by Jennie L.

came here and had a lovely evening with grape shisha and some unmemorable gyros.  i literally can not describe what my food tasted like because it was so standard.  not bad, not super good, just standard.

by N G.

mind you, this review is based on a single visit, so take it with a pinch of salt: the chicken in the chicken kabab was tasty, but the bread it came wrapped in might as well have been a slightly pliable giant cracker.  the foole damas was yum, though!

by R M.

Was visiting DC and wanted to hit a hookah place, and eat some dinner. This place fit the bill. The food wasnt that great, but decent. Hummus was a bit oily, but garlicky. Lamb kebab wasnt so great, (slightly overcooked, tough cuts) but the Kofta was tasty, and the accompanying chickpeas were nice and spicy! Really enjoyed it. We had two hookahs--one double apple and one grape. I always enjoy the double apple but I prefer the grape.

by Sarah M.

Easiest 5 stars I will ever give.This place has the DC metro area's BEST sheesha! Lasted for HOURS without getting too harsh, great atmosphere (plenty of Arabs, Arabic music, and very lively), and very accommodating staff! I had the Starbuzz Sex on the Beach sheesha and it was made to perfection - the sheesha guys came and changed my coal without having to flag them down and beg for new coals, and it was well-maintained throughout. I love the atmosphere of this place - it's not run-down like most other cafes, and is extremely clean and fresh.TOTALLY RECOMMEND IT!!

by Sean C.

Based on Candace's rave review and because this place is close by, I checked it out this past weekend.  My wife and I were feeling a little lazy after splitting up to take two kids to different birthday parties (mine at Chuck E Cheese) and trying to think of something quick and painless.  Often in this mode we will fall back on the Lebanese Taverna Market, CalTort or Baja Fresh.  We decided to branch out and we were very happy.  I don't think we will be going to Lebenese Taverna Market anymore in fact.  The Kibbeh were much better here, they practically melt in your mouth.  We also liked the hummus better here.  The pita are also huge and fresh.  The falafel was freshly made and was a little burnt, but the spice was very nice.  Thanks Candace!

by Mikkela T.

I can't say much for their food as I've only had the beet salad. It was good. Tart, beet red and oniony. It looks like they've redone the layout. Now the indoor tables are hidden behind the counter. They weren't all that friendly either.

by Doris T.

The business has expanded into adjacent space in recent months and is open till 4 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.The deli counter is a good place to get a quick to-go order of baba ganoush, moussaka, spinach pies, and -- my favorite -- fried cauliflower with a side of tahini.The staff is friendly and helpful with information about perhaps unfamiliar dishes.

by MARIA G.

Great food. Great prices. I had the Chicken Shawarma and it was fantastic. Enough to fill you up, but not too much to give you food coma. The hummus is great too. There are two areas of seating. We were in the outside area and there were heaters. You can also smoke hookahs if you want. It's a must...bookmark it!

by Sarah R.

I love this place.  It's not perfect.  It's not metro accessible and if you have trouble with shisha/cigarette smoke don't sit inside, but the food is wonderful!  The shawarma is the best I've found in the area and the grape leaves are good too.

by Dominic C.

I live down the street from Tarbouch and I'm glad they've expanded from their simple storefront to more of a restaurant feel.  Definitely a great place in the warmer weather, they have a nice outdoor seating area even if you're only looking at a parking lot and Lee Highway.  Like others have said, if you partake in the shisha, you won't be disappointed.  It's open very late and even though they don't serve alcohol, still a great destination if you're looking for late night eats and exotic eye candy.

by Steve G.

Great sheesha spot with an outdoor patio and good middle eastern food.

by j l.

I also live across the street from Tarbouch, and therefore, get a hankering more often than not for their food. I usually order the spicy falafel or get a half-pound hummus/baba ghanoush to go. So far, it's been pretty consistent - although sometimes the falafel isn't as hot as i'd like, but that might be my fault because I do to-go/take-out. [I've also ordered whatever i think sounds cool for my bf, the eater of meat so he hardly gets the same thing twice, but I can't comment on his food).I'd recommend calling ahead if you're getting take-out or ordering, paying and doing a very quick errand at the nearby strip mall (Rite-Aid, CVS etc) otherwise you're going to sit around for a while. They have some lunch specials that are good, but if you only order the (steak-cut) French Fries as a side, then you may be disappointed at the small size, or at least I was.It does get smoky in the evenings, and sometimes during the day on weekends (which is why I do take-out).

by Kel D.

