Levant Mediterranean Grill — Restaurant in Pensacola

My husband and I enjoyed eating here for our date night. We were originally going to eat at another restaurant that had the same food, but there was an event that caused parking to be horrendous to find so as we were driving by, we decided to stop in. Best decision!

We ordered 3 appetizers: sultan hummus, fried cheese, & meat & rice stuffed grape leaves. The quantity was great because we had leftovers we could take.

Two meals: lamb shank & Zantonna platter w/beef kabob.

EVERYTHING we ordered was delicious! The meats are SO tender! The flavors are so enticing to the tastebuds. The feta salad was like we've never tasted before. We love authentic foods, so the garlic strength was so strong but in perfect balance with the ziti sauce they have. It's so creamy & honestly worth coming back for.

With that being said, I'll now expand on: Food: As I stated previously, we both enjoyed EVERYTHING we ordered and had leftovers of everything so we'll have food for tomorrow.

Price: We spent about $79 (not including tip) AND SO WORTH IT and honestly we feel it's very affordable ESPECIALLY with the great quality & quantity provided. (Please make sure you tip NICELY!)

Cleanliness/atmosphere: There is enough space that if you have a stroller or wheelchair, you can move around. (They have appropriate parking for your needs.) Floors/ tables clean and presentable. More of a casual-dress eatery & very comfortable place to eat.

Customer service: Lexi was our gal & was very polite & helpful with any questions/needs we had.

Overall ---- We'll...

To start with, the place is confusing. The sign on the building does not match the name here or even on the receipt. When we the six of us arrived at the restaurant, we had to wait for them to clear a table, which for a Sunday afternoon, we expected a wait. They have white fabric table cloths that are covered with thin clear plastic. Between the cloth and the plastic there was quite a bit of what appeared to be food residue. That was rather repulsive!

Our appetizers came out and they were good, especially the hummus. One of the folks with us wanted the Moussaka, but by 1:00 they were all out of it. (Poor planning on the part of the kitchen!) Then our entrees came out and they were just okay. The flavor was good, but the meat was dry, all except the lamb shank which was moist and tender, even though it came out about ten minutes after the other five meals.

The worst part about the place is that they automatically add an 18% service charge to the bill. Nowhere in the menu did it say anything about a service charge being added to the bill! If it had, I would have left before ordering. Nobody gets to decide how much I am going to tip the waitress but me! The service was not very good; certainly not 18% on a $150 bill worth of good!

I wanted to like this place and might have returned, had it not been for the 18% service charge. Next time I want Mediterranean food, I will head over to one of the other places in town, or make it myself.

I'm not sure this place will last...

I write this review with hope for improvement. Zaytouna has been a cherished dining spot for us, reminiscent of our favorite Mediterranean restaurant back home in Louisiana, Albasha. However, our recent visit, the first since the change in ownership, left us disappointed.

While the management and menu appear unchanged, the essence of the food has taken a different direction. The absence of fried cheese, a former standout and personal favorite, was particularly disheartening. The chicken shwarma, once bursting with robust flavors and a hint of spice, lacked the memorable taste we had grown to love. Furthermore, the taziki sauce tasted solely of Greek yogurt, lacking the vibrant flavors we once enjoyed, and the hummus has undergone noticeable changes.

I share these observations out of a deep appreciation for what Zaytouna once represented to us. I hope that these insights prompt a reflection on the recent adjustments and inspire efforts to regain the quality that made the restaurant special to its patrons. With sincere wishes for your success in returning Levant to its...