Beirut

I had always walked past this place, but decided to stop in on a whim and I have been going back ever since! I can only report on the wraps and food in the front, but everything is truly great. The meat, veggies, sauces are super fresh, you have not tasted a kebab wrap like this before. They have an amazing garlic sauce, fresh hummus, marinated onions, and fresh pita chips which are really on a level you cant get from a food cart.
Top it off with friendly service and you have a repeat customer. So check it out — you wont be disappointed!

Found out that within the last year (early 2015) that this place changed ownership/​management. Discard old reviews, particularly ones critical of the service.
The food:
— Best chicken shawarma I’ve ever had. Ever. Fresh, juicy, seasoned PERFECTLY…
— Kofta… amazing. Best kofta from a place not named Mamoun’s.
— Taboulleh and hummos — unreal. Absolutely amazing. Ask the woman to make you Taboulleh fresh. This will change your life.
Everything we’ve had here was awesome… the man and woman who
seem to be managing the place (husband & wife perhaps) are extremely friendly and make great, great food. This is the kind of place you’d miss if you moved away from
NYC.

Steinway street is always bustling with so many shops and little restaurants and great street food, but tucked away you will find Beirut, a true hidden gem.
I stumbled upon here one day when I was waiting for a friend and I was hungry. I noticed from the window that there was some yummy kabobs on the grill and decided to go in and give them a try. I ordered the kefta wrap and it blew my mind!
When you order the wrap the guy takes out a fresh piece of meat and grills it right in front of you. As you wait you can browse the aisles of the narrow shop and take in all the interesting middle-​eastern specialty items. When the meat is all cooked, the cook puts it in a delicate roll with a (i think homemade) pickle and tahini sauce as well as some lettuce. It may sound so simple but this is one of the most amazing bites of food you will have. The meat is juicy and tender and full of flavor and it goes so well with the creamy tahini sauce. The pickle just puts the whole thing over the edge and it is absolutely delightful. This amazing concoction is only $ 5!
Go to Beirut — order the kefta wrap and maybe get some yummy red Egyptian tea to take home and I promise you that if you close your eyes while eating it you may actually feel like for a moment you are actually in Beirut.

Got food poisoning from the chicken shwarma and chicken kabab sandwiches within 8 hours of eating here enough said! My husband was fine though.

Kofte sandwiches are amazing. The best part is not just the taste but the cleanliness. The food is prepared right in front of you and with gloves on.

The people here are all very personable and I’ve never seen them be rude to other customers. Maybe the other reviewers caught them on a bad day.
The food is good and fairly priced. The meat from the butcher is always fresh as well. I usually order a sandwich after I place an order from the butcher.
Beirut is also very clean. I’ve stopped going to other butchers in Astoria because they were dirty.
I keep coming back because of the kind staff, the quality meat from the butcher, and the cleanliness of the store.

The people are very unprofessional. Every time I go there they take there time to serve you. The other day I went to get bread and I was at the cashier location waiting for 10 minute and the people that work there they were eating when they saw me they were laughing at me and after 10 minutes waiting I just left the bread and went out the store .and the other day I bought a cheese from there and it was expired !

Well I decided to try this place since I always pass by when on Steinway.
The place was steaming hot and no airconditioning. Everytime I asked a question about the food menu the guy behind the counter looked like he was going to slap me. Why I didnt just leave at that moment I dont know.
Maybe because I was starving and willing to put up with his bad attitude.
The food was rather bland .and not the best I’ve ever had but I was hungry!
Food was ok… service terrible !

So here’s the low down: it’s now called Beirut. And the reason you guys go nuts for the sandwiches is cuz it’s Lebanese style not Egyptian like a lot of places on Steinway. And the Lebanese know how to make a mean sandwich. It’s just a different style.
My issues is how they run the business. It’s not always honest or organized. The food is always good and fresh. But forget the menu. They have what they have and they run out of stuff or whatever. So the problem is they kind of make up prices as they go.
Falafel sandwich is the best here but let them put those purple pickles in for you. This is uniquely Lebanese and delicious. They are pickled turnips. A must for falafel sandwich!
The meats are all fresh and halal and they will grill them right there while you wait.
They have a ton of great groceries. Especially the cheeses. There is one I can’t find any place else. But each time I buy it the price changes. One time it was by weight and another time by the piece.
They don’t always have AC so it’s torture to go back to groceries area on a warm day.
Don’t be intimidated if they are not so friendly. They just aren’t there. But the food is good and inexpensive for a fresh sandwich or platter so suck it up. Lol.
I’ve gotten sandwiches here and catering for a small group and it’s good food! Never gotten sick ever. Always fresh.