I first visited when Tarbouch open a few years ago and was very unimpressed, however in a need for late night food recently I went in for take-out and was delighted!  Everything was tasty, fresh and hot! My only complaint was that it was all so good, and I couldn't finish it. We'll be going back for quality proteins and tasty sides!

by Ed S.

In the beginning the place was outstanding. It was small, the food was awesome, plentiful, and the place was run solely by the father of the Lebanese family that runs its. When it expanded the management expanded to younger family members........the prices went higher, and the portions got smaller. (and they raised their delivery minimum from $12 to $20.The food is still great, and I'll go there from time to time, but I previously went very often. I just can't justify it any longer since the portions got smaller and prices got higher. Quality also isn't what it used to be when the father had total control of it. A year ago I would have given it a 5, now I give it a three.

by emmy y.

I had only been here during Ramadan. The line was like 20 mins wait for a sheesha... that is just insane.  There are soo many places in DC that offer sheesha.

by Tu-Van L.

I must've gone at an off time, because despite the rave reviews I thought this place was terrible.  My chicken shawerma was an unappetizing shade of tan with the consistency of almost ground chicken and not enough veggies to offset the blah color.  The baba gannoush was really cold and tasted so artificially smoky that they must've put liquid smoke in it.  Both dishes were way oversalted.  It took me a while to wash the salty blah-ness off my mouth.I'd avoid this place like the plague, but based on the rave reviews and my friend vouching for their better food the other times he went, I'll give this place a chance another time.

by i w.

I'm more "Yay! I'm a fan." than "A-OK".If you live in the area i think this place is worth checking out.  Its relaxed place(feels more like sit down deli-ish), you can sit outside, they have hookah,and friendly waitress' who will leave you alone so you're not feeling rushed to get up from your table(i hate that).So far i've only been here for their ramadan buffet (only throughout the month of Ramadanobviously) which is really good.  The only downside is its about the cost of 72 Mc Donalds chicken nuggets from the dollar menu.  The best things there were the lamb and this sweet tangy chicken(if anyone knows the name let me know it was written in arabic).

by jason c.

Ever since i heard about tarbouch a couple months ago i have become pretty fond of it, especially in the warmer months when you can really take advantage of the relaxing outside seating they have. I come here mainly for the shisha, which is pretty good, but the chicken shawerma is pretty good, as well as the gyros. The staff there are attentive and as far as service and quality goes, I have never had a bad experience, my only gripe would be that the shisha is a bit pricey but other then that its a pretty good place to go and relax and eat

by M Y.

We came here on a Sunday night, preceding a holiday, and it was a pretty good sized crowd. EVERYONE was smoking the hookah. Fortunately I enjoy the smell, but not everyone may. We were dissapointed that they did not sell alcohol, so that goes down half a star. We got the babaganouch(sp) for an app, which was good I got the chicken gyro, which was very authentic and excellent. My bf got some italian sausage sandwich, which wasnt very good at all, but the fries they came with were.We then got the hookah (double apple and grape is $10 and the other varietals are $17). I've had hookah elsewhere and it was very good, but this double apple tasted like black licorice. It was relaxing and nice, but the taste was just very...off-putting so that loses another half star.This seems like it would be a cool place for lunch though.

by Brittany H.

Recently noted, I have a sort of strange tendency to not eat within 2 miles of my vicinity....it must be a complex syndrome that I have.  What qualms do I have? I don't know for sure, but what I do know, is it's literally down the street....not exactly walking distance..but definitely doable for a champ.  When I first moved to Courthouse, I have gone here on two occasions, once for lunch just to check it out and the second time for dinner because it was pouring rain and I couldn't think of anything I wanted to eat in particular.   The food is actually not bad, but I've definitely had better middle eastern food.  I think my only complaint is that the chicken could be more moist.  I absolutely CRINGE at the thought of rubber dry chicken.  The rice, while plentiful, but lacked a kick to it.  Overall unimpressed by this place.My roommate and I keep telling ourselves to check it out...because they have hookahs and every time I pass by it in the AM, it's just bustling with tons of people!!  The only other hookah place we travel to is Annandale and that's just too damn far.  We like late night spots....   but maybe the problem is location....or just me.  And that's another thing I dislike...eating food surrounded by SMOKE.  (Remove) snobbishness  (Insert) creativity with a happy face.

by Daniel A.

