The Continental

Good food, a little pricey, when we asked to move our table closer to the band the waitress looked at her assistant and made an ugh face, so a little unprofessional…

This is the second time we had dinner at the Continental. The food was very good. They make the best Kafka. Worth the ride.

Mujadara = yummy! I’m still craving it. Décor is a bit dated but food portions are big and very tasty. I love that there are so many vegetarian options. Can’t wait to go back.

I have been to the continental on many occasions and each time has been wonderful!!! There are so many authentic choices on the menu that I have to order at least 3 appetizers on top of my entrée to get my fill!!! My ultimate favorites have to be any of the kabob dinners. Pair that with the grape leaves, hummus, and rice pudding for dessert and you will be set! The waitresses are awesome. Very quick to make sure I’m comfortable and my boyfriend and I are enjoying our meal. I recommend the continental to anyone who wants an amazing overall dining experience with an owner, chef and waitstaff that provide excellent service. :)

Awesome menu, very clean restaurant, attentive service. Appetizers were outstanding (hummus, grape leaves, spinach pies and homemade sausages)
We ordered kibbee, mousaka, kebabs and chicken all were prepared well.
The desserts were awesome too.
We look forward to our next visit.

Nice little place in the middle of nowhere, it seems. Lol. Located on Farnum Pike past The Last Resort — if you drive too fast, you might miss it. We got there Friday night and the the place was very empty. During our entire visit, there was probably only 2 other tables that had patrons. Considering the place is pretty spacious with a bar (pretty tight fit) in the back, it was sad to see such an empty restaurant on a Friday night.
We started off with the chicken soup and falafel appetizer. The chicken soup was different than expected — it was tomato based, not bad just different. The falafel was a bit overcooked — way crispier than I’d like or have had before. It was on top of a bed of tomatoes and pickled veggies and came with a tahini sauce that was really good. I ended up saving that to eat with my entrée.
I ordered the chicken kabob and my sister got the Choice Entrée (any 2 meats), she got the beef and the kafta. Both entrees came with rice and grilled onions, tomatoes and green peppers. My chicken wasn’t overly seasoned, had a nice char and was very moist. The food is good but I think it’s a bit overpriced. The portions were very decent and I ended up having it for lunch the next day.
Our waitress was very polite and courteous. Dishes came out timely and glasses were never empty. The manager greeted us at some point to see how our meal was. That’s always a nice touch when management takes the time to check on his customers.

First time here getting food to go. This is the BEST middle eastern food in Rhode Island. The falafels burst with flavor in your mouth. The tahini sauce and hummus are also very good. Definately will be back.

Have to say… this place is awesome. If you know good authentic Middle Eastern food then you will love this place. The Choice is my go to! And the server Audra is amazing. She is friendly and accommodating and on top of her game!

I never would have considered Lebanese food until my wife suggested it. As luck would have it, we found this little gem on Unilocal.Went there last night as a birthday dinner for her.
This place is awesome. Very clean, excellent service, and the food is wonderful.
We each ordered «The Choice». I had beef and kafta, Mary had lamb and kafta. We ordered tabouleh and stuffed grape leaves as an appetizer.
Audra, our server, was pleasant, friendly, and very attentive.
Overall, you will find exceptional food, excellent service, and a beautiful atmosphere. We highly recommend The Continental!

Out for a ride in «the country» on a sunny winter day, we ran into The Continental just 12 miles from Providence. Lebanese music was playing when we walked in and the atmosphere was relaxing and serene. When the music changed to Abba we asked if it could go back to Lebanese, and the surprised owner complied.
Our lunch portions of Lamb Kebab with grilled vegetables and rice were perfect, even the rice was tasty. A rice pudding dessert was unusual and flavorful — the owner’s wife said the flavoring was «water flower,» which baffled me until I realized I think she meant rose water, a first for me.
The only ding I’d give The Continental is that the pita served with our lemony hummus appetizer was thin and dried out from being heated. Warm pillowy pita would be much better with this chickpea dip. We’ll definitely be back!

I am not in Smithfield very often, but after tonight’s lovely visit, I will be sure to return to the Continental. This is authentic Lebanese cooking, served by people who know and love the cuisine. Najeeb and his wife were a wonderful host and hostess and made me feel immensely comfortable while I made a point of finding things that were outside of my comfort level. The atmosphere is as warm as can be, the wine list is more than adequate and a good match to the menu and the selection of appetizers, entrées and desserts is formidable. My hats off to this delightful place and its delightful owners. I am looking forward to my next trip!

