This place is awesome! What a find. The chicken shawarma wrap and the lamb and beef gyro were both to die for. My wife got the gyro and I'll definitely be getting that next time. The portions are unbelievable for the price. It's not the fanciest decor, but who cares? It's clean, the food is great, the owner is friendly, and the price is quite reasonable. I love supporting businesses like these so we'll be back often! read more

Really enjoyed my chicken Shawarma wrap. The pickle and the grilling of the pita bread really upped the flavor combination. The garlic sauce was good, but really high garlic so beware. It is a sit down wherever, pay at the cash register, no frills place. read more

Manara Cafe - Chicken sharwarma wrap, grilled with a pickle yum, very filling. - Mediterranean Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

Manara cafe is one of the best restaurants in Lubbock. Their food is delicious, fresh, authentic and very reasonably priced. While there are only a handful of options to choose from, each dish is beautifully crafted and bursting with flavor. I would recommend Manara Cafe to literally anyone and everyone, it is excellent. read more

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Wonderful Mediterranean restaurant. I didn't even know it existed until we had a work lunch there. It was my first time having Mediterranean food so I really didn't know what to expect. I got the shwarma sandwich like most of our group members did. I really enjoyed the meat, pita and the thick white sauce. Since then, I came several times for lunch. The quality of food was always consistent. The restaurant is a little small but it is very clean and well decorated with colorful paintings. They scratched many items off the menu so even though some things are listed but you can't order. Regardless, it is still a pleasant surprise for a place like LBK and it sure adds diversity which is what this dust bowl desperately needs. read more

Really enjoyed the food! You might want to order out as there is only one person doing everything and the wait is long but worth it. A small but clean place. We look forward to coming back. read more

This in my opinion is one of THE best places in town! High quality, fresh and authentic... there are " other competitors" who claim to serve Greek Mediterranean food and are no where near this place. Large portions, family atmosphere, and great value. If you want a taste of Mediterranean you MUST stop here! read more

So nice to find a restaurant in Lubbock that isn't b-b-q, pizza, steak or fast food. We were on our way to Albuquerque and spent the night in Lubbock; we were looking for something different to have for dinner. I checked Yelp for suggestions and found Manara Cafe. The food was great. We shared the beef and kefir (lamb) plate and the veggie plate. The falafel and the saffron rice were the best, but then we really enjoyed all of it. The beef and lamb were mixed together into sort of a meatloaf and sliced; it was surprisingly good. If there were one thing that I thought needed improvement, it would be the pita bread. It was rather dry and more like grocery store tortillas. Warm, homemade pita would make this a five. read more

I have been trying different menu items everytime I go (and i go often) and nothing has dissapointed. Everything tates amazing and the staff is always so freindly. I have tried the beef and lamb gyro and plate, the chicken shawarma, baklava, falafel, babba ghanoush and hummus and they all taste incredible! Everything is fresh and delicious. I have been trying to eat at local restaurants more and this is one restaurant I always come back to. Make sure to check the hours before visiting, you will love it!! read more

One of the very best restaurants in Lubbock. Completely authentic and delicious Lebanese cuisine and run by a family from there. The absolute best falafel ever, and perfect kofta kebab, chicken shawarma, etc., etc., etc. Don't miss it! read more

Best Mediterranean in lubbock. Try the chicken falafel or the chicken kabob plate or the falafel.

Good Mediterranean food, but the hours are odd and inconsistent. Generally, the restaurant seems to be open most days in the evenings, but sometimes I have gone there and found it closed for no apparent reason. read more

Everything at Manama Cafe is wonderful. The food, the variety of selections, the service. I would highly recommend it to everyone!

