ...keepin' it simple for lunch. Presentation was on point, as they seem to take pride in the appearance of their food. See photos - I should've snapped one of the app and salad, they were gorgeous. My wife's opinion of her Gyro Wrap? "OMG, good." And my Falafel Wrap was perfect. Again, even distribution of ingredients is key for me and they nail it. We took some to go because the portions exceed the average appetite but not the wallet. This place is underrated. They've got some local competition from other popular Mediterranean joints but they are slightly unique in some subtle ways. See for yourself. I think they get a bad wrap sometimes because the service is spotty but it's typical of a restaurant this size that doesn't have a ton of money to throw around and over staff with blonde cheerleader types who couldn't care less. If you can be patient and appreciate the quality of what you're getting, you'll like it...maybe even love it. I'm giving it 4 stars because of the spotty service at times but I really have no complaints. read more

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Started off a bit rocky with the service but it picked up wonderfully. We enjoyed our food and cocktails. The bartender was extremely friendly and great company. The seating arrangement and ambiance was also very welcoming. read more

Arabesque - Happy Hour! - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

The food is really good, especially the pizza, and the atmosphere is great. The only downside is the waiters seem to be stretched thin at times, which meant not enough water refills. But they have always been very friendly. The price is a little high but the quality of food is good. Recommend the hummus and naan. read more

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Seriously delicious food and always consistent! The hummus is homemade and literally the best I have ever had in my life. My go-to meal is the Damascus Hummus with Lamb and my boyfriend is a huge fan of the Chicken Parm. We order takeout at least once a month but we find ourselves craving it much more often than that. The pizzas are also great along with the schwarma (sp?) and babaganoush! Can't go wrong with anything here! read more

Arabesque - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Very very tasty but the pricing is NOT consistent with other Mediterranean places in Columbia. I don't eat meat so I really enjoy the hummus with vegetables. In no way should ground chickpeas which are are at most 90¢ a can and few vegetables cost $14 plus tax. Yes sure they give you the bread but really, really. This is why I drive 20 minutes to Boeshreen for their amazing food and amazingly priced food over eating Arabesque daily. I live near Five points so Arabesque is much closer but the pricing doesn't allow me to be a regular which I happily would. Flavor wise this place is 10/10 management just needs to provide better portions for the pricing or restructure the menu. I love the food but please give me reasons to be a loyal customer with out paying $20 for I meal that I can get else where $10-12 after tax. Thank you! read more

Arabesque on Devine is one of those places that you drive by a thousand times and think, "Man that place is going to be expensive...pass." But it doesn't hit your wallet as much as you think. For the price of a decent meal lunch elsewhere, you get delicious Mediterranean food, great ambiance, and even better service. The dinner prices may be slightly higher. This staff definitely knows what they're doing. Highly recommended. I personally like the Hummus Chicken with vegetables. The chicken flavor pops and the hummus adds a refreshing feel to the overall dish. P.S. I know that this used to be Al-Amir and I don't know if they're affiliated or not, but it almost seems like its the same and they just changed the name. I may be wrong. read more

Arabesque - Chicken Hummus with huge Damascus bread. Great price, friendly service. - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Wonderful local Lebanese cuisine with outdoor dining options, perfecto! The dishes were very fresh and grilled very well. They have fantastic kids menu options, which we appreciated! The hummus was absolutely delicious, I added an order of it to go! Yum!! read more

Yes! Perfection! This has got to have the best ambience and most contemporary, comfortable, and stylish setting in all of Columbia. The comfy cushions and most adorable chairs were heavenly. The service was impeccable. The prices are extremely reasonable. Food was exquisite and fresh! This place is vegan and vegetarian friendly as well as for those who are health conscience. I had the spinach fatayer (which doesn't have cheese) and is made with FRESH rolled dough daily (the same that is used for the Damascus bread) so it isn't oily or buttery... Absolutely perfect! Then I had the hummus with pine nuts and olive tapenade. Although these were both vegan appetizers I made them my meal. The place was also incredibly clean and I have absolutely zero complaints and nothing but raves (I can't remember the last time I have been able to say that about a restaurant.) read more

Arabesque - Spinach Fatayer - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Personally I love the food here, it is so yummy. I love the arabesque salad and then I add grilled chicken. The pizza is ok, but the lentil soup is AMAZING. the service is always good. I love this place. read more

The service here was so bad that this is my second website I've gone to for posting a 1 star review. Incredibly rude staff. It was as if they were looking to pick a fight with their customers. I can't even comment on the food because the staff was so bad I left. Too many other quality local restaurants around to fiddle with one that doesn't appreciate the customers walking in the door. read more

We really enjoyed our meal here. The hummus was tasty and we tried and shared lots of side dishes. The only disappointing item was the green beans in tomato sauce but other than that the food was great. We will return read more

Good Mediterranean food. Neat atmosphere, we set in the bar area. Table couches were different but very relaxing. The Arabic coffee was very good. Definitely will return again. read more

Arabesque - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Great food with great lunch prices. Second time in ten days that I came here for lunch. Appetizers are a definite must. Meat is cooked extremely well. read more

Arabesque - Grape Leaf wrap is a great appetizer!! Delicious; very tasty and flavorful. - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

