Aladdin

by Steve W.

One of my favorite places to eat.  Aladdin used to be a gas station, so the outward appearance can be underwhelming.  But inside you'll find tasty, authentic Lebanese cuisine and a friendly staff.  It's BYOB, so grab a bottle of wine and hit it up on a Friday night for belly dancing and a fantastic meal.  If the weather is nice, you can rent a hookah and sit outside.  I highly recommend the Aladdin Platter - a $30 medley of dishes that can feed 2 or 3 people.  If you've never tried Mediterranean cuisine, this is a great place to start.  You won't be disappointed!

by Kim S.

Aladdin (NOT Aladdin's) is in a building that used to be a small gas station market called the Getty Mart!  I remember going there for coffee creamer and snacks long ago.  But Berks needed another Middle Eastern Mediterranean restaurant after the one on Penn Street closed.  I like sitting in the lower area at the tables where the stained glass thingies cover the windows.  I guess it is a solarium.   I get the vegetarian feast for $25 sometimes to split with my partner, and it makes about 4 meals.  The $6 lunch falafel salad is really a wonderful platter of things, and vegetarian, so I get that often.You can BYOB, and there is occasionally a belly dancer entertainer.  Sometimes the fryer smell can be overwhelming when you first walk in because of the open kitchen area,  but I forget about it when I start perusing the menu.  They just added my favorite Middle Eastern dish: arnibit, friend cauliflower with lemon and tahini, mmm!Service is always very friendly and good, whether it is the owner or his staff.  There is a patio outside for summertime, though I have never sat there.  They sell Lebanese olive oil here by the bottle, which I may buy as a present sometime because it always tempts me.

by Ben T.

Sorry to burst your bubble Aladdin but you have work to be done, Food is bad plain and simple. I get that you have the only Middle Eastern restaurant in all of Berks County, but that doesn't mean that you can't make a half assed attempt at bringing something different into a town of pizza and sandwich shops. Please show the people of Berks county what middle eastern food is supposed to taste like. Again the food is just plain bad, now I've eating felafel's at many other spots, one of my favorite foods, and this had to be the worst. Big balls of felafel's that just didn't taste crisp and I would have traded the hummus for some Tribe any day. Mind you I ate there over a year ago, but the service was very bad, server abilities were basically take order, bring food and that's it.Aladdin just need to step up there game.

by Chris S.

Yes it is true.  Aladdin used to be a Getty Mart!  Now it is a VERY authentic Middle Eastern restaurant.  I give it 5 stars for several reasons.  First, the owner, Alex, is a great guy!  He is usually the guy you see cooking when you walk in.  He is very personable and is always making improvements to his place.Second, the food is delicious and very authentic.  My family is half Lebanese and we love the tabouli so you know it's good.  Just like my grandfather used to make.  In addition, I love the chicken kabobs and hummus.  You can either sit in the dinning room or there is a new section with benches and pillows.  It looks very cool and colorful.  Arabic dance music is always playing.  There is also an outdoor patio area which we sat in one nice evening.  You can also BYOB.Aladdin also has a kids menu if you have kiddies like mine who have not yet aquired a taste for other foods and will eat nothing but chicken tender and french fries.