I had the chicken shwarma and my friend had the beef shwarma. The food was soo bland we had to eat it with hot sauce. Terrible food, not coming here again it was a waste of time and money.

Had the beef schwarma and falafel sandwiches. A little surprised I didn’t see a lamb schwarma.
This restaurant occupies the front half of a Lebanese grocery where you can purchase all kinds of Lebanese goods and foods. The guy serving the food was *super* nice. I really really liked him.
Both the beef schwarma and falafel sandwiches were A. Fantastic! Loved them both; just the right ratio between the main guest (the falafel ball or the beef schwarma itself) and the supporting actors (lettuce, onions, etc).
I wouldn’t hesitate to order both sandwiches again in a heartbeat. I absolutely LOVED the food.

50%+ increase in prices? Really?
Beirut was, for years, a mini sanctuary on Steinway Street where I could duck in for a quick and reliably tasty shawarma platter, some beef skewers over rice, or some kebabs. However, what used to be a very good meal at $ 10 is no longer so at $ 16. Not with about 2 dozen places nearby (off Steinway) that offer really good food at more modest amounts.
And the bathroom is perpetually out of order.
As for the grocery store half of the business, I don’t know how much they raised their prices, but buyer beware.
Sorry Beirut, it was great for a few years, but I won’t be back.

As another reviewer mentioned, the people at this place are extremely rude. I’ve been to this joint a few times, simply because its close by and therefore convenient, but I will stop patronizing this restaurant. There is no reason why anyone should go to any place where the moment you step in through the door, you feel a chill in the air. It’s true, you are not greeted when you come in, or even acknowledged while you are standing there waiting for the guy at the front to take your order. And, since he doesn’t look at you, or nod as you are talking to him, you’re not even sure if he’s taking your order correctly.
In any case, I had a particularly bad experience the last time that I visited. I had ordered a chicken shish kebab platter that is supposed to come with chicken shish kebab, rice, hummus, vegetables and pita bread, but on this day they had run out of virtually everything. They literally had – no tomatoe, only a few scraps of lettuce, no onions, or pickles, etc… so, anyway, the guy preparing the food scrapes together whatever he can find and throws it on my plate. It was hardly a platter. I may as well have just eaten the chicken kebab alone and saved myself the cost of buying a platter which is $ 10.00. Anyhow, after I finished eating, I go to pay [the register is towards the back] where the even nastier cashier is lurking around doing nothing. He looked– with his blood shot eyes– as if he had had a really bad day and was angry with the world. First off, he sees me standing before the register, and instead of going behind the register, he doesn’t, until I literally tell him that I would like to pay. He then yells something in Arabic to the guy at the front and proceeds to charge me $ 12.00! I politely ask him, why is he charging me $ 12.00 for a plate that is supposed to be $ 10.00, especially on a day like today, when I have been given a plate that is missing so many items. Instead of being helpful, this foul natured individual orders me to ask the cook. So, I have to walk to the front and ask the cook who tells me that I ordered more salad than at previous times. I look at him incredulously and remind him that they had run out of most incredients. Instead of apologizing – in an attitude as if I had just imposed on him – he simply yells back to the equally nasty cashier to charge me $ 10.00. The cashier, who is striking a punative pose, rudely barks at me to give him back the original change he had given me [I had given him $ 20.00 – he had returned $ 8.00]. He then nastily hands me $ 10.00, never looking at me, or apologizing. This does not happen in normal places where customers are valued.
If you want to avoid a bad experience [and it will come sooner or later], avoid this place like the plague! I know someone who was called the f-​word simply for having the temerity to ask for whole-​wheat pita bread after he had been given the non-​wheat variety! Not worth it. I’d give it a zero star if it were possible!

I was really disappointing with the chicken shawarma here. I think the same guy works at Souk in Sunnyside, anyway the chicken was bone dry and I found pieces of bone or cartilage in it which was pretty nasty, honestly the best best about it was the toum.
I am sticking to Cedars!!!

This is one of the best mediterranean restaurants i’ve been to. It’s nothing luxurious but the food is great. I love the platters here, especially the sujuk platter which comes with a garlic sauce. I have no idea what the garlic sauce is made from, but this is the only place I can find it. It’s one of the best sauces I’ve ever had!
There are a few seats in this place and it’s always crowded. The cooks that make the food could be nicer, but I don’t give a shit. I come here for the food, not the friendliness. I’m willing to go out of my way for this place. I live in Brooklyn, and I think that speaks volumes!

