The Most Scrumptious Middle Eastern in Baltimore

The Helmand

★★★★☆ 4.2 (781) • $$

"We enjoyed our visit to The Helmand. We have been before but I always forget to post a review. This is one of my favorite places to bring people. It's very vegetarian friendly and has delicious food and wonderful service every time. The place is nicely decorated and gives you a feel for the afghan culture. We had the following dishes: kaddo Borwani (baby pumpkin), vegetarian mantwo, ashsak, and the shornakhod salad. It was all fresh, filling, and light all at the same time. We always have the best time when we come to The Helmand."

Villagio Cafe

★★★★★ 4.5 (380) • $$

"This place has been recommended by many friends, and it overall met our expectation. 5 stars on service: the hostess and server were super friendly and attentive. In terms of the food, it was tasty! The hummus appetizer was excellent. For the main meal I got the lamb and my husband the beef. The servings were fairly big (but mostly the rice and vegetables). I did love all the flavor profiles and appreciate that it is Persian food as it is harder to find. Overall I found the food to be delicious, but it seemed just a tad expensive for what it is. The decorations of the place are a bit antiquated with art that doesn't necessarily match the theme (Parisian art?) as well as some strange devices on top of a wall (maybe some sort of drying fan thing) that took away from the eating experience. Overall, I did like the food and would love to return."

ZAATAR Mediterranean Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.2 (435) • $$

"Spinach pie - fluffy outside and tangy inside- nice and hot Fries- hot fresh and crispy, not too salty Beef shawarma- HUGE portion! Good flavor, nice and hot. The garlic sauce is so tasty and definitely powerful. I got rice instead of salad, but I think salad would have been a better choice to pair with the beef. There's also a nice big basket of warm naan that comes with it.Chicken shishkabob sandwich- WOW! Blew my socks away. The beef shawarma was good but this was the star of the show. Insane flavor and the chicken was juicy with that nice grilled flavor. Service- friendly, genuine, and fast but not rushing us. Good recommendations for newcomers & had answers for all our questions Atmosphere- dimly lit, comfortable, clean, and not crazy packed. We got there around 5pm on a Sunday, but around 6 is when a few more tables filled up."

Noras Kabob

★★★★☆ 3.9 (322) • $$

"We had the boxed lunch catering for a corporate event. I chose the chicken kabob. Everything was delicious! I'm not sure if I was eating hummus or eggplant dip but that tasted phenomenal. 4 stars because my food wasn't hot so I imagine I would have given 5 stars if all my items were at temperature. I will definitely plan to visit the actual restaurant in the future."

Syriana Cafe & Gallery

★★★★☆ 4 (207) • $$

"Great place for some delicious food. Everything was served just right! The Rose water sherbet and Syria coffee was very good. The portion were so big we thought the plates would fall off the table, which were a bit small for two. Service was fast and our food came quickly. They also have some great desserts downstairs but we were too full. A very enjoyable dinner watching the snow fall, felt like we were transported to another world."

Yemen & Gulf Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.7 (110)

"Second time coming by and it was even better.Firstly - the prices and portions are a total steal.This place is definitely a hole in the wall, no frills kind of dining. We tried their lamb sandwich (shared between two) which was juicy and flavorful. also shared a chicken stew dish with potatoes and vegetables. This was fantastic but my favorite was definitely the sandwich! You get a lentil soup and salad with every order - soup is mildly seasoned and light, perfect start to the meal.I will be going back for the lamb sandwich. Also, saw someone order the fries which I'm definitely getting the next time. Whole meal with a drink cost less than $30."

Aden Pizza

★★★★☆ 4.2 (134) • $$

"Called for delivery On Christmas day eve and immediately got through to an extremely pleasant knowledgeable and helpful Staffer. We ordered an extra large pizza with multiple toppings and a no cheese pizza for someone with a dairy allergy. Also three Mediterranean salads and an order of DolmadesThe pizza was fabulous. Clearly freshly made dough wonderfully complex sauce, spicy pepperoni and fresh cut mushroomsThe salad was fresh, crunchy, and a great balance of vegetables. The dolmades were wonderfully firm and expertly seasonedThis will be our pizza place from now on.Thank you Aden's!"

