AMMATOLI — Restaurant in Long Beach

A feast of Levantine flavors, served with elegance and warmth right in downtown Long Beach.🥙🍷The subtle white tones paired with creamy accents and chic boho décor create a warm, inviting, and stylish atmosphere. The setting perfectly reflects the restaurant’s philosophy: celebrating the Levant’s rich culinary heritage with a modern, elevated touch.

We began with a selection of mezze, each plate as vibrant as the next. The hummus topped with shawarma and pine nuts was creamy and satisfying, while the roasted beet hummus with pistachios and extra virgin olive oil was a colorful standout: earthy, nutty, and, balanced (my personal favorite) 🥙. Each dip was perfectly paired with freshly baked housemade pita bread, pillowy and that I just wish they could have warmed it a little bit more, that even though after asking for it, they were not able to accomplish this.

Other highlights included the fried cauliflower 🥦, drizzled with a bright herbaceous dressing of chives, parsley, and olive oil, and the Mediterranean-style fries 🍟, elevated with garlic, feta, parmesan, and fresh herbs, a comfort dish with a gourmet twist. Yet, the most refreshing surprise was the watermelon with feta and walnuts 🍉🧀🌰. Its sweet-salty combination was light, crisp, and memorable, a dish that lingers in your mind for its originality.

For the mains, Ammatoli’s skewer selection 🍢 truly captured the essence of Mediterranean grilling. From juicy chicken and tender kafta to ribeye, lamb, salmon, and shrimp, each protein was seasoned with restraint, allowing the natural flavors to shine while still carrying the aromatic signature of Levantine spices.

And then came dessert 🍮 that create a chapter of its own. Ammatoli offers a thoughtful lineup that blends traditional Middle Eastern ingredients with a delicate touch. From the fragrant Palestinian Ka’ak cookies 🍪 and nutty baklawa dripping with orange blossom syrup, to the moist and citrusy lemon olive oil cake 🍋, every bite felt like a sweet homenage ❤️ to the region. The absolute star, however, was the Osmalieh Ice Cream 🍨 , layers of pastry dough, creamy milk pudding, dates, pistachios, and a touch of ghazel banat (cotton candy), basically like a banana bread cake but with a complete twist, a mediterranean adaptation of this banana bread recipe, option to pair it with Long Beach vanilla bean ice cream. It was decadent, unique, and unforgettable.

The experience was elevated by our wonderful server, Maria 🙌, whose knowledge and thoughtful recommendations ensured we sampled the very best dishes. To round it all out, we sipped on a glass of Château Heritage “Foothills” Red Blend 🍷 from Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, a robust, well-structured wine that paired beautifully with the bold Mediterranean flavors (a full bottle would have been well worth it!).

If Ammatoli name comes from the mix of Amman, Jordan’s capital, and “toli” meaning hills, this spot is on the top of the hill for sure.

Ammatoli is not just a restaurant; it’s a cultural journey 🌍. Between the warm hospitality, refined yet authentic cuisine, and enchanting atmosphere, this spot is without a doubt a must-visit in Long Beach. Whether you’re a lover of Mediterranean food or simply seeking a dining experience that feels both soulful and sophisticated, Ammatoli delivers on...

NEIGHBORHOOD LOYALTY SHATTERS AT AMMATOLI, AS RESIDENTS FLOCK TO OPEN SESAME

BY A LOCAL RESIDENT AND HOME-BASED PROFESSIONAL

FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS I HAVE FREQUENTLY SUPPORTED AMMATOLI’S COMPETITION- “OPEN , SESAME”!!! I’VE ENJOYED THE CONVENIENCE OF AMMATOLI—JUST 300 FEET FROM MY HOME IN LONG BEACH. YET DESPITE ITS PROXIMITY, RECENT EXPERIENCES HAVE FORCED ME TO RECONSIDER WHERE I SPEND MY HARD-EARNED DOLLARS. THOUGH AMMATOLI HAS LONG BEEN MY GO-TO SPOT FOR MEDITERRANEAN FARE, I NOW FIND MYSELF MORE THAN WILLING TO WALK 8 MILES OR DRIVE 4 MILES TO DINE AT OPEN SESAME, WHOSE CONSISTENT SERVICE AND QUALITY HAVE NEVER FALTERED.

MY FRUSTRATION WITH AMMATOLI BEGAN ABOUT NINE MONTHS AGO DURING A SIMPLE TO-GO ORDER THAT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES TO PREPARE. BACK THEN, UNDER PREVIOUS MANAGEMENT, THE PROCESS WAS MARRED BY DELAYS AND THE UNPOPULAR RULE BARRING TAKE-OUT CUSTOMERS FROM SITTING ON THE COUCH IN THE WAITING AREA. RECENTLY, I WAS ENCOURAGED BY A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP—A NEW MANAGER WHO, JUST LAST WEEK, GRACIOUSLY ALLOWED ME TO USE THE COUCH WHILE I WAITED FOR MY ORDER THAT INVOLVED NOTHING MORE THAN SPOONING A COUPLE OF SIDES INTO TWO PLASTIC 8-OUNCE CUPS.

