The food is incredible. These guys have real deal Lebanese food and they are so friendly. Their relaxed outdoor covered seating is great for hanging out as a couple or with kiddos. read more

Delicious!!! Ordered the maza plate that has falafel, hummus, baba ganoush and pickled daikon. This plate is large enough for two. The customer service is always friendly. If you're at the Makuu market on a Sunday check them out. read more

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Falafel plate is worth every penny. Great service, fresh homemade food. Outdoor seating is plentiful and quiet

Great lebanese food in Hilo! The place is really cute as well. The owners are super nice. Highly recommended.

Authentic Lebanese food with a light but filling taste that explodes when you take a bite. A menagerie of flavors and textures that I thought were exceptionally balanced. Big portions and the service really puts this place over the top. Do yourself a f(l)avor and give it a try, you won't be disappointed! read more

The falafel is decent but they have no competition in Hilo so you gotta take what you can get. The fries are pretty disappointing as the portions are small and they are over cooked. The biggest flag for this place is the wait for food is ridiculous. I called in and they said 15-20 minutes. I show up and the parking lot is empty. I wait another 25 minutes for my food. What a freaking waste of time. The wait is not with the food. read more

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My dad picked up a falafel sandwich from the food truck for me. Overall, I thought it was pretty good. I've had bad experiences with falafels being too dry in the past, but this falafel was good. I thought the pickled daikon added a nice touch, and all of the ingredients inside the sandwich were very flavorful. read more

Tabaraka - Falafel sandwich - Lebanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

The food is tasty. If you are in Hilo and have a craving for Middle Eastern food, this spot is definitely worth considering. I ordered the Deluxe Maza, and it's enough for two people to share. Although it's priced at $29, the portion is generous. The service provided was satisfactory, and there's seating available on-site to enjoy your fresh meal. There is no air conditioning, but there is outdoor seating. read more

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This review is long overdue. Living here on the Big Island, it is easy to forget there is a big world out there, full of different cultures and cuisines. And I get tired of island food- too much of a good thing! Tabaraka's is a reminder of other places, other times. The bright flavors, textures, the creamy and the tangy flavors of the babaghanoush, hummus and all the vegetables that are mingling on the plate- a gentle and tasty reminder that we too do better enjoying each other's differences. read more

Yay!! Lebanese food! What more can one ask for?! I was thrilled to learn there was a food truck. I had their Deluxe Max's Plate because I wanted to try everything and I was starving! It was all delicious I loved the pickled veggies and the toum!! Hello homemade toum! Yummy! I'm definitely returning when I return. Even Hawaii doesn't have Lebanese food. We have Turkish and Persian however it would be great to have Lebanese too. If only there was Lamachun on the menu. That would be ideal! However, I'll take what I can get. I'm so glad to see more variety in ethnic cuisines both on Oahu and Hilo. I l'ok forward to having your falafel and Kafta next time. read more

I love love love foods from all over the Middle East so I was excited to try this truck. I placed my order and and waited for I'd say a good 30 minutes. That was fine, it seems made to order. I ordered 3 different "sandwiches" the villager, shish-kebab, and kafta. It was around $50 for the 3 sandwiches. Fries came with each sandwich as well. I have to say the villager was really good, that ended up being my favorite cause I could taste all the flavors. The other 2 sandwiches were smothered in hummus and pretty much tasted the same. My fries were burnt and soggy :( The service was ok. Not good and not bad, just meh. Might've been an off day. I think they do offer food that isn't really offered here. I would say try it to see for yourself! read more

The falafel was great, the portion was good and the sauce was just right, not too much that it's spilling out of your hands. The fries were in the fryer for a bit too long for me so they felt a bit greasy but very crunchy. Their mint l'émondante was delicious! The ambience is great too as it's a food truck with an open area for seating, it has shade so you won't just be sitting in the sun and it's located conveniently in town next to a few churches and Lyman Museum. read more

