We were visiting some friends in Brooklyn, and they invited us to try a local Lebanese restaurant that had been open since the 1970s. Hell yes! The restaurant is very slightly hard to find from the street and is in the basement, just look for the staircase on the right side of the upper-level restaurant. Downstairs, you'll be treated to a beautiful, romantically lit world of culinary awesomeness. The staff was extremely attentive and kind, taking photos for us and bringing extra olives to the olive-loving 1.5-year-old in our group. They don't sell alcohol, but one of our friends ran to a nearby liquor store for a bottle of wine and our servers happily uncorked and poured it for us. We ordered a variety to share: the mezze platter, shish barak (meat pie dumplings with yogurt sauce), tabouli salad, bamia (okra with lamb chunks in a tomato/pomegranate stew) and wara'anib (stuffed grape leaves). OMG, everything was bursting with so much fresh flavor and made with love. I had never seen or tasted dishes like that on other menus before. We cleaned every plate. The dumplings were by far my fave! Fun tip - We were seated under the large, lighted ceiling dome. Try standing under it to talk to your friends... it can throw the sound to make it look like someone close to you is talking from far away and vice versa. Trippy and entertaining! read more

Tripoli Restaurant - Lebanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Really, the best customer service we could ever ask for! I'm tempted to go back just for that! I only got a chance to try the Lebanese mezze sampler, which really is a good deal as you get to sample 20 small plates. However, there were some items that excelled (the kafta and chicken are both amazing) but most of the items were just "meh." In my opinion. It's a good spot to get over some nostalgic Lebanese items that are especially hard to get nowadays considering most Middle Eastern restaurants in New York City aren't even Lebanese. This one stays true to the core, and uses some ingredients the owner himself procured in Lebanon - so that itself is a big plus and I would buy market items from this owner for sure. That being said, I do plan on coming back also to try some stand-alone entree items, especially the shish barak - the traditional kibbeh in yogurt soup, and maybe even the kibbeh nayeh, the Lebanese version of the beef tartare - both of which are extremely hard to find in other restaurants. The atmosphere feels old-school, as this place has been around for 53 years now - and you can feel its age - which is both charming and almost a culture-shock compared to going into a typical restaurant in the city. It's a nice trip back in time - good for those that needs it! read more

This spot was BOMBB AND SO AUTHENTIC. the sounds of fairuz on the backdrop made it all the more enjoyable. They had such a vibe going for them inside and you can tell they were real Arabs ! The food was a major hit! Came here to celebrate my mom's birthday and she enjoyed the meal immensely. Which means it passed her Arab vibe check. I'll def be back. Thanks Instagram for showing me the place !! The service was good and they even gave us dates when they heard we were fasting. Service was a1 ! They also surprised us with some halaweh at the end which came from Lebanon! What a great surprise ! read more

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Tripoli was a favorite on Atlantic Avenue as a stand alone, full dining restaurant years ago. Then, recently, it disappeared to the lower level and Swallow Cafe took over. Nowadays, Tripoli is just takeout or delivery. I ordered delivery twice not long ago and ordered the same meal on both occasions. The dish, Shish Taouk is a grilled boneless chicken marinated in a special Lebanese garlic sauce, served with rice and salad. Although the flavors were good, the chicken was quite overcooked to the point I felt I was choking. The rice and salad that accompanied it was average. Pita, store bought, was included. Meh. read more

Little gem downstairs. Great food, have been going for years! Love that it's family run. Great service from Dad & 2 sons so friendly & kind. Everything on menu is delicious. read more

Very good middle eastern type of food. The bad thing is that they don't have the restaurant open for sitting inside on weekdays. These days they do only to go service. They only attend people inside the restaurant on Fridays and weekends which is very frustrating when you make the effort to go there. read more

Absolutely delicious, so tasty, you can tell they use high quality ingredients, best food in the neighborhood