HOWEVER, THAT POSITIVE ENCOUNTER QUICKLY SOURED. TODAY, WHEN I PLACED ANOTHER TO-GO ORDER, A DIFFERENT ORDER TAKER BRUSQUELY INFORMED ME THAT THE WAITING AREA COUCH WAS RESERVED STRICTLY FOR DINE-IN GUESTS AWAITING SEATING. I CALMLY EXPLAINED THAT, AS A PAYING CUSTOMER WAITING ONLY A FEW MINUTES, I SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO A COMFORTABLE PLACE TO SIT. AFTER SOME BACK-AND-FORTH, HE RELUCTANTLY AGREED, BUT THE ENTIRE INTERACTION LEFT ME CONFUSED AND DISAPPOINTED. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, A TEXT NOTIFICATION CLAIMED MY ORDER WAS READY WHILE I OBSERVED STAFF STILL BAGGING THE ITEMS—A FURTHER SIGN OF MISCOMMUNICATION AND DISORGANIZATION.

WHAT IS EVEN MORE ALARMING IS THE CONSISTENCY OF HEARING THE SAME GRUMBLING EXPERIENCES FROM OTHER PATRONS. WORD-OF-MOUTH IS NOW BECOMING A MOUNTING CONCERN, AS NEIGHBORS AND FELLOW CUSTOMERS REPEATEDLY REPORT SIMILAR INCIDENTS OF POOR SERVICE, UNRESPONSIVE STAFF, AND OVERALL INCONSISTENCY AT AMMATOLI. THIS UNDOUBTEDLY INDICATES THAT THE PROBLEMS ARE NOT ISOLATED INCIDENTS, BUT PART OF A BROADER TREND THAT THREATENS THE ESTABLISHMENT’S REPUTATION AND FUTURE.

AS SOMEONE WHO ONCE CHERISHED THE MERE CONVENIENCE OF HAVING A QUALITY MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT JUST STEPS AWAY, I NOW FIND MYSELF TURNING TO OPEN SESAME—WHOSE NAME IS A PROMISE OF BETTER SERVICE AND A SUPERIOR DINING EXPERIENCE. UNTIL AMMATOLI MAKES THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO HONOR ITS LONG-STANDING CUSTOMER BASE, I—AND MANY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD—WILL CONTINUE TO PLACE OUR TRUST, AND OUR DOLLARS, WITH...

I had dinner for a friend's birthday. We ordered the three way mezza (grape leaves, spicy hummus, falafel), chicken schwarma, Palestinian msakham, pita, spinach fatayer and cheese fatayer. The three appepetizers were pretty good. Grape leaves full of flavor. Spicy hummus had a touch of heat, not too much and the falafel was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The two pastries we had (fatayer) - the cheese was delicious. It was a nice savory, decadent pastry. Almost like a dense cake. The spinach was had a crispy flaky outer layer and I don't think there was too much filling, which was slightly disappointing. The two main dishes we shared, one was pretty good and the other, just okay. The schwarma was nothing to write home about. It felt like it lacked a little flavor but it could be that the appetizers were highly flavorful, this one fell flat for me. The Palestinian msakham was a recommendation from our server. The chicken was served on top of two flat breads smothered in onions and spices. The chicken itself was pretty good, juicy and flavorful. Pairing it with the flatbread it came with along with the yogurt dip and garlic sauce, was almost delicious. We also had dessert, Osmelieh ice cream. The is cream was tasty and paired with a flakey crust. It had some bits of dates in it which gave it some additional texture. Overall, the food was good. The service was okay. I felt I was personally ignored when she took everyone's drink order and didn't ask me for mine. She brought back everyone's drink and it wasn't only until I said something was when she took. My drink order. It was a bit odd but maybe she was distracted. One of my friends orders the yogurt drink, and given how everything was thoughtfully presented, this drink came out in it's original package. Which is fine, just a little odd since everything else was more less presented nicely. Why 3 stars them? We were reminded of the 90 min dining time what felt like 50x. We were sent several reminders about this before dining in. We were reminded upon checking in. We were reminded drying our meal. And then reminded when we paid our tab. Mind you, we were there within the 90 min time frame. I felt like all those reminders were overkill and kind of ruined the celebration. I get it. They want to get customers in and out so get in more customers. But for a celebration, maybe take it down a notch or two on...