Lil' Shalom

Been a couple times, the food is pretty good. It's a small place w/ mostly bar seating and a couple small tables inside & outside.Small simple menu but they had a couple interesting sounding things besides the normal Mediterranean fare. I tried their octopus dish, and some lamb stew. The stew was hearty w/ tender lamb, potatoes carrots and quinoa. Simple but tasty. The octopus was pretty good too, very tender but w/ a different sort of spicy sweet sauce (sorta like piri piri). Served w/ fresh arugula & olives with some fried sweet potatoes which seemed kinda like an interesting combo but they went pretty well together.Order at the counter. Overall pretty good if a tad high on the price. I may come back to try their huge sandwich style gyros.

With quick service and some counter seating, it's a good spot for a quick stop if you need to grab a bite on the way elsewhere or running some errands downtown. That said, it left us wanting more. We got the braised beef hummus to start and shwarma sandwiches for our meals. Service was quick and friendly, and portion sizes were decent enough - however, the flavors and spices were missing and were a bit bland for our liking. We visited upon opening, just after 11am, as we needed a bite to eat before we checked out of our hotel and headed to the airport. Full disclosure: I'm from a Jewish background and outside the PDX area, and my partner is of Middle Eastern descent - so, our palates may be a bit skewed. I feel that the palate for Lil' Shalom may be perfect for those who are unfamiliar with stronger Israeli/Middle Eastern flavors.

We found this on Yelp while stopping in downtown Portland for the afternoon. The whole experience was great! Very friendly staff and they helped us decide what to order for a family style meal. Well priced and good size portions to satisfy my family of 5. The food was delicious and very flavorful. They had unique flavor combinations and it was fun to sit at the "counter" where we could see them prepping the food and cooking the fresh pita bread. Definitely recommend for a casual lunch or dinner!

Wow, what a nice surprise! There are so many good Mediterranean restaurants in Portland, but we had a few lovely surprises when we tried Lil' Shalom. Those fries! So crispy, beautifully seasoned, topped with drizzles of both tahini and red s'hug and so delicious! I never expected fries to steal the show but these sure did! We also had the excellent grilled cauliflower and it was very good. I like my cauliflower a bit softer but the flavor was fantastic and the sauces were just wonderful. The Shalom Y'all sampler plate was fine but did not measure up to our other two dishes. Everything on it was good but the cauliflower and the fries are so great they completely overshadowed the sampler plate. This place has limited seating, only at counters or the bar, something to be prepared for. Service was friendly and helpful, and we will definitely be back!

Lil' Shalom in downtown PDX is a charming destination for Mediterranean cuisine. The atmosphere is casual and cozy. All the dishes offer various flavors. They have great cocktails, frozen drinks, wine list and Turkish coffee for beverages, along with a diverse menu. While the dishes are flavorful, some portions seem smaller in comparison to the price (also given you order from the counter and wait with the number.)With only a limited number of indoor seats, the interior can feel a bit cramped. However, outdoor seating is available. The staffa were friendly, but during my visits, they appeared incredibly busy.

My kid and her beau love this place, and its big sister Shalom Y'All (on Taylor Street. See: https://www.yelp.ca/map/shalom-yall-restaurant-portland-2). I think these two restaurants have the same owner/s. On my most recent visit, we came here, to L'il Shalom for dinner and it was great. Unlike Shalom Y'All, this L'il Shalom is indeed little. It doesn't seat a lot of people, and the seating that is there is primarily barstools along a counter on the wall, and a few seats in front of the main counter where they take your order and ring you up. Because I was there on a cold and rainy April night, it was cold in this restaurant as the place is so small, so whenever the door opened, the wind and cold came in, and essentially all the seating is in close proximity to the door. I wouldn't score this place highly for ambiance. But the food is great and that's what ultimately counts, right? The pita was incredible, as was the hummus. Probably the best pita and hummus I've ever had. I loved the chicken shawarma and my kid and her partner loved their platters, too (I forget what they ordered). Prices were reasonable for the amount of food you get and the high quality. It all was great!

Still an interesting spot with some excellent eastern Mediterranean food. The menu is now smaller and the cocktails are gone in favor of a few spritzes. The service is still a bit disorganized but it works and it is still friendly. I like it when I am in town alone because I can eat at the counter.

I waited to long too write this review and I can't recall exactly what I ordered lol (and forgot to take pictures) but it was amazing!! I was impressed with my (takeout) meal and it left a very positive impression on me so I wanted to be sure to leave a great review. Would highly recommend!

Amazing food! Not sure how that hummus was that delicious or that pita was that fluffy but dang this place is a winner. It's small and only had a handful of counter seats, but the open kitchen and decor gives it a great vibe. The chicken schwarma was recommended to me by the last person taking my order and it was spicy and delicious. 10/10 spot if you're in the neighborhood-

Delicious. Prices feel a little high, but the food is really good and they are in downtown Portland. Happy hour maybe the way to go here, but I came in earlier. I got the octopus place which had delicious, tender pieces over a bed of greens and a tasty sauce. We also tried the chicken shawarma pita and the carrot salad. The space is tiny (12 seats indoors a couple tables outside) so come at off hours. Service was friendly - you order at the register and they bring out the food.