This is my go to spot for Mediterranean after work mainly since i live 1/2 mile away.  I've never been disappointed wit the sandwiches, kabobs nor hummos which i absolutely love!  The layout is strange since it used to be a takeout only stop that attached a patio and a dining area. At night, it gets packed with folks having hookah and late night snacking; making it hard to get in and grab takeout.  Now if they just had alcohol...

by Monty C.

I live within smelling distance of Tarbouch. I can literally smell the sweet scent of hookahs from my kitchen window. I carry out from Tarbouch often enough that they are programmed into my speed dial. That being said, although I love their food, it is very inconsistent. I order the same dish every time, Kafta Kabob with rice. Sometimes it is overcooked, sometimes it is perfectly cooked. Sometimes I get bread and sauce, sometimes they just give you salad. I'm not complaining, but I can understand why the reviews are so up and down. If you've had a bad experience, Tarbouch deserves a another chance.  I can also certainly attest to the fact that they stay open VERY late. Their Ramadan buffets in particular are a mob scene. Lucky for me, they don't serve alcohol so I don't have to deal with screaming drunks at 4 in the morning. Thanks for being a good neighbor Tarbouch!

by amanda b.

I've visited Tarbouch a number of times since they opened.  Since then, it's transformed from a quiet lil place for a group to smoke a late-night hookah all by themselves to the current incarnation.  The Tarbouch of today is almost too popular for its own good- the glamorous Middle Eastern clientele are packed in there cheek to jowl- overflowing the interior onto the front patio, and even out the side door, with glamorous Middle Eastern waitresses weaving their way between the crowded tables with glamorous Middle Eastern music pulsating and glamorous Middle Eastern music videos playing in the background.  It's definitely where the glamorous people go to grab a snack and a hookah while they decide which glamorous afterparties to attend.One thing that hasn't improved is the quality of the food.  It's always ok.. but only ok.  It's pretty bland actually. Most of it is improved with the addition of salt, but there isn't a lot of flavor to be had in the first place.  The spicy falafel is tragically false advertising (the "spicy" part, not the "falafel" part).  The one thing to really avoid is the hummus sandwich.  For $4.25, you get a roll of lavash with... some hummus (surprise!) and a few chunks of tomatoes.  The hummus completely fails to blow one's mind, unfortunately.  The semolina cake was also very dry, and unusually untasty.  I still have some hope for the food in the display case by the front counter, however.  They have a number of dishes like salads and vegetable dishes that you can presumably buy by the pound.  A lot of these look pretty good, but I've never felt like putting in the effort to do that (lazy!). The hookahs are good- reasonably priced, decent flavors and all, and I think that's the main reason to go there. The very best thing about Tarbouch is that it's open 'til 4am, a major boon in Arlington. It may not be the awesomest place ever, but it's decent, and at 4am, there aren't many decent options.

by Don C.

Here's why I do not like this place. I came here once during the day and ordered their lamb kabobs. The cashier asked me something in a thick accent, and I politely asked him to repeat it. He became frustrated and simply asked me to grab a drink and sit outside. So I did, thinking that the drink came with my meal, and they would simply give me my meal to go after it was done cooking. Not the case.They charged me for the drink (which was a bitter tasting yogurt drink), made a waitress serve me (forcing me to tip), and gave me burnt pieces of meat with my salad. The total price for everything was $15 and made me wait about 20 min for one entree. Absolutely not worth the time or money.This is just a hookah bar with overpriced burnt charcoals they call kabobs. [The waitress did not serve me at all, she only gave me the food and the check]

by Candace H.

