Beirut Restaurant Tips by miso80

Restaurant Name: Al-Sakhra

Al-Sakhra or 'The Rock' is a lebanese restaurant that will tantilize your senses. Taste the delicious Lebanese Cuisine, while you watch the sun go down on the Pigeon Rock, and melt into the sea !

Favorite Dish: Everything :-) From the delicious Mezza to the wide selection of fish! Go to this place you won't regret it ;-)

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Theme: Middle Eastern
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: 961-1-812892
Address: Raouché
Directions: Overlooking the pigeon rock, next to KFC Raouché and Palm Spring Village

Restaurant Name: Al-Balad Restaurant

This is one of my favorite casual lebanese restaurants in Beirut. This particular place attracts crowds of all ages, and is known for its tasty food, friendly ambiance and not-so-expensive lebanese food!

I have rarely passed by this place, at any time or any season and seen it not busy! Actually, a lot of times, they ask you to wait around for them to find you a table to seat you...but its definitely worth it :) The restaurant is designed like an old lebanese house..they have wooden panels in the walls, old photographs on the walls, rustique ceramic tiles on the ground..even the bathrooms are nice to check out!!

All in all, this place has it all! Delicious inexpensive lebanese food, friendly waiters and good shisha :)

Favorite Dish: Favorite dish? Ooohh! That's a hard question..but make sure you don't miss out on:

1- Fattoush: the traditional lebanese salad with summak.
2- Fatteh: there are two types of fatteh served: one has chickpeas and yoghurt in it..and the other has eggplant and yoghurt and pine seeds.(It tastes SO much better than it sounds)
3- Batata Harrah: which is fried cubes of potato with garlic, coriander, salt and some hot pepper (YUMMY!)
4- Motabbal batenjan: This is minced eggplant with Tahina and lemon juice and garlic and salt. For those that like hummus..this is something that is similar but with eggplants instead of chick peas.

And soooo much more ;-)
DONT forget the shisha!!!!

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Theme: Middle Eastern
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: +961-1-985375
Address: Downtown Beirut
Directions: Next to Salmontini Restaurant, Sports Town and the Italian Embassy.

Restaurant Name: Al-Andalus Café

I have been to this place SOOO much with my friends, that one day we realized that we spent more time hangin' around that place, then we did at home...and so, we called it 'The Living Room' ;-) After work, we'd head out for an late lunch or an early dinner, then a great shisha!

The place is casual and friendly..and on the menu you can find everything from the Lebanese mezza and barbecue: meat, chich taouk, ... to the italian pasta, a great club sandwhich or Phily steak sub...The food is good, the waiters and managers are extremely friendly (well, to us now they're kinda like family :-P)..and the prices are very reasonable.

And DON'T Forget the shishaaaaa ;-)

Favorite Dish: Hmmmm...let me think...

They have excellent salads: Cobb Salad, their Tabbouleh and Fattoush are also great...

Lebanese:
- warak Inab - the rice filled grape-vine leaves! Yummy!
- Mtabbal batinjan - The minced aubergine with tahina is also excellent.
- The barbecue dishes are very tasty as well.

Other: (generous quantities)
- Club sandwich is very tasty (ask RouFs on VT :-P )
- HUGE burger...it kinda has a different taste than those at the fast food places...more spices in the meat i think.

I'm SURE you will find something to your liking...

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Theme: Coffeehouse
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Directions: Palm Springs Village
Across the street from the pavement over-looking the Pigeon Rock(Raouché)
Raouché - Beirut

Restaurant Name: Rawdah Cafe

A shisha here is good, with something to drink...but the view will take your breath away!
Come here for an afternoon of meditation, listening to the waves beat against each other, or watch the sun go down...It's just a beautiful place to set your mind free...


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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Raouche
Directions: Next to Beirut Luna Park
Sporting Club
Long Beach

Restaurant Name: Roadster's

This is your classical American-style diner...It has a very comfy and friendly ambiance, and the food is tasty! You can enjoy anything from yummy appetizers, good salads, to burgers and steaks and fries with milk shakes or have a tuna melt sandwich, or you can even select from 1 of four types of pasta dishes... you can even go there and indulge on a good breakfast or delicious..and i mean DELICIOUS desserts..yummmmmmmmmmmy!

Favorite Dish: My favorite dishes...hmmmm...

Appetizers - Loaded nachos (i've had better, but these are fine), mozzarella sticks

Salads - Yummy crab salad with oranges and balsamic vinegar!! (I just love the combination, and yes! I never would've thought of it myself)

Main Dish - hmmm...its really depends on what i feel like..but the tuna melt is really good, the club sandwich..

Desserts - the yummy, heart-melting Mud Slide!!! Its icecream with pieces of brownie chunks inside of it, covered with caramel and chocolate sauce...yes, it is toooo good!

