This is a must try and I am pretty sure it's one of my favorite Mediterranean restaurants EVER!…read moreWe loved every dish! From salads to the main entree. Highly recommend the mezze platter and the Royal Mix Grill.

My friend and I went here for a catch up night. We wanted to try something new and since we had…read morenever tried Mediterranean food before. The parking lot is well lit and the outside was very clean. The building used to be an Italian restaurant, but this family bought it and moved in. We were greeted upon immediately coming in the door and we were seated very quickly. The interior is very nicely decorated and was very clean and organized. Everyone greeted us with a smile. After we sat, we sat for quite a bit of a time before the waitress came by and asked for our drink orders. The owner (I assume) came by and asked what we would like to drink and he got those for us. The waitress was very slow in bringing refills and taking our order. They were not busy. Though she was slow, she was very polite with great customer service. So...the food!! OMG - we tried lots of different things. We ordered the sampler plate (Mezze) which was hummus, baba ghanouj, falafel, bread and arabic salad. Please, remember this was our first try of this type of food and the texture took a minute to get beyond, but the flavors are amazing. They know what they are doing with their seasoning. I was very impressed with the appetizers. Then the meal comes - I had the Chicken Tawook Plate with the Fattoush Salad. The salad was made with all fresh ingredients and the picture in the menu looked exactly like what I received. It was fresh and invigorating with flavor. The Chicken Tawook just popped with flavor in my mouth. I couldn't wait to share with my friend. I have to admit, I was not a fan of the rice, but it was cooked perfectly. Just wasn't flavors I enjoy, but my friend really liked it. My friend wanted to try a couple of things so she ordered the Musakhao with 1/2 grilled chicken. I've never really had chicken melt in my mouth before, until now! It comes on a flat bread with grilled onions, but the chicken is cooked to perfection! I cannot say enough about this chicken. She also ordered the cheese Manakeesh which is very similar to pizza, but they do something crazy right with this dish. Calling it a pizza is so very wrong. This isn't like a traditional "American" pizza. It is very hard to explain, just go and try it!! And dessert - I have had quite a bit of baklava in my lifetime. This was the best I have ever tasted. You take a bite and it just completely melts in a caramel flavor in your mouth. Do not get just one. My friend ordered the cake that is very similar to tiramisu, I don't remember the name and it isn't on their online menu at this time. She said it was to die for. This is a little bit on the expensive side of dining, but the quality of this food is worth every single penny. My friend and I spent $106 total, for all this food. So, it's not crazy expensive. Regular fountain drinks are $3 each. My over all review is give this place a try, they really deserve it. Try something new if you haven't tried this type of dining, this is a wonderful place for your first go at it. And when you do - leave them a review, it would be great to keep them busy and around, since we don't really have anything like this in the area.

My own dilemma of choosing what to eat, because it is so amazing. Chicken shawarma, garlic sauce,…read morecouscous, crunchy pickles and pita bread. Such a welcome change versus fast food. The truck stop it is housed within also has clean restrooms. Excellent t place to stop when traveling.

Everything was EXCELLENT SERVICE AND FOOD Ate there 2 years…read moreago was excellent was looking forward to coming back!!

One of the best menus in St Charles. The food is exquisitely, prepared and impressively explained…read morefor someone that used to a Mediterranean meals. I had Zane as my server it was wonderful. My wife and I enjoyed one of our best meals ever in this county.

After living in the Middle East for decades, this restaurant is the closest in authenticity and the…read moreflavors I would expect in Lebanon/Palestine. It's delicious! The staff also offers the same personable service one would experience in the Middle East. They offer suggestions to the novice and indulge the connoisseur. Plus, I've used them for catering, for a more exotic flair, at an event. The guests raved about the taste. Jafra's location is hidden, making it feel like you've found a secret indulgence. It's a quiet location perfect for a tete a tete or a family gathering, where you feel wrapped in the experience. My husband will tell you, the only draw back is the price. It's not crazy expensive, but not cheap. But no matter what my husband says... it's worth every penny for delicious, exotic flavors that leave me satisfied, everytime. My husband too. LOL

hands down BEST shawarma i've had since living in bahrain!!!! we were only in STL for 3 days, and…read morei'm very glad we made this our last stop. highly recommend 10/10!!!!

We've probably tried too much Middle Eastern food - and especially too much shawarma - because…read moreunfortunately, this just wasn't the place for us. We ordered The Original Palestine and Summer in Dubai. Usually, shawarma meat is sliced thin and practically melts in your mouth, but here it was on the dry side and cut into pretty thick pieces. The flavor was just okay, but honestly, neither of us was impressed. The portions also felt way too small for the price. We ordered just two shawarmas and paid around $40 total, so we definitely expected more. You can only sit inside. There are no outdoor tables like you can see in some of the other reviews. The atmosphere itself felt more like a typical fast-food spot than a place where you'd want to sit and enjoy your meal. One thing that really surprised me was the soda situation. I grabbed a cup to get myself a drink, and an employee had to turn a key to activate the drink machine while I was standing there. It honestly felt like there was some kind of limit on how many drinks I was allowed to get, which was pretty strange. Parking is also difficult. There's no parking along the main street, so we had to park farther away and walk. Overall, based on our experience, I wouldn't recommend this place. There are plenty of other spots where we've had much better shawarma for the price.

We catered food from Sameem for our son's wedding, the food menu, delivery timing, quality and…read moretaste was superb and its quantity was great. The friendly and professional services provided by Qayum Khan and his team reflected their unique hospitality.

