Maraya At Sabrina's Restaurant

This place was just....odd.We dropped in here for a super quick bite before going to the Cirque du Soleil show at the Florida Mall. We had exactly 35 minutes. We were the ONLY TWO PEOPLE in the restaurant. Should be plenty of time if we know what we want as soon as we sit, right? Wrong.It took most of those 35 minutes just to get the food, which was all appetizers, most of which were cold (as they were supposed to be). How long does it take to take something out of the fridge? And for the warm items, we could hear the microwave in back being used. I know microwaves can be a reality in restaurants, but come on, turn the sound off!We literally had to cram food in our mouths while signing our check and racing to the show. Also, the wine situation was sad. The items we wanted we kept getting informed they were out of.The owner/server was very nice, and you can tell this is a family establishment, but it was a little *too* family, if you know what I mean. I felt like I had dropped in my neighbors and was waiting for them to whip something up for surprise guests.All that being said, the food was good once it arrived, but I'm not sure we will be returning.

If you're looking for the complete authentic experience, this is the place. Starting with the staff and how welcoming they are. It is apparent that this is their restaurant and they care about it deeply. Had the special of the day (lamb shank) which could be the best lamb I've ever had. Also try their Lebanese beer "Almaza". I would highly recommend a stop here.

Good food, great service, kind people. Every dish, from the hummus and pita to the chicken kabobs, was delicious. Glad I stopped by.

Yelp 100 Review Challenge 2017 45/100 I decided on this restaurant on the recommendation of The Yelp Reviews. It was my friend's birthday and we wanted to try someplace new and she wanted mediterranean food. When we walked in the restaurant was completely empty.... um ok? This was a little scary? Why wasn't it full with people drooling over the food like in the reviews. I almost thought about turning back. But we were invested. So we sat down and the lady who served us was also the owner and the cook! She was very sweet and spoke to us for a bit. We talked politics for a bit. She said she was proud to be an American citizen now and was looking forward to voting. She brought out warm pita bread and hummus. We ordered and everything was delicious. I ordered a simple grilled chicken salad and my friend ordered a chicken falafel. The restaurant is very spacious and would probably be great for large groups. The only weird thing was the bathroom. There were two toilets and only one door. No stall between..... awkward. Since there was no one in the restaurant I wasn't really worried but I locked the one door anyway. Lol

I was very much looking forward to eating at this establishment especially after reading all of the great reviews (I should've clicked more reviews and kept reading). My father and I happened to come in around noon on Tuesday of this week and were more than surprised to see such a cutely decorated restaurant that had only one other patron in it. I became a bit skeptical and glanced over the menu displayed in the front and thought the prices seemed a bit high -- but an older gentleman had come out (perhaps the owner?) and stated everything is flavorful and made fresh. So I looked at my dad and we both agreed to give it a shot. The older gentleman told us to sit where every we would like and he would come to us. He handed us menus and then went back to the other patron in the restaurant to finish chatting. I was a little surprised he didn't offer to grab us any drinks before leaving. He came back as the other patron was leaving and asked if we were familiar with this type of cuisine, to which we replied yes. We were in a little bit of a time crunch so we placed an order for 3 kefta (angus beef) kebabs (1 was to go for my husband). He suggested because it takes a little while to make -- insisting that it is fresh -- that we get some hummus. So we did. 10 minutes later he comes out with hummus and fresh pita bread -- this was fine, nothing stood out or anything. 25 minutes later and our food comes out. I looked at the plate and back at my dad's face -- it looked like we both had 90 second rice heated up in the microwave with 4 meat sticks and a blob of white sauce. Now mind you, this dish costs $17.99, so I expected what the older gentleman had said -- that it would be fresh and flavorful. It lacked any flavor at all, I was so disappointed, especially since my father was just visiting in the area. For the price we paid I felt like it was a scam. Now the reason I distinctly said 90 second rice is because there was no other employees in the restaurant and I had heard the microwave being used more than once. At least add some spices or herbs to the rice to give it some type of flavor. It was very evident this was 90 second rice. I don't know if the kebabs are made the day of or prior to, but regardless there was not any flavor.Now as for all the prior reviews..... I don't quite understand. I did read a couple reviews where some people had thought maybe some fake reviews had been submitted as the score was quite high. Don't get me wrong, there are outstanding restaurants that deserve such rating -- but not this one. I will definitely NOT be returning.

