2nd time here. It's been so long since I have been here, I can't say if my food was good or not because I can't remember what I had. Oh well, I'm back! I decided not to order from either of my two go to places and check Makarios out, again. I was told I could seat myself and my server came right over. I told her I wanted chicken, she suggested several things but I ultimately went with the Shish Tawook w/Lemon Oregano. I went with the salad instead of soup and the Basmati Rice for an extra charge. The salad (nice dressing) was very filling. I probably could have stop there but my main meal looked and smelled delicious and definitely satisfying. The lemon Oregano to me was like a gravy and paired well with the rice. Nice portion size of chicken mixed with charred veggies of zucchini, carrots and bell pepper. Of course, leftovers for me. Glad to be back! Also, it didn't hurt that the restroom was clean and smelled so fresh. I have to return if only for the Makarios Cake! read more

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Small , simple restaurant with quaint middle eastern decor. The food is good and service is swift. Definite great place for a quick lunch or dinner that's not fancy but delicious!!. read more

Makarios was absolutely delicious. We found out about this place from a friend that highly suggested it and it absolutely did not disappoint. The parking lot is huge and inside looked a tad bit smaller but it seems like they do a lot of take out and catering as well, which I don't blame them at all if I lived closer this would definitely be a go to. I ordered the Hommous with Lamb and subbed grilled vegetables instead of rice and it was absolutely spot on. The hummus was so silky and smooth and the perfect taste and texture, it was probably some of the best hummus I have ever had. The lamb was marinated perfectly and SO tender, served on top of the hummus was a real treat, the flavors complemented each other very well. The grilled veggies had just enough char on them and were very fresh, I enjoyed the entree very much. The dinner salad served with the entree was very fresh and the dressing vinaigrette was delicious, it had more seasonings than typical places and the salad itself was cold (sometimes you go to restaurants and the lettuce isn't super cold and that is just a turn off for me) but this was delicious. The garlic sauce is a must (I just learned how to make the Lebanese garlic sauce so I definitely have a respect for them as it can go from great to disaster in seconds) put the garlic sauce over anything, the vegetables, the pita, heck eat it with a spoon. My mom got the lemon oregano shish tawook and the marinade on the chicken was absolutely delicious, that sauce with the grilled vegetables. YUM had just enough lemon taste to brighten things up and the chicken had a char but super juicy on the inside. Overall the price was great, so much food and great food at that. The ambience was perfect, not a dive, but you can tell it is owned by people who love their restaurant, food was amazing. Next time we are in Birmingham I will definitely go back! read more

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The lamb combo plate was awesome. Plenty of food. Needs to add more sauce. Everyone was very friendly. But not very helpful. They don't deserve to ask for tips! Nice atmosphere. But it didn't feel very inviting to sit and dine in. Appeared more like a to go deli than a restaurant. read more

Great lamb and hummus pita bread was not the freshest. But overall a nice spot and friendly !

Holy wow this place is good! They don't even mind that they don't serve wine. (It was that good!) It's a humble place, no fancy fine dining frills here. Thank goodness, because the food is absolutely delicious and the prices are very reasonable. This food tastes like it was made by the Middle Eastern grandma I never had. We ordered quite a lot, and there was nothing I wouldn't happily order again. The lentil soup was almost unbelievably good (so good I had to go back the next day for another cup). My guy's lamb, four generous chops, were perfectly cooked with a really nice sear and seasonings. You can easily pay more than double for lamb that isn't half as good as this (Yeah, I'm talking to you, Ruth Chris). Really pleasant and prompt service as well. I honestly have nothing but good things to say, and I love that! We happen to be staying at the hotel next door and just decided to wander in but from now on, whenever I'm in Birmingham, Makarios is a must visit! read more