Love this place! There's dishes for everyone's palate and…read moreappetite including heat/spice levels. Our favorite shareable (that's actually an entree) is the Mango meatballs. We first tried them at a Festival of Nations and have been hooked since. They're a flavorful curry and meat dish that can be loved and enjoyed even for those not a fan of heat. One thing to note is that the curried lamb dish IS spicier than the curry chicken since the curries are prepared with different ingredients. I love the curried lamb dish almost more than the mango meatballs. The others in my party had the beef kebabs and the national dish - Qabelli Palau. Both of those were also exceptional! When you walk in, there's several steps to enter the restaurant. Then, you'll be guided up a few more stairs into the dining room and seated at a cozy table. The decor is minimal and traditional. I like how simple everything is. The focus really is on the service and the food. We're regulars here, but I'm just late to reviewing on Yelp.

This is my first time here, and I walked in very pleasantly surprised with the decor. Simple and…read moreyet, very charming, very Arabian. I read other reviews and immediately that I wanted to try their lemonade with mint, which was heavenly. It was extremely refreshing, not too sweet, not too sour, tiny chopped leaves of mint floating around like confetti. I ordered the lamb shank, a plate of pickles, and also ordered falafel and avocado dip to go. The lamb was very well seasoned and fall of the bone tender. The accompanying cucumber bits in yogurt sauce was refreshing. The side of mushrooms with carrots and corn kernels that came with the dish was mediocre, particularly since the consistency and look of the mushrooms looked like they came from a can, but I may be wrong. The plate of pickles was delightful. I will admit that I was very disappointed because I had read that lentil soup would be complementary with main dishes when anyone dined in until 4 PM, but I'd never had any lentil soup at all, unless I am mistaken about the offer. Service was fast, even though there was only one server, who was, by the way, very polite and attentive. All in all, I will be back and I might actually end up being regular here.

Had the opportunity to try Layali Halab and was very impressed. We visited on a Saturday afternoon…read moreand seated without an issue. Our service was great, very patient in answering questions. The restaurant was very clean and very busy with customers. We were served lentil soup and was absolutely delicious. We ordered some traditional Mediterranean dishes and also very good. Prices were very reasonable and lots of dishes to chooses. Decor is very nice and plenty of seating for small and large groups. Great experience and will be back, highly recommend Layali Halab, give them a try.

The Gyro plater was amazing and it came out fast, when I left , I had not even room for a wafer…read morethin mint.

I've been kind of bummed out that I can't eat the gyro sauce due to being lactose intolerant. He…read morenow has a BBQ gyro that is amazing! Very good flavor and really tastes so good with all the fixings. The fries are not like any other fries in town. The fries have like a crisp on the outside that makes them so delicious. Every time I walk into this place everyone is so nice. The baklava is really good here too!

We have been going to Lillys for years! Everything is always good and if you want to enjoy the food…read moreand drinks HURRY! All of this and great service with a smile!

Absolutely INCREDIBLE gyros. I would recommend for people of all ages and backgrounds to try it.read more

This place is dangerously good. The food was absolutely delicious, the portions were HUGE, and I…read moreloved that you can customize basically everything to your heart's desire. One of the best part may have been the people. Everyone working there was so incredibly nice and genuinely seemed happy to help. They even let us taste-test the sauces before choosing. 10/10 recommend!

We stopped by for a quick bite as we were passing through Springfield, and we're so glad that we…read moredid! The portions were huge (leftovers to savor later). The food was fresh (the best falafel this vegetarian has ever had and "scrumptious and tender" gyros for the carnivor). The baklava was so good that we bought extra to take home. Service was outstanding. Staff were friendly and very helpful. The atmosphere was casual and we were able to get back on the road in good time. Our only disappointment is that we live nearly 4 hours away. Highly recommended! ​

I ordered takeout from AlMadina Halal Restaurant while in the Springfield area after seeing some…read moresolid reviews. Visually, the food looked great, and the portions were surprisingly generous -- especially for the Chicken Over Rice and Kunafa, which came in a full circular container (not just a small slice like I expected). Starting with the samosa, I was only given one when the order was supposed to include two. They were very small and clearly store-bought rather than handmade, which was a bit disappointing. I had also called ahead and placed a specific order request -- no tomatoes, extra white sauce -- but unfortunately, those details were missed. The person on the phone was polite, but it was frustrating that the accommodations I asked for weren't reflected in the meal, especially after double-checking. The Chicken Over Rice was flavorful, loaded with onions, green peppers, and hints of saffron. It's definitely Desi-style, so if you're not used to bold spices or flavors, it might feel strong -- but not particularly spicy. No white sauce as requested, which took away from the overall experience, but the portion size was excellent. The unexpected star of the order? The Kunafa. While it's not made in the traditional Levantine style, it was genuinely enjoyable and satisfying. I'd return for that alone. Overall, this was one of my more critical reviews, but I still see potential here. The food is halal, flavorful, and affordable. While the execution could've been better, especially with communication and accuracy, I'd be open to giving them another try -- especially for a late-night bite if I'm in town again.

A sketchy place. There's a funky odor upon entering & one guy manning the place. The register…read morecounter is lined with boxes. Server was pleasant. The food was better than expected, even though I thought the kebabs would be cuts of meat instead of ground beef. It was served on a bed of saffron rice & had a little side salad with onion nestled in the tray. The yogurt dressing (or sauce) was pleasantly seasoned.