Al Aseel

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  9     

I love this restaurant. When I found out a lot of Lebanese people went to this place, I knew that it must of been pretty good. So I tried it for myself with a couple of close friends, and we have been back about three times.

Jun 10, 2008 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  10      Value  10     

I love this place! The service is very friendly, and the food is beautiful: gorgeous felafel, hummus, baba ganoush, tabouli, and ample servings of bread. Highly recommended and excellent value for money.

Jun 08, 2008 

5.5 Average

Food  10      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  9     

We have eaten here with friends and family on a few occasions. The food is brilliant, highly recommend the banquets. In stark contrast to the quality of the food is the quality of the service. A large group of us went here for a birthday party, when I requested some plates to serve some cake I was ignored by the male staff member at the register for about 10 minutes, then was grunted at when I requested them.

After waiting another 20 minutes for someone to bring us some plates, we decided to leave and have the cake elsewhere (Interesting to also note that the restaurant was not busy at this time). When I again approached the register to pay, I was ignored by the man at the counter. My father ended up going to the register to pay and was served immediately.

I hate to think that the reason for the total lack of service afforded to me was due to me being female but I baffled as to any other explanation. It truly ruined what had been a pleasant evening for all attending. Not sure now if I would ever go back, the food is great but I have never felt so unwelcome at a restaurant.

Jun 07, 2008 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  9     

To be honest anyone bagging this place has no idea about Lebanese food. It is the best food I have ever tasted. Go and try yourself, you won't be disappointed. Awesome food Yum Yum.

May 28, 2008 

6 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  6      Value  6     

Really mediocre lebanese. We got the mixed platter (the meat was pretty bland), deep fried calamari, chips and a couple cokes for $45 so the price wasn't too bad. We were absolutely stuffed but probably wouldn't come back. I'd have to say that I was more disappointed than anything else after all the good reviews.

May 11, 2008 

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

Average Lebanese food ...nothing special.

May 05, 2008 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  6      Value  10     

This place is beautiful, I was told to go here by a Lebanese friend of mine. Food is always fresh and always tastes spectacular, ambience is great gets a bit loud but that’s what you expect when in a family orientated eatery.

Sometimes the wait staffs aren’t all that good, but the food and value makes up for that! I would recommend Al Aseel as a must try, you won’t regret it.

Apr 25, 2008 

7.3 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  5      Service  9      Value  9     

Another great eatery that one of my friends goes to a lot. We had the banquet and at $25 a head we were filled up and had dinner for the next day to take away with us. A great assortment of food all around was on offer and very popular, even late on a week night. The guys were really welcoming which topped the night off nicely. We're already planning our next trip.

Apr 12, 2008 

6.3 Average

Food  9      Ambience  6      Service  3      Value  7     

What a fantastic little find... went to this restaurant based on the good reviews on eatability, and was not disappointed at all. Came on a busy Friday night with no booking and was surprised to find it crammed to the rafters. The wait staff managed to squeeze my friend and I in, and we ordered the mixed plate and the calamari to share, and a starter of the samboussek.

The food was absolutely delicious, the mixed plate was made up of one chicken, one lamb and one kafta skewer, hummous and babaghanoush, tabouli and falafel, whilst the calamari was unexpectedly light and fresh with its unique batter. The samboussek was also a treat, light and juicy with its mince interior.

Service was fine, not too slow, not too inattentive. Expect delays from the harried staff, but that's just due to the restaurant being so busy. Ambience is nothing special, a large tiled room with plain walls and simple chairs and tables. The food is definitely what is outstanding here, not the service, not the ambience.

Value is unbeatable. The mix plate was $15, the calamari $12, the samboussek $8... we were full, and even took home two boxes full of food, all for $40. I will definitely be coming back here again and again!

UPDATE: Came here again with my significant other and was quite unimpressed. The restaurant was half empty, I noted straight away that prices had increased!! Guess they're taking advantages of the good reviews they're getting... Besides that, I went to order the samboussek and was told that they weren't available... undeterred I ordered the calamari, and 5 minutes later, the waiter came back and told me that the calamari was also unavailable, no explanation, no apology, nothing. What made things worse was that mid-way through my meal, I see the same waiter bring out a plate of samboussek!!!!

Because of this, I've decreased my rating for service, and because of the increased prices, I also decreased the rating for value. This was my partner's first experience at Al Aseel after hearing me rave about it, and it was a definite disappointment. I don't know if I'll be back again.

Mar 24, 2008 

6.8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  3      Service  5      Value  10     

This is probably the best Lebanese eatery we've been to. It is great value for money, the food servings are generous and the food quality is great. You can come here and REALLY fill up for $25 per person.

Great hommus with meat, mixed meat grill, tabouli, and garlic sauce.....oh, I am wishing I was there now!!

The only downside to this place is probably the ambience and service. Re ambience- it's more take away table and chairs style. Re service- it can be a bit patchy.

But for $25 per person, for outstanding, abundant food you can't go wrong. We have been to quite a few Lebanese restaurants in Sydney, and would rate this one as the best we've been to.

Feb 17, 2008