If you are looking for some authentic, homemade Lebanese or middle eastern food- look no further and go to Tripoli. The food is the best middle eastern food I've had in nyc. The service was very friendly and the server gave great recommendations for what entrees we might like best. My husband and I ordered the three mezze sampler (this is how hummus should taste, and with tahini!), mujaddara and lamb kebabs. But don't miss out on the flakey, syrupy baklava! The place is BYOB so also brought a bottle of wine. Quality serving sizes, fair price, top notch food. read more

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Tastes like home! Some of the best authentic Lebanese food I've had in nyc. We went on a Saturday evening and had no trouble getting a table. The spinach pie, hummus, and fattoush salad were delicious. read more

This restaurant brings such an homey feel to your experience at their restaurant. This is a family owned restaurant that has all the family members working and giving such excellent customer service. Every dish is so well balanced and you can tell comes from love and many generations of authenticity. We spoke with the family and they have had this restaurant opened since the 1970s from when their grandparents from when they first started. All the food was so comforting and not overdone American style. The amount of food you get is so fulfilling and very affordable. We'll definitely be going back with family and friends. read more

My family has been eating here for 20-30 plus years. The malfoof is incredible and overall this restaurant has been a neighborhood mainstay for many many years. read more

I'm going to round up from 3.5 stars. Food was great. Service was fine. The restaurant is downstairs. It is nice but definitely feels like your sitting in a basement. The table next to us had kids running around the place screaming so it was kind of hard to really enjoy our meal. Restrooms are upstairs. read more

Tripoli Restaurant - Appetizer sampler platter - Lebanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The food here was delicious. The atmosphere was wonderful. The service was good. I ordered the Malfouf (cabbage stuffed with lamb) and it was so tasty. My friend had the Shish Kabob & Kofta Mishwiye Combination - the kofta was even better than my dish!! My friend grew up eating middle eastern food and she said the kofta was probably one of the best she's ever had, and definitely the best she's had in NYC. I've been walking by this restaurant for years and have always wanted to try it. Glad to say that the inside is as well decorated as it looks from the outside. It can be intimate atmosphere and it can be great for family and friends. We came on a Friday night and it wasn't too busy. I've walked by here on a weekend night though and it was packed. It's hard to say when is a good time, but I highly recommend it! read more

Tripoli Restaurant - Lebanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Best lebanese food in the area! The fatoush salad is my favorite! The grilled chicken is perfect. I have been coming here for years with family. Would love to go back again! read more

This place is so underrated. We had lots of food including the mezze, mixed grill, dumplings, eggplants. Service was great. Food came out really hot and fresh. Would recommend 10/10. read more

I really really love family owned businesses and when the restaurant is high quality it's even better. Not only was the family incredibly warm and welcoming but the atmosphere of the whole place was inviting. It reminds me of restaurants back in Lebanon. The food too is great! It's all made fresh and the flavors are incredibly authentic! The food reminded me so much of dishes my grandma used to make! Truly a wonderful dining experience! read more

I am middle eastern, and I grew up eating authentic middle eastern food. When I read this restaurant's reviews, I got excited and decided to take my boyfriend there and give it a shot. As soon as I took the first bite, I was extremely disappointed. We ordered the lentil soup -- which was too salty. Then we ordered the "malfouf" which is supposed to be cabbage rolls elegantly stuffed with rice and ground beef. We ended up getting chunky dumplings-like portions of old cabbage that was obviously made days ago, refrigerated, and then microwaved in a low-power microwave. Just awful. We also ordered the fatoush salad. This is a signature Lebanese dish and Tripoli is supposed to be an "authentic" Lebanese restaurant. Well, what we ended up having was anything but fatoush. Stale lettuce, soggy pita bread, and if that wasn't horrendous enough, they added balsamic dressing to it (when in reality fatoush is prepared with lemon, oil, salt/pepper, oregano, and sumac). Moving on, we also ordered the "bamiya" which is an okra stew cooked with lamb in tomato sauce. There was way too much sauce and literally only two tiny pieces of non-tender lamb. Last but not least, we ordered the mixed grill -- it is priced at $18 and comes with rice and fries. The waiter told us the plate was enough for two. We ended up with two small pieces of oily, undercooked chicken shish, half a skewer of kafta, and two small pieces of overlooked beef shish. Horrible! We ended up paying over $65 for a "pseudo" meal that is falsely advertised as middle eastern. Caucasian folks may be less versed in such matters, and consequently made to believe that Tripoli served "authentic" middle eastern food, hence the "good" reviews. But just like you can't sell ice to eskimos, you can't make a middle eastern believe that Tripoli is a legitimate middle eastern restaurant. read more

