Stella Maris Restaurant & Hookah Lounge

WOW! The food was great! Even the Greek Salad was incredible - EVERYTHING was so fresh!!! The service - outstanding! The Lamb Chops.... One word - Phenomenal! Try the Lebanese Tea!!!

I pass Stella Maria everyday heading to and from work. My first time trying it was on the go to get a quick bite to eat. Walking into the store it has a very big selection of different things. I tried the gryo sandwich slices of lamb wrapped in this soft bread with veggies and fries, so good and made to order!!! The service is amazing walking into this place your greeted each time with a smile, they can always tell you other things on the menu that maybe good as well. There's a mint green tea that's very good the mint is just right with the tea. Ambiance cozy chilled comfortably vibe. I also got some lamb chops from there for dinner freshly cut and perfect side AMAZING on price. I'd definitely recommend Stella Maria for both great food and chill place.

What a hidden gem. There aren't many places I would eat hummus from, but this is definitely one. This place is not just a restaurant but a grocery store, too. They sell all of the seasonings and items I used to go to Metairie to get. The mint lemonade is beyond refreshing, especially on these scorching summer days. The shawarma is cooked to perfection: tender and packed full of flavor. The staff is always pleasant and ready to share the specials of the day. The place feels real homey: the perfect spot to hideaway, relax, and enjoy a good meal.

I truly enjoyed the soup and my gryo plate was very tasty. My only complaint was the meat being chopped up into think pieces and it was grilled a little too hard. The service was very excellent and I would definitely come back again.

In 2024, it's difficult to find eateries (or any business, for that matter) which check most to all of the standard boxes. Ask yourself when you last went out to eat somewhere with good food, prepared and presented thoughtfully, served promptly, in a pleasant atmosphere, by caring and attentive waitstaff, for an amount of money that didn't sting when the check arrived. Stella Maris meets and exceeds each and every one of these criteria, which has been cause for me and mine to return there on a biweekly basis for the past several months, as we will continue to do for the foreseeable future.Jamal and the rest of the Stella Maris crew have gone to noteworthy lengths to make each dining *and shopping* experience one which, lamentably, resembles fewer and fewer businesses in the US, and feels more like the hospitality one could expect abroad, in a far less atomized, sanitized, corporatized, price-gouging country than this one.When after dinner one night, one of us accidentally knocked over our hookah, shattering the glass base, Jamal was emphatic that we not worry one bit about it, and didn't charge us a cent for the damage. When I later bought my own (beautiful and affordable) hookah from him as a surprise birthday present, and discovered in it a small design flaw, Jamal automatically and graciously offered an entire replacement hookah at no additional cost, along with a handful of other proposed remedies to ensure I was taken care of. Upon leaving the store that day, I had accidentally left a small piece of our hookah behind, and failed to see him flagging me down in the rear view mirror as I drove away. The next time I stopped in, at first sight of me entering the door, he immediately went to the back and retrieved the piece, perfectly and wordlessly anticipating the very reason for my visit.These people are just plain kind, and that kindness shows up in every facet of their work and their business. You can taste it, hear it, see it, feel it. I feel as nourished by that kindness in my trips to Stella Maris as I do anything on its menu. Rare is the restaurant or store where you feel like helping the place out for free on your day off. This is one such place.

I love that I can eat some great tasting authentic food that I grew up eating. My step dad growing up was Palestinian and we ate some great food. The service is great and fast. I love the hookah lounge on the other side too. The best touch is the grocery options and aisles.

Run don't walk!Luckily they were open on Sunday! The staff are super nice and has grocery next to cafe seating!The food here was so heartwarming. Loved everything they suggested and got a wide variety of flavors here. Shawarma is excellent and definitely try the mint frozen lemonade!

Went to lunch at Stella Maris in Arabi and it didn't disappoint! The gyro meet is tender and has the best flavor! Dip it in the Taziki sauce and it drips in goodness. The hummus is yum!!! I've been there a number of times and it is always delicious. You must try it out! The pictures below show one gyro plate with rice, hummus, and salad. The other plate we got double hummus.

After eating here numerous times both sit down and takeout, and ordering food here for parties, the verdict is that the pita and all the meats are horribly dry and pretty awful and everything else is exceptionally tasty. Our favorite thing on their menu is the mint lemonade which is hands down one of my favorite drinks ever. Hummus, fatoush, and other veggie options are great. It's disappointing that the quality is so inconsistent across the board and I wish they had more actual vegetables on the menu. They also have a nice grocery with a good international selection, similar to Mona's but in the Parish. I recommend this place but you have to be mindful about what you order.

Love this place. I try something different every time I go. Never disappointed. The owner is always so welcoming and friendly.