Saj Beirut — Restaurant in Honolulu

Very Disappointing and Inappropriate Experience

My wife and I, along with our two teenage daughters, visited the farmers market and decided to try Saj Beirut. Unfortunately, it was a deeply uncomfortable and disappointing experience.

The owner was loudly calling out to customers using Arabic slang — including extremely inappropriate and offensive terms. He referred to women as “sharmuta” (a vulgar insult meaning “prostitute”) and to men as “zubi” (a crude slang term for male genitals). While he seemed to be joking and laughing, many customers were unaware of what he was actually saying. As an Arabic-speaking family, we understood every word, and it was incredibly embarrassing — especially in front of my daughters.

Beyond the inappropriate behavior, the food itself was underwhelming. The dough turned hard within minutes, and the vegetables didn’t taste fresh. We had to leave shortly after arriving because of how uncomfortable the atmosphere was.

I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. There are plenty of other vendors at the market who treat customers with respect and offer better quality food.

Do...

This place is the absolute best!! Food, service, vibe, it’s all 10/10.

First, Alain the owner is so funny, nice, and welcoming. I walked by with my wife and he invited us to come try some samples and he started asking us questions about our lives and got to know us and then was telling us his story. He has such an interesting background and his energy is unmatched and truly makes just talking with him a fun experience.

The food is all fresh with rich flavors. I had the lamb and my my wife had the za’atar with vegetables. The lamb was really flavorful and is best eaten right away. The bread was made right there and was a perfect texture. Make sure to get the yogurt dipping sauce on the side. They also have a homemade orange blossom lemonade that was so...

I had such a great experience at Saj Beirut! This place is serving up authentic Lebanese food, and I’m already a huge fan. The food is absolutely delicious, and from what I understand, they use organic ingredients, which is a nice touch. The atmosphere is fantastic, and I even had the opportunity to chat with the owner—such a cool and approachable guy. Plus, the place is spotless (I really appreciate that!). I highly recommend Saj Beirut and will definitely be back. Their hours are:

Saturday: 8 am - 12 pm at 1011 Ala Moana Blvd Sunday: 8 am - 12 pm at 640 Ulukahiki...