That Lebanese Place — Restaurant in Springfield

Let me start by saying the staff was very friendly and welcoming.

The first thing I noticed was how dusty the dining room was. This place hasn't had a deep cleaning, dusting etc in a while. Even though the decor is older they can have the establishment looking cleaner.

When I walked in I went to the booth to sit and the server said if there isn't a menu on the table then it needs cleaning. There was only ONE table clean.

I love Arabic food and based on past places I've eaten I would rate the flavors here a 3.

I had the platter for two which started with a pita bread and baba ganoush. The pita bread was served COLD and the server literally just pulled it out of a bag that was sitting at his counter. This was the pita you buy in the bread aisle at Wal-Mart. I had to ask him to warm it up and he told me he will microwave it. The babaganoush was also ice cold which tells me it came straight out the refrigerator.

Next came the lentil soup. Very lightly flavored and watery but at least it was served warm although I would have preferred hot.

We then received the falafel, stuffed grape leaves and tahini sauce. The falafel was nice and hot and crispy. The grape leaves he MICROWAVED and brought to us as I heard the ding of the microwave at the counter where my pita was warmed up and he walked over with the plate at the same time. The tahini sauce was watery thin and very lightly flavored for my taste.

Up next was the entree which consisted of one plate of food for two to share. Rice, coleslaw, chopped tomatoes, chicken sharwma, beef, lamb and chicken kabob. The rice was " rice ", no flavor. The kabobs 3/5 flavor wise.

We ended with coffee and baklava. The coffee had a lot of sediment at the bottom of the cup like thick molasses. The baklava was HARD AF! Barely any syrup to make it soft and edible. It was so hard my fork couldn't cut it, I had to pick it up and eat it like a cookie.

Being that the food was OBVIOUSLY NOT FRESHLY MADE and most things were microwaved, God alone knows how many days or weeks these items have been sitting in the refrigerator.

If I do return the two items I would order again would be the falafel and...

We live roughly 80 miles or so away, However My husband, Sister's In law, and I had the opportunity to enjoy the delicious food here Tonight I got the Stuffed Grape leaves, My husband got the Lebanese platter, and I believe the Girls got beef kabob dinner's. My Sister's in law have never tried any sort of food like this, so it was very much out of their comfort zone, but they very much enjoyed it. We got there about a hour or so before they closed, the owner sat us down, asked if we had ever been there before and when I replied " The Girls have Never tried anything like this before, but my husband and I got to enjoy it at Baker's creek seed festival this past year " He took the time to tell us about EVERYTHING that was on the menu, so the Girls could understand better what it was they had choices of. My husband asked if there was any Baklava, ( we have had some years ago while living in Corvallis Oregon ) It is a treat he and I both enjoy very much. The owner said he did not, but that he was going to start making some, and gave us 3 different kinds to pick from. I said pistachio, everyone else said walnut. We ate our food, and he let us stay even though he had closed so that we could have some Baklava that had just been made. It was absolutely Delicious, I have never tried pistachio Baklava before, only walnut. By the time all of us were done, we ended up Buying half of the Baklava he had made. He is so friendly, and willing to sit and talk to you about his culture. I am So glad we were able to dine there, and have a great conversation with the owner,. I Strongly recommend Dining here, and experienceing this wonderful Lebanese food. I know that we will come back whenever we travel to...

Review for The Lebanese Place in Springfield:

This has quickly become my favorite restaurant, maybe ever. The food is fresh, delicious, and incredibly authentic. My family opted for the family platter for four grown adults, and let me tell you, we had leftovers for another full meal. There was just so much food, and everything was mouthwateringly good.

The chai tea was absolutely the best I've ever had — a perfect blend of spices and sweetness. The beef skewers were incredibly moist, and the chicken was bursting with flavor. The shawarma sandwiches were out of this world, and the falafels? Simply the best I've had, and I lived in the Middle East, where falafels are a point of pride. So, that’s saying something.

We also loved the fries. Honestly, I’ve seen other reviews mention how amazing they are, and they weren’t kidding. There's something extra about them that made them super tasty. The salad was amazing as well.

This meal was actually for my birthday, and it did not disappoint. While the location and atmosphere aren’t the flashiest, they reminded me of the unassuming but beloved spots I’d visit in the Middle East. At the end of the day, the food is what truly matters, and this place nails it. Super authentic and incredibly satisfying.

The flatbread was pretty good, though not perfectly authentic, and the grape leaves tasted great, though they were a little mushy. But honestly, that didn’t take away from the overall experience.

The staff was very friendly as well.

If you love Middle Eastern food, this spot is a must. I can’t rave about it enough. Do yourself a...