Mandaloun

We were a group of six meeting at another Mediterranean restaurant to find it was closed by the Board of Health. Where to go? Still wanting Mediterranean food we drove to Mandaloun. As we approached the restaurant, there were about six tables outside with people playing cards and smoking the hookah. They were also not speaking English so we knew right away. This was an authentic place. The inside is nicely decorated with white tablecloths. The six of us were seated and nice young server came over with waters for all of us. I didn't take a lot of pictures because we were busy talking and eating, but everything was excellent. The server did make some suggestions for appetizers and we got two sampler platters for the six of us. A few things on the platters were grape leaves, hummus, and Fattoush salad. It came with nice warm baskets of pita bread, which we really enjoyed. I was pretty stuffed after the appetizers so Friend and I decided to share a type of chicken on a kebab. It came with two kebabs. We each had one. It also came with the choice of salad, rice or potato. We chose the potato because we had already had salad two other people at our table ordered the chicken Shawarma, which were shredded chicken inside a pita pocket which they really said was excellent, there were some other dishes around the table and everyone enjoyed their meal. For dessert some ordered baklava and a cheese stuffed Filo dough type pastry, also excellent. Our mishap of a dinner that started out not looking great ended up excellent. Everyone enjoyed!

We were craving some Mediterranean food one day and was in the area. Decided on this restaurant due to high ratings and reviews on Google. Upon walking in, you get elevated vibes but if you choose to dine outdoors, it's more casual. We decided to dine outdoors since it was nice and cool outside. Our server who I think is the owner?? took care of us and she was super sweet, attentive, friendly, and patient with me as I asked her questions! Note: they have lunch prices and main course prices. We went after lunch so the prices were a little pricier. We shared the following:Pineapple juice with sparkling water added: 8/10 - the juice was refreshing, not too sweet and the perfect amount of tang. I love sparking juices so this hit the spot for me. You can tell how fresh the juice is! My husband had the Beef Shawarma: 9/10 - we both loved this! It was a good, big portion size, and came with veggies and rice. Everything was seasoned so well and nothing was needed to be added. Their tahini sauce was creamy, flavorful, and went so well with the beef! The beef was tender and the wrap was fluffy!! I appreciate that they so put the sauce on the side so you can add however much sauce you want on it or for dipping. The veggies were fragrant, crisp, and also seasoned well. The yellow rice was my favorite too as I found myself coming back for more, after I had some of my husband's wrap. Baba Ghanoush with pita bread. You also get complementary pita bread too with a dipping sauce, but everything was a 9.5/10 - the pita bread was so fluffy and dipping it in the baba ghanoush was divine! Baba ghanoush is grilled eggplant with sesame cream and lemon. I've tried at other places before but this restaurant blows the other competitors out of the water. It was creamy, light, and you can taste the hint of smokiness in it. The eggplant's taste and texture was so delicate and with the added the pomegranate seeds on top, there was a nice acidity and pop of flavor! 100 percent get this as an appetizer! You won't regret it. Our waitress also brought out a dipping sauce for the pita, I think one was like an olive oil dip with seasonings and lemon juice? The dipping sauce was delicious!! A little bit tangy but the flavors were dancing off my palette. I wanted to try the Soujok (small spicy Lebanese sausages flambé with a tomato, garlic, lemon, and oil sauce) but they were out. So I decided to try the Makanek instead. It's essentially the same thing but the sausages aren't spicy. I would give this dish: 7/10 - the sausages were plump, thick, and juicy. There is a little bit more of acidity in this dish so if you're not into tangy or sour things, then you won't like this. I dipped the sausages into some hot sauce and it elevated the flavors a notch. If you were to get this dish, definitely get some rice to soak up the sauce. I had a bite with the sausage dipped in hot sauce with the yellow rice and it was a really delicious bite. Hope I get to try the spicy sausages next time! If you do dine outside, there are some homeless people that walk around and will occasionally swipe the restaurant's ashtray or two on the table. I saw it happen where a lady did that while my husband was in the restroom. I was so shocked and before I could say anything to her, she left the proximity. I let the restaurant know and they said it's a common occurrence in the area and not much they can do. It didn't bother us and we enjoyed our outdoor dining, It was just an odd thing to see. Overall, we would definitely come back again! Service was amazing, attentive, and we were treated so kindly and warmly. Our food came out in a timely manner too! The price is a little on the pricier side but the portion sizes were good and the food was excellent. We will gladly pay extra for better quality food any day! I really want to come back and try the desserts too! They sounded yummy!