This is my second time at Tripoli and I'm very pleased. The food is absolutely delicious and the service is excellent. The staff are friendly and very polite. I will definitely come back. read more

Tripoli Restaurant - Mix Grill with rice - Lebanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

We got delivery. The pita came in the bag from the store. Like, the "homemade pitas" came in a bag that was directly store-bought. The food was OK. I ordered a pelligrino (I think it was six bucks) which did not come with the meal and when I called to request my beverage the delivery guy came back with what was no-doubt a pelligrino from the store, warm as toast. Made a man want to go back to drinking. But then, after a minute of quiet reflection, I realized the next AA meeting would be terribly weird if I tried to blame a delivery meal for my back to boozing ways. Again the place looks awesome on a corner of Atlantic, but the delivery was below "meh", BEH. read more

A good Lebanese restaurant offering up traditional Middle Eastern dishes. The Tripoli Meza was a good value order and is a great starter (well, the only proper starter for the real experience). Bread was lacking, but the falafel was pretty good. The shish taouk was tasty, but lacked the garlicky-lemony flavor I'm accustomed to. The fattoush was unique in that it contained "pomegranate nectar" (pomegranate molasses?). Call me a traditionalist, but while interesting, I actually thought that this quirk subtracted from the enjoyment of the dish. The service was very attentive and nice. The actual restaurant (which is now located in the basement, which apparently used to be a function room for special events) looks nice, but it's sad that it was so empty. Brooklyners, instead of just gentrifying Cobble Hill, pass up on Trader Joe and KeyFood's subpar and whitewashed "Mediterranean" spreads and frozen foods and try the more authentic "Lebanese" meza at Tripoli for lunch. Restaurants like this shouldn't be relegated to basements. Your support equates to a better authentic neighborhood product rather than an interpretation of it. While I find nothing extraordinary about this average to above-average restaurant (I'm a harsh critic since I was raised in a vibrant Lebanese and Syrian community, have lived in Beirut, and have been exposed to the cooking all my life), I'd consider coming back for lunch to introduce friends to this cuisine. read more

Tripoli has wooden chairs that are vertically long and beautifully wrought with designs on top. Combined with the very silent atmosphere, I almost felt like I was in some Lebanese temple. Sitting by the windows, though, lends a very nice atmosphere for a quiet dinner. My friend and I split an appetizer: a plate with hummus, an eggplant spread called bubba ganush (which name I only thought was a joke on Wedding Crashers--guess not!), pink beets, falafel, cheese, lettuce, tomato and olives. We made a few tasty sandwiches combining the appetizers onto flatbread. Although it was delicious, it seemed a little too salty for my taste, and I wished there was at least more tomato to offset the sting. Prices were okay, and the staff was quiet and serious. Overall an interesting experience. Judging from the quietness of the place, though, I almost feel like I'm saying too much. . read more

