- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Beirut
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
8 reviews for Beirut
B-15!
Beirut's Best is my personal Favorite.
Sister restaurant Byblos is equally delicious and an upscale & upstairs location.
Great Service - Terrific Food - Easy to recommend. Read the other reviews for the details...
Toledo folks take Mediterranean food VERY seriously, and Beirut is a paragon of such cuisine. Like many other restaurants here in Toledo, the exterior of the building is in dire need of a facelift. The interior, however, had been tastefully painted and decorated. One friend commented on how he felt as though he was dining under a tent. Take a look at the ceiling and you'll understand why. The dining area is rather small, and our table was smack dab in the middle of what seemed to be the busiest area of the entire place.
All was forgotten and forgiven once the food was brought to our table. Since a couple of us ordered appetizers, I was able to taste the gamut of deliciousness that Beirut offered, which included:
-Hummus: Talk about a perfect, creamy blend of chick peas, garlic, and tahini. Hands down, one of the best hummus in town
-Pita: These are served looking like small mylar balloons, but they are NOT stuffed. Order the hummus and dip these suckers away. (And be prepared to explode even before the main entree arrives.)
-Kibbi: I'm typically not a big fan of fried anything in general, but I found these fried balls of spiced lamb to be absolutely divine
-Artichoke hearts: Nicely presented and well sauteed in lemon, this appetizer definitely brought out the distinct flavor of artichoke.
-Kabob combo: Since the entire menu looked appetizing and I couldn't decide on just ONE main dish, I opted for the combo. Already stuffed at this point, I made an honest effort to try and finish the dish but to no avail; I ended up boxing 2/3 of it so you can sort of guesstimate how large the portion sizes are at Beirut. The kafta, while oversalted, was still mighty delicious and tender. The same holds true with the juicy and succulent shish kabobs themselves. Additionally, I found the rice to be well-seasoned and plentiful.
Our server was incredibly patient and took good care of my party of six. One small complaint I have about Beirut was the sound level, as it was quite apparent that there was about a 10-decibel increase as the evening progressed. It also didn't help that we were sitting next to a soccer mom who had one too many beers. Something about those Lebanese beers, I tell you.
Also, be sure to make reservations for lunch and especially for dinner. The host was slightly irked by the fact that we hadn't made prior reservations.
Despite living closer to Byblos, I'll happily schlep over to Monroe whenever I need that hummus and kabob fix. Yes, they were THAT amazing.
I am a Lebanese American who grew up near Dearborn, MI, so I know authentic... this is as good as it gets, without coming from Sito's kitchen. Grape leaves, kibbe, hummus, fatoush, all excellent. It is pricey, which is bad for me, because I will be frequenting. Our service was excellent. Ambiance isn't terrific, but it counts where it matters, in the kitchen and the excellent wait staff.
Like Bryan B. Beirut is probably my favorite all time restaurant.
Let me just walk you through some of my favorites at Beirut. Mind you these are my favorites here and I have never found anywhere outside of Toledo that has items that can compare to these.
1. The pita bread. Always warm and plentiful, this is the best pita I have ever had. Spread some butter on it, dip it in hummus, or eat it plain - it doesn't matter, you will love it every way
2. Grape Leaves (Meat) - A meat and rice mixture wrapped with grape leaves and cooked. These have a bit of a lemony taste and are a perfect start to your Lebanese meal.
3. Hummus - Some of the best hummus I have ever had. I like my hummus really smooth and not grainy at all - just like Beirut's.
4. Fried Kibbee - Sometimes these are called "footballs" for their shape. They are a mixture of ground meat and bulgar wheat with pine nuts. Order one to try!
5. Kafta - You can order this as a half or full order. I recommend getting the full order and putting half in the fridge for the next day's breakfast. Kafta is a mixture of lamb and spices that is grilled. It is soo juicy and has an unforgettable taste.
6. Shish Kabob - You probably know what Shish Kabob is, and Beirut's is some of the best. It is perfectly salty and grilled. Again, this can be ordered as a half or full order.
Again, I have never found anything that can compare to Beirut. If you live in Toledo you must try it, you will be hooked.
Beirut is my favorite restaurant, anywhere. Sure, I was born in Toledo and I grew up eating Lebanese food, but I've never been able to find such a comfortable spot, serving such amazingly authentic and comforting food.
I live in the Bay Area now and there is no lack of amazing dining choices from every country of the world here. I still miss Beirut!
Tomorrow I land in Detroit, coming home to visit my family. At the top of my list of things to do while I'm in Michigan is to drive south to Toledo and have dinner at Beirut. I can't wait!
P.S. Skip the entrees and go meze(tapas). The appetizers are all things you've probably had before but better than you've ever had them.
I dream of kibbi, raw and delicious!!!!!
Probably the best Lebanese/Greek/Mediterranean place around by far, unfortunately, their service isn't great. We go here about once a month, only because the food is unbelievable. The waitresses disappear forever and dont apologize when your drinks are never refilled on time. They give you crap if you want separate checks and you can't pay at the table. But the food is SO good, you put up with it.
Chocies don't really abound in Toldeo and all my online research seemed to point to this Lebanese joint. I was skeptical because, well, (a) it's Toldeo (sorry) and (b) their menu also boasted of italian specialities, including pizza.
Got there early to meet a friend and faced with the choice of cruising downtown Toledo or entering the "bar/lounge", I braved the lounge. Wow--I'm greeted by leather boothes, nice bar stools and lots of plastic grapes overhead!! Very cozy. The friendly bartener (owner?) poured me a glass of the $6 Lebanese wine, confidently stating "you don't need a taste. I sell 2 cases of this a night. You will like".
Uh, not really but it was ok while I waited and enjoyed reading their "reserve wine list", which included, oddly enough a 1969 Cos D'Estournel, early 70s vintages of various first growths and scads of Beringer reserve cabs.
Settled at the table, decided on a vintage unknown Chateauneuf du Pape for like $32. It arrived, a 1997, with warm poofy house made pita. This was an auspicious start. Next up, the most amazing sauteed mushrooms, delicious baba and creamy, lemony hummus.
Avoiding the Italian menu (why risk it at that point, although the groaning platters of pasta sure did look good; did not see a pizza in sight), moved onto Lamb shank (ok, good quality meat but just not as amazingly seasoned as....) and beef shwarma (also available in chicken but why do that). All rounded out by a massive fatoosh salad.
The service was really friendly. We had a "newbie" waitress--by her definition (she has only been there 10 years). She didn't mind that we wanted to linger over 2-3 turns and we showed our appreciation.
Can't say I'd drive back to Toldeo for dinner but if you find yourself on the Michigan/Ohio border and trying to avoid a Chevy's/Chili's/Border Cantina (the worst of the 3) sort of experience, this is absoutely the go to spot.
Excellent food which tastes good even when you are only getting it for carry out.