I -still- love Tarbouch.I've been going about twice a week in warm weather and once every week or two in cold weather since I found out about this place last spring.  It's so bad that it's at the point that if I'm ever lost or missing, you could probably find me here.  My exes are afraid to come here, because they know they'll probably run in to me.I will tell you all of the reasons why I love Tarbouch:1. The (eastern european, not middle eastern as referenced by a past reviewer, below) waitresses remember me and treat me well every single time I go there.2. The owner has befriended me.3. I've become known as a regular ... which therefore puts me into the 'glamorous' crowd as referenced below, but what's even more appealing about this fact is that I'm usually one of the only women there past 3am and definitely one of the only white girls there (or white person actually) which is a cool demographic because everyone is left wondering if I'm half lebanese or turkish.Furthermore - the clientele are friendly.  I've made tons of friends, gotten a few dates, shared plenty of jokes, and love the warm atmosphere.(1, 2, and 3 mean excellent customer service and relations... Tarbouch is my 'cheers' - the place I can go where everybody knows my name and a table is reserved for me when I am spotted walking in).4. The food is fabulous.  Before you hate on this statement, please remember that this is the most authentic food I have found outside of Cairo.  I have not seen anything more on point than Tarbouch's food.  The rice is always perfect.  The meat is grilled and is always tender.  There need not be any 'kick' or flare or curry thrown in because it's authentic middle eastern food as judged by the owners, who are a lebanese family, and as judged by the loads of middle eastern patrons who chow down on all of Tarbouch's offerings several times a week.It appeals more to a middle eastern/arab crowd which probably says a lot about why they're always packed.  Moreover, their kitchen boasts middle eastern chefs - Munir and the owner are often seen running around in the kitchen, adding their magic touch to the food and flipping kebab on the grill.  Last time I spoke to one of the family members of the owner about a particular drink I was missing from Egypt (sa7leb), he pledged to make it for me when I return.4. The shisha is also the best I've had outside of Cairo (Sequoia in Cairo is #1).  In fact some of the best shisha I've had ever, including inside of Egypt.  I don't know how they do it - maybe they maintain their pipes very well.... but there's never any lingering flavors from the last use, never any ash stuck in the tube, no charge per coal, the flavor lasts forever.  Their shisha runners are kind of like specialists.5.  The men and women there are gorgeous.  6.  The owners have a great business plan and run it well - they sell only the best ma'2sl/tobacco, coals, shisha equipment, drinks, etc.  They've expanded so that the patio is year-round with enough heating lamps to keep it comfortable without a jacket when it's 25 degrees outside.  They're open until the last person leaves.  Brilliant.7.  No alcohol.  I love drinking, don't get me wrong - but there's something so wonderful about an establishment where you can go and chill in a social yet alcohol free environment.  The last place I was able to lounge, sit for hours, puff away on shisha religiously, and people watch, with no pesky staff staring at me to leave, was the greek campus at AUC (Cairo) where I routinely missed class to sit in the sun and chill for four or five hours.I could go on and on... by now I'm sure everyone in the world (or on Yelp, more appropriately) thinks I'm in  on a love fest with Tarbouch.... wait, I guess I am.  But I seriously love this place more than any other place in the entire DMV and I don't get any royalties from my constant bragging about Tarbouch.I love this place so much that I have considered buying a car solely for the purpose of driving here.  Yes, I'm carless because I'm a city girl, and that means that my weekly treks out to Tarbouch involve a lot of metroing on the orange line, and brisk walk in heels from the clarendon metro, and constant topping up my smarttrip.  Also - there are no glamorous afterparties, tarbouch IS the afterparty. Tarbouch is my middle east outside of the middle east.....end of love fest.... I love it, x 5.[EDIT 4/10/08] - Recently upgraded from 4 to 5 stars. Great place for shisha, middle…

by Vonetta Y.