For those of you Brooklynites who don't know, Tripoli is probably the best Lebanese restaurant in New York City. Yes, its a blanket statement, and yes, it's probably the only Lebanese restaurant I've ever been to. I recommend it to all. Please be warned: You will experience The Worst Service you've ever had. I truly believe the waiters take turn sharing one brain. They spend more of their time gathered around one of their cellphones like cavemen who have just discovered the wheel. If you have a lot of time to kill, head on over to Tripoli for a meal that is well worth the atrocious service. If you do go I recommend ordering the Fassoulia, which is a hearty stew of dried white beans cooked in a tomato sauce with garlic, onion, and lamb chunks served with rice. Also order my favorite dish, Sumki Hara, sautéed fish fillets cooked in a spicy sauce made with chopped almonds and walnuts, served with rice. read more

It's been about two weeks since I've been and I haven't stopped thinking about the food. I had the shish taouk (garlic flavored chicken breasts, served on a light and fluffy bed of rice) while my fiance had the stuffed kibbe (seasoned lamb and bulgur formed into hollow balls, filled with more seasoned lamb, then fried). I wish I could have eaten all of my entree, and then all of his. Everything was cooked and seasoned perfectly. And the labneh to start the meal was superb. I honestly can't fathom the poor reviews. I'm Lebanese so I know what I'm looking for in Middle Eastern food, and this joint hits the spot. Note: BYOB. We bought a bottle of arak from a nearby store. It was an excellent decision on my part, if I do say so myself. read more

Update, having been here many, many times since my initial review. Actually, um, pretty much every Friday night for the last two months. Let me put it this way: It's Friday night, and you're exhausted after a long week at work. You and your boyfriend drop your bags at home, schlep to the wine store and get a nice bottle of red, before crossing the street to Tripoli. You walk in, get a table with no trouble, and relax while the server opens the bottle and pours you a drink. Hell yes. You sip on wine while he brings out plate after plate of fresh, delicious, filling Lebanese food...heaven...and all for less than $50. This is the perfect spot for an inexpensive, relaxed dinner date. Delicious food, low-key but attentive service, and there's always a table waiting. I highly, highly recommend you give it a try this Friday. Just don't take my table (adjacent to the window, far right corner). read more

I liked this restaurant for the food - the ambiance was weak. We were one of two or three tables being served... and it kinda spoils the whole "let's go out" feeling when you can hear your own fork clanking against the plate, and it echoes in the room! The food was tasty and I would recommend the lamb kibbeh. If you want to drink, remember to bring your own read more

I am from the Middle East and this place probably has some of the worst ME food I have had in NYC. What a shame.. the flafel was almost burnt.. the ix grill consisted of meat the size of my tiny fingers... will not come back here.. read more

I am not quite sure why so many reviewers below were unhappy with their experience at Tripoli. I live in the neighborhood and pass by rather frequently, but last night I stopped in for the first time, and I couldn't have been more pleased. First, this is one of the only BYOB restaurants in the city, and they did not charge me an uncorking fee. It's nice to have wine with dinner without having to pay the ridiculous markup charged by other restaurants. Ambiance: The restaurant is really well decorated. There is a giant wooden ship that lines one wall and literally extends the entire length of the restaurant. It's really quite impressive. The music is typical of middle eastern restaurants, and made for a nice background. Service: The service was friendly and quick. While it wasn't over the top impressive, it was more than sufficient for a nice evening out. The waiter was there when we needed him and not there when we didn't. Our appetizers came out within 10-15 minutes and the entres followed almost immediately after we finished our apps. Food: The food was delicious and tasted very fresh. The portions were perfect, and the fish entre we ordered was perfect. Presentation clearly isn't a priority for the chef at Tripoli, but who cares when the food is so tasty. Overall, I had a great experience and will certainly be returning. Don't expect to have a fancy midtown Manhattan dining experience, but Tripoli is a very nice, low key option for a simple night out. read more

I first came to Tripoli almost 30 years ago, last night was our first time back in many years. Why did I wait so long! Simply the best Lebanese food you can find outside of Lebanon, ans one of our party is Lebanese. We sold them out of Kibee Nayah, it was just amazing. The felafal were the best I've ever eaten. The bill for five people was absurdly cheap. We will be back sooner than later! read more