Perfectly delicious every time. Frank is incredible at what he has created and maintains! Favorite spot. read more

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One of my favorite joints in Lubbock. It seems like the quality has only improved since the move to the new location. A great place for a hearty lunch. Favorites include: Apps - Falafel, Baba Ghanoush, Dolmas Entree - Gyro/Shawarma Sandwich paired with fries and saffron rice Both the Gyro and Shawarma match up to what you get in any urban area. Shawarma comes with two succulent sauces that melt in your mouth Kudos! read more

Found this wonderful, family-owned cafe in Lubbock while looking for our hotel. It's a gem! Flavorful beef, lamb, and chicken. Baklava was top notch. Reasonable prices. read more

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I've tried falafel maybe 10 times prior to coming here. By far, like super far, the best falafel I've ever had. For a vegan, this is a big life upgrade. Obviously, I recommend the falafel appetizer (you get 5 hefty falafel balls), the falafel "sandwich" (you might call it a gyro), and the veggie plate. The hours of operation are the only thing that make me hesitate to tap five stars, but I'm throwing caution to wind and doing it anyway. Also, they don't have hot sauce (I bring a bottle of sriracha - yes, seriously), *but he does carry a spicier sauce that doesn't show up on the menu so just request it if you're feeling hot and bothered. Enjoy! read more

Small quaint little place. Hubby got beef and lamb gyro with a side of fries. He devoured it. I got the veggie plate. I normally like bab gamoush and hummus and not so much grape leaves or falafel. Well....i couldnt get enough of the falafel..BEST ove ever had and grape leave were yum. I used this two to dip into the baba ganoush and hummus since they were not as flavorful. Made a perfect combo! I skipped the flimsy so called pita..staying clear of the breads (carbs) anyways. All in all i will go back! read more

Manara Cafe - Veggie platter..best falafel ive ever had! - Mediterranean Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

The best Middle eastern cuisine I have ever had! The chicken shawarma and spicy sauce are amazing and the saffron rice, falafel and hummus are a must have so we often get a veggie plate and the chicken shawarma to enjoy it all! Wish I could eat here every week because it is so good and fresh! read more

Manara Cafe is my favorite restaurant in all of lubbock. the chicken shawarma and saffron rice is the ultimate comfort food. if i had a "last meal" that would definitely be it. the owner, Frank is so kind and such a hard worker. idk what they put in the spicy sauce but it's the perfect accompaniment to basically anything on the menu. i have been coming here since 2014 and genuinely have never had bad service or food that wasn't fresh. the consistency is unmatched. if you've been thinking about trying Manara Cafe, DO IT. read more

I love this place so, so much! The owner is so nice, and the food is BEYOND DELICIOUS. The atmosphere inside is also very relaxed with music playing in the background. (If you're tall, be careful to duck down so you don't hit your head at the entrance like my friend did ). Anyway, the cuisine is super flavorful, nutritious, and filling . My absolute favorite item is the veggie platter! read more

Manara Cafe - The veggie platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

This is one of the BEST spots in Lubbock to get a healthy and well balanced FEAST! It is fairly priced and you'll leave stuffed and satisfied. All of the appetizers are a must try; the hummus, Baba ghanoush, and dolmas are amazing. The owner is so kind and always greets you with a smile. I love being able to support this authentic Lebanese restaurant in Lubbock. On top of the delicious omnivorous options, this place is a vegetarian/vegan's paradise! This is the only restaurant I can honestly say I've never had a bad experience and the food hits the spot every time. (PS: also some of the safest takeout during the pandemic! They always have a mask on and have a glass barrier up for zero contact.) read more

After moving from a city close to Dearborn which has a huge Middle Eastern population, I have been desperate for some good Middle Eastern food. Where are you, lovely kebee, lentil soup, falafels, dolmas... Luckily, I have found Manara Cafe. I was greeted promptly and the owner seems to be nice! While the menu is not extensive, they have some basic items such as kebab, shawarma, hummus, and falafels. I tried their chicken kebab and rice and I was very impressed with the quality of their meal. First, I must mention how amazing their rice was. It was cooked to perfection and had a hint of saffron... I was just happy eating the perfectly cooked chicken. The chicken was also good. It was juicy and flavored well. The side salad was not as impressive as their amazing saffron rice, however, the veggies were fresh. I wish they opted for lemon/olive oil/salt and pepper instead of the generic dressing. A few suggestions to make this place even better. Bake pita bread at home! They are generous about giving free pita but taste a bit sad. Nothing beats the home-made pita. And it's not that difficult to make. Imagine the fresh pita with zatar, olive oil, and some fresh cheese... That totally can make it to the restaurant menu! And... if it is possible at all, please please please add lentil soup to the menu. I just miss it badly during the cold weather. read more

