Habibi Grill — Restaurant in Columbus

I ordered from this restaurant on uber eats. I checked reviews on google before doing so, and seeing they had 4.8 stars, I was really excited to try some good food! After ordering and receiving the food, I’m not sure whether it is a scam or your employees have just completely given up. first, I ordered baba ghanoush. the food had leaked all over the bag. I was given a bag of pita pockets to eat with it… from like a surplus store. this was flavorless and gross. I ordered lamb gyros with fries. the fries were missing. the “lamb” was cut up and spongey. I’m not sure it had been cooked recently as it was very cold and gross. The worst part of this experience was that I paid $10 for lebanese knafeh. My boyfriend LOVES this traditional lebanese dessert. What we received was some pre-packaged version (still vacuum sealed) of it. It did not have phyllo dough, pistachios, or orange blossom syrup. what we got was a block of cheese with topping that we were instructed to heat up in the microwave. with simple syrup. This food was so nasty and I was so highly disappointed. You all have an opportunity to offer great food that people would love, but instead you’re cutting corners and serving awful-tasting, and low-quality food. I really wish I could experience the food others seemed to have gotten here.

update after owner response: I have a chronic illness and cannot visit the restaurant. it is disappointing for a restaurant owner to imply that their food is only good when you’re an able-bodied individual who can access their store. If delivery food is what is accessible to you, then you deserve less than. Because their delivery food was awful when I experienced it. So much so that I thought it was possible I was being scammed. It is clear you are cutting corners, this wasn’t just an issue of a cold gyro or a bad delivery (it wasn’t!). This was a review of a restaurant who is missing the mark on their food when delivered. It should be used as constructive criticism, not for a business owner to try and discredit a customer. the response was unprofessional, which only makes me believe my complaints are pretty valid. Your food is not good when it’s being delivered! And it’s really expensive! this was just my experience, so use it to grow, or ignore it and continue to disappoint a portion of your...

Having dined at this relatively new “ Habibi Grill” Mediterranean restaurant near the OSU campus several times with my family, I wanted to share some observations. To be clear, the food here is undeniably good – that's never been a question. While prices have seen a nearly 20% increase in recent months, which isn't ideal, my primary feedback revolves around the service model, which I believe, if addressed, could significantly enhance the dining experience for many, including myself.

My main point of constructive criticism centers on the operational flow. Unlike typical dine-in establishments, customers are required to pay for their meal upfront, and notably, tips are requested before any food or service has been rendered. This feels counterintuitive for a sit-down restaurant, as it disconnects the gratuity from the actual service received.

Adding to this, the self-service aspect for essentials like plates, silverware, water, and napkins means that the primary role of the server is limited to bringing the prepared food from the kitchen counter to the table. Given this setup, the concept of pre-paying a tip for a service that is largely self-administered becomes perplexing.

I genuinely believe that these procedural aspects are significant hurdles. For me, they detract from the overall enjoyment of what is otherwise excellent food, making me hesitant to return for future visits or recommend the restaurant to friends. I hope the owner might consider rethinking these elements to better align with traditional dine-in expectations and provide a more seamless and rewarding experience for...

I was visiting Columbus for a conference and was very fortunate to have an AirBnB near Habibi's. It's a nice, casual place to drop in for a delicious meal in a cool atmosphere.

Despite all the delicious-looking Lebanese food options, I was in the mood for a burger at the time. So I got the Lebanese Burger (w/ cheese, ketchup, mayo, cole slaw, pickles, onions and tomatoes) and baba ghanoush w/ pita and veggies to start. It was all very delicious.

The service was nice and friendly. After we ordered at the cashier and seated ourselves, they let me know that extra dishes, utensils, water and napkins are self-serve across the room. Some people will knock this, but these people are spoiled. I don't mind this system at all and, in fact, I like it since I drink lots of water and use up a lot of napkins. You don't have to signal for anyone to serve you water and you can take as much as you want. And, if you want to share your food, no problem, just get as many plates as you need.

I liked the atmosphere too. Comfortable, cushioned booths and tables. Neon signs on the wall and check out the wall of rotary phones - original and cool!

Habibi Grill is definitely worth your visit. And that's not just my opinion. The several people I came to Columbus with for the conference also ate there and liked it as well. If I ever come back to this city, I will definitely stop by another time to try their other offerings, which I...