Cedars of Lebanon — Restaurant in Seattle

Good food but horrible experience. Our first visit was great—the food was good and we had a wonderful interaction with the lady working there. We were so satisfied that we recommended the restaurant to multiple friends and were excited to come back.

However, our second visit was a complete disappointment. We arrived for dinner around 6:30 pm, paid $6 for parking, only to find the place closed—even though Google clearly stated they were open until 8 pm. We knocked on the door, and a man came out to tell us they were closed, offering no explanation. We tried to reason that maybe there weren’t enough customers, and they decided to close early, but it left a bad impression.

To avoid the same issue, this time we called ahead tonight at 6 pm to confirm their hours. They assured us they would be open until 8 pm. Confident this time, we parked (another $6 parking) and showed up at 7:15 pm, only to find the doors shut again. There was one table of people still dining inside, so we went to the pickup window. The man working there saw us but left us waiting for a minute before opening the window to tell us they were closed for dining.

When we explained that we had called earlier and been told they were open until 8 pm, he offered no explanation and started saying random things, like asking if we had a reservation—which made no sense given the circumstances. The place was far from full (only one table occupied), it’s a casual $20-per-person gyro spot, and we were well within their stated hours.

The man was rude and treated us like fools. If they don’t want to run a business, they should just close it down or at least update their operating hours. This experience was extremely frustrating and...

One of the best takeout experiences I’ve ever had. It’s amazing how the little things stack up. The gentlemen cooking the food was incredibly friendly, checking in regularly while my girlfriend and I were deciding what to order, seeing if we needed any help. He was considerate of preferences (I’m notoriously awful with spicy food) and upon getting ready to pay for our order, he asked my girlfriend and I how long we had been together. We told him, “5 months”. Upon hearing this he said he wanted to see us back there in 5 months together and gave us a free baclava if we promised we would. It’s rare to run into someone in a takeout window who is so genuine and friendly. The experience made our day and has established Cedars of Lebanon as as our new spot for Mediterranean and Lebanese food. Only shame is, we’re going to have to break our promise not because we’re breaking up (I hope), but because we’ll be back far sooner...

Honestly, I cannot stop raving about this place, even though I haven't been in for a bite in over five years, so this review is a little overdue(heh). I remember it was a rainy day on a random day during the week. Nobody else was in there except for me. The older gentleman behind the counter had the most cheerful smile and welcoming spirit. I ordered a chicken plate which was like a gentle and delicious warm hug for my palate, filling and fulfilling, and was given a little extra side dish of something I can't remember in a sort of "oops, we made too much-please eat this" kind of way for free. I remember conversing with the gentleman behind the counter, whom I think was the owner at the time, and thinking, "Wow, this place has a lot of heart. I will definitely keep this place at the top of my list of places I'd recommend." You can go to a lot of places and enjoy good food, not every place has "good heart AND good food"...