Non-descript describes the exterior and frankly the interior of this Lubbock establishment on 34th street. The windows are small allowing very little natural light. But you are not here for the decor or the architecture. The Lebanese/Mediterranean offerings are very good. The lamb/beef gyro plate was moist and flavorful without the two excellent sauces. The saffron rice was on point. I wish the pita bread was served warm but that did. It stop me from eating the entire thing. The baklava desert was as expected. Drinks are served in bottles, not for fountain. The owner was shy it seemed but engaged me in conversation. I very nigh enjoyed his restaurant and you should too. read more

I have been going to Manara Cafe for years, and they have always been so consistent. Frank is so nice and the food is always top notch. the Chicken Shawarma is THE BEST i have EVER had, and is easily one of my favorite foods in Lubbock! read more

This true mom and pop Lebanese Meditteranean restaurant is the real thing! Serving the lightest, best falafel stateside and the freshest babba ghanoush in town! I cannot wait to try everything on the menu. Run by a Lebanese husband and his Filipina wife, this charming cafe has great potential. I look forward to trying their Sunday menu which includes a wide selection of Filipino cuisine. Hope this new restaurant makes it. read more

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After reading all the yelp reviews, my wife and I were excited to try this place out on our day trip to Lubbock, but unfortunately this place did not live up to the hype. I'm not sure if we have been simply spoiled with great Falafel in Seattle or what. My wife ordered a lamb gyro and I ordered the gyro plate and we received about the same thing. The pita I received seemed store bought and slightly stale and the tzatziki sauce was very bland. Considering the only other thing on my plate was lamb and rice, my gyro was lacking into the flavor department. The service was decent and the price was good. Also, considering that there doesn't appear to be much else in terms of Middle Eastern restaurants in Lubbock, I suppose this place will do if you are really craving a Falafel or gyro and find yourself in the area. However, it is nothing to start watering your mouth over. read more

What a little hidden gem Manara Cafe is, tucked away on 50th street in the section between Indiana and Quaker were some city planner had the bright idea to create a 50th street access road parallel to 50th street more fitting the manner of I-35 than a mid-sized city street, but I digress. The options for authentic food from the Levant is a rarity in these parts, so I am exceedingly grateful that Manara Cafe is here, and judging by the crowd on a recent trip, the place seems to be thriving, and rightfully so. I had the Chicken Schawarma, which comes with a generous helping of saffron rice. White meat chicken is something that I tend to rank extremely low on my pantheon of acceptable meats, and yet Manara finds a way to balance the rich spicy flavor of the cooking process while not drying out the chicken, and I will admit to being extremely sensitive to dry white meat chicken. The sauces complement the foods well, and the small strip mall built in the 1970s location strangely works for a place such as this. A word of caution is that one should not expect to come into Manara and be treated like a king. During my recent visit the service was prompt, but certainly not remarkable in its warmth - curt is the word that comes to mind to describe the experience. On my particular visit, the liveliness of the food and the patrons around me made up for that. read more

The best gyros. The meat was succulent and delicious. The sauce was spot on. We also enjoyed the dolmas. For a town known for Buddy Holly and BBQ this restaurant was a very nice diversion. Thanks for reading. The Bike Chaplain read more

I've only been there a few times but it's well worth it. The food is very good and the saffron rice is great! The service is very good as well. I highly recommend Manara for a wonderful experience and great food! The location is good but the parking could be a bit easier to get it and out instead of one entrance with same exit. Other than that, I have to say, its my favorite place! I wish I could get the recipe for the rice. read more

