Cafe Lili Lebanese Grill

by Marie E.

I must admit that I eat at Lili's at least twice a week.  The owners are always so kind, and the older gentleman always treats me like a princess.  Like most of the places I patron, I have my usual here as well.  The portions are way too much for myself, so my boyfriend and I almost always share the full order of the Chicken Kabob Dinner, which comes with pita and a choice of hummus or salad (I always get the salad with feta; delicious).  The kabobs come served on top of a bed of vermicelli rice, accompanied by a slice of lemon and garlic butter.  My perfect bite is a chicken, with a smidgen of butter, a squirt of lemon with rice.  Mmmmm....  For the New Year, I've changed my usual to the Chicken Kabob Salad; all the goodness with no carbs!I've also had the red snapper, which was grilled and served on rice.  Also delicious!  As for desserts, we have had the Dulce de Leche cake, which was excellent!I would definitely recommend trying Cafe Lili.

by Nicci S.

This little out-of-the-way spot is a real find.  The wait staff is attentive and friendly.  The food is very tasty and they have some excellent choices for vegetarians.  I'd definitely get the moussaka if you're into eggplant!  I'm not often someone who orders dessert, but I do here.  And the complimentary Turkish coffee is fantabulously flavorful-- just don't drink it too late at night!!

by Highland P.

Lili actually exists!  And she bakes the best coconut cookies ever...The service is impeccable; I was warmly greeted upon entering and quickly seated.  Alysia was knowledgeable about the special and made excellent recommendations.  I had the beef shawarma, which was passable.  The warm meat grape leaves were delicious and the cookie was divine.  I also had the Lebanese coffee which was very strong and combined with the cookie, really brought out and enhanced its flavor.

by Ahmad S.

This is one of the better Lebanese restaurants in town.  Clean cafeteria kind of setup with a couple of flatscreens and a few table outside.  Service is pretty casual.  Appetizers are often quite good, and there is a nice selection available.  The main courses are not bad, but just not that interesting or satisfying... I almost always end up settling on a sandwich, and honestly there's better in town.  The main problem is that with the prices where they are (expect to spend $20 a person if you expect to have a full meal) they should be a lot more consistent.  Sometimes the tabbouleh or gigante bean salad are wonderful, but just as many times they've been runny/mushy and past their prime.  Lately my server has been great, but there's times when the service has been a total mess (like the stoned waiter who couldn't get anything right... drinks, straws, silverware, the correct order of appetizers, etc.).

by Shazia C.

They have good beef Shawarma. Its a pitty they don't make chiken Shawarma. I however still think Maryz is alot better when it comes down to lebanese food. Their hummus is a little thick to my liking..Taboleh is a little runny..and beef Shawarma is too thinly sliced but tastes amazing ! Bottom line this place is alright. Better than most cafes because their service is a lot faster.Oh , and they have Mamoul (date cookies ! )

by Ben M.

Cafe Lili...kind of a funny place with overpriced but good food.Lets keep it simple for this one:Lili..if thats her there..is freaking hilarious in a bad attitude, im better than you, eat my food, shut up, Ill charge whatever, kind of way.I love Lebanese food which can be a dime a dozen in Houston. They all vary in some way and this place is tasty and I enjoy it every time I stop in or take out. I have tried just about every thing there. Its always very good and has more of a fresh taste to it compared to some other joints I've been to. Even though a bit pricey... if Im passing by...Id probably stop in. Oh and she smokes out of a hookah in front of you at her little table...way to be Lili..way to be.I'm Ben

by Amaranta C.

I think there are 3 main things that go into making a restaurant good. 1. The food. Probably about 50% of the review.2. The staff. 30%3. The ambiance/location/etc. 20%Cafe Lili gets the food right (mostly) but the staff SUCK!! We catered food from Cafe Lili for a birthday party and Mrs. Lili, despite being asked multiple times for pricing, not only required that we order more than we wanted (suck #1), ended up gouging us on the food (suck #2-10). The football shaped meat pies were gross. Spinach pies good, hummus standard, green beans tasted like they were made FROM A CAN. Come on. For such high prices you can at least use fresh ingredients.Don't order catering from them!

by Hank G.

Everyone I know raves about this place... eh, it's ok and a bit pricey if you ask me. There were three that were actually outstanding and thus the three stars... The services was steller! Our server answered all of our questions, she knew the menu inside and out and was perfect.The house salad was wonderful. Fresh and their dressing was so good.The Lebanese coffee. I'd never had it before and man was I missing an awesome beverage. It is complimentary with a meal. It is black and brewed with some exotic tasting spices. I don't know what the spices are, but I loved it. LOVED IT.The beef Shawarma was dry and tough, their humus was dry and a bit thick, not that easy to scoop up with the pita. I also thought it was expensive for what I was getting. I was with friends and tried the chicken kabob and the rice. Both were, but nothing special. Certainly not deserving of the rave reviews from my friends.Basically I would go back to this place for their coffee, salad, and service. I would even recommend this place, but if I have the choice, I'm going to the House of Kabob - http://www.yelp.com/bi...

by Sam V.

This place is definitely on the pricey side for a cafeteria-style restaurant (order at the counter and sit down in a standard, tiled dining room with nothing much to speak of in terms of ambiance). But the service is fantastic and the food mostly above average. My buddy tried to change something on his order after he put the order in and there was a language issue here, as they brought out the change as a separate dish and ended up charging him for it. Okay, mistakes happen - no biggie.He had the beef schwarma, which looked awesome with the eggs that came with it (I'll probably do that next time). I had the falafel sandwich (i.e. wrap) which was pretty good - the hummus was average. But the fries were great. There weren't many people here during the lunch rush hour (price and location probably play a part in that) so getting in and out quickly was easy.I was really surprised at the service of the older gentleman that walks around and makes sure people have what they need, which bumps this place up by a star right there. He came by with some complimentary Lebanese coffee, which was Awesome! I'll definitely be back, but probably not often due to the somewhat below-average price/value here.

by Liz S.

More cheap tasty Lebanese food?  You bet!I've eaten here several times, and the food is pretty good...maybe not my favorite in town, but it's definitely passable.  The pita bread is always fresh and plentiful here, and the moujadara and moussaka are the best I've had in Houston.  Service is pretty good, enough so that I almost always stick around for some coffee and baklava or date cookies.  I haven't sampled their Lebanese wine selection yet, but the menu lists quite a few options.Recommended (other than the moujadara and moussaka): the grape leaves, spinach pie, and foul (fool).  Prices are primarily $4-$10.  They say they close at 9 on weeknights, but I've seen them open quite a bit later than that.