I enjoy this place. Went there with a friend that has never been there. This was the first time for me with the lunch buffet. Quite a collection of food and all looking very good and fresh. One thing about buffets I like is that it gives you a chance to try all the things without ordering something you don't really like. Service is good and attentive. Pleasant little restaurant.

Shoutout to our local community heroes! This is a wonderful venue that we spotted while learning about our neighborhood around the UPS store and Publix. We peeked at the menu on the window and saw that there were so many of our favorite dishes. We were warmly welcomed and seated right away. Our server was very friendly, bright, and knowledgeable about the menu. We ordered our food and enjoyed a nice bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon while we chilled. We were served warm pita bread and a dipping dish full of herbs, spices, and olive oil. Yummm! We ordered savory grilled lamb chops with a side of refreshing tabbouleh. The grilled vegetables that are served with the lamb chops were so delicious as well! The perfect texture and balanced flavor. I ordered the combo platter which is cool because you get to pick four items from the many options of little starters. That was perfect because I knew that I wanted tabbouleh and hummus! I picked one like a spinach puff (Fatayer) and I had to have the server help me pick out the 4th option. We picked a meat one and she let me order one minced beef puff like an empanada (Sambousek) and one like a breaded football shaped meatball (Kebbe)! Everything was so fun to eat! The textures, flavors, temperatures, etc all add to the meal!!! I love the Foodie adventure! The owner came out to check on us and it was such a wonderful honor to meet him. He was so kind and personable. We ordered 3 different desserts to share: Rice Pudding: (Lebanese style rice pudding made with rose water and orange blossom, topped with crushed pistachios), Halawet El Jeben (Sweet cheese rolls with syrup and a light topping), Zenoud El Sit: (Filo pastry roll filled with ashta, topped with simple syrup). We left with all our senses satisfied and happy!

Great food and atmosphere. Have been multiple times and consistently great food;hummustabouli and the spicy fish dish are a real treat.

Hands down the best Mediterranean food in Jacksonville!! I have been so many times and they never let me down. This little family owned and operated restaurant is truly a gem. Staff is always super sweet and the vibe is so welcoming. This will always be my spot when I get a craving for good Mediterranean food.

This little out of the way place has decor that is formal enough t for a first date or special dinner. The food is fabulous, with a Lebanese flavor. My crew of four decided to order a few different things to try: Hummus - really flavorful and a light creamy texture. Topped with thick olive oil. Grape Leaves - another winning appetizer, but not everyone at the table was not as thrilled. It was 50/50. Chicken Shwarma - big hit with my crew. Beef Shwarma - my son's favorite Lentils (veg) - this was not a very big portion and what was there was fairly dry. It had a good flavor, especially with the fried onions on top. Definitely would order with a side of Tahini next time. Parking is plentiful, but it is tucked back in the shopping center can be hard to find. Service was very friendly but was really really slow. It was so bad it became distracting, but the food was worth it. Just go and have a leisurely meal and sample some great Lebanese food.I am told Sunday afternoon is a buffet.

Oooooh this restaurant was fantastic. The server was great, friendly and exceptional! We forgot his name, but he appears to be a young gentleman with great people skills and attentiveness. The restaurant was quiet since me and my sister came around 4:30pm-ish. The interior was decorated nicely. We ordered the following:- grape leaves- beef shawarma w/potatoes and seasoned vegetables - combo platter: Baba Ghannouj, Tabbouleh, Fatayer and Kebbe He also served us pita bread with oil mixed with za'atar (?). It was very good! Grape leaves were delicious as we loved the taste of how it was preserved so well. The beef shawarma was amazing because the beef was seasoned well along with the veggies and potatoes. I would say it was the best seasoned veggies and potatoes I've ever had! The combo platter, all were superb! The baba ghannouj was smooth with grilled eggplant purée, lemon juice and sesame juice and pieces of pomegranate. Tabbouleh was very fresh and earthy. The Fatayer tasted great. Cute triangular pastries stuffed with spinach, pine nuts, feta cheese and onion. Kebbe was very good with the meat shell filled with ground beef, onions and pine nuts with a side of taziki. Overall, it was all fantastic and definitely will revisit to try out other menu items!

The servers are sweet but the food is awful. I'm sorry but we had to leave after having a taste of our entrees. Everything tastes old and drenched in salt. Think twice before coming here to eat please

I just wanted to give a shoutout to the lovely manager Pierre... he made my day when he graciously cancelled my order after I accidentally ordered from the wrong state The place looks amazing and I'm bummed I never got to try it but Pierre told me to swing by the next time I'm in Jacksonville . A true class act... thanks again!