It almost pains me to write this updated review. I really liked Makarios. One of my favorite, go-to restaurants downtown, and I recommended it all the time to people. Alas, those days are over. We came in with some visiting family. They had a specific allergy (allergic to all nuts), and we verified with the server that no nuts were to be used in her food. She warned us away from certain items and we ordered and had our food delivered. To make a long story short, we were unpleasantly surprised to find that there was most definitely nuts involved with her food - the meat she had was marinated in a peanut butter marinade! I know not everyone knows what is in every ingredient or recipe, but if you don't know for certain, FIND OUT. That could have been a deadly mistake, but thankfully, it wasn't in this instance. While the restaurant did end up apologizing to us, it was still a very scary, disheartening experience. I doubt we'll be back. We can't take that chance with a place who doesn't take their customer's safety seriously. read more

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First time here. It's a small, casual place. The falafel and lamb shawarma were good. I liked the wrap because it was thin, and loved the arabic? music in the background. read more

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Three stars really is spot on for this place. The staff is friendly, food quality really depends on what you order in my experience, and it is quite expensive. I usually get the Greek salad with chicken, the chicken is so fresh and juicy and you get a huge portion. It's pricey but this dish is worth it for me! Their regular chicken platter is also very good, same fresh moist chicken with really flavorful rice and veggies. I hear the lamb chops are a real hit as well. The pita that comes with the meals is really sad. I like their hummus and babaganoush but it screams for some fresh yummy pita and theirs is cold and stale and sad. In general this place is worth checking out for a quick and pretty healthy lunch or dinner, some things are really great and others are disappointing so be ready for a little risk. read more

Came here for a late dinner, and was pleasantly surprised by the food. I've lived here for a few years but never went to Makarios because I associated it with the same type of food as Al's Deli/Grill (greasy drunk food) but it was pretty good! I got the lamb sauteed sandwich + fries. The sandwich (more like burrito) was flavorful and sizable; the meat was tender and the rice cooked well. But the fries were the star: THEY'RE GREEAAAAT. Double fried to crispy perfection. Honestly my favorite part of the whole thing - and my whole meal was super cheap! read more

Makarios - Sauteed Lamb or Beef - Middle Eastern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

This place is a Birmingham institution that I hear about from friends all the time. But it wasn't until they popped up during quarantine for pick-up, I never actually tried them. But since then, I have had Makarios a few times. The Gyro is on point. It is hard in a town with a big Greek community to say "the best". But they are certainly up there. The lamb meat is tender and tzatziki is really flavorful. The hummus is REALLY good. A lot of the dill in it. Which I like. The last time for lunch, I randomly ordered the patty melt. Very random I know. But it sounded really good and it did not disappoint. Really good meals from all the things that I have had. I will definitely be ordering from them again! read more

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Hummus was fine but I didn't really like the flat bread they provided with it. I'm more accustomed to naan or fluffy pita bread. The falafel balls were probably some the worst I've had. I could not finish the rest. It was very crumbly and had hard chewy bits inside. The best part of my meal was the lentil soup- piping hot and perfect spice. read more

The hummus with lamb was wonderful! The staff was kind and fast. The atmosphere was unique and middle eastern. I highly recommend! read more

The food here is absolutely delicious! I only wish I hadn't eaten early in the day so that I could enjoy eating all of the food on my plate! read more

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I stopped here because I came to do a run in the area, but it started pouring down. I asked the staff for recommendations and was told to try the Shish Tawook. I regret it. It was extremely dry and the veggies were overcooked. I also got the lamb soup, which was actually good and hot. I probably won't give this place another try. The customer service was good and the ambiance was nice, but not nice enough to return. read more

Makarios - Lamb Vegetable Soup - Middle Eastern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Took a long time to get service to our table. We asked for fresh bread and hummus. We were told they don't but the man next to us got fresh bread. We asked for tea and they were out they gave us water. It was so gross. Don't drink the water. I asked for lamb vegetable stew and got chicken. Our server only came once to check on us. Overall we were disappointed. read more

