Syriana Cafe & Gallery

I was not so pleased with the food and service at Syriana Cafe. Unfortunately, most of their bottled sodas were either flat or expired. One of the ginger ale bottles had been expired 6 months ago. That was immediately the first red flag. They did give us a refund. Secondly, they told us, a party of 2, that we can sit anywhere, so we sat at a four top. Then the female server told us that we cannot sit at a four top and that we had to move. She did not even help us move our utensils and waters to another table. It was not like the place was crowded or anything. In fact, we sat at a small table for two, and right behind us were two patrons sitting at a four top. I was displeased with the service.Regarding the food, I got the Grilled Lamb Ribs Platter ($19.99), which was a little over-cooked and lacked seasoning. The Shawarma on Rice with steak ($18.99) was a lot better and had better flavor. Overall, they have a nice lounge upstairs and beautiful decor - I was disappointed by the service and the food however.

During my most recent visit to my home state of Maryland, I visited Old Town Ellicot City with a friend. We happened upon Syriana Cafe almost by chance. And were quite glad we did.Syriana takes up a multi-floor building, giving you a wide variety of seating options...whether amidst the crowd, or in a small corner. You can get a great view of the main street from one of the window seats.The food options included what you would reasonably assume to be offered at a Mediterranean restaurant. Tabouleh and tahini. Falafael. Baga ganoush. All the classics. And each of them were very good. I actually don't think there was a single dish that I didn't like. I did particularly like their hummus.Service, while friendly, can be slow. The wait staff are constantly climbing up and down stairs to get to all the diners, however, so this is understandable.

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.

A nice little restaurant in old town Ellicot City, that serves yummy aptly priced Middle Eastern food. There are 3 floors of seating, but mind you, the stairs are very narrow, spiral, and steep (reminded me of Paris). It's an old building, so it is to be expected.We were promptly seated, and there was a man playing songs on his keyboard on the 2nd floor, which was a very pleasant experience. I believe the restaurant has live music often.I got the beef kebab platter, which was pretty good, but I felt maybe the beef was cooked a little too well done. Almost a bit too dried out as a result. My bf got the falafel platter, which he enjoyed. Overall, I would recommend this place for sure to anyone wanting some kebabs or falalfels if they are in the area. Service was good and fast as well.

Overall- underwhelming food, potential for cute ambiance if there wasn't boxes everywhere, minimal helpful service, with one single-stall restroomI'm pretty sure shop in Old Ellicott City isn't accessible for a lot of people. It's got a lot of character and a lot of steps. There is indoor and outdoor seating. You order at the counter and they bring you your food. The cashier told me the rosé sherbet drink was a "regular" amount sweet but it was very sweet. Other than the French fries, the food was all underwhelming. It was a pleasant surprise to run into live music on a Thursday evening. The singer was good and they were super laid back and engaged with my son a bunch. Servers didn't check on you. There were multiple times we needed things and I had to go downstairs to ask for them and I wasn't met with the most hospitable of attitudes about asking for basic things like silverware and a cup for my son.

summary: located within Old Ellicott City right along Main Street, Syriana is a cute spot with a venue that has multiple floors great for overlooking the historic town. Unfortunately, the food was a pretty big miss for me, but YMMV depending on what you order.details:The location is great. It overlooks the busiest street in Old Ellicott City and there are multiple seats in the venue that allow you to overlook the town, which is great to hang out. There was even live music (they were great) when we stopped by.A lot of the items on the menu sounded good, including the chicken shawarma pizza. That was a big mistake for me. Everything was cold. The chicken, cheese, sauce, crust. I think other items on the menu would probably come out better, but I was left extremely disappointed with my choice.Service is kind of a MIA situation. You order on the first floor and then they'll bring the food to your table. That was pretty much the extent of our interaction with the wait staff.closing:I think there's a lot of potential at Syriana Cafe, but I had a pretty lackluster experience.

It's very nice to have a Syrian restaurant in Ellicott City! I stopped by on a rainy night for a quick meal. The restaurant is huge and very warm, with a register and some treats on the first floor- be careful or you'll buy them all! I sat upstairs and had a falafel sandwich with fries. The sandwich was a little small but very tasty, and the fries came with a delicious sauce. I had to get kunafa for dessert! It wasn't like other kunafa I've had but it was warm and sweet. This is a great place to stop by and try some Syrian food!

Cozy, rustic, intimate experience from my visit to Syriana's at Old Town Ellicott City. Perfect venue for a date night. First floor hosts a couple seats and the bakery; the other two floors are for seating. Not familiar with the desserts and much of the cuisine other than the wraps but everything was tasty. Plenty of spice and texture. Portion sizes were adequate as well. Two ladies running around serving the floors were quick and accommodating. No complaints about service.The draw here, personally, is the vibe. Perfect setting for a Valentines Day dinner if you want to avoid the crowd. Wooden furniture and warm tones accented by interesting fixtures. Road noise is minimal and not a worry. Maybe more of a worry in the summer when the doors are open. Recommended!

Love the ambiance and the service. The food was great and hard to choose what to get. I would definitely come back.

Came here for the first time for lunch on a weekend with a friend. I ordered their mezza platter and Syrian fries appetizer. My total came out to approximately $30 (not including tip).What's hot- Quality. Pretty good. Their pita bread was warm and soft. All their food was delicious and well-seasoned, especially the fries. I don't know what the dipping sauce is that come with their fries, but it's delicious. Their food isn't overly salty, as well.- Menu. Pretty good variety. There is something for everyone- meats, veggies and vegans.- Service. Pretty decent. To be fair, they don't appear to have a large number of staff, so be prepared, especially since it's a multi-level restaurant. I saw 2 wait staff, at most.- Location. Pretty conveniently located and easy to find in historic Ellicott City.- Price. Food is reasonably priced, especially given the portions and quality. Good value for money. What's not- Service. Pretty decent, but once we paid, their staff left us alone. The only part that annoys me when this happens is that we didn't get any water refills as we continued chatting.- Parking. There is parking nearby, but be prepared to walk and/or timed parking, depending on where you are. - Layout. It's an old building. As such, their stairs are narrow and their space is tight. Be mindful of that, especially as they're moving food between floors.Final answerFood is pretty good and would be willing to come back.