Tabaraka - Falafel - Lebanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Don't believe I spent $60 on these two gyros. The fries were cooked in cold oil which made them absorb the oil and was greasy but cooked till nearly burnt. And this was the best part of the meal. The torshi was almost rancid and only tasted like vinegar. Uncomfortably large pierces to consume. The gyro was a hot mess we got the vegan one and couldn't even pick it up had to eat it with a fork. Over stuffed with a vegetable mess. I would call it the kitchen sink sandwich as everything not meat was shoved into it. The texture with the hummus and dry falafel reminded me of wet dog food. It was accompanied by really dry falafels that crumbled to pieces and a baba g that I nearly spit out. Sometimes less is more. read more

Living in a small town and always getting the same take out can be a drag - no complaints tho..love the restaurants in Hilo town :) When we find out about new places, we enjoy a good adventure to try them out Tabarak is a must!!! I can now say that I've tried Lebanese food and it does not disappoint The flavors are unique- not over powering too My husband had the Falafel & I had the Samak Kabob Sandwich with the house French fries. we also had the beef skewer (tender beef with grilled onions & tomato..) For dessert we had the Baklava.. that for sure hit the spot delicious! read more

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Good food ordered some food made to order takes about 15 min to get food but worth the wait Vegan options availabe if thats your thing will come again mahalo for the service with a smile! read more

Tabaraka - Outside seating - Lebanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Lebanese food in Hilo? Say whaaaat. Definitely had to try this place! It's located near downtown across of Kozmic Cones. There's a sign on Waianuenue Ave directing where their exact parking location is. There's some parking spaces in the back/side of the food truck and its seating area but lots of street parking since it's located in a semi-residential area. I got the Samak-Kabab which contained ono (fish), baba ghanoush, zoug with a walnut, parsley, tahini sauce and side of fries. I didn't know what half of the things on here were but the picture they had on their website made it look AMAZING. Yes, I ate with my eyes first. When I tried it, it was full of flavor. It wasn't too rich, but it was super creamy from one of the sauces (dunno which one but probably the zoug??). The fish was kind of overcooked but the sauces masked it a bit. But dang, was that good. The fries were kind of meh. We all expected them to be crispy due to its color, but they weren't. One of my friends got the Shish-Kabab which contained beef tenderloin with hummus, parsley, onions, summak, tahini sauce, and a side of homemade fries. If you thought the Samak-Kabab was good, wait until you tried this one... The meat was sooooo rich with flavor and different spcies that I actually wished I chose this one instead (LOL). But because it was that good, I DEFINITELY have to go back and get one for myself. Overall, highly recommend this place to anyone who wants to try Lebanese food. Dunno if you consider this authentic since I've never tried them before until now. I gotta say it's worth the try! read more

Tabaraka - Lebanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Ordered the Samak-Kabab Sandwich and a side of Pita Bread and Hummus. What really stood out to me from this place is honestly the FRESHLY made Pita Bread. It was so soft and delicious, the hummus was....hummus nothing bad just wasnt anything special. Finally the Samak-Kabab Sandwich was good, the walnut and parsley reminded me of a pesto I had before (fresh tasting) but yet again nothing "special." The fries though were great, they were exactly how I like them Soft lol. So in all the food was good but it doesnt leave me wanting to come back again and again. I'd honestly most likely would go back just for the yummy Pita Bread and Fries. read more

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Okay, here's my review! Four stars because they are new and still working things out. Pitas were excellent and I really liked the hummus. Would definitely get the hummus sandwich again. The falafel was a tad dry. All traveled the 30 miles home well. Plate was two extra falafel and just a dab of hummus - next time i would just stick with the sandwich. Their pricing needs some help. All the meat sandwiches are $13-$14 WITH fries included in the price, the veggie sandwiches are $14-$15 when you add fries (add $2 to the published price). I wouldn't expect hummus to be more expensive than beef or chicken. That left me with a very sour taste in my mouth and i thought about it the whole way home. Maybe they should price all the sandwiches either with or without fries to be consistent and avoid questions. I am grateful to have more choices and wish them the best of luck! read more

Tabaraka - Falafel plate (left), Hummus sandwich (right) - Lebanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I've had their Coastal style sandwich and it was absolutely delicious! Their Baklava was a perfect sweet treat to end a delicious meal.

One of my favorite places! Always fresh and delicious. Falafel sandwich is my favrorite! Huge portion.