Orchard Market & Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.1 (138) • $$

"Lovely little restaurant tucked up in a parking lot behind Joppa Rd near Loch Raven. Terrific, affordable food. The family that owns the restaurant were verykind and hospitable hosts. I highly recommend this restaurant."

Caspian House of Kabob

★★★★☆ 3.6 (177) • $$

"I come in a few times a month for lunch and always get the kubideh with half rice and half salad. Everything is is fresh and hot. Soda and fresh pita included. Not sure about the other reviews but for 15 bucks it's good and filling."

Lebanese Taverna

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (213) • $$

"This restaurant is located in Rockville Center. When it is chilly, you can ice skate in the middle of the cluster of shops and eateries. The food is great. The sampler is a great way to try lots of dishes. It would be nice is the customer could choose how many of each item. The cashier forgot to enter my soup with the rest of our orders. I just decided to forget it. The hummus is flavorful. The bread was yummy. The portions are decent. There is a variety of menu items. We lingered at the table. The employees were nice about it. There was a group of approx 8-10 youth that decided to just come in and sit (and cause trouble) without ordering anything. The employee did a great job of politely/firmly asking the group to leave. Street parking is hit or miss. There is a garage around the corner."

Kabob Connection

★★★★☆ 4.1 (126) • $$

"What a gem! I came here out of the blue and boy am I glad I did. Everything was made extra fresh. I saw them pressing the dough for the bread! The prices extremely fair and service extraordinary. It was pretty busy and I see why! I ordered the tikki chicken / lamb kabob and it was flavorful, tender and huge! My husband had the bhuna chicken and it was stellar. I loved the fresh onion salad served with the meals and the sauces as well. Incredible meal!"

Lebanese Taverna

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (212) • $$

"Finally some excellent hummus and baba! The falafel were fair, better than cava. The chicken was tiny small pieces, not big chunks on a skewer like I expected. I loved the cucumber yogurt dip as well as the tabouli both were so fresh. My husband said the basmati rice & hummus were both delicious but he thought the chicken was dry."

Caspian Kabob

★★★★☆ 3.5 (148) • $$

"I remember this place when they were in smaller spot across the street. That was their first location. IMHO, they are 10x better than Mobys. The flavors are so much better and taste homemade. I love their Kubbieh Kabobs. Which is ground beef. Seasoned perfect. I always go for the platter with extra meat on the side. Rice is good. I love the grilled tomatoes. I always ask for extra tzakiki sauce. Yum! Ask for sumac as it will make the flavors pop even more! Then pita bread is made on site. Once in a while, ill treat myself to some baklava. But it's decent. Depends on how it looks.Service is great. I recommend calling ahead if you're getting it to go, they get busy during the lunch rush.They have a location in the Kentlands but this location is better."

Nora's Grill & Bistro

★★★★☆ 3.5 (107) • $$

"We enjoyed our visit. There were 4 of us. Our server seemed to struggle with English but was super helpful and kind. The food was good. I love Mediterranean food, so this does in a pinch when I have my Mediterranean food craving."

King Kabob & Gyro

★★★★★ 4.6 (47) • $

"King kabob is located in the security mall food court. It's right in the middle of where checkers and sarku japan are. The food is really good. I've only ever got lamb and chicken on rice and nothing else here so I'm not sure how the other food it. The lamb is the part though. The chicken is good but the lamb is so tender and flavorful compared to it. They give you any meat you want or a mix if you prefer and they put it on top of rice, a salad on the side and drench the whole thing in their amazing white sauce.If I have to be a little critical, I would say the rice needs to be better. I don't think it's very good here but for like $7-9 you do get a lot of food so I don't think it's that big a deal. You should definitely stop by if you are in the area or just shopping at the mall. One of the better food places in the mall."