The beef kafta is delicious. It’s ground beef tenderloin grilled to order, extremely juicy, on fresh pita, jeweled with tomatoes, pickles, onions, and tahini, or as a platter with hummus and couscous.
All of the meats look fresh in the counter, and the place always has a crowd.
The air inside is stuffy and warm, so grab the sandwich to go, along with a Lebanese soft drink, for a really great Astoria lunch!

So I literally just ate here about … 45 minutes ago. Is it pathetic that I’m already writing a review for this place? No because I’m only here to help you make the next big eating decision of your lifeeeeee! I was having the biggest craving for falafel and needed to have it tonight even in the pouring rain.
I almost ate at Little Morocco as I walked by it first and it was raining pretty bad out but I was gung ho about eating at La Shish. I was shocked at how busy this place was too when I arrived. I did also notice that the seating is a little tight and I was trying to scope a seat out while wait in line to order my food as well. So go with a friend.
I ordered the Vegetarian Combo Platter ($ 9): Hummus, babaghanuj, tabouleh, salad, falafel and pita bread. I asked how many falafel came with this platter and I was told 3, I kindly asked if I could get two more and he had no issue in adding to it. When my meal was ready, he had packed it in a to-​go container even though I had planned on staying there the entire time. I had no issue eating out of the to go container either. I was also hooked up with 4 grape leaves as well, and I’m not really a grape leave girl but they were pretty delicious.
Okay lets break this platter down:
Falafel: this might be some of the best falafel I’ve had in the city so far. It was crispy but not super fried. The middle was extremely moist and so flavorful. I felt like it had a little different spin flavor wise but most certainly in a good way.
Babaghanuj: Again, this might be some of the best I’ve had in a while. It was really creamy and not too smoky which I enjoyed. Topped on the falafel was the perfect combo.
The Hummus was also very tasty and creamy. Not too garlicky but most certainly had enough flavor.
The tabouleh was really just a lot of parsley with tomatoes in oil but stuff in the pita with all the other items on the platter was excellent. The other salad on the platter was a foul madammas (fava beans). The pita was a great size and it was warm, nothing beats a warm pita.
The service was great and the place is clean which is huge in my book. It was very busy, and I’m assuming because it was a Friday night, or maybe its always that busy I’m not sure. Seating is somewhat tight so I wouldn’t recommend going with a group. Ordering, you order from the take out menu, which is no big deal at all. I felt as though most of the crowd was regulars, but I needed to review one more time before making my final decision.
If you’re in the area or are really craving falafel … you need to go to La Shish … nothing less than delicious! ! !

The lamb wrap: Stellar. I wanted to make love to this lamb wrap. Got it with toom (garlic paste) and hot sauce. It was juicy and meaty and not all lettuce and tomato like many other middle eastern wraps.
Falafel wrap: I’m not even usually a fan of falafel but uuuuugh this was so good. Added on some lif (pink pickled turnups) and it was just perfect
As for the store, it’s comprehensive, organized, and most importantly: CLEAN! I’ve had my run of Arab markets, and they’re usually kind of dingy, so this place is actually quite a step up.

i remember when this place was still under construction and I wondered what this place would be. When they finally opened all I could think was «what’s the name of this place?! There’s no sign!» There’s also no menu, you have to use the takeout menu to order from. They’re getting there. i’m sure all that stuff will be coming soon.
Anyways, I went here for dinner before a night of drinking with friends and the food was amazing. I got the falafel platter and it was delicious. Amazing falafel balls and quite large I might add. It came with hummus, salad and pita bread on the side and I barely managed to finish. If your on steinway and it’s late this is the best bang for your buck, and the tastiest! I will be back.
Good:
open late
inexpensive
large portions
falafel platter — $ 6
lamb sausage sandwich — $ 3.50
Bad:

Totally great shawarma sammy’s, falafel and kibbeh. I passed by this place like a million times on my way to the gym before I decided to go in and check it out. Inside its super cute and even has a little grocery section tucked away in the back.
I had a falafel sammy with all the goodies on it. Delish. So tasty and the ingredients were so fresh. Next time, I had the kibbeh and it was AH-​mazing. Kibbeh is one of my favorite Middle Eastern dishes (or side) and they really were dead on with it.
Can’t wait to go back!