Ordered takeout - zesty meat ghallaba (beef) and sautéed lamb with mushrooms (pictured). Unfortunately, it was NOT lamb! It was BEEF. So basically, I had two orders of beef. They seasoned it differently but the texture was identical - both a little chewy and tough. I am a lamb guru and this is not how lamb taste. It taste like straight up beef! So disappointing and shady on their part! Good flavor at least, hence the 2 stars but I do not recommend a place who tries to cheat their customers & think we're fools. read more

Makarios - Ordered Lamb with mushroom BUT this is NOT lamb! It is BEEF. I love lamb and this is not how it tastes ! So disappointing! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

All around great food. This is one of my roommates favorite restaurants in Birmingham but I never tried it until this week. I started off with the hummus and pita bread and it was really good. I could tell the hummus was fresh. For my entree I got the Chicken Combo, which comes with one skewer chicken, chicken sajji and chicken shawarma. Overall it was really filling and had a lot of flavor. The Chicken Combo was $25 which I thought was fair for the amount of food they gave you. I had enough leftover for dinner and lunch the next day. I would definitely come here again. read more

Delicious food, kind and attentive service. Decorated beautifully inside. Loved my experience here! If I lived in Birmingham, I would definitely go again! read more

So delicious! Wow! I ordered online and went to pick up my order. I ordered and ate salmon with hummus! The salmon was flavorful and seasoned to perfection! The hummus was equally great! The meal came with homemade pita bread that I used to eat the hummus. Great meal! read more

Makarios - Hommous Topped with Salmon - Middle Eastern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Oh my goodness! First Adel, our server was amazing!!!! He made excellen suggestions and my daughter and I had the sampler platter. Every single item was delicious! We had desert and OMG !! Best ever. Highly recommend this spot, and ask for Adel!! He was the best part of the entire experience! read more

Ever since moving from Birmingham I miss makarios a lot - the shawarma wrap, the basha - which for some reason I hv never seen in any other Mediterranean restaurant. Maybe I will take a BHM trip just to eat at makarios once. read more

I visited Makarios with a friend from Manhattan. He said the food there was better than any Mediterranean restaurant he had visited in Manhattan. Here's what we ordered: Appetizer: Lamb Combo (8/10 recommend. The grape leaves were a hit! Perfectly made. The kibba & meat pies were great but was missing the "umph". Entree: - Chicken combo (7/10 recommend. The chicken skewer was seasoned nicely but had a few chewy pieces. The chicken sajii tasted nice & so did the shawarma). - Garlic & Almond Rice Ghallaba (9/10 recommend. The rice was cooked nicely and the fresh veggies were such a perfect addition. We added lamb pieces which really took this dish to the next level. There was a bit too much zesty sauce for my liking but I would still order this dish 1000 times over! read more

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Absolutely love the Greek Salads here! Full of flavor and very filling. Also we love the Falafel Plate. My boyfriend got the Chicken Shawarma Sandwich it was really good. Bathroom is always clean. Food comes quickly. Staff is nice and helpful. And they have a lot of parking to the right of the building! That's a huge plus in the city! read more

Stopped here for a late lunch whilst driving through Birmingham. What a great find. The food is authentic middle eastern/Mediterranean. We had the lamb shawarma plate with lentil soup and it was truly amazing. This is a very low key place with great food. Can't wait to try it again! read more

Makarios - Counter - Middle Eastern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Always great food that's authentic. Be sure to try the juices they offer as well as the Turkish coffee. Anytime we're in the area at lunch time we make our lunch spot. read more

Great food! Strange space. I love the baba ganoush! Try the garlic sauce (killer stuff)

Terrific baba g and lentil soup! Lamb burger was also outstanding. Place could use a good spring cleaning but service was very good and food was very tasty! Not sure if turkish, Lebanese or what but its not Greek but again very good. read more

Got the shish kafta, fries, and chicken shawarma. Shish kafta was quite dry and definitely needed sauce to go with it. The wrap was pretty stale too sadly. Fries were smaller than steak fries but not crispy at all. The Sajji sauce was amazing! Definitely the highlight of the visit. read more

