Usta Kababgy is an excellent restaurant for authentic Middle Eastern cuisine in Austin, TX located…read moreon N. Lamar Blvd. The restaurant has well seasoned, charcoal grilled meats. The kebabs are the true highlight...juicy, flavorful, and grilled to perfection. The portions are quite large as the hubs and I shared a wrap. We were sufficiently full after eating the chicken tikka wrap. Interestingly, the wrap came in a Shawarma King packaging with their contact phone number. So, I assume that Usta staff are sub-contracting from Shawarma King. Usta also has freshly baked bread and classic sides like hummus and rice paired with the main dishes. The restaurant has a homey, lived in feel. It has a few middle eastern artifacts sprinkled throughout the restaurant. The menu offers a wide variety of options, from Iraqi and Adana kebabs to shawarma and traditional Middle Eastern plates, so there are food items for both first timers and regulars who want to explore beyond the basics. They also serve flatbreads where you can have two different toppings. The food focus is on bold, traditional flavors rather than modern takes on middle eastern foods. On the desserts front, they have an assortment of desserts and several sections of ice cream. I had the baklava, which was surprisingly delicious...it was not eye-squinting sweet like a standard baklava. It was crunchy, flavorful, and had nuts that were substantial. Layla, my server, was so super sweet and welcoming. She pointed out that Usta provides its customers free tea. How cool is that? I cannot remember last time I received a free drink.

Usta Kababgy offers amazing charcoal-grilled Mediterranean food that provides authentic, "soul-fed"…read moreexperience that's hard to find elsewhere. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, suitable for a place nice enough for a family/friend gathering. The service is friendly and reassures wanting to provide an enjoyable meal. The standout here is the charcoal grill definitely must try. It's all fresh and top-tier.

Hands-down, this is the best Middle Eastern restaurant that I've been to. Being brought up in the…read moreMiddle East, I could tell authentic mid-eastern food when I taste it. The Kebab are to die for.

Troy ATX on Mesa Drive in Austin, TX is a neighborhood restaurant that quietly delivers an…read moreoutstanding dining experience. The restaurant specializes in Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine. Troy ATX provides food and outstanding service...feels like home. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, making it perfect for dining. The menu offers a great balance of familiar Mediterranean favorites and traditional Turkish dishes, all prepared with care and bold flavors. Portions are generous, ingredients taste fresh, and the dishes homemade. In fact, the son of the owner was managing the restaurant which he does not do often. He had nothing but rave things to say about his family and the restaurant. I really love that! I stopped to pick up some hummus. It was packaged with pita bread and nicely packed for travel. The hummus felt thick and hearty...not normally how it comes at the grocery store. If you're craving authentic Mediterranean and Turkish cuisine, Troy ATX is absolutely worth a visit.

Stumbled across this hidden gem in North Austin and absolutely love it. I've always said Austin…read moredoesn't have enough "Mom and Pop ethnic places," so finding Troy was a dream come true. The staff was so warm and welcoming the entire time. From giving recommendations, to offering Turkish tea, it was a great experience. The food was solid as well! Definitely recommend the lamb in whatever you get! I had a few coworkers get the wraps, I will say, I do feel like they were a little light on the meat in those, but everything else that was ordered was solid. We will definitely be back!

Went here for lunch and it tasted great! The inside was amazing and the food was fantastic and the…read moreservice was excellent. We ordered the Kalubi Palow, Mantu Dumplings, and Karahi. The tea was solid as well. The naan was fluffy and the meat was flavorful. Will be back next time I'm in Austin.

Very legit afghani food! Portions are big and taste is…read moreunmatched. Loved their goat karahi and kabuli palao- We ordered ahead of getting there and got hot piping food right after we got there. Loved every bit of it and would totally recommend!!!!!

I come here exclusively for the pistachio baklava cheesecake. The parking situation is a bit of a…read moreheadache but totally worth it. I've only ever ordered takeout at the counter so I can't speak to the dine-in experience, but the service is smooth and efficient. Dessert is ready in about 5 minutes and food orders during busy dinner hours have taken around 20 minutes, which honestly wasn't bad at all given how packed they get. Everything is always packaged nicely and securely, and the food is consistently delicious. They also carry other sweets worth trying like honey cakes and pistachio baklava. On the savory side, some dishes I've really enjoyed are the Mezze Platter, Beef and Lamb Doner, and Ribeye Steak Shish Kebab. It's not super loud but the front can get a bit overstimulating when it's busy, so if you're not a fan of crowds I'd recommend coming outside of peak hours. This most recent time, I didn't realize until I was home that they forgot to pack one of the baklava cheesecakes I'd ordered. They were able to refund me over the phone when I couldn't come back to pick it up. Highly recommend!

