Leyla Fine Lebanese Cuisine — Restaurant in Charleston

If you’re seeking a culinary adventure that transcends mere dining, look no further than Leyla Fine Lebanese Dining in Charleston, South Carolina. After years of exploring various restaurants, I can confidently declare this my #1 pick for those with a love for authentic, adventurous cuisine. Recently, I had the pleasure of dining with my wife and one of my daughters, and we all agree: this experience was nothing short of extraordinary.

From the moment we walked through the door, we were enveloped in a warm, familial atmosphere. The cozy decor, with its inviting furniture and thoughtful table settings, made us feel right at home. It quickly became apparent that the staff was genuinely invested in our experience, ensuring that every need was met with a smile.

We started our evening with a lovely Cabernet as we perused the authentic menu. Unsure of what to choose, we decided to order a selection of small plates to sample a variety of flavors. Each dish was a revelation. The stuffed grape leaves were delightful, but the standout was the hummus—without question the best I’ve ever had. The artichoke, a dish I usually overlook, was transformed here; beautifully presented, it became an event in itself. Even as someone who isn’t a huge fan of artichokes, I found myself thoroughly enjoying it, and my wife was enamored.

The pan-seared halloumi, crafted from sheep's milk, was another highlight. It was delicate, flavorful, and paired beautifully with the other dishes. At this point, I was smitten—not just with the food but with the family that runs this establishment. The owner, an older lady who occasionally emerged from the kitchen, came to our table and shared her joy in our satisfaction. Her warmth and passion for the culinary arts were palpable. When we expressed uncertainty about how to enjoy the artichoke, she took the time to give us a mini culinary lesson, explaining how to properly dissect it. This gesture transformed our meal into a true family experience, making us feel like we were among friends.

Moving on to the main courses, I opted for the lamb shank, which was touted as the most popular item on the menu. It was easy to see why: the richness of the braised lamb, combined with perfectly seasoned rice, created a moment of culinary euphoria I won’t soon forget. My daughter’s shrimp kebab was equally impressive—her enthusiastic silence spoke volumes. My wife, having claimed the artichoke for her meal, was delighted by its size and flavor.

No meal is complete without dessert, and we were guided to try Osmanlieh—a heavenly combination of clotted cream, filo dough, and house-made pistachio ice cream. This dessert struck a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and light, providing a delightful conclusion to our meal.

By the end of the evening, we felt like we’d made connections with everyone on the staff, taking photos to capture the memories of this special night. As we prepared to leave, we were surprised with a house-made lemon-apricot shot that perfectly encapsulated the evening’s flavors.

Reflecting on this experience months later brings a rush of happiness and nostalgia. Leyla Fine Lebanese Dining is not just a restaurant; it’s a celebration of family, tradition, and the joy of sharing food. If you find yourself in Charleston, do yourself a favor and immerse yourself in this extraordinary culinary journey. To pass up this gem would be a...

We went to Leyla's this past weekend and we' were excited to try a new cuisine. We had seen that it had received high reviews online. We got there around 7 on a Sunday (myself, my significant other, and another couple), and we were seated at the bar to wait for a table (pretty standard stuff). I was not instantly in love with the lack of prompt service. After we were seated at the bar, we were not offered water or any kind of beverage until after about 10 minutes of trying to catch anyone's attention (never should be standard). But we thought, this can easily we overlooked by great food. We were seated at our table after a short while and were having a good time: we were with good company and the wine was flowing. We looked through the menu and landed on a "sampler"dish. My significant other and I decided to split (it requires at least 2 people to be able to order it-I thought that was strange but we looked past it). I've had minimal Lebanese food in my life so I was intrigued to try an assortment of the cuisine. Fast forward through what I will say was a good $35 dish, total, and a fun night out with friends. We get our check and the bill is $35 per person for a SAMPLER. Never should a sampler dish be more than entre prices on a menu and let alone the confusing language of the menu related to that pricing. Not to mention that in no way was the food the two of us ate, anywhere near worth $70. Then, after we just shrug our shoulders in a "well that is very deceiving and disappointing" manner after asking the waiter about it and getting no where. We go about paying our bill. The waiter returns with the cards mixed up with the wrong bills and we knew even more so that this was going to be even less of an enjoyable overall experience. Let's just say, each of our cards were charged twice and a $117 double charge isn't just a "small thing."

Overall, just didn't love anything about this experience and would not recommend it to others. It could have been a 4 star kind of night but inept customer service, confusing language and pricing on the menu, and messing up on restaurant 101 on mixing up bills and double charging will quick drop any experience to a low review.

I hope no else receives this kind...

We arrived in Charleston in the evening and wanted to walk around and grab something to eat. This restaurant was empty except for one other table and now I know that there’s a reason restaurants are empty. I don’t even know how to describe our experience so let me compare to an actual fine dining experience we had here in Charleston. At Leyla’s there were three servers working with barely anyone in the restaurant. Prices are ridiculous and the food was barely mediocre. It’s so ridiculous that they literally list the amount of “refills” you can have on different teas and drinks. Some get 1 and some get 0. You are also charged $2 if you want to split a plate - YES SPLITTING IS EXTRA! And some other charges listed on the menu that take up half a page to explain. I have never seen anything like this in my life and it is definitely not “fine” dining. Also owners were sitting in the corner table getting served by their own servers instead of working at their own place of business. Personally, I think this feels very shady and inappropriate. Dishes cost $40+ , you don’t even pay that much for a dish at High Cotton - which is a real fine dining experience. I hope owners actually start taking these reviews into consideration and change the way they operate this business. Here is where my comparison comes in, we also dined at High Cotton - which was incredible. Upon arrival we were immediately greeted and sat at one of the best tables. Our server took a personal interest in us and was extremely attentive in recommending dishes to us. The food was brought out fast and hot. It was incredibly tasty, and the whole night felt catered and personalized to us. Did I mention that our food cost less at High Cotton than it did at Leyla’s? And we ate GOOD. There were 3 people , I am assuming manager/owner, who came to check on us personally and had conversations with us. They were all working and taking care of their customers, not sitting in the corner and stuffing their faces while getting served by their own servers. I am not sure how Leyla’s is voted #1 Middle Eastern restaurant in Charleston. Perhaps it’s the...