Assanabel — Restaurant in Paris

An utter disappointment on every level. We reserved at Assanabel for our Christmas Eve dinner with high hopes, but we were utterly disappointed. We arrived a few minutes before our 7PM reservation and there were a dozen people already waiting outside, We were allowed into the restaurant and sent to the smaller dining area where the waiter directed us vaguely to a table from a distance. We sat and waited for someone to take our order but nobody came over for the next full 30 minutes. When I saw the waiter starting to take orders at other tables, I asked him whether he would be taking ours. "Maybe," he snickered (I speak fluent French). At that point, my wife and I thought we should leave and stood up. The manager came over and begged us to stay, assuring us that we would have an outstanding meal. He took our order a few minutes later. We ordered a mezze appetizer and specified that we wanted our main courses after we finished the mezze appetizer. The manager acknowledged our request but our grilled meat main courses arrived within five minutes after the appetizers. The food was as much of a disappointment as the service. The hot mezze were tepid at best with the exception of two small turnovers that were hot and tasty. The chicken wings and the kefta were barely lukewarm. The lamb kabob main course was made with good quality lamb and properly hot. The grilled deboned chicken was over-salted and dried out. By the time we left, every table was taken and diners were packed like sardines. When the diner at the next table removed his hooded coat and put it on the back of his chair, his hood rested on our table. When we left, it was difficult to even reach the front door. We love Lebanese cuisine but Assanabel failed miserably on every...

Edit 05.06.2025:

I still love this place! Pozdrowienia z Polski! We ordered soup and mezze for one person. Very nice and warm evening, when it was raining outside. Service 10/10. See you!

The biggest positive food surprise in Paris 2024. I saw great ratings of this place earlier, but it was sooo nice waiter who 'did' our dinner and this place! He even knows polish, my first language veeery well and that made our visit so special. I am sure i will come back here. And now… food! The best hummus I ate ('assanabel' one with lemon twist i think) and nice salad with cheese, herbs and tomato, which looked like tatar. We also ate pita with halloumi. In menu you have warm and cold smaller dishes to share around 8-11 for one (you can choose personal fav from the list or choose set of several recommended), also there is something like dish of a day (i think for around 16 euro when you eat only this, but you can combinate with drink, dessert and then around 20-24 euro. I will recommend this place. Pozdrowienia z Polski dla...

Our evening at this Lebanese gem was nothing short of extraordinary.

We started our meal with a trio of appetizers that set the tone for the evening. The Kebbah was a perfect blend of ground meat and spices. The Hommous with meat was a revelation. Creamy, smooth, and generously topped with tender meat, The Sambousek Jebn was another standout. These little pockets filled with a cheesy spinach mixture, were baked to perfection. For our main dishes, we opted for the Keftah and Shish Taouk. As for Keftah, the minced meat was perfectly seasoned, The Shish Taouk was equally impressive. The chicken was well marinated, Served with a garlic sauce, it was a very good plate.

The restaurant itself had a cozy and inviting atmosphere. Dimmed lighting, and lebaneese music in the background created a relaxing and enjoyable dining experience. The staff was attentive and knowledgeable, offering excellent recommendations and ensuring our every need was met.

Special thanks to Issa...