Feels like one of the city's best kept secrets. Located in a parking lot of a repair shop, it's not…read morethe easiest to park at but the chicken kebab plate is worth every frustrating moment trying to back out onto Riverside.

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

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.

We've been here a couple times now, on a Sunday and Saturday for lunch and it has yet to…read moredisappoint. It's one of those places that's reliable and feels pretty consistent, knowing you're going to leave happy and full after eating here. The two times we've been there, theres always plenty of seating and are able to walk right in. It's a walk in and seat yourself experience and then you pay upon leaving. The staff keeps the dining area and buffet line consistently stocked and clean. They even provide hand sanitizer and gloves for you. Even when foot traffic picked up while we were there, the food was replenished quickly and didn't look picked over. Now let's talk food...Everything tastes fresh, well-seasoned, and like it was made with care instead of just being "buffet food" an under seasoned. The variety is also amazing, and it's easy to build a plate for pretty much any type of diet whether you're keto, high protein, balanced, veggie-forward, vegan, etc... Some of our favorite dishes we keep coming back for: Shredded beef (SO good), Baked fish (tender and not fishy), Garlic baked chicken (wonderful crispy skin), Fried chicken, Baked kafta, Kafta kebab, Gyro meat, Roasted cauliflower, Eggplant, Greek salad, Fatoush, Kale Caesar salad, Zaatar pizza, Cheese pizza (pro tip: top it with shredded beef- a life changing buffet hack), Rice with lentils, Rice with mixed veggies. For the quality, variety and amount of food you get, this is easily one of the best deals in the city! It's rare to find a buffet that's both affordable and consistently this good! If I had one small wish, it would be for desserts to match how strong the rest of the food is. They're not bad, just a little more "fine" compared to how amazing everything else is. I've seen another Dimassi's (I think in Cali) that had a frozen yogurt machine and I'd LOVE to see that here because it would be the perfect finish! Make a cup and then crumble up some baklava on it! Overall we've LOVED it here and we'll absolutely keep coming back! Great food, clean, consistent, and worth it every time!

In my family, we really like Demassi's. Not necessarily because everything there is amazing, but…read morebecause there is genuinely something to please everyone. Between me, my husband, and my mom, we have a lot of overlap in what we like to eat, but we also have some pretty distinct preferences, and Demassi's is one of those places where that works. My husband really loves Middle Eastern / Mediterranean food. I generally do not. I tend to find the meats too dry, I don't particularly like the spice profile, and I also find a lot of dishes in that category to be overly sour. It's hard to explain, but there's often a sharp, tangy acidity that I don't enjoy. For whatever reason, I don't have that issue at Demassi's at all. Here my husband can get his fix of dry, spiced meats, while I'm happy eating from the huge selection of rice dishes, cooked veggies, and soups. As far as protein goes, I actually really like the fish here, so I almost never eat the meat and still leave satisfied. It usually feels like a healthy pescatarian day for me, which I like. Then there's my mom, who just loves the abundance and variety of a buffet. She's happiest when she can sample a little bit of everything, build plates with lots of small bites, and then go back for more. Demassi's is perfect for that. On top of all of this, it's very reasonably priced, especially for lunch or on weeknights. It's always clean, the staff is consistently courteous, and they are really on top of bussing tables, which matters a lot to me at a buffet. Dirty dishes piling up are never an issue here. Overall, it's a solid, reliable spot for us and a place we're always happy to suggest when we're trying to please multiple people with different tastes.

I discovered St..Elmo and came back!…read more I originally trying a falafel sample at the Discover St. Elmo event with Yelp. I came back because I appreciated having a sample today reflected the main dishes of a Jerusalem street food truck. I order using the he link to their toast. They were on a break, so I had to wait a little longer. The link to order came in handy vs me waiting to put an order in until someone arrived. I ordered the chicken shawarma wrap and a side of falafels. My falafels were crispy and flavorful. The chicken shawarma wrap was the perfect size. The amount of meat on the wrap was really good, all of the ingredients were balanced well. The chicken was flavorful as well. I wanted to order fries, but they were sold out. There is plenty of seating available throughout St. Elmo. You can sit outside, listen to music, and grab a drimk from other businesses. I will definitely go again!

This food truck is in the st. Elmo area. I was playing pickleball near by and was craving some…read moreshawarma. I tried ordering at the counter but they were backed up with orders so I ordered through the QR code, ended up ordering the chicken shawarma with double meat. Took around 25 minutes to get the order. The food was very good and tasty. Would go back again.

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.

I gave 4 stars to give them the benefit of the doubt, but my actual experience felt closer to 2…read morestars. The main problem was the noise. The acoustics were very bad. The hardwood ceiling and the glass window in front of me seemed to amplify sound from every direction. I was with a group of six men, and none of us could hear each other. As the noise increased, every table seemed to raise its volume just to communicate, and it became painful. The food had a BBQ flavor, which was different for Mexican food. Some people may like that, but it was not what I expected. It was 4 star food. I think sitting outside would probably be much better.

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!

good food, quick service, and right next to a small convenience store so you can get snacks and…read moredrinks

Amazing halal! My husband gets lamb/chicken and I get chicken plate. The meat is addictively…read moretender, and flavors are great. Quantity of meat to rice is insanely generous. They do drown it with sauce (which I personally love!) Hummus and pita are also spot on. You can always expect the same quality every time which is a bonus for me. Easily the best halal in south austin. Love this spot!

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.

Food.. the best I have had in a very long time!! Everything is home made even the rice…read more Service was great Portion size = 2 meals I will be back most likely every week

The good-the food was consistently good. The employees were polite…read more The bad: hoooo boy, where to start. The women's restroom had NO tp. One stall has no working latches or locks, and the other has no external handle. They have no diet drink options except water, so diabetics can drink water or go thirsty I guess. The most egregious thing, however, was how my food was given to me. I ordered a gyro wrap with cheese. Now, I don't know about everyone else, but if I'm eating MEDITERRANEAN FOOD, and ask for cheese, I expect a beautiful pile of feta. Instead, I received a wrap with a mountain of SLICED American cheese on it. Its mere existence infuriates me.