by Swandi M.

We have a group of 4 eating @ lunch time today.  This is the first time all of us tried out this 'newly' opened place.  Turned out, everybody is very happy with what they got!   Interior decoration is minimal (like the other two mentioned as well) but I kind of like it ... feel no pressure in eating how you want .. no need to worry being messy!  I have lamb kabob gyro, the portion is right.  The lamb is juicy and tender (ie not hard and dry).  Ingredients are fresh ... a touch of lime juice with crisp iceberg lettuce, tomato chunks, and pita bread.   I also had Burek (I think it is ... ) which I also recommend to you too.   While we were eating, people kept coming in for to go.  The lady behind the counter is so skillful so the line moved very quick!

by Tammy W.

Zaina has just opened in the basement of the union hall on 1st Avenue near Denny (the old location of "Gompers" and "Miro"), and I had a lamb gyro there for lunch today.  The food is just as tasty as Zaina's other location in Pioneer Square (the spot on Third is now closed).  They intend to have hookah smoking there as well.  Right now the whole place is in chaos, so I recommend getting it to go.  Currently it is cash only, as they get set up.

by nate b.

we finally tried this place out today at lunch!  k, so if you're going to eat here, be ready for an interior let down and then some really rocking falafel/gyro action:)there IS a houka bar here now and they have a little courtyard you can go bong out in.  the place is kind of still a mess inside- even tho they've been open 2 months.  they've got a few of those circular kingpin booths tho which are basically amazing.  they do take credit cards now (previous review said no b4).as for the food, i had the falafel and he tried the chicken kabob gyro and we both gave the 2 thumbs-up!  then it was on to the homemade baklava... yum!they need to  a/clean things up   and   b/get a website or something:p

by B L.

horrible. don't know about the food but this is the worst hookah place ive ever been to. i was really perplexed on how they used one self-lighting coal and expected you to pay for the extra. every other place i been to they had FREE coal refills. the REAL coal was always ready and WORKERS came around to replace once it was running out. AND the hookahs were of higher quality and cost about 10 dollars -less- than this place.if this is one of the last hookah places in seattle, i feel really bad for the residents who have to go here to get their fix.

by Eric H.

Had a _delicious_ lamb shawarma sandwich with some kind of spicy chili paste.

by Paco G.

Best gyros in town!! I recommend purchasing the sandwich special that comes with lentil soup. The lamb shwarma is excellent, but I've also noticed   that depends purely  on which employee is making your sandwich. Don't get be wrong I love this place!! If you are coming here for lunch you might have to track down your server. It's  worth it though. This location is much slower then the pioneer square location so don't expect to just walkup, order, and eat. I recommend calling ahead. Don't expect table service, this is more like a deli, then again I've only had lunch here. The food is worth the akwardness.

by Seth V.

They've got what I think are the best Gyros in town.  I've tried a number of places downtown and in the U-district and Zaina is the best I've come across.  GF goes for the Falafel and she says its the best in town too.  We go about once a week, so are big fans of Zaina.Love that they're in Belltown with late hours too.Wish they were open for lunch on the weekends though.

by Alisa M.

They're a hookah bar at night!Great atmosphere: laid back, low key, and totally fun--exactly how a hookah bar should be. They even have a small dance floor between the restaurant portion (under 21) and bar portion. The nights we were there, the DJ spun a mix of old new hip-hop along with Persian music, during which he would come around the booth to teach us the dances. FUN.

by Nathan J.

I've been for lunch a few times. And I generally don't have any problems with the food. Although today we had 2 gyros plates and 2 cokes and the bill was $27+. Thats a bit pricey for no table service, and then your expected to tip because they bring you your bill after your done eating. I don't mind...but I had to walk around and grab my soda out of the cooler. I'd either like service, for which I'll gladly tip, or I'll do it myself for a lessor price. All this being said, I still like the food, and I haven't found anywhere else that fills my gyros cravings.

by Paul D.