I eat here every time I visit our office in Hilo (can just walk across the street!), and it never fails. The wait can be long but it is beyond worth it. Enjoy the authentic flavors and the ambiance of the cute little courtyard. There's nothing else like this in Hawaii, much less Hilo. Being partially Syrian/Lebanese myself, these is such a special place for me to visit. Hope to be back very soon! read more

Very flavorful food! The servings are not big but probably just right. Made fresh. Friendly service. Great covered outdoor seating.

This atmosphere of this luxurious food truck setup rivals that of many restaurants, and the food puts up a fair fight as well. A spacious seating area adjoins the truck with strings of lights, and the truck itself is cute and appealing. Fragrant aromas drift out of it, and a generous menu is on display. Prices are also comparable with restaurants, and we found ourselves with a tab higher than if we'd eaten in somewhere. We're giving Tabaraka four stars because of their fantastic flavors and an overall highly satisfactory culinary experience, pockmarked with several 'opportunities for improvement.' The 'generous menu' quickly became overwhelming, and was unnecessarily complicated by a girl at the window who tried to brush off her incompetence multiple times by claiming it was her first day. Empathic though we are, we have also worked in food service, and becoming familiar with a menu does not warrant more than a day's worth of training. We were pleased to find one seating arrangement made up of cushioned armchairs and a couch around a lower table, where we made ourselves comfortable. We observed the different furniture in the area and wondered about their cleaning and sanitizing routine, as much of the furniture was woven/wicker, which is so prone to trapping food. Additionally, the cushions of the larger seats appeared dirty/mildewy. Again, we sympathize with the challenges of both food safety and Hawaii humidity, but better choices could have been made here (some of the tables and chairs did have smoother surfaces, far preferable in the age of COVID). We did see the 'new girl' come sanitize and wipe down furniture once in the time we were there, which was reassuring. The food took exactly as long as the owner estimated (~20 minutes) and all came out at once. We had to request cutlery, and were otherwise pleased to see everything in compostable paper containers rather than plastic. The Deluxe Maza Plate packed a punch with falafel, chicken, and tenderloin amid various accoutrements, plus a side salad and pita bread. The pita bread was very nice, and the inclusion of a whole wheat option was a nice touch. The side salad, while generous, was lackluster with just lettuce, tomato, and cucumber with a light dressing. The homemade pickles on the main plate were such a highlight, they would have been welcome on the salad. There was also a hint of heat somewhere in this platter, perhaps some jalapeno - it was nice. The Kafta sandwich was delicious and smoky, and the Coast Style Shish-Tawook sandwich was delightfully creamy but light, and tangy with the included coleslaw. The french fries that came with both could have been crispier and saltier for our tastes, but were still gobbled up. We did get an additional Falafel sandwich as it was exceptional - not dry as they can be, and accompanied with fresh vegetables, pickles, and sauces, without being overwhelmed. Some of the items did not correspond to the pictures on the website, and were served differently than how we'd gotten them before. Such a comfortable space on a Hilo night could be improved only with the addition of a bathroom or hand wash station. Finally, it was very nice that the owner made a point to thank us as he passed by in the parking lot, also confirming that it's okay to bring our own alcohol. We will definitely be back here, and will be referring it to friends. Be flexible with your menu expectations, don't be in a rush, and clean freaks perhaps bring some wet wipes. Aside from a preliminary table wipe, you'll also need them for your fingers dripping with delectable sauces. read more

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Delicious! Got the vegan falafel, baklava and the deluxe maza. Will be back to visit this cuisine gem.

Excellent falafel, fries are great too. The bread for the sandwich is delicious, I've had many falafels and this is one of the best. Thank you. read more

Great food, but ultimately stars have to compensate for value. Prices are astronomical for a food truck. I see the owner is just starting up, which I feel for. Start-up costs are expensive; however, hiking up your prices seems like the opposite of what is taught in business school when attracting people to a new business. I would love to be a regular, and naturally, that would bring loyalty and ongoing income, but not many can be a regular at this price. The food truck business model relies on that setup since it's the casual passer-by ordering food. After all, you're not offering anything other than a plate of food in a disposable box (delicious that may be) versus a dine-in restaurant. To put things in perspective, a couple of times a year, I take my wife out for fine dining at a place like Hilo Bay Cafe. This oceanfront, fancy, in house experience often for special occasions. Your food truck charges close to the same prices for a fine dining restaurant, so it seems a bit out of touch with the surrounding market. Not to mention, East Hawaii isn't the wealthiest of areas and there is little tourist traffic even on a good year, so price very much matters around here. The reality is, and this is my experience from running a business in Hilo, copy cats will soon follow. It's good to build that loyal base now, versus just having the casual person who can purchase a plate every full moon, or once since I'm sure the price permanently deters many. I suspect there have been people who have walked up interested and walked away after seeing the menu prices, and that's just a lost sale. You have to find that happy fine line, and I think the business is way past that pricing point. There are just so many options in Hilo, at more reasonable prices. read more