Tripoli Restaurant - Kinee nayah - Lebanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I am always a fan for Mediterranean cuisine. Large portion of veggie and little bit of meat on the side. I think the ideal way to order here is getting that veggie platter and just 1 entree for 2 people. The appetizer comes pretty quick therefore the veggie platter will keep you filled and happy. It's a large platter and plenty of food. This place is in the basement and after reading other reviews, They ARE BYOB?? Price wise is around $10 to $15 a plate. A bit pricey but hey, you should think about those wrong decision you made paying for that $15 martini or overpriced bar drink. At least you get a healthy dinner. read more

I absolutely love this place. No, it's not elegant and no it doesn't have a ton of diners... but this place is totally authentic. I grew up in a Lebanese family with big dinners and decor like Tripoli's. I'm always looking for homemade, delicious Lebanese food prepared the way my grandmother makes it. And this place stacks up. This is true Lebanese food (with just the right amount of parsley in the Tabouli). Ignore the snobs on here that want ambiance or whatever. If you want good food, Arabic music and a new favorite place to eat -- go here. I ate there for my birthday and the waiter went out of his way to put a dessert plate together for me, complete with a lit candle and all. This family-run place has now shot to the top of my list. read more

My first card out of the Diner's Deck ($10 off $30 at a ton of restaurants) was for Tripoli in Brooklyn Heights/Downtown Brooklyn. A friend was in the neighborhood so I took my girlfriend and we headed over there. Do note it is NOT near Atlantic Ave station (my friend was confused). There isn't much around and this restaurant is in the basement below a coffeehouse. When we walked in, it was dead. Literally a 2-top and 4 people on a 6-top round. That's it. The guy who was the host/server/busser/kitchen help/cashier met us and brought us to a table. He was very quiet and showed no excitement to be there on a Wednesday night. After scouring the menu, we found the "Lebanese Traditional Meza $42.95" which is described as: "An array of twenty different mouth watering dishes appetizingly served in the best specialty restaurants of Lebanon. Recommended for parties of 2." When we got the waiter back, we asked what was in it and he gave us a run down, primarily small plates of dips and salads with a ton of vegetarian options (which we were all fine with). Since we didn't like olives, he said he could switch it out, but we didn't learn what we got instead. It was very quiet and a bit of an odd environment. It is a huge restaurant, very nice decor, but with no one there, we had the place to ourselves pretty much. My two co-diners got the special tea, which was like $3.5 or so with no refills. It was tasty, but a small 8-oz tea was overpriced. Eventually there was food...a lot of it too. We had about 20 different dishes to share: Hummus, babaganouj, cheese, lebni, falafel, vegetarian and lamb kibbeh, lamb kebab, chicken kebab, pita, and so much more. It was a great feast, even with enough for 3 people (more affordable too!). If you've been to a Greek/Middle Eastern/Mediterranean restaurant with mezze appetizers, this is pretty much on par with those. All pretty good, some just needed more seasoning or spice. I would be open to going back and trying an entree or two, but I would want better service. It felt awkward asking for water or trying to have him explain to us what the dishes were (we couldn't decipher it all on our own!). The guy just didn't seem to want to be there so it wasn't the best experience, but would go back for the food. read more

A few weeks ago I was too overwhelmed from a crazy week to decide on dinner plans, so thankfully my boyfriend stepped in and suggested Tripoli, a place we've passed by many times, but have never tried. As we sat down, of course we noticed how empty the place was, but also noticed how cool the interior was! There's a raised section that looks like part of a ship, and all the wood makes it feel authentic and rich. Yes our waiter was less than welcoming, but he did show up with free hummus and hot pitas, so...yeah. Had I known this place was BYOB I would have been prepared, but we were happy enough with the food even without getting our buzz on. I got the Shish Taouk, the grilled chicken in garlic sauce, that comes with salad and super fluffy rice, and the boyfriend got an eggplant puree with ground lamb on top and rice on the side. Both were great, and the extra garlic sauce they gave me for my chicken went really well in my boyfriend's dish as well! I would totally return, this time with a bottle (or two) in hand. read more