"Oh my God.""Oh my God.""Oh my God!"If I didn't say it out loud, I definitely said it inside, as I sunk my teeth into the succulent chicken kabab, rice, and chickpea stew (which I had to ask Candace H about before eating, since I hadn't had it before). I don't know if it was the fragrant shisha or the fact that it was after 3am, but it was the best chicken kabab I have ever had. Ever. Perfectly seasoned and juicy; the cook timed it just right. Succulent is the only word that gets near this chicken. The chickpea stew was spicy without being torturous (I got the white genes when it came to spicy food; don't do those well), and the rice was the perfect texture. OH! My! So good! It broke my heart a little when I couldn't finish all of it (my tum wasn't up for such rich food so late). And this must be the best quality shisha around, more flavorful and fragrant than any I've had in DC.As if the feast for the tum and the lungs weren't enough, the place is crawling with Middle Eastern men. CRAWLING. I nearly got whiplash openly gawking at the eye candy.  Even the waitresses were attractive:  Eastern European girls, sweet as they could be. And I love the Arabic music videos, featuring more-beautiful-than-life-itself women singing and dancing in exotic locales, all the while never even slightly smugging their impeccable makeup.I can't wait to go back to Tarbouch, especially when the weather is warm so I can check out the patio. And I bet the eye candy is even more abundant in summer. :D

by Gregg C.

This is the closest thing to an upscale Middle Eastern cafe that I've found in the DC area -- actually, anywhere in the States...The food isn't bad, but you're not really coming here for the food; you're coming for the shisha and the ambiance. And both of those are excellent. Most places around here seem to struggle with the shisha: the tobacco is old or they use too many coals or they don't understand that you have to replace the coals periodically. Tarbouch gets it right, though, and they have a good selection of flavors (though no apricot, which was a slight disappointment).And the ambiance reminded me of an upscale cafe in Cairo or Damascus. Endless music videos, Arabs yelling into cell phones (or at each other), smoke, low lighting, ringtones warbling every few minutes...I see a few reviewers lamented the lack of alcohol, but you don't go to a place like this for a beer, any more than you go to a beer garden for a glass of wine. Get a tea and a shisha and enjoy yourself. (Besides, you're probably driving home anyway. Tarbouch is not what I'd call Metro-accessible.)

by Laura T.

Somehow, after many, many drinks, and skittering over an endless treadmill of pock-marked, streetlit pavement in five-inch heels like an Alaskan snow-crab, I ended up walking into Tarbouch at around 3am with Candace H. (of course), Rich L. and Vonetta Y., where I was greeted with the delightful sight of a large number of Middle Eastern men, a veritable elixir to my inebriated, stir-crazy, jetlagged, awake-for-24-hours eyes. I tottered my way as quickly as possible to the bathroom in aforementioned heels, feeling more than a little self-conscious and haggard under the bright fluorescent, lights. The bathroom is excellent: clean and fragrant, stocked with an industrial-sized bottle of hand lotion and an equally large bottle of Purell. Walking past the enclosed outdoor patio, I picked my way carefully back to the table, bumping into only about two or three large, stationary objects, where I ordered a mint tea and a sandwich ($6.95). I was pretty hammered, but the tea revived me and the delicious, salty, toasted halloumi cheese sandwich settled my pickled stomach. I stole some of Candace's fries, which were astonishingly good - plump, English style chips, fluffy on the inside and lightly crisp on the outside. I supped on the cool, lightly-flavoured blue-raspberry shisha (they were out of rose), smooth as silk, and watched more delicious Middle Eastern men walk in and out, and around. The bubbles rolled and glittered sapphire blue in the jar and Vonetta Y. murmured, "Hello Nurse!" as a very good-looking young man in a well-fitting blazer and jeans walked by. A tranquil end to a mad night.

by Scott S.

Not even an okay choice for a late-night food option.  The waitresses are incredibly slow, the portions are tiny, the food bland and dry, and, to top it off, they refuse to give you water here.  This place straight-up sucks.

by tina r.

