Sama Chtaura — Restaurant in Beqaa Governorate

The restaurant offers three sections: an outdoor area, which was too hot to enjoy today but still looked fun; an indoor area with high AC; and another indoor section with lower AC and a different style. If you want to reserve a table, I recommend asking for one in the middle next to the glass. They had an outdoor large venue ready for a big wedding which looked so nice.

We were a group of five and ordered the premium set, which was a fair portion for the price. Most of the food tasted good, except for the makanek and the frozen lemonade, which had a weird aftertaste.

We did have a negative experience with the food temperature. The food wasn’t hot enough to feel fresh, and they served all the food at once, so cold and hot mezza and the BBQ arrived together. When we questioned this, they said they had a lot of orders, despite the restaurant not being full and having many empty tables.

Overall, the place is nice, and the food was good, though not the best. The staff is friendly but seemed stressed. The fast service made it feel like they wanted us to finish quickly, so we didn’t get to relax and enjoy the seating.

PS. Didn’t find alcohol on their menu, so if you enjoy drinking arak or beer with your meal, this might not be the place for you. The ambiance is more family-oriented.

Replying to the below response:

The manager passed by our table and requested a Google review on the spot. I told her I don’t write reviews immediately; I prefer to take my time to provide detailed feedback. I assured her that I would be honest in my review, and she encouraged me to do so.

However, your response to my feedback needs improvement. Instead of addressing my concerns, you presented illogical arguments.

For instance, you could have acknowledged that I overlooked mentioning in my first comment that the first table we were seated at was dirty, with a used can of Pepsi underneath. Additionally, there was an unpleasant odor in the underground area where the kids play.

Claiming to have served 950 customers all day is different from the time we visited you; at 2 PM, the place was not crowded and you didn’t have more than 12 tables occupied. Additionally, in all Lebanese restaurants, there is a known time sequence between the mezza and main dishes.

Regarding the alcohol, it’s not listed on your menu, so how was I supposed to know you offered it?

Please note that good management should maintain the same quality and service during both normal and busy days, and should be even better when it is busy. You were aware of Eid and it should not have been a surprise.

Initially, I rated my experience 3 stars, but based on your response, I am inclined to lower it to 2 stars. However, I will leave it as it is to maintain my...

I’ve dined in at Sama Chtaura before and it’s always been an amazing experience with great service but yesterday we decided to try their takeaway for the first time and it was just as perfect!

The food was packed properly, everything was clearly labelled, and it all tasted absolutely delicious. I was also surprised by the generosity, the staff mentioned that the owner or manager (I believe his name was Omar) added a complimentary plate of grilled vegetables and even a dessert. thanks team!

And I have to say, their hummus and grilled Shrimps are hands down the best I’ve ever had.

Great service,...

What I mostly appreciated about the restaurant was the ample parking available right outside — though it’s under the sun — and the lovely landscaping with grass and trees, which gives a refreshing feeling of being away from the city.

On the downside, the service was somewhat slow, and the food was generally mediocre, with the exception of the French fries and fattoush, which were outstanding.

There’s a kids’ playground in the basement, which is a great feature, but I strongly recommend adding fans or air conditioning — it gets unbearably...