Lebanese Taverna — Restaurant in Maryland

If you have allergies, please never come here. One bite of the food I ordered (that they told me was allergen-free) had my mouth itchy and my throat closing up. I had it delivered, so I called them twice to double check on the ingredients. I don't know if the people working there (who were still very nice over the phone) knew (or cared?) anything about the specific ingredients in the food or what goes into the process of making them. I never write reviews, but this experience has scared me from ever ordering from here again. My allergies are a life or death situation for me, and I cannot risk another ER visit just because of a fast food restaurant not informing staff of the ingredients in the mass-prepared food they serve. This is careless on the part of whoever is in charge of this, and it puts the people who eat your food in danger.

As a side note, I AM LEBANESE. I eat this food and the dishes I ordered all the time for literally my entire life. I ordered food I know does not have anything I am allergic to! (or at least is supposed to in authentic recipes)

I am so thankful to have survived my first (and last) bite of food from here, so please just skip it all together and go somewhere else!!! Other Lebanese Taverna locations, especially the one down in Arlington, are much much better. This "LEBTAV" is NOT GOOD and almost put me in the hospital. So I say to avoid...

We ordered from Lebanese Tavern through DoorDash. The menu does not specify which ingredients have allergens, especially nuts, which I have an allergyX. When ordering there is a space to leave special instructions which I did state there was a nut allergy. We chose the spiced rice which apparently contains nuts. Again, had the menu listed allergens we would not have ordered this. Upon delivery I noticed some chunky objects in the rice, so I called the restaurant to inquire the rice ingredients. Thankfully I did not eat it. This is where the 2 star comes in. The employee I spoke with on the phone was very cold and had zero concern for the fact I could have died. When I asked about the ingredients, and was told there was nuts, I asked why they weren’t left out. I was told the rice dish is prepared with them, so I then asked “why did the restaurant not call to tell me it could not be prepared with out or another rice alternative sent” and was told “I guess they didn’t see.” I asked if there was a refund or something that could be done and was told no. I asked again and was told that I could drive to the restaurant and ask for something else and that maybe they would give me the same meal again if I could show the receipt. There was zero accountability taken on the part restaurant and was told “well next time you will know to order...

I was so happy when they opened an Annapolis location. I first discovered the original family run restaurant in Falls Church VA in the late 80s and have been a fan ever since. Sadly this location has been floundering for some time and it seems every time I go there something has changed and not necessarily for the better. Last visit over the weekend was pretty disappointing. First of all. The soda machine has been down for over a year and that might be a sign that this place does not have good management. Second. The menu board was gone and the young lady handed me the hand held one which didn't look anything like any previous menu and was not really clear where the old favorites had gone and the girl behind the counter was new and little help. I wound up ordering something I didn't want because the menu is confusing. Mt girl got something that scratched her throat in her food. I went there for a Shwarma it's now a sandwich I think. I ordered the Shwarma Flatbread which was a Pizza not a Shwarma but I'm not sure it would have mattered the meat was dry the whole thing unimpressive. Girl didn't like hers either. Not sure this place is going to be around...