hot as hayell after a nice hike and dip in Great Falls, the mate and i became famished/thirsty rather quick. after a quick drive through McLean, our first choice (Ichiban) was closed. so... we kept driving... all through McLean, which is quite literally a ghost town at around 5 pm on a Sunday. so... when we finally made it to Lee Highway, we made a quick decision. left and continue on into Arlington to find some eats or right and look for some eats in Falls Church. knowing Arlington has so many spots we've yet to try, it was an easy decision. left it was.which led us here. it was hot as fuck outside but there was a very nice massive canopy protecting the chill outdoor seating from das fireball in the sky. so outside we sat. we ordered cold drinks right away. an iced tea for me, which ended up just being a Snapple. no complaints... it actually was pretty tasty in the large cup filled w/ ice, plus i was parched.ordered the hummus to share. and the hallumi (type of cheese from Cyprus) sandwich for my entree. the hummus was absolutely fantastic. thick, rich, creamy and just all around tasty w/ plenty of olive oil drizzled on top. i'd come here just for that again and again... and next time order it with the shisa like all the rest of the kewl cats sitting around us were smoking. i hold back on giving this joint more stars due to the flavor of the mate's chicken. it was MAD salty. like, ridiculously so. and although it was grilled, it was missing a huge element... lemon. i would've added a hell of a lot of it to this as opposed to salt. but, that's just me. unfortunately, as lovely and massive as the mate's salad was, this was ALSO too salty. i didn't understand why they went so overboard w/ the salt on the chicken and salad when all of the other seasonings, sauce, and dressing were tasty enough as is.as for my sandwich, LOVED it. would def order it again. the cheese is super tasty as well as the bread they put it in. adding hummus to it made it pop all that much more, too.so... for now i give this joint 3 stars due to the salt factor. but as far as chill spots, this place is a def go to. lots of people watching, yummy smells of shisa abound, and seems like a great spot to meet random friends for a very reasonably priced meal, drinks and smoke.i'll def be back.

by Deborah R.

The food was okay, but that's nearly irrelevant. I don't think I've ever been as irate after a dining experience as I was after eating at Tarbouch.  When I arrived there for lunch, my 4 colleagues and I passed through a covered patio area (which was empty at the time), and to another area with tables (also sparsely populated). We placed our order and awaited our meals. Then, a man at the table beside us lit up a cigarette. I looked up and noticed a "no smoking" placard on the wall just behind him. In my gentlest, friendliest tone (truly!), I caught his eye, gestured to the placard, said "excuse me, sir, I think this is the no-smoking section... I believe the smoking section is out there," and gestured in the direction of the covered patio area.He was not hostile; he looked up at the sign, back at me, and said something (in a language other than English) that indicated to me that he would put out the cigarette soon. Then, an employee (the manager? owner? I really don't know) entered the section. The smoking diner spoke to the employee (again, I could not understand him, as he wasn't speaking English), gestured to the sign, and gestured to me. The employee went over to the "no smoking" placard, removed it from the wall, and turned it around.No, I didn't take it up with the management. Honestly, I was so flabbergasted at what had just transpired, I was speechless. I have not returned to Tarbouch, and shall not do so. There are many places in the area to get mediterranean food-- and in none of them have I experienced such blatant disrespect for diners, or, frankly, for the health code.

by Daniel B.

Really good. I don't think that I have had anything that is bad from this place. Great fries, gyro's, schwarma, dessert. I am not into the whole hookah thing but this is apparently the place for it, I rarely have come in here when there aren't a lot of people sitting around downing the smoke.

by rebecca m.

I was in the area the other day and needed a quick bite for lunch. I've always driven by this place and wanted to stop in, but never seemed to have the time.The ambiance is nice---plush lawn chairs outside on the patio, and dark woods in the dining room. However, the positives end there.Mind you I was looking for a "quick" bite---and the sandwich and soup combo ($6.95) seemed like the right ticket. I ordered a shwarma sandwich and the vegetarian lentil soup. Despite a small language barrier I ordered my food without much to do.Over 20 minutes later finally my to go order was complete. Once I got back to work and opened up my to go containers I was slightly taken aback. The lentil soup had the weird oil spots (similar to Campbell's soup) floating on top and was watery. The shwarma looked like curry chicken in a wrap. Not one to judge instantly---I tried the soup, and nearly spit it out. Salty, laden with sodium, and no real flavor. After tossing the soup I tried the shwarma--- as for positives, the bread was good. And the chicken wasn't grissly. However, there were random things thrown in the mix (boiled potatoes?) and the sauce semi-resembled what i remember shwarma to taste like.....and also of note: for 3 hours afterwards my stomach was gurgling.

by e'roc b.

