We had heard about this Syrian restaurant in Corvallis (we live in Eugene) and had been meaning to…read morego there for dinner with friends, but it just never seemed to gel. Then, on a trip to the Oregon coast, we happened to be going through Corvallis at lunchtime and decided to stop. We are SO glad we did. All of the other Yelp reviews said it was really good, but few mentioned any specific dish. Except for the hummus, which received off-the-chart good reviews. So we tried the Lamb Hummus dish as well as the Musakhan Rolls, which is a chicken with caramelized onions wrapped in fresh grilled bread. Both were excellent with some notes. The Musakhan Rolls said they come with a garlic sauce. The sauce was excellent, but tasted more like a tart yogurt/sour cream sauce to us. Not a strong garlic flavor. The lamb in the hummus was also very good, but kind of bland. We love lamb when it is prepared well (we usually only order from a Middle Eastern restaurant) and this was prepared perfectly. We just felt it could stand a little more flavor or spice. However, the hummus. Oh. My. Word. The hummus. All of those off-the-chart reviews were spot on. The hummus had to be the best hummus we have ever had in our lives. And we eat a variety of foods from a variety of places. It was the perfect amount of garlic and so creamy, we actually used our fingers to wipe the bowl and get that last remaining bits of the hummus. Our service was excellent. It is family-owned and our server was very pleasant and hospitable. The inside is decorated in what appears to be Syrian decor and is nicely done. Now we have to connect with our friends and go back sometime soon for dinner. Yumm!

This place is dirty and was a real turn- off. The food was mediocre and the appetizer and the…read moreentree were brought ti us at the same time. I questioned the lamb kabobs that were served to us. Instead of chunks of lamb, it was ground lamb. The manager said these were Syrian kabobs and that's the way they are made.

We can at lunchtime the place was empty. The cafe is clean but it had a smells of cologne. I can…read morebarely breathe. We ordered lamb skewers but it was more like ground lamb bits. The pita bread was not made in house just four small piece. Veggie samosa was small and greasy. The eggplant dip was a little smokey and good eaten with the lamb. We were not offered water or anything to drink. You had to pay for bottled water.

In the old Bearscat donuts location. Went in about 1130 for a to-go and there were two people in…read morefront of me, one of which was a delivery driver with about 5 meals to pickup. Appeared to be only one gentleman running the entire operation. Waited ~ 15 minutes to order, ~ 30 to have food in hand. I was kindly given free baklava, I'm assuming for the wait. Ordered the BEEF OVER HUMMUS PLATE with subbed lamb, I'm not sure I actually got the substitution. Hummus was very creamy but lacked flavor. Meat had a bit of spice and was cooked well, but once again lacked much flavor. I was underwhelmed, but maybe it was an off day. I hope to give it another chance in the future. The gentleman was friendly, convenient location.

What a sweet quaint little restaurant. My daughter and I went there yesterday for Mother's Day. It…read morewas a beautiful day and while they have outdoor seating we elected to eat inside. Reviewing the menu, there were lots of yummy things to choose from but ultimately we both could not resist the Lamb shank. I'm sad I didn't take a picture of it. It was so tender and delicious. It came with perfect Basmati rice and a side of eggplant stew that was exquisite! I've never had eggplant stew and it was luscious. I dream to about it all night long. It was quiet, comfortable, music was great; songs we all know but with native instruments and flare. We had house red wine - not a big selection of alcohol, which is fine the food is and should be the star. Our sever (Sorry my old lady brain forgot his name) but the good looking bald guy(LOL) was nice and personable. It was such a great low key dining experience that just made the day even better. I highly recommend this cute place and we will be back- there are a lot more wonderful food to try!

Great vibes and flavors found here! The beet margarita had a vibrant color with an earthy tone that…read moremixed well with a salted rim. The shredded lamb is rich and flavorful and the chicken and beef were deliciously moist and so good with the tzatziki sauce! The staff were helpful with suggestions for dessert which was a sweetened crispy dish with what seemed like melted cheese underneath. I cannot recall the name of it but if you like something not too sweet this is it! Enjoy!

absolutely. minna blew my socks off. food was delicious. great location that a great if you are in…read morethe area or waiting ing for the bus. highly recommend!