The baba ghanouj was delicious. The dolma - grape leaves - were wonderfully cooked. The lamb shawarma was okay, needed more spice in my opinion. The rice was also good. The hummus was well balanced with chick pea and tahini. The bread was a bit too coarse. Usually khubz bread is softer, airier, and finer. The service was timely and staff were courteous. read more

I live in the Deep South country but I'm from Detroit and I miss middle eastern food so much! This was exactly what I needed. Authentic and perfect. Service was top notch! read more

So I have been eating here for several years, and it's usually pretty good. The last couple of times- not so much. Just tonight ordered through Uber Eats since I had a great coupon. The Uber driver was great, even helped me with getting a refund since Makarios was out of Hummus! What? Out of Hummus..ok whatever. We got 2 salads, NO dressing. I order a Gyro, no Gyro/Pita bread! What?So I called Makarios to let them know- they blamed it on the Uber Driver (a lie) the manager even got on the phone and said they are ALMOST positive they put the pita & dressing in the bag. I said no, he didn't care. I thought we were cool since we are from the 313 as well as the owners of Makarios. Nope, not even sorry about ruining my dinner. read more

Really good food. In town for business, ordered delivery here for the first time. Food arrived still warm and was delicious at every bite. I ordered Shrimp Ghallaba with a side of tabbouli. Tabbouli portion was huge for just $1.50, so I was happy with that. It was a little expensive with the delivery and service fees, but it was worth it. Thank you! read more

Makarios - Shrimp Ghallaba, Tabbouli ( pita bread) not pictured alao included. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

We stopped at Makarios on our way from Indy to New Orleans. We're big on Mediterranean food and couldn't wait to try what Yelp identified as the most viewed Mediterranean restaurant in Birmingham. We ordered the lamb hommous, the meat appetizer (kibbeh, dolmathes, and meat pie), baba ganoush, and the lamb schwarma. The hommous was pretty good, but the lamb was not my favorite. I read it was tender and that's what I was hoping for -- but unfortunately this was not the case. I will say that it was very flavorful! The options on the meat appetizer were good. The dolmathes were outstanding, and I wish I would've ordered a plate of them. The kibbeh was cooked perfectly, and had a beautiful texture and flavor. The meat pie was yummy, but the spices left me wanting. My partner enjoyed the lamb schwarma, but I didn't try it so I can't say other than his words -- which was that while it was OK, the spices were lacking. Now onto my favorite part -- the baba ganoush! This was absolutely stellar. I couldn't have asked for anything better. Drizzle a little olive oil and scoop it up! The pita is Lebanese style, so a bit thinner and tougher than I'm used to, but still good. Overall, I'd like to try some other dishes -- but I'd without a doubt get the dolmathes and the baba ganoush again! read more

When in Bham, you must go to Makarios for middle eastern food. Try the vegetable ghallaba with hummus. It's amazing. It's quick service and a fun atmosphere full of Turkish lamps! read more

I've been going to Makarios since 2013. And I've had some petty waiters. Bad attitudes. I'd go at least once a week with my friend for lunch because it was the closest food I could find to Turkish food in birmingham. I got Makarios ordered on Doordash yesterday and it was better than before. Usually they put a ton of carrots and i mmmmmm pretty sure they're boiled and I really don't like them. Usually they put a ton of that but this time they put maybe 1/10 of what they normally put so I'm guessing there was more meat which was nice. Hopefully they'll continue doing that but I kind of doubt they'll continue doing that. It was kind of nice though. My girlfriend is vegan and got the falafel plate with rice and grilled vegetables. The grilled vegetable portion size was really nice. Carrots were cut thick if you're into that. Presentation for the to-go falafel plate was pretty though the rice could have been more flavorful and she said the falafel more moist but she isn't a falafel expert. Warning: Their Coke kind of tastes weird. It's been a while since I've gotten it. The water they use for Coke makes me feel like it's dirty water. I remember their fresh-squeezed orange juice was actually really great. Last time I've been there in person was before Covid but I've been ordering it once every couple weeks. read more