I dig this joint and will definitely repay a visit in the near future. They've got some straight-up all around good food, although I found the chicken a bit salty, flavorful, but too salty. The salad was quite fresh and large. The hummus is pretty slammin, as is their pitas. I've got my eyes on their beat salad and falafel for my next visit.Their patio can get a little loud and crowded with folks indulging in hookah puffin n' conversation, but I think this is something that adds to the charm of this little corner dive.

by Aaron T.

I really really enjoy coming to this place! It's a scene that's very new to me: the shisha, Mediterranean food, Melody on the TV (can't get enough of that music!!) but I've fallen quite in love, especially with Tarbouch. I've had two different kabobs and both have been excellent. I definitely prefer to sit outdoors but on the one occasion my group sat inside I had no complaints at all. A friend and I came here about a month ago and just smoked, ate, drank tea, and played cards for literally five hours. Absolute bliss! There was even one time a drunk text in Arabic was sent to me from a my girlfriend, then in Egypt, and I politely asked the table next to us if they would translate. I gave him my phone and he just laughed while telling me that, "my girlfriend must really like me." So as if the company of my friends isn't enough everyone else that goes there is polite and friendly. My only complaint about Tarbouch would have to be the waitresses. Everything seems to be done in slow motion, maybe that's more of a Middle Eastern or Eastern European thing?? I've never been so I wouldn't know. That being said, even if it takes a little longer than I would prefer to get the food or shisha it's definitely worth the wait!

by Aaron T.e'roc b.rebecca m.

I really really enjoy coming to this place! It's a scene that's very new to me: the shisha, Mediterranean food, Melody on the TV (can't get enough of that music!!) but I've fallen quite in love, especially with Tarbouch. I've had two different kabobs and both have been excellent. I definitely prefer to sit outdoors but on the one occasion my group sat inside I had no complaints at all. A friend and I came here about a month ago and just smoked, ate, drank tea, and played cards for literally five hours. Absolute bliss! There was even one time a drunk text in Arabic was sent to me from a my girlfriend, then in Egypt, and I politely asked the table next to us if they would translate. I gave him my phone and he just laughed while telling me that, "my girlfriend must really like me." So as if the company of my friends isn't enough everyone else that goes there is polite and friendly. My only complaint about Tarbouch would have to be the waitresses. Everything seems to be done in slow motion, maybe that's more of a Middle Eastern or Eastern European thing?? I've never been so I wouldn't know. That being said, even if it takes a little longer than I would prefer to get the food or shisha it's definitely worth the wait!I dig this joint and will definitely repay a visit in the near future. They've got some straight-up all around good food, although I found the chicken a bit salty, flavorful, but too salty. The salad was quite fresh and large. The hummus is pretty slammin, as is their pitas. I've got my eyes on their beat salad and falafel for my next visit.Their patio can get a little loud and crowded with folks indulging in hookah puffin n' conversation, but I think this is something that adds to the charm of this little corner dive.I was in the area the other day and needed a quick bite for lunch. I've always driven by this place and wanted to stop in, but never seemed to have the time.The ambiance is nice---plush lawn chairs outside on the patio, and dark woods in the dining room. However, the positives end there.Mind you I was looking for a "quick" bite---and the sandwich and soup combo ($6.95) seemed like the right ticket. I ordered a shwarma sandwich and the vegetarian lentil soup. Despite a small language barrier I ordered my food without much to do.Over 20 minutes later finally my to go order was complete. Once I got back to work and opened up my to go containers I was slightly taken aback. The lentil soup had the weird oil spots (similar to Campbell's soup) floating on top and was watery. The shwarma looked like curry chicken in a wrap. Not one to judge instantly---I tried the soup, and nearly spit it out. Salty, laden with sodium, and no real flavor. After tossing the soup I tried the shwarma--- as for positives, the bread was good. And the chicken wasn't grissly. However, there were random things thrown in the mix (boiled potatoes?) and the sauce semi-resembled what i remember shwarma to taste like.....and also of note: for 3 hours afterwards my stomach was gurgling.

by Aaron T.e'roc b.rebecca m.Daniel B.Deborah R.