Well this is my first review and I'm going to use it on this pathetic dive of a place. From the moment you walk the place doesn't feel like a 4 star Yelp review. Right when you walk in, there is a ROYAL DOUCHEBAG (owner?) who greets with a "What?" Great way to greet prospective customers huh...   Well I ended up in Seattle for a night and coincidently so did a few friends. This was my first time in the Seattle and I was already drunk from watching the Lakers romp all over the THUGGets  at Ballard Loft which would be a 4+ star place if had an AC lol. My friends felt like Hookah after the game and this was the only place available in the area and since it received 4 stars on Yelp, Score right? NOT...I knew we should have left from the moment we walked into this place but we stayed anyways (always go with your gut instinct). This place looks like the cheap ass owner stole old furniture from a restaurant that might have closed down in the 70s and placed it in here to save a quick buck. The seats are torn, the tables are wobbly and the place smells like someone took a shit in the center of the place on a scorching 100 degree day and closed all the windows and let it ferment for a few weeks. My friends ordered 3 hookahs @ $22 a piece ($8 more than what they're used to paying)... The quality wasn't there and one of the Hookahs had a busted hose that was letting water through. The worst part is they charged $1.50 PER COAL! WTF? Who the hell charges for COAL!??? Every other hookah place that I've been to gives it for free. All in all we spent 30 minutes (10 minutes waiting on the Hookah) in the place which I think is probably a new record for least time spent in a Hookah bar. If this is the only place in Downtown Seattle for Hookah, I feel really bad for the citizens of such a fine city.

by Dan P.

I love this place but I can't ever seem to remember it when I'm in the area.  Luckily, last time I did.  Although you wouldn't expect it from the outside of the restaurant, this place really knows how to make their gyros.   Not only is it tasty, but the texture is spot on.  All the ingredients taste very fresh and the sauce they add has a little kick.  (Exactly what you need before a Seattle Sounder's game)  The only dilemma I have when visiting is whether to have more than one and be stuffed for the rest of the evening.

by Nick H.

Zaina makes some of the best gyros I've had in Seattle.  They offer three levels of spiciness, in case you want to add some heat, uh, to your meat.  I recommend the gyro plate, which comes with a tasty side of hummus, yummy salad with feta and tzatziki sauce and a heap of rice.  The gyro sandwiches are good too--but usually are not filling enough for me.The place is easy to miss--look for their sign on the south face of the Labor Temple.  Go inside the door under the sign and down the stairs to your left.  It's an odd location, but the courtyard is nice in the summer--and it's adorned with pro-labor signs (workers of the world unite!).

by Mikal W.

When I first walked in I was a little skeptical, they guy who greeted us was acted as if it was an annoyance that we came in. In fact he acted extremely rude a few times when we asked simple questions. We sat in the bar and the bartender was a billion times nicer, so much so it made us forget about our greeting.Service was pretty lacking, you have to hunt them down and give them your order. The food we got was great, some of the best Middle East eats I've had. We got a hookah, I own one and have smoked one for years now so to me it seemed a little overpriced but not too bad.I think the hookah starts after 6 so if you don't like it go before 6 and if you do like it go after 6. I went up to get some food to go and bring some home for my wife and the guy who greeted us seemed like a different guy,  he was extremely nice even joking with us.Will take the drive to Seattle again to chow down and enjoy some shisha. Call ahead because I know the state is tryin to shut tobacco indoors down.

by Dae Y.

i hate the fact that it's the top rated zagat place in seattle supposedly.  otherwise, i might be inclined to give it 5 stars.  it's really, really good.  for as long as i have been going there, the same lady is usually there assembling your order.  the place has been there for ~12yrs or something like that.i always get a spicy beef gyro sandwich.  it's always consistent and really good.  today i tried the baklava for the first time ever.  guess what?  it was really good!if i didn't love the spicy beef gyro sandwich so much i would probably try something else, but it's just so good...