Overall: 3.6/5 [delivery]…read more We ordered on UberEats and the food arrived on time. Governor's Mixed Kebap Plate ($26.95): The plate came with chicken, köfte meatballs, ground lamb kebap (adana), ezme, pickled red cabbage, onion, rice, and a sauce. I chose the crazy grain rice which is a mix of black rice and lentils, and the spicy harissa sauce. The ezme, pickled red cabbage, and adana were my favorites. The chicken was good too and the köfte meatballs were my least favorite of the bunch. The pita bread was also fire and super fresh, honestly one of the best I've had when it's heated up and warm. The box was completely packed and was easily enough for 2 meals or to share between 2 people. Zucchini Yogurt with Fresh Dill and Walnuts ($3.25): Not a fan. It had a sour aftertaste with a citrusy zing that made me think this went bad. Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup ($6.99): Came with chickpeas, shredded chicken, and orzo. It was really yummy, especially paired with some sourdough bread I had on hand.

I'd been wanting to check this place out for quite some time. There's another location in Round…read moreRock, but many reviewers said the original spot is much better, so we decided to start with the OG location. Parking is plentiful right in front of the restaurant. We came by on a Saturday around 1 PM, worried it might be packed, but it was actually pretty quiet. You can sit anywhere you like, grab a plate, and pay when you're done. The space is large and open, with three full rows of food and drinks plus a dedicated station for fruit and desserts. Everything was fresh, not overly salty, and there were plenty of options. My favorites were the hummus with eggplant (so flavorful with great texture), the salad and cucumber salad (fresh and refreshing), the dolma (perfectly done), gyro (tender and tasty), baked cauliflower (so good), fried chicken (juicy, crispy, and not salty), falafel (extra crunchy), and the lentil soup (simple but delicious). And don't miss their coffee at the checkout--it has a hint of warm spice and is the perfect finish after a meal. Surprisingly, I ended up loving the vegetable dishes even more than the meats. Overall, yes, $26 per person is on the higher side (what doesn't cost these days, right?!), but it's a great spot to try a variety of Mediterranean dishes that are fresh, simply seasoned, and let the ingredients shine--perfect whether you're new to the cuisine or just want a bit of everything.

Thanksgiving came around and we had zero desire to cook or clean. Our "plan" (and I use that word…read moreloosely) was Golden Corral. We figured if we got there early, we'd beat the crowd. Cute of us, honestly. We pulled up and that parking lot looked like Beyoncé was performing. Cars everywhere: on the grass, on the curbs, people creating their own imaginary parking spaces. People circling like it was Black Friday. Absolutely not. We left with no backup plan and even less hope. Pulled up Yelp and I remembered that Dimassi's buffet had been on my radar for months, but was it open? Called them up and CHA-CHING!!! Money! They were open, guys. That phone call felt like hitting the lottery. Thanksgiving was saved. We arrived and Dimassi's was calm, clean, and the buffet bar was fully stocked with hot food fresh out of the kitchen. They had your Mediterranean favorites: dips, salads, gyro meat, dolma, chicken kabobs, saffron rice, the good garlicky toum, warm potatoes, fresh pita, everything. They even prepared a turkey for patrons who wanted some. Wow. They understood the assignment. Now a couple things could be tweaked. I like my baba ganoush served warm...and maybe they could have had some lamb options? But, honestly? For a buffet on Thanksgiving at $23 a person ($9 for the 3 yr old with us), they delivered HARD. Dimassi's didn't just feed us...they rescued us from the Golden Corral Hunger Games. Thank you for being open. Thank you for coming through in the clutch. You saved Thanksgiving.

Best Shawarma I've had in a long time. Lebanese places always make them the best. I'll be back the…read morenext time I'm in town.

Me and my boyfriend got dinner here this weekend and are already very excited to come back. I was…read moresuper impressed by everything we tried! I got the shish tawook plate with baba ganouj and taboulleh. The chicken was incredible and their baba ganouj is great! We also got a side order of fries and hummus, both were great as well. My boyfriend got the chicken shawarma wrap and it was good but probably our least favorite item that we tried. I think it could've used more chicken and less fries. The employees were so nice and service was pretty fast. So excited to come back again soon!

First time back in a long time, too long. I have to ask…read moremyself why I stayed away for so long. Busy weekday lunch spot, but still had a great vibe to it... Had lunch with a client nice spacing between tables no problem carrying on a conversation you felt could be kept private, even though we were in a public spot The food was outstanding. Super fresh ingredients wonderful taste and a plentiful serving size offered at a reasonable price. So what's not to like?? I will definitely put this place back in the rotation and make sure I don't stay away too long.

Friendly staff always ready to help even though there's a couple of self service kiosks. Whether…read moreyou order at the counter or at the kiosks, food comes out pretty fast and boy, it's pretty fresh and tasty. Can't decide which is my favorite thing to order as every is just so damn good. Their sauces are all fantastic and no matter which one you use, they compliment whatever you order perfectly. Really love how quickly (relatively for everything made as you order), quality of their food and great customer service.