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Theme: Diner
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 01-325777,01-502506,01-996622
Address: Various Locations
Directions: Hamra, Downtown, Achrafieh, Jal El-Dib, Kaslik
Other Contact: 09-933955, 04-722721

Restaurant Name: Leon De Bruxelles 1893

Leon De Bruxelles opened up recently in Beirut. For all those mussels lovers, this is the restaurant to visit. This Belgian restaurant offers mussels in all its forms: out of casserole, with gratin, with pastes or even cooked in po?lon.

This is a cosy restaurant...but only for mussels lovers..

Favorite Dish: mussels...need i say more?

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Theme: Seafood
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: 961 1 206206 961 1 207207
Address: Monot Area - Beirut
Directions: Damascus Road, Achrafieh, Beirut
Website: www.leonbeirut.com/

Restaurant Name: Socrates

Located right next to AUB, this restaurant is an old well-known casual restaurant that serves a variety of traditional dishes and desserts, and has daily dishes that taste like they've just come out of 'mama's' kitchen ;-)

The atmosphere is really casual, and you can choose to select your food and 'take-away', or sit down and enjoy your lunch there, while watching the bustling Bliss Street.

Favorite Dish: So many delicious dishes, and I have listed a lot of items with their corresponding prices below...one thing I highly recommend, and I have found no place in Beirut offers a tastier version of this cake, is the Cortina (Chocolate cake with eclair-like balls covering it on top). So, if you have a birthday to go to ... this cake is GREAT!

Note that 1 USD = 1500 LBP

Pasties (by the dozen):
Fatayers 5000 LBP
Mini Pizza 5000 LBP
Cheese Rissole 8000 LBP
Lahm Bi Aajin 8000 LBP
Kebbeh Balls 8000 LBP

Salads:
Tabbouleh 3000 LBP
Garden Salad 3000 LBP
Exotic Salad 5000 LBP
Niçoice Salad 5000 LBP
Greek Salad 5000 LBP

Plat du Jour (Daily Dish)
Chicken Gratins 6000 LBP
Spinach Crepes 6000 LBP
Kafta & Mashed Potatoes 8000 LBP
Moghrabieh 8000 LBP
Mexican Chicken 8000 LBP
Chich Taouk 8000 LBP
Kebbeh Labnieh 8000 LBP
Sweet & Sour (Chinese) 8000 LBP
Kebbeh Sanieh 8000 LBP
Stuffed Lamb 8000 LBP
Mouloukhieh 8000 LBP
Roast Beef & Vegetables 8000 LBP
Strogonoff 8000 LBP
Show Ming (Chinese) 8000 LBP
Turkey 8000 LBP
Chawarma 8000 LBP
Stuffed Chicken 8000 LBP
Stuffed Vines 10000 LBP
Kebbeh Arnabieh 10000 LBP
Sayadieh 12000 LBP
Shrimps & Curry 12000 LBP

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 01-363011 / 01-364150 / 01-36415
Address: Bliss Street
Directions: If you plan to visit the American University of Beirut, Bliss St. would be the main street right in front of it . It is located at the end of this street, next to the peripheral gate of AUB, right next to Hardees.

Restaurant Name: Wardat el-Walimah

Wardat Al-walimah ('Flower of the Feast'..sounds corny in english!): This is in the Hamra area, it is right next to a hotel called the 'Marble Hotel'...this isn't as easy to find as the other places...but if you are on the main hamra street, and you ask around for the restaurant and/or the hotel, I think you may find it ;)

Favorite Dish: They serve plenty of local dishes. They usually, have 2-3 choices that they offer each day at each meal. This place is another place where you will taste the local cuisine as it is cooked at home..The whole mood of the restaurant feels like you're sitting at a friend's house, or your own!

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Hamra
Directions: Next to the Marble Hotel, off of the main Hamra Street.

Restaurant Name: La Tabkha

The owner of this little restaurant on Gemaizeh Street is the same owner of Centrale (check other Restaurant Tips). This place serves home-cooked lebanese dishes. Each day there are 2-3 dishes that you can select from for lunch.

For those who are interested in a home meal, this place will be a good idea. You can also order to your work, hotel, etc.. The packaging is very neat and has a pretty presentation. However, it opens up only at lunch-time.


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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Gemaizeh
Directions: Restaurant opposite Food Yard on Gouraud Street

Restaurant Name: Gruen Eatery

This restaurant gets its name from the architect Victor Gruen of the center in which its located. Although the owner of this restaurant initially started off by opening this place in order to sell her ice-cream and pastries, she realised that she'd rather be spending her time in a fancy restaurant, rather that sitting in a little pastry or ice cream shop...and so, this urban and modern eatery came to be.

It offers delicious salads, and good burgers, in addition to its tasty pastries and ice-cream..this place is worth a try :)

Favorite Dish: I had a very good carrot soup with the chinese salad! All were exquisite...

I didn't go for a dessert, but my friends and colleagues said everything was just superb...and from the look of it, I dont doubt a word they say!

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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 01-737344; 01-755322
Address: Gefinor Center
Directions: Close to Clemenceau St. in Hamra. Just ask about the Gefinor Center and you can't miss it ;)