Might be my favorite restaurant right now. We stopped in because friends said it was good.
This is the best chicken I have ever had in my life! It is so juicy and the flavors are unbelievable. So simple served with grilled pepper, onion and tomato over rice. The rice is unlike anything I’ve ever had. The lamb is delicious too.
We always order the Babaghanoush. It is amazing.
Just so tasty and amazing. I want to eat it all the time. Take out and dine in the food tastes the same!

Amazing place to have in Smithfield! Huge portions of amazing food. Probably the best grilled chicken I’ve ever had, this place just made the list of places we will frequent. The owner is very friendly and is always around, there is live music, good drinks and appetizers. I literally crave this food like nothing I’ve ever had, the flavor is amazing and has never disappointed, excellent food quality and some of the best flavored food I’ve ever had. Awesome middle eastern food in the middle of nowhere! Love it! Falafel and the babagaonouj are amazing. You can’t go wrong eating here, I hope this place is around forever.

My family and I were thrilled to find this restaurant. Coming from a Lebanese family myself, we very found it very hard to find good authentic Lebanese food. This place did not disappoint. We had the tabouleh, the hummus, grape leaves, and lentil soup. Everything was fantastic. Perfectly seasoned. While it is a bit out-​of-​the-​way, it is totally worth the trip. The owner was very attentive and hospitable. I can totally see this becoming a regular go to restaurant in our lives.

I’ll start off by saying why this is a 4 not a 5 star rating… simply based on the outdated look and feel of the restaurant. The food on the other hand is great and I’ll describe some of the things I tried.
They have an extensive menu of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, sprinkled in with some «American» dishes. I can’t stress enough — when you go to a culturally based restaurant, please stay away from the American dishes and order what they specialize in; you won’t be disappointed.
I first tried the Greek dish Moussaka which was eggplant, onions, chick peas, tomato sauce, garlic, oil, seasonings all served with rice & pita bread. It was hearty and seasoned just right without being to oily.
The second time, I tried the Baked Kibbee seasoned bulgur (cracked wheat) and meat filled with seasoned ground meat, onions, pine nuts
served with rice and grilled vegetables — tomatoes, onions and peppers. Also, I tried the «Sampler» which had assorted savory pastries either filled with meat, cheese or spinach — perfect to share with another person. The sampler also came with Fattoush Salad which has romaine, cucumbers, tomato and sliced radishes with a sumac oil and lemon dressing.
Overall, everything was tasty and having grown up with this food, this is a great place to bring someone who hasn’t tried Middle Eastern/​Mediterranean cuisine before. They also have live entertainment on the weekends if you wish to have the full experience.

This is some of the best Lebanese food in New England! They also feature live entertainment, including middle eastern bands and bellydancers, as well as jazz, American and cover artists. Wonderful owners and cozy ambience; a true gem in RI! My favorite is chicken kebab and baba ghannoush. Nice patio in the warm seasons

Wow! Authentic Lebenese food that is skillfully prepared. We tried a variety of appetizers. Fatoush, babaganoush, kibbeh, grape leaves, spinach pies and baklava. They even made is a few dishes that weren’t on the menu. The owner, his wife and the chef and his wife all came to our table and we were blown away by the food and the hospitality. I will definitely be going back to taste everything on the menu I missed. If you want a taste of Lebanon, check out The Continental. You will be in good hands.

Extensive menu and authentic middle eastern food. Everything is fresh and prepared daily. I’m big fan of shish kebab.
Ambiance is great as well as the live entertainment.
Harout P.

Had a great time, great music and food. First time watching the belly dancer. The staff was very friendly and we never had to wait for our food or drinks. Looking forward to go back and try some of the other dishes.

A Little Middle Eastern Culture
Gave this place a try on Sunday. Didn’t know what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised.
There was a wedding party starting when we got there, but we sat at the bar anyway. It was a bit loud but they did offer us outdoor seating so this was our decision.
The Food:
Ordered the falafel and the mixed grill platter. Both items were very fresh and well seasoned. The beef and chicken were very good, we had the kafta as well but that wasn’t our favorite.
Tip: order the mixed grill with beef and chicken and order extra beef for 5 bucks. This will be enough food for 2 people to split.
The Service: a little slow and a bit to be desired, but the owner was very hospitable.
If your craving some middle eastern food, this place is pretty good. If I could give it 3 ½ stars I would.
We’ll definitely be back.
Thanks