Kavkaz Kebab

★★★★☆ 3.6 (74) • $$

"Azerbaijani cuisine in Kavkaz Kebab was a very nice experience. The cheese pie was in the words of my son - "too good." Bread stuffed with meat was satisfying and addictive. The spice used was sumac. I was not familiar with it hence interesting link about the spice http://www.thekitchn.com/inside-the-spice-cabinet-sumac-67042The soup with the mini stuffed dough (ravioli like) was welcomed and enjoyable.Deserts were interesting and different what I am used to eat.Since we were the only patrons I was a bit bossy and I asked that Azerbaijani music replaces some soft western music. It worked - with the decor, and with music, and different food experience I was able to got in touch with my inner Azerbaijanian - since we are all the brothers from the different mothers. Just like in Azerbaijan you would not expect first class service and excellent knowledge of English language but that just makes it more authentic. Do not expect that somebody will be cheerleading and saying, "how is everything guys?"Good stuff! I am so glad that I experienced it and shared it with my son."

Gyroll Shawarma

★★★★★ 4.7 (26)

"I dropped by the stall located on cross street market a couple of weeks ago. Owner or at least I presume was friendly and gave me a sample to try. I opted for the lamb, the sauce I recall had a subtle spicy sweetness to it. It was not a bad shawarma. Honestly, Shawarma's are largely country specific since many middle eastern countries have their own variations. Anywho, check them out."

Alsham Shawarma

★★★★☆ 4.3 (24)

"The shawarma here was just ok. Let me start with the good things: the meat was good and hot-they carve it from the spit but then chop and heat it up on their sandwich press. They had a variety of traditional toppings and some extras, to please whatever palate. The place is small but appeared clean and well kept. I ordered a side of falafel, a beef shawarma wrap and the combo to go with it. The falafel was fresh and good, slightly dry but still tasty. The wrap should definitely not have cost $11 by itself. That price for the wrap I got is ridiculous. It should be $8 or $9, at most. They didn't wrap it properly, so when I picked up each half, the fillings fell out the other side, but that's an easy fix. I was underwhelmed with the fries and portion size as well-the side of fries was literally a small palmful, and there were none in the wrap, although they said they made it the traditional way.I would go back and only get the wrap but probably only at a different price point-there's other places where I can get food that is just as good for less money (Pitamore, Rottito's)."

Queen Of Sheba

★★★★☆ 4.4 (21)

"My friend and I ordered quarter chicken with rice and a side salad. We were pleasantly surprised when it also came with soup. The chicken was tasty and well cooked. A side salad came with some extras including a greenish salsa and a wedge of lime. We added the salsa to the salad and it was tasty.This place is underpriced for the value. However if you're looking for ambience this is not your place. If they touched up the place, use the fan to move air they could double the prices and it will be worth it."

Baba’s Halal - Annapolis Mall

★★★★★ 4.7 (18)

"I'm trying to think of any reason not to give this place five stars, and nothing comes to mind! For $12 (mixed lamb & chicken platter), you get a TON of food! It was probably enough for two meals, but I didn't realize that going in. For only $1.75 (regular) or $2.25, you can add on a fountain soda to complete the meal. They have extras, like pita and baklava, but no way did I have any room to try those. I didn't finish the platter as it is, let alone any extras. But, it wasn't just a matter of sheer quantity. The quality was good, too. The chicken was juicy and flavorful, and the lamb was tasty and meaty. There's plenty of rice and enough salad to make it interesting. The white sauce, basically a tzatziki, was a perfect topping to the whole dish. The service was friendly and fast, and the dude who made my order was awesome! It's in the food court in the mall, so the scenery is what it is. But, you can't really fault them. Their own décor is pretty modern and clean-looking.Overall, it's a great new addition to the food options here at the mall. I'm glad we have it among the other stalls. And this one is at least not another meat + sides place (lookin' at you, Flamin Cajun...)."

Humitos Grill Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 (24)

"This is not the hole in the wall Greek places I'm used to. Humitos is a fantastic restaurant with great interior space. We ordered the beef and lamb gyro sandwich and a Greek salad with falafel on it. The sandwich had great flavor but it was so loaded with lettuce and tomatoes that it was essentially a salad with some meat at the bottom. I'm also used to double the meat on my gyro sandwiches, this one was a bit hidden. The Greek salad was exactly what we were expecting but they didn't include the black olives which is a BIG deal for a Greek salad and what my wife and daughter loves the most.I'm excited to try something else like maybe the moussaka would be better? But the sandwiches I'll pass on next time."