We were here for a celebration with about 25-30 people tonight. I generally don't give 5 stars to a place unless I've been there on many occasions over time and it's always good. This was my second visit. The first was lunch alone. Both times the food was great and service was wonderful. They even allowed one of our group to bring in a dessert from home to share. I can't speak for everyone, but from what I could see, the staff were amazing with our group. They were polite, efficient, accurate, helpful, and friendly. Our table of five had an array of appetizers and entrees. Everyone got all that they ordered with accurate checks. Each dish was well prepared and delicious. Out of the five, one was not completely thrilled - but she still enjoyed the dish (it wasn't quite what was expected.) Meat was tender and nicely spiced. Tabbouli was very fresh, much like homemade. Hummus was nicely smokey. Grape leaves nice and tender. I'm not generally a fan of rice, I usually find it boring, not here! I think one of the best portions of rice I've ever had. Each bite was amazing - and I sampled several dishes. Portions are also generous. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we want to return regularly in the future. read more

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Update: I've always loved Arabesque but was pleasantly surprised to see they've added vegan mozzarella as an option for the pizza. Last night, I was able to get their pizza for the first time. (Yay!) It was delicious and I'm even more thankful for this place (which already served delicious hummus, falafel, grape leaves and veggie curry) now that there's vegan cheese! read more

Yes I will definitely be going back! I truly enjoyed the casual Persian theme. This Lebanese restaurant really hit the spot. It was truly authentic compared to everything else in this city. Yes it was Middle Eastern but with the Lebanese take. And if you're not sure of whether or not you would really like this place they have a great happy hour menu to sample a variety of different menu items. This place is truly worth a try. I'll definitely be going back. read more

The food was okay, but the service was good and it was a very cheap place to go for lunch.

I went to Aresbesque one night and couldn't get a seat for 45 minutes...so I thought this place was special. To my disappointment, it was not special. Sadly, the service and entrees were really subpar. While the humus was okay, the pita bread was awful...I mean awful...dry and bland. My dinner, I forget the name, was chicken (mostly dark meat) in some really sour sauce over watery rice. I was there with my daughter and didn't feel comfortable expressing my displeasure with the wait staff. Anyways, I will never go back....a big disappointment! read more

Exquisite. Arabesque has their new lebanese dinner menu. Food is even more fantastic. Who would have thought in Columbia, SC such delicious and reasonably price food? Silvana the owner, host, and sometime cook is a gem. Outdoors. Dog friendly. FULL BAR (she's Lebanese Christian). Elegant dining room where you feel you're in the Middle East. Back room for parties. Do catering. Great place to hang as well as eat. Jerel ps. but don't come if you're in a rush. :) read more

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This place is phenomenal & truly authentic arabic food. Ever since Silvana (the owner) took ownership of the place, it became a true family and hip place to visit and eat at. The cook Hassan is amazing and peter makes the best mixed drinks. I've been a regular for almost 2 years. Shelly, the manager keeps the place in check. The hookah is a great final touch to your meal. I wish the have space warmers outside to be able to smoke the hookah during the colder nights read more

We have only ordered from Arabesque twice, but both times we were extremely satisfied with the food. We started with hummus and falafels which were amazing. We got 3 separate entrees with salads and a couple of different desserts. Since we are a family, we always pass around food to share so the others can taste it, especially if it's a new place/food. Every single thing I tasted was delicious. I'm so very glad my daughter told us about this place. We will definitely go back, without a doubt!!! read more

Bustling restaurant with a basic middle eastern menu. The wait to be seated was no more than 5 minutes . Had to wait for 15 mins for the appetizer hummus served with bread. My entire Shish tawook came out in another 15 mins. The food tasted great and so it was all worth it. The waitress was very sweet and apologetic for the wait in the meal. I would certainly come here again! read more

Arabesque - Shish Tawook - Mediterranean Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Arabesque has THE best tasting Mediterranean food in the area. I've tried a couple of other places but none are consistently as fresh and flavorful. I had pasha chicken with rice for lunch. The price was fair ($12) and the taste was excellent! The group I was with also complimented their dishes, and ate everything on the plate. :) The service was a little slow, so we didn't get in-and-out in an hour - please keep that in mind if on a tight schedule. Mmmmm... Damascus bread... read more

I would like to give very generous 4 stars. I went yesterday and they were all over the place . I have been there before and their food and service is really good. Try to arrive before 7 on Friday and weekends. They get really busy and long wait time after that. Also , you will enjoy happy hour menu. I like wine selection they got. I like dry wine and it suited to my taste. Their hummus and falafel appetizers were delicious with warm and soft pita bread. Those dishes were highlights of our evening. We ordered mediterranean pasta salad. It was pretty ordinary and soupy. Server brought unfinished salad to table and chef has to come to table to take it back. We also ordered eggplant pizza. Never had those before and we wanted to try. It was delicious and something different. Overall they were sloppy but it was not their day. I would definitely recommend this place. You will not regret. read more

Came during the eclipse weekend so keep that in mind when you read this. Good: the food was awesome. We ordered the appetizer sampler, lamb shawarma, kids chicken and lamp shank. All of it was just so good. The baba ganoush was particularly good. Bad: watching the owner interact with her employees. They were a bit behind as I think someone called out sick that day. The employees were running around like mad people trying to keep up. They were telling people there would be a 40 minute wait because of this. At the same time, the owner greeted people and just sat them without telling them anything. You could tell the employees were struggling and the owner was just pushing them. It was super uncomfortable to watch/sit through. I'm sure that the unexpected crowds played a part in the situation that evening and the food really was great so I gave them four stars in spite of the awkward situation. read more

Just darn good food. We always enjoy or experience with Arabesque. Dining in or out wait staff get high marks and certainly the chef.

Overall a good experience! We've been a few times and have figured out I love the appetizer platter with authentic Lebanese grape leaves, tasty baba ghanoush, crispy, tender falafel, and garlicky hummus. Hubby loves the grilled meat platter and little one gobbles the Damascus bread. Omar provided friendly service with helpful suggestions. On this visit the atmosphere had improved with more energy and an eclectic vibe. I hope Columbia is catching on to this one. read more