Many have mentioned them as Orlando's best kept secret, and they definitely are! I've passed by the intersection of OBT and Sand Lake multiple times and never would I have thought this quaint restaurant would be there. It's been a while since I visited and never completed this review.We came at an awkward time for *linner* so the owner and chef were really attentive and took the time to serve and explain the dishes to us. We got plenty of appetizers instead and the chef kept bringing things out just for us to try.We got tabouleh, babaganoush, hummus, stuffed grape leaves, stuffed cabbage leaves, and an item we had to call ahead to make for us called Kibbeh Nayyeh which was the main reason we came there. It's a seasoned raw minced beef dish that's served with onions/cucumbers and is used to grab with pita. We were down to get dirty and everything was eaten with our hands (and the lovely owner showed us how it was really done). Definitely a nice hidden gem in the middle of all the touristy places in Orlando near the Florida Mall. Owners were down to earth and loved my meal completely more because she welcomed us in and made me feel like I was eating a home cooked meal with family. The place to go when you feel like trying something new and different and leaving with a full heart and stomach.

Authentic, delicious, just amazing! Totally recommend. Family owned restaurant and really Edwin made us feel like family. Have a beer - comes imported from Lebanon and you can not get it in the US. We will be back when in town.

My husband and I drove to Orlando with our two small dogs and arrived well before our check in. Our hotel room was not available yet so we called this restaurant and they advised it was fine to come seat outdoors with the dogs.We got there shortly after it opened and it was totally empty. However, given such great reviews and the fact that they were so welcoming with the dogs we went for it.Let me clear, the food was fine -- but the prices are insane and the portions are beyond small. $25.99 for one dish -- I was expecting a good sizeable meal. No, actually, not at all. In fact it was two tiny chicken skewers, tiny little bits of beef and rice (which in the menu says rice or fries, and no one ever asked us what we wanted.. for some reason they didn't ask us our preference....) and MAYBE a spoonful of "complimentary" tabbouleh as a thank you for the incredibly LONG amount of time we waited for our food to come out. No lie it was at least 30 mins before we got our entrees.I am sorry. I live in Miami. I have had much better meals for less at nicer restaurants. I am not happy writing this two star review. The lady who took care of us was incredibly sweet and warm. She was very kind and didn't mind that one of our dogs was barking at her for the first 5 minutes.. She was so nice but the food/price situation was ridiculous.I wanted to come back and write her a 5 star review but it I just cannot shake the feeling that we were ripped off -- because we totally were..

Got there on a Friday night and we were the only ones in the entire restaurant. So, we did not know what we were getting into. However, we stuck to the reviews and stayed there to give it a try. I am so glad we did. We were really impressed by the freshness, quality, and love they put in their food. We even got the chance to speak to both owners, which made our experience very special and unique. We will definitely be back and send more people over there. À bientôt les amis, et encore merci !!!

Violet and Edwin, We're amazing hosts.You will not find food this authentic anywhere.We stopped in on a whim and it was very rewarding.People say the lord moves in mysterious ways, I agree everything lined up and we ended up at this wonderful place.It felt like we were sitting at home and enjoying a beautiful family meal.Violet makes everything from scratch and even made chicken strips for the grandson, yes from scratch. Do not skip any courses, the appetizers were heavenly, Fried cheese, Colombian Empanadas, homemade Lebanese Toum! Fresh Pita, Lamb, Venezuelan Beef BBQ with Yucca I could go on. Handmade baklava and Kenafa. Violet makes everything and every item is perfectly paired and authentic.If you you like good food you must stop here.