Stopped in this pod that was nearby at the time for lunch. Decided this looked good and I wasn't…read morewrong. Super loaded and really fresh veg. Reasonable prices for the quantity and quality. Friendly and quick service.

the food was without a single iota of doubt delicious and you can bet I will be coming here at…read moreleast once a week!!! As a moroccan and as an arab, i'm tempted to say this food is even better than my own mother's food...i really hope my mom doesn't see this! the decor in the restaurant is really beautiful, artsy, and deeply reflective of the culture. equally, if not more importantly, the woman who owns this restaurant and prepares the food is one of the sweetest and kindest people i've ever met! not only is the food incredibly delicious and fulfilling but the hospitality is truly unmatched - i felt genuinely welcomed, almost at home, while eating here. i wish i could give this restaurant 10 stars but alas! thank you so much!

So... You know when you have gone to a restaurant with foods that have strong flavors, you…read moresometimes want to reach for a mint to get those flavors out of your mouth. As my wife and I were driving away from Levant, she said, "Do you still taste dinner?" I replied, "Yes and it is STILL great!" My wife ordered the lamb shwarma and I ordered the Mediterranean moussaka (not the Greek moussaka...an important distinction. When we ordered there was a communication short circuit and the woman behind the counter (AND behind the phone, AND at the stove, AND restocking supplies) thought I wanted the vegetarian moussaka. When I brought the plate up and said there was no meat, she immediately brought me some super yummy lamb to mix in. (What service!) As alluded to previously, lady holding down the fort was a dynamo! I don't think she stopped moving the entire time we were eating in. On the phone taking orders...cooking...taking orders/payment. And do all this with an air of grace and a smile on her face. We will be back. Being a coffee snob, I would like to take their Turkish Coffee for a spin!

Amazing service, the food is all homemade & authentic. Great prices, the location is ideal. It…read morereminded my friend of the home cooked Armenian food they grew up on. I will be back

Excellent authentic food. Freshly prepared. Pita homemade and hot off the grill. Flavorful but not…read morespicy or long lasting. Would highly recommend and will come back when in town again.

Finally got a chance to come back again after so many years and happy to report that they may have…read moregotten even better! Everything we got was sooo good. Great balance of flavors. Texture contrast was so nice too. We particularly love the Sesame Crusted Albacore Tuna and the Persian Chicken Meatballs. But you really can't go wrong. For two people, four dishes were perfect. The sharing model makes it so fun to try different things. Will definitely be back!

Absolutely loved my experience at Mediterranean Exploration Company! The food was incredible,…read moreeverything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully put together. You can really tell there's attention to detail in every dish. The atmosphere was warm and stylish, making it such a nice place to sit down and enjoy a meal. On top of that, the service was amazing, friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better.

Delicious authentic Lebanese food. Amazing food, ambiance & service. I was here on a Friday night…read moreand they even had a belly dancer. Their lamb and rice dish was unbelievable. Can't wait to return and try more things on their menu. The owners really take pride in their restaurant which has been a staple here in Portland for over 20 years.

Al-Amir Restaurant has been in Portland forever and is the classic spot…read more We had a big group gathering and the restaurant were quite easy to work with, great service, ambience and a big back area with multiple table. They also had a special dinner buffet with selective vegetarian & non-vegetarian options for a fixed price. We also had the option to order off the main menu. There is also a bar area up front with smaller tables. The staff were very friends and kudos to them to handling a bigger group without any issues. We were also surprised by the belly dancing artist, which definitely made for a memorable night. To sum it up - Delicious Lebanese food, fun music, lively conversations, and an unforgettable belly dancing performance that brought such fun energy to the night!

It's hard to find but worth looking for! They have a parking lot too!!!!…read moreI had the gyro and kid had the skewer plate. Baklava and th spinach thing was amazing! Glad we stopped! Order at the counter. They have drinks Super nice staff Outside covered seating. Nice little cozy spot.

Hard to find, off an alley and used public parking abut a block away…read more Order at the counter and find a table. Tried the Gyro - too large to fold up and eat so used a fork and knife. The beef/lamb was cut off the spit was very dry. The spanakopita was okay. Had a nice ambiance if you sit inside but cold on the patio during winter. Buss your own table. Bottom line: Okay but no rushing back.