Delicious! And the owners are the nicest, most genuine people who are passionate about their food. All around 10 stars! I liked the chicken kabob sandwich the best (on pita) and my friends liked the falafel sandwich. All of it was amazing. Yummy hummus and baba ghanoush. Highly recommend. read more

As food service employee and fan of food I hate writing bad reviews for food service establishments, I know the struggle is real but maaaan this place disappointed. I have to give it a 0. From the customer service to the food. Don't come here. You will be disappointed if you care anything about food. We were stopping at the library next door as we waited for our flight back to Oahu. I walk up to the lady and she does not greet me, does not smile, does not say anything. I ask, "can I order?" She said yes. I put in my order and he seems stressed with every new thing I mention. I ask "how long will it take approximately?" Just out of curiosity, to which she replies "people don't understand how long food takes to make. I have $200 worth of food before you. About 30 min." I understand and don't care, I just wanted an estimate. Food took 45 min. When I picked it up I asked for a bag, they didn't have any so they offered me a box. I took the food and left only to realize they didn't give me any utensils. I had to go back and get utensils. When I showed up I stood in front and was just ignored. The guy saw me, said nothing. I said "excuse me," then realized the utensils were right there on the counter. But they didn't mention anything. Do you have to be like Sherlock Holmes when you go to a food establishment, thinking about everything? No, they should tell you, or ask you, "do you need utensils? They're right there to the right, on the counter." I grabbed them and left shaking my head. 2 workers, they seemed overwhelmed. I asked them "how long have you been in business?" They said "2 years." We tried the food. Subpar. Small portions and bad flavor. No pita with the hummus. At least say I doesn't come with pita bread. Gamy tasting meat. No dressing with the salad. The rice was decent and the hummus was ok. Fries not good. This food truck could have so much potential. Unfortunately, right now, it is falling short. read more

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Easily the best Lebanese food on the Big Island. An innocent enough looking food truck that packs a massive flavor punch. With the most charming owners who also work the grill and front. This is a weekly addition to our diet. Sweet outdoor atmosphere and friendly faces are just the icing on the cake at this gem of a restaurant. Definitely don't miss out on eat here. read more

The Lebanese food that Hilo desperately needed. I loved loved loved this place! It was a little difficult to find because you can only see the sign when you're going mauka on Wainuenue. The food was fresh and very flavorful. For dinner we got the toum and french fry sandwich and the vegan mazza. It was a good amount of food for the price. The falafel was crispy and didn't sog when I finally got to eat it after the drive home. Who knew french fries would be good with slaw and toum in a sandwich? It was truly a winning combination. The vegan mazza came with a falafel sandwich topped with a really fresh parsley salad, a scoop of hummus, a scoop of baba ghanoush, and two additional pieces of falafel. The hummus was definitely better than any store bought hummus I've ever had. It was very flavorful and had an amazing texture. The baba ghanoush was delicious and smokey and went really great with bites of falafel. My partner and I haven't eaten food prepared outside of our house since February. Luckily we enjoy cooking and can make most of the things we would want to eat. We can't make this guy's Lebanese food at home though. It's special. This was definitely the best taste of the outside world. read more

This is the restaurant that I have been waiting for in downtown Hilo. Sure, you have to wait a bit, but that is a part of the relaxing character and authenticity. The food is incredible, and it is one of the best restaurants this side of Tripoli. Beware the portions are HUGE! Come hungry. read more

The best spot for authentic Lebanese food! Everything was very well cooked. The chicken was our favorite. Very flavorful and moist with the perfect char. The fries were delicious with the garlic sauce! Always! Get! The! Garlic! Fries! So worth it! read more