If you have food allergies, do NOT dine here. If you are allergic to nuts, do NOT eat here. Staff do NOT accurately describe what is in the food served nor do they understand the seriousness of serving said food to customers with allergies. Their carelessness caused an unnecessary trip to urgent care for my sister. It could have been so much worse. It's taken me a while to write this review because of my last experience at this restaurant. I wanted to make sure that what I wrote was was factual and not solely based on emotion. My husband and I have dined here numerous times and had you asked us to a few months ago, this was one of our goto restaurants in Birmingham. But after a recent visit we will no longer be dining here anymore and I feel it's important for others to know the reason why. We came here on a Saturday afternoon with my younger sister. We wanted to share one of our favorite restaurants with her. My sister is deathly allergic to all type of nuts including peanuts. When the waitress approached our table to take orders my sister selected her entrée which was the kebabs and asked the waitress if there was any sort of nuts or peanuts in the entrées she selected. The waitress told her no but said that there were almonds in the rice but my sister had decided to go with french fries instead. We waited 1015 minutes and our orders came out. Upon taking one bite of the meat, My sister knew something was wrong. But being 19 she didn't want to draw any attention to herself. She just played around with her food and told us that she wasn't very hungry. My husband and I finished our food and in that time my sister went to the restroom because she was starting starting to feel even more unwell. We paid and got to the car and my sister became violently ill. We had no idea what it could be. Was she coming down with a cold or a stomach bug? What was happening was more like an allergic reaction. She was developing hives, Her tongue was starting to swell and she was nauseous and throwing up. I immediately called the restaurant and asked again if there were any peanuts in what she had ordered. The person I spoke with on the phone informed me that the meat that my sister had ordered was marinated in peanut butter. The waitress had served my sister an order that could have killed her. And this was even after Asking for a verification that what she was picking did not have any nuts. I informed the person I was speaking with on the phone that we would be there momentarily .I quickly hurried through the streets of Birmingham back to the restaurant to speak with a manager and to speak directly with the waitress to let her know that their carelessness was unacceptable. Upon arriving in the restaurant the person that I spoke to was very apologetic but didn't seem to grasp the seriousness of the issue. It seemed like it was more comical, than serious to him. The waitress came out and apologized but had my sister gone into anaphylactic shock an apology is not acceptable. What really pissed me off the most was the manager asking what they could do to help. He offered and I repeat OFFERED to refund our meal. In this type of situation he should have automatically refunded our meal and automatically given her something more for the cost of urgent care and undue stress his employee put us through. Words only go so far. I think this review should be a warning to anyone with any sort of type of food allergy. This restaurant does not take these life or death allergies seriously enough in my opinion. The waitress repeatedly said that it slipped her mind that peanut butter is in the marinade. That should be in BOLD on their menu given the high numbers of persons with peanut allergies. I hope this review prevents someone else from experiencing the pain and stress we experienced, and the lack of empathy from management. read more

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Great kababs friendly staff I usually order Shish combo, it comes with a salad one beef kabab one chicken and one of ground lamb served on a bed of almond rice for read more

Delicious food!! Kabobs are excellent. Baklava is top notch. Rice always fragrant. You have to try this place. read more

Makarios - Baklava to die for !!!! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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This place smells great when you walk in. Stays busy, has a great many options of meats and seafoods done up mostly in Shish dishes. I ordered Swordfish Ghabballa because I haven't had that kind of fish in a LONG time. Not many restaurants serve it. She had the Lamb Chops plate with grilled veggies. The ride home was wild, windy and wet as BHam was feeling the side effects of Ida as it had touched down the day before...but that food was smelling great in the back seat! Now the reason for 4 stars instead of 5: My swordfish tasted a little fishier than usual. Kinda like it wasn't fresh, but kinda old. I ate it and paid the price later with extreme gas and multiple returns to the deuce throne. The combination of the fish, veggies, basmati rice and seasonings is a great idea but something was not right with it. My lady's plate was spectacular and the lamb had that great gamey taste that I love. I will give them another chance because of all the awesome selections, but no more swordfish. read more