I really really enjoy coming to this place! It's a scene that's very new to me: the shisha, Mediterranean food, Melody on the TV (can't get enough of that music!!) but I've fallen quite in love, especially with Tarbouch. I've had two different kabobs and both have been excellent. I definitely prefer to sit outdoors but on the one occasion my group sat inside I had no complaints at all. A friend and I came here about a month ago and just smoked, ate, drank tea, and played cards for literally five hours. Absolute bliss! There was even one time a drunk text in Arabic was sent to me from a my girlfriend, then in Egypt, and I politely asked the table next to us if they would translate. I gave him my phone and he just laughed while telling me that, "my girlfriend must really like me." So as if the company of my friends isn't enough everyone else that goes there is polite and friendly. My only complaint about Tarbouch would have to be the waitresses. Everything seems to be done in slow motion, maybe that's more of a Middle Eastern or Eastern European thing?? I've never been so I wouldn't know. That being said, even if it takes a little longer than I would prefer to get the food or shisha it's definitely worth the wait!I dig this joint and will definitely repay a visit in the near future. They've got some straight-up all around good food, although I found the chicken a bit salty, flavorful, but too salty. The salad was quite fresh and large. The hummus is pretty slammin, as is their pitas. I've got my eyes on their beat salad and falafel for my next visit.Their patio can get a little loud and crowded with folks indulging in hookah puffin n' conversation, but I think this is something that adds to the charm of this little corner dive.I was in the area the other day and needed a quick bite for lunch. I've always driven by this place and wanted to stop in, but never seemed to have the time.The ambiance is nice---plush lawn chairs outside on the patio, and dark woods in the dining room. However, the positives end there.Mind you I was looking for a "quick" bite---and the sandwich and soup combo ($6.95) seemed like the right ticket. I ordered a shwarma sandwich and the vegetarian lentil soup. Despite a small language barrier I ordered my food without much to do.Over 20 minutes later finally my to go order was complete. Once I got back to work and opened up my to go containers I was slightly taken aback. The lentil soup had the weird oil spots (similar to Campbell's soup) floating on top and was watery. The shwarma looked like curry chicken in a wrap. Not one to judge instantly---I tried the soup, and nearly spit it out. Salty, laden with sodium, and no real flavor. After tossing the soup I tried the shwarma--- as for positives, the bread was good. And the chicken wasn't grissly. However, there were random things thrown in the mix (boiled potatoes?) and the sauce semi-resembled what i remember shwarma to taste like.....and also of note: for 3 hours afterwards my stomach was gurgling.Really good. I don't think that I have had anything that is bad from this place. Great fries, gyro's, schwarma, dessert. I am not into the whole hookah thing but this is apparently the place for it, I rarely have come in here when there aren't a lot of people sitting around downing the smoke.The food was okay, but that's nearly irrelevant. I don't think I've ever been as irate after a dining experience as I was after eating at Tarbouch.  When I arrived there for lunch, my 4 colleagues and I passed through a covered patio area (which was empty at the time), and to another area with tables (also sparsely populated). We placed our order and awaited our meals. Then, a man at the table beside us lit up a cigarette. I looked up and noticed a "no smoking" placard on the wall just behind him. In my gentlest, friendliest tone (truly!), I caught his eye, gestured to the placard, said "excuse me, sir, I think this is the no-smoking section... I believe the smoking section is out there," and gestured in the direction of the covered patio area.He was not hostile; he looked up at the sign, back at me, and said something (in a language other than English) that indicated to me that he would put out the cigarette soon. Then, an employee (the manager? owner? I really don't know) entered the section. The smoking diner spoke to the employee (again, I could not understand him, as he wasn't speaking English), gestured to the sign, and gestured to me. The employee went over to the "no smoking" placard, removed it from the wall, and turned it around.No, I didn't take it up with the management. Honestly, I was so flabbergasted at what had just transpired, I was speechless. I have not returned to Tarbouch, and shall not do so. There are many places in the area to get mediterranean food-- and in none of them have I experienced such blatant disrespect for diners, or, frankly, for the health code.