Bab Tooma Leeds — Restaurant in Leeds

Food Quality: The food did not meet my expectations. The main dishes lacked the authentic Eastern flavors, and some were not well-cooked. The desserts were also disappointing, with a bland taste that didn’t reflect the rich flavors of traditional Syrian sweets. Rating: 3/10

Coffee: The coffee was far from satisfying. Instead of being rich and strong like Arabic coffee should be, it was watery and tasted more like juice. It lacked the proper texture and flavor and wasn’t served in the right way. Rating: 2/10

Prices: The prices were very high compared to the quality of food and drinks. Neither the dishes, desserts, nor the coffee were worth the money paid. Rating: 3/10

Service: The service was okay but not exceptional. The staff were friendly, but there wasn’t much attention to detail Rating: 6/10

Atmosphere and Decor: The decor was the best part of the experience. The restaurant’s design was inspired by the heritage of Damascus, with beautiful details that created an authentic Eastern vibe. The atmosphere was cozy and rich in Syrian culture. Rating: 9/10

Cleanliness: The restaurant was generally clean, both in the dining area and other facilities. Rating: 8/10

Final Rating: While the restaurant offers great decor and a unique Eastern atmosphere, the quality of the food, coffee, and desserts was disappointing, especially with such high prices. Overall...

We were very underwhelmed. Booked a table and when we arrived it was the busiest place I’ve been since the pandemic started. We were sat right next to the front door so every time people came in a freezing blast of wind hit, OH had to put his coat on.

Service was friendly but slow. Complimentary soup was nice but over salted and felt like an apology for them running behind. Starter of hummus and wings were nice. It took an hour for the mains to arrive. I ordered a grill and the chicken was tiny and cold and the veggies were burnt. They forgot my partners halloumi. I sent mine back which meant my partner had to eat without me for a while, his kebab and lamb were nice but not hot. When my replacement arrived it was an over-generous portion, everything was nicer except the rice which tasted and had the texture of microwave rice.

Where we were sat there was constantly staff and people walking past, the tables on either side of us were also complaining about missing food items. To add insult to injury (literally) on leaving I pushed my chair in and it had a nail sticking out of it which I cut my finger on.

Note for the managers. I truly believe one of the reasons this was such a poor experience was because you seem to be equally prioritising takeout deliveries. The number of takeaway orders I saw leave before our food arrived...

Had early dinner, 2 adults and a toddler, on a Saturday evening, unfortunately it was a poor experience.

The good: One of the waitresses was polite and friendly. We received a complimentary soup. Authentic Syrian food is an interesting addition to the North Leeds restaurant scene.

The bad: Cleanliness was poor. There were pieces of chicken under our table/seats and there were bits of old rice and crumbs between the glass and wood tabletop. It felt like the cleanliness you'd expect to see in a busy KFC, not a restaurant charging restaurant prices...

Service was generally poor. We asked for a highchair which took about 5 minutes to arrive despite not being busy (anyone with a baby knows that's a frustrating wait). We couldn't get attention to pay our bill so we had to go up to the counter and pay, and the waiter took a phone call whilst taking our payment.

It's not good value. We ordered from the kids menu, and the food was average, but no one brought the fruit shoot or ice cream, so we essentially paid £10 for a portion of nuggets and chips. Our entire bill, of starter for 2, main for 2, kids meal and tap water, came to £66.

All in all, despite Syrian food being a welcome addition to the cuisine of North Leeds, we won't return or recommend because of the...