The new 34th location is quaint and efficient. The owner served us up some delicious food that was characteristic of Mediterranean cuisine, but forgiving enough for American palates. It was a very balanced experience. I'll never forget that saffron rice and cannot wait to return. read more

Amazing flavor! Very authentic! Affordable prices! I had the chicken shawarma and it was so good! It was my first time here and will definitely be coming back again! read more

Not most impressed with the whole experience, the quality of the food was below average, I got to try the Kabob, the chicken shawerma, kids meal of nuggets and fries. The Kabob did not taste right, the Chicken Shawerma is not the type that you would expect for the chicken to be grilled on the vertical rod which is what shawerma stands for in general, but it was rather made on a skillet or such, it tasted alright. I noticed while checking out, that the appliance/rod device that makes the Shawerma was right there, but it was not in use! We also tried the Tabouli and Baba Ghannouj appetizers, and these were good and met my expectations. The atmosphere is average or below, it was lunch time and the AC was barely keeping up. Not whole lots of seating areas if you are attempting to go in large groups. Designated parking in the back. Price wise, it is average for what you expect to pay at similar restaurants, not higher and not lower, priced right. We may not return here for rather long time if at all. But, I may recommend it to people whom are interested in getting a bite at an A-OK Mediterranean restaurant, since there are not those many at West Texas or Lubbock area. read more

Great food, but most of the menu was crossed out. My husband took me here after watching the avengers, because I wanted shawarma. The food was excellent, atmosphere was rather dull, and nearly EVERYTHING was crossed out on the menus. They said most of the dishes weren't very popular so they just stopped serving them. If you are looking for a larger selection or a specific dish I would suggest you go to its greek to me. This place was good, there was just not much to choose from. read more

Best Lebanese food in Lubbock! I have gone here more times than I can count and it never disappoints!

Highly recommended for their Falafel. I usually get Falafel Sandwich and its the best Mediterranean food in Lubbock. The owner might not be very friendly but I wouldn't mind it because their food is good. My friend love their Chicken Shawarma sandwich and lamb and Gyro sandwich. And their garlic sauce is yummy :) :) The only drawback is their customer service. The owner doesn't care to serve and also he gets pissed off if you stay for more than an hour. If its improved the restaurant is a definite 5 star :) read more

Best authentic Falafel in Texas and probably the entire USA. My husband has been eating falafel every chance he gets for the last 20 years and swears that place is the best. The owner is really nice and his place is exceptionally clean which is always an important sign in a restaurant. He makes his falafel from scratch and not from powder unlike most of the other middle eastern restaurants do. We go there for lunch every Saturday and we never get tired of the food. We love the hummus, the dolmas, chicken shawarma sandwich and of course the falafel sandwich! Prices are unbelievable cheap for what you get there - a delicious and healthy meal. read more

Since there aren't many Mediterranean stops in Lubbock, I had a lot of hope for this place. The food is lacking but has great potential. One thing that is definitely hurting their business is their limited hours of service. Almost every time I thought to stop by, they were closed. I hope to see them grow! read more

Unpretentious, basic good Mediterranean food made fresh. Most flavorfull falafel I have eaten anywhere; like wise for babagonush. I could taste the char on the eggplant. They gave us a generous portion of pita. Gyro lamb/beef was flavorful and tender as well as generous. Safron rice was moist and flavorful. I hope to go there again. read more

First time eating Lebanese food and was pretty impressed. The place is a bit dark inside and would like some more light. Ordered the veggie plate and the Falafa was extraordinary! Best falafa i have ever had. It came with 2 types hummus which wer both pretty good. The only thing I did not really enjoy were the Dolmas were a bit greasier than I'd like. Overall a neat experience! read more

Very filling, and tasty. The tzatziki sauce lacked flavor, but the chicken shawarma made up for it. read more

Manara Cafe - Chicken Shawarma, lamb gyro plate, hummus, and dolmas! - Mediterranean Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

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