Tabaraka - Lebanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Food is good and very authentic but operations poorly managed. I ordered my food online from their website at 12:30 for 1:30. I got there at 1:30 and had to wait till 2 pm before receiving my food. Don't come here unless you're willing to wait patiently. read more

I'd drove past the sign a few times and was excited to see a new place in Hilo. Finally stopped by one rainy night and the whole family was blown away with how delicious everything was! We got the coast style sandwich and a shish kabob sandwich. The slaw on the coast sandwich was so flavorful, and the meat so tender and delicious. I can't stop thinking about how great that first bite was! I'd never had Mediterranean food from a restaurant/food truck before, so this was my first experience with these flavors. I will absolutely be back for more as soon as possible! The fries have a great flavor, but maybe the frying oil needs to be a tad higher- they are a little soggy. Still delicious and a great accompaniment to the sandwich though! My only tip would be, if you're planning on hitting up this spot around dinner time (5 pm or so), definitely call ahead to put your order in first. We waited a while and watched tons of people walk up to pick up their orders and go, so I'll have to do that myself next time. Still worth the wait though, and the seating area is actually really nice with comfy chairs and good distancing measures. Really sweet workers and cooks, making delicious food! I hope this place stays around, especially with my current preference for takeaway foods only. I can't wait to get the coast style sandwich again or try some of the more pricy plates. Worth the money for the freshness and quality of the ingredients! read more

We ordered the coastal style, but was given the shish kebab sandwich instead(we did take out so there was no letting them know) . The flavor is great but the meat and veggies were super skimpy for $14.felt like I was eating bread with a hint of meat. We tried Dan o Donor the following day and there was a drastic difference ,though it is further away from Hilo) . 4 stars for the service and flavor but not the value. read more

Tabaraka - Shish Kebab Sandwich - Lebanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Tabaraka is awesome! The food is always super fresh. This is one of my favorite restaurants in Hilo. I'm a long time loyal customer from when he was selling the farmers markets. I pretty much always get the falafel sandwich with a side of fries. The sauces that he uses are out of this world, the spices and seasoning is perfect. Since he opened his food truck, he expanded his menu to include a lot more options. The seating area is beautifully decorated with all sorts of live plants. The tables are well spaced and because it's outside it's perfect for these Covid times that we're in. read more

Food truck. No potty. Great covered patio for your lunch. OUTSTANDING food. Yum yum yum. Got the largest platter so we could taste everything. I highly recommend getting the fries with the toum garlic sauce. The babbaganoush is smoky and delicious. You can't go wrong with either the chicken or beef and the falafel was delightful. We dived on the food so quickly there was no time to take a beautiful photo for you. read more

It's just too expensive. We got the "Deluxe Maza Plate" (see pics), which, for $26, we thought would be enough for two people. Maybe two people on a diet, that might work. Too expensive for one person, too little food for two. Price At $27 ($26 + tax), plus $3 tip, that was $30. I can go to Lucy's (ALWAYS awesome), have a big tasty dinner and a few beers for that. If they cut the prices by 40%, I'd give it five stars. That was a reasonable $15 plate of food. Portions I'd guess there were about 3 oz of chicken, 3oz of lamb, some falafel with a salad-y type thing on it. With the hummus, baba ganoush, pita, it was fine for one person. I think one pita didn't quite do it, but two might be a bit much. Maybe two smaller pitas? I think the portion size for a lunch or dinner, ignoring price, was fine. Quality & Taste The chicken was not dry, it was tasty. The meat was well cooked. The falafel was good. The pickled stuff was a bit strong, but maybe that's a thing in Lebanon. I thought the hummus was good, creamier than I'm used to. It was NOT Costco hummus. The baba ganoush was good, though maybe a little too chunky (there was a 2"x1"x1/2" chunk of eggplant in there). The pita was good. Summary I thought the quality was good, the quantity was good for a meal. I think the price was too out there for something from a food truck, despite how glamorous those have become. read more

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The coast pita was great, though it could be a little bigger. Fries had excellent seasoning. Salad was large and flavorful. Definitely check this place out read more

Pretty impressive variety, and enough so that I came back a few times even though I was staying on the Kona side for a couple of weeks yet found some way to get over to adventures on the east side just to get a sandwich! read more