Ordered takeout using the Eat24 app. Wish more restaurants would participate in the program as it makes ordering very easy once establishing an account. Anyway, on to the review. This was my first time ordering from Tripoli. Food arrived hot at my door in under 30 minutes which was great. Had the meza plate and grilled chicken plate. Both were very good and it was enough for two of us to share. Also had leftovers for lunch the next day so that makes it kind of a bargain to me. Chicken was tender and rice was so good. Had tons of flavor. Enjoyed the hummus and babaganoush. Falafel were really good and nutty with sesame. Will definitely order takeout again or visit in person. read more

This is my 4 time in 2 months going to tripoli , it is not so fancy inside but the food is great , the service is nice. Try the chicken with rice plate , with hummus , and tabouli. At the end don't forget to try the home made crunches pastries. I recommend this place read more

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Authentic, like your Lebanese grandmother used to make--according to my bf, who swears it tastes the same--in a nice environment, with lots of seating! Homey space with hand-painted murals (tasteful), high ceilings, and beautiful carved wooden chairs. We had a fantastic service experience! Came on a Sat. around 2pm for a late lunch. Our server checked on our 5-person party every few minutes. And the food was really good! We ordered... Minazli (eggplant, ground lamb, tomato sauce, pine nuts with rice) -- LOVED, delicious, moist, flavorful Ma'ani (lamb sausages, pine nuts, salad, "fried potatoes" = fries) -- LOVED -- salad was unexciting, but the sausages were YUM and fries were good. Kibbee Nayeh (Raw Kibbee) -- rave reviews from bf's Mom, who said it was authentic Hummus & pitas -- the bread was fresh and soft, hummus some of the best ever, couldn't stop eating it!!! Stuffed grape leaves (veg.) -- moist, light and savory, could eat these all day M'judra B'riz (Lentil dish) -- good, slightly less complex than others but still good All of the entrees had complex spiced flavors, especially the eggplant/lamb dish & lamb sausages. p.s. The mango juice is like a burst of ripe mango with a hint of rose water, amazing! The baklava is some of the best I've had--not too sweet, but flavorful and very moist. Highly recommend!! Definitely want to come back here for a date night (or with friends) and BYOB. (Note: There is a small fee to BYOB but reasonable.) read more

Awesome good, did the 42$ appetizer sampler with seasoned fries and complementary baklawa!! So good and service was amazing. read more

Tripoli Restaurant - Lebanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

As the two-star rating suggests, "Meh, I've experienced better." The food was alright and the service was inattentive. It probably doesn't help that as a Lebanese gal, I have a pretty high bar when it comes to Lebanese food. read more

Quite the disappointment. Ordered dinner from this restaurant over the weekend and picked up the food in person. The pita came in the plastic bag that it's sold in the super market in. No pretense about making it there I guess. The chicken was chewy and rubbery. The salads were mostly lettuce with a few slices of tomatoes thrown in here and there. The combination platter of appetizers had a total of 2 falafel balls (which were not very good anyway). The okra cooked in tomato sauce was mostly sauce and mostly flavorless. Overall, all six of us sharing the meal agreed that it was no good and it is highly unlikely I will be ordering from Tripoli again. read more

Not a fan of the place: service was ok, but food was very blend and fresh? Definitely not close to the Lebanese food I had at other places. The setting of the place is awkward, very old-fashioned in a dusty way, and drinks limited. In a nutshell, very unexciting. Hope they would try a relooking of the place and the menu to shake things up. read more

Absolutely loved the food here! We ordered the mixed grill plate and the appetizer mezze, and everything was delicious. This place is also BYOB and doesn't charge a corkage fee--which is unheard of. As others have mentioned, it's kind of hard to find. The location is below a coffee shop, so it's hard to spot if your just passing through the neighborhood. read more