Layla's Lebanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Lake Ridge

UPDATED:

Was at this restaurant, last night (Wednesday), for another delicious meal and great service from this family - specifically Gabby. I am so thankful that this restaurant survived - and thrived - throughout the pandemic.

Like all restaurants and industries, recent times have required a slight increase in prices to continue to operate and survive - Layla's included. Thankfully, they have been upfront about this and post their lunch and dinner menus, with offerings and prices for both menus, on their website and media pages, and also discuss this with those who call to inquire about what's available on the lunch and dinner menus and to make reservations.

Last night, a party of approximately 12 called to make a reservation for dinner, where Gabby explained the dinner menu offerings / prices to the person who was making the reservation for the group. When the guests arrived and were seated, they ordered waters and made themselves comfortable at their place settings. After looking at the menu, they got up and said that they were leaving, because they didn't want to pay for what was on the dinner menu. The woman that was with them made several rude remarks to Gabby and an unnecessary scene, while other customers were present, including me, a regular customer. While you could see that Gabby was disappointed with the party leaving so ubruptly - and that 12 place settings could now not be used because the guests had touched them, Gabby handled the situation very professionally and with much dignity, even while the woman continued to berate Gabby with nasty and inappropriate comments, as she was walking out the door...

We are all dealing with some tough times - especially mom and pop restaurants - with rising costs and finding people to work. Throughout all of this, Layla's has been consistent in offering delicious, fresh, homemade meals, made by and served by their courteous, hard-working, and committed family and staff. Even when customers behave in ways that are unreasonable - which has been more and more common in recent times.

If you want good, fresh food that's made with care (dine in or take out), please visit Layla's!

Love this place! First discovered it when they were located in Old Town Alexandria (and frequented it almost every Friday evening to end the work week). Just recently learned that they reopened at this location. Since learning this, been there at least three times!

The family that owns this place is awesome - the food is homemade, fresh, and delicious! You MUST try the garlic whip and get some to go! So happy to know that they are also selling their garlic whip at a number of local farmer's markets.

Love this place, the food, and...

Located conveniently next to Safeway with ample parking, Layla Lebanese offers a clean and updated dining atmosphere. It stands out as one of the few Lebanese restaurants in an area filled with predominantly Latin, Pakistani, and Afghani establishments. The staff is welcoming, and the pricing is reasonable, which makes it an appealing option for a casual meal. However, the experience is mixed.

Starting with the Spinach Pies, these baked dough turnovers, filled with spinach, onion, and lemon, were a letdown. The dough itself was flavorless, and the spinach stuffing tasted basic, as if it had just been reheated from the fridge rather than freshly prepared.

A major disappointment was the pita bread. Rather than freshly baked in-house, it was store-bought and lacked the expected softness and flavor.

The Hummus was average. It had an overly lemony taste, with too little tahini, and a texture that suggested it may have come from a can rather than being freshly made from chickpeas.

On the good side, the Falafel stood out as one of the best in the area—crispy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The Meat Pies were also excellent, featuring a nicely baked dough shell with well-seasoned ground beef, onion, and pine nuts.

The Moussaka, while decent, could have used a bit more seasoning to bring out the flavors of the vegetables, but the accompanying rice was well-prepared and enjoyable.

Dessert was the real highlight. The Ashta B'Moz, a delightful combination of house-made cream, fresh bananas, honey, and pistachios, was the star of the meal and something I would certainly return for.

Layla Lebanese has potential, especially with its standout falafel and dessert offerings, but the disappointing pita and some bland dishes bring down the overall experience. Still, with its friendly service and reasonable pricing, it’s worth a visit, especially for those craving Lebanese food in a neighborhood dominated by other cuisines. I will definitely return and try...

I have been here for take out a couple times but after this time, when I ate in, is my last. I went for lunch but I could not make up my mind what I wanted, so I ordered for Beef Shawarma Sandwich ($9.95) for lunch and then a dinner size portion of BATENJAN MEHSHI ($19.00)to take out for dinner later. I also ordered a Baba Gannouje appetizer ($9.00 or $10.00). My total bill was over $50.00 after tax and tip. The food was tasty and the service was good, which accounts for my 2 stars. My issues are with portion size and pettiness. I have put pictures up to show what I am taking about. One shows the entire entree of Batenjan Mehshi I received. It is not an expensive dish to prepare, but yet the portion is very skimpy and more than half rice. A pita was included but to me, this is not a $19.00 meal. I also have a picture of the Baba Gannouj sitting on a standard 9 inch plate. It is also a very small portion. The most irritating part is that I asked for some garlic whip, received about a tablespoonful, and was charged for it without them telling me I would be charged, even though they forgot to give me the tahini that came with my sandwich. Personally, I feel that if someone has a $50.00 order, you can throw in a tablespoon of garlic whip...