The Halal Guys

★★★★☆ 3.5 (24)

"Great little restaurant when you want Halal Guys. This maybe my first time here. Get a regular or small bowl or a gyro. I went for the regular bowl even though pita bread is a fav. Got the chicken and beef gyro mix and it was delicious. So much flavor! It comes with rice, lettuce, tomatoes. There a few other free add ins like olives, onions. Got the mayo white sauce (extra) and the red sauce in packets since I can't handle the heat... The red sauce is fairly spicy so know this going in. The bowl comes with three pita wedges too. It was good. Mix everything up and the party begins. It was delicious. The dish was full of flavor. The lemonade machine was broken so that was a bummer. Fountain soda and bottled soda was available. Fountain soda had free refills. Definitely recommend!"

Halal Brothers

★★★★★ 4.7 (10)

"I got some takeout from here when we stopped at the gas station here to get gas. Service was quick, and prices and portions are reasonable. I got the combo with chicken, beef, and falafel. Everything was seasoned great, and you have the option for spicy sauce or just the white sauce (taziki) This is definitely a good choice if you're in the area in need of a quick filling meal."

Kabob Hut

★★★☆☆ 2.5 (31) • $$

"Place is dim and tables are sticky. Not particularly appetizing. Food was lukewarm and flavor only so so."

Krazy Street Food

★★★★★ 4.9 (8)

"I love this place. I eat from here at least 3x per week. The inside of the restaurant is small, there are about 4 tables. I love their steak tacos, it's so savory and the steak is well seasoned. The shrimp taco is yummy as well. The staff is super friendly. They also remember their repeat customers, by name which makes your dining experience feel special. Parking isn't the best, because it's located downtown Baltimore (near the harbor). However, there are a few meter parking's nearby. You can also call in to order your food and then pick it up. The service is pretty fast as well. The tacos are affordable too."

Moby Dick House of Kabob

★★★★☆ 4.3 (10)

"After doing some grocery shopping nearby we decided to pick up lunch at Moby Dick House of Kabob. It was our first time there and we ordered two chicken kabob platters with rice and salad to go. The platter included chunks of marinated white meat chicken, rice and a side salad. The chicken was tender and delicious. There was a very very generous serving of lightly seasoned rice and in a separate container a side salad. The side salad was much nicer than I would expect for a "fast food" style restaurant. Our meal included two small containers of condiments. I absent mindlessly opened one and poured it on the salad. Oops, it was the tzatziki sauce for the kabobs, the slighly smaller one contained a nice vinaigrette for the salad. Lesson learned. The portions were so generous we ended up sharing one order and saving the other one for lunch the next day. When we went back a second time we just ordered one lunch and an appetizer of falafel. I'm not a huge fan of falafel but Rich loves it and thought this version was nice and crispy and he thoroughly enjoyed it. We will definitely be picking up lunch at Moby Dick again. For us it was a perfect light and satisfying meal. And after reading other reviews I am looking forward to trying a salmon platter next visit."

Moby Dick House of Kabob

★★★★☆ 4 (8)

"Salmon Kabobs Standout!I tried Moby Dick (Rockville/North Bethesda) location today. Ordered via UberEats.I ordered salmon kabobs served w/basmati rice, grilled onions/tomatoes & pita bread. Meal arrived promptly & still warm. I also ordered extra meat (another kabob).Generous portion. The salmon moist, tender & flavorful.Basmati rice fluffy, tender & grilled onions sweet charred flavor. Also cool UberEats promo spend $30+ get a Free Hummus. See Photos!"

Otoman Halal Spot

★★★★★ 4.7 (3)

"I came across this spot randomly one afternoon and decided to give it a try ! One aspect that's unique about Otoman's is there menu variety. They offer Chicken Sandwiches, Cheeseteaks, even Boba which is not something you will find at other halal spots. The quality and freshness of my food was good and I'll definitely be going back!"

Mercy Seat Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4 (4)

"I was on a business trip in Baltimore and stopped at this place for lunch one day. Food was pretty good! I did enjoy it as I got the Chicken Shawarma with Rice. I wish there was more sauce but I'm sure I could've asked for more. The customer service was great! The woman at the register was very friendly and sweet. I'll be back my next trip."