Marouch Restaurant

by Nic Z.

Really great food!  Paul and I went here this past Friday evening.  When we were driving there we were slightly nervous about the area especially the tiny dilapidated strip mall where Marouch is.  Let's just say we were happy to find a  parking spot right in the front.  When we were walking in we noticed the cheery "people love us on yelp" sticker on the door, I loved spotting those!  The interior was warm and inviting and we immediately noticed that the wait staff was really friendly.  We were greeted with a huge smile and told to sit anywhere we want.  We both loved our food.  I was excited when they brought out the warm bread but it wasn't anything to rave about.  Granted it was warm bread so that alone is cool but the bread tasted like it was bought at the grocery store.  I ordered the hummus and falafel plate.  It was really great.  The hummus was really thick and flavorful, and they gave me quite a large portion of it.  The falafel was nice and crispy, it tasted quite fresh and it wasn't greasy at all.  The rice that they give you is good, it could have stood to have a few spices in it though.  The portions were so big though, I brought most of my meal home. Paul got the kabobs and he really liked what he got too.  Everything was just so tasty and fresh.  One huge problem, the staff is so slow.  Seriously.  We waited about twenty minutes to get our check after they came and cleared our table.  Granted, it was quite busy and there only appeared to be two people working the floor but, seriously, twenty minutes?  We actually had to ask for our check twice and it still took forever.  They were quite apologetic about the check so we won't hold it against them!  We will totally go back there.  Really great food!

by sarah e.

Super good middle eastern food. I am tragically allergic to garlic so can never eat middle eastern food but we called in advance and they cooked me an amazing beef kabab. It was so tender I barely needed a knife. The service was impeccable, whenever my mint tea was down they refilled it. From the garlic eaters I hear that the babaganoush was amazing. The only thing I didn't like was the baklava, otherwise amazing.

by kristen t.

it was my first time at this Armenian restaurant located in the heart of Little Armenia...you could easily pass it if you didn't know what to look for, as it's quietly located in a small strip mall across from Armenian Music.  You can tell immediately it's a family run operation.  The husband manages the restaurant and his Armenian wife creates and cooks the most amazing delicacies.  We started with Hummus and the Spinach and Cheese Fatayers (the cheese is amazing!!) before moving on to different plates of Shawarma, Shish Kabab, Kafta Kabab, Shish Tawouk--the lamb melts in your mouth.  The chicken is so tender.  The pilaf was perfect, the tomatoes grilled just right.  Then they bring out the best Baklawa I've ever had that just flakes in your fingers and isn't too sweet, nutty to perfection.The wife came out to meet talk with us, giving my Mom a hug.  Her husband was welcoming sweet.  Easily one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had in LA...and not just because I'm Armenian!I'm going back Tuesday for the Moussakaah...and more Baklawa.

by Adrian B.shinobu k.Sara F.Robert T.jerome c.

Incredible friendly service and delicious high quality Lebanese food. We started with the falafel , a refreshing change from the Israeli style I am used to , handmade kibbeh with a tasty moist filling, followed by a lamb dish ,the name of which escapes me. Rounded off by tasty olives and pickled turnips ,a great Lebanese beer, Almaza and finally finished with a moist baklava.Tasty as tasty comes and next door to a 7-11 to get your Slurpee on for the road.One of the oddest locations, in a strip mall, stuck in between Pilipino Fast Food and a 7-11, Marouch treated my family to a great meal. Not a fancy place, casual, but yet not to the extreme of Zankou down the street.  We came in without a great idea of what to order, so our friendly server helped us choose a couple group combos that we were able to share family style, thus tasting a little bit of everything, kabobs, shish tawouk, hummus and some other tasty side orders.There was enough for everybody and it was really fabulous. What a joy, I can't wait to come back to try more. Not ready for Frog Legs though, which they do serve.A bit pricey if you're just doing one dish, so definitely  a place for family style, I'd say the same thing for a chinese restaurant.If you follow these instructions, you will rate this place 5-stars too:"Go with a big group of adventurous meat-eaters who aren't watching every dollar that comes out of their wallet. "It's not expensive, but the most exciting experiences here happen when you treat it as a "family-style" restaurant.  Order the sample platters and share everything.  The waitstaff becomes almost PART of the family - that relative that won't let you get away without a 4th helping of Shawarma.  The food just keeps rolling out until you can't feel your legs.  If you like something, they will bring you more.  You don't even have to ask.  The problem being:  if you're vegetarian, this place is tough on you.  You never know what anything on the table IS.  But I guess I've been there, and just to witness the fun that everyone else is having... it's actually all worth it.  You can still stuff your face with some Falafel and wash it down with a couple of beers, and sit snacking on hummus for the rest of the night.  It's still fun.Have been a few times, don't get over there too often. The lamb is good. Not a great area.Holy crap this place is good.  Beef kafka was just so well marinated.  The chicken kabob (?) was also just perfect.  And, yeah yeah, I know, saying something about a falafel is being so americanized and a food luddite, but seriously, I had no idea a falafel could be THAT much better: super flaky/crispy outside and fresh inside.  And the mouhamara - that was the most memorable dish at my dinner, even more so than all the other dishes somehow.  It says "hot red pepper paste" but it is definitely not spicy.Btw, the Lebanese beer wasn't bad either!

by Katie W.

This place is really good and was surprisingly inexpensive.  We went with a group of 14 for lunch.  Our server recommended a family-style meal with two appetizer samplers and two meat samplers.  Each appetizer sampler was $80 so we were a little worried but the appetizers really did end up being the majority of our meal.  We received SO MUCH FOOD - I think there were at least 12 different appetizers in very large portions.  It was all great.  The meat costs less but we still got two big platters of meat.  I only tried the chicken but it was really flavorful and delicious.  The service was good and fast and the food just kept coming out.  They handle large groups very well and I actually can see how a dining experience here would be better with a group because you could order the $80 appetizer sampler and share it with everyone.  I would gladly return here and would highly recommend it.

by Kristen R.

LOVE MAROUSH!!! This is the best place for a birthday, not only is it great for groups, but they play this crazy Lebanese birthday song - I love it so much the proprietor pretends like it's my birthday everytime I come in so I can hear it and eat the best baclava in town. The veggie platter is the thing to get. Also, the fava beans appetizer, doesn't sound like much, but it's fantastic! Splitting the platter and ordering a few appetizers is plenty of food for two.The food is fantastic, the staff is very attentive and nice and the decor is worth checking out. (they have columns and murals of Greek vistas out of faux windows. It's definitely one of those strip mall hidden treasures. CHECK IT OUT!

by Deborah K.

Meh.I grew up on food like this.  Eggplant?  Ful?  Hummous?  I'm picky, I guess.I can make better Ful.  It was ok.  but not outstanding.  Just ok.  Like the kind my mediocre cook of a mother could make when she's just banging stuff together in a kitchen.  Kebbeh was gummy and sort of peculiar.  It was missing brightness and bite.Dyed black olives are disgusting.  Ok...I love pickled beets.  Cold overcooked eggplant with tasteless meat is NOT a "special"  It is just sloppy.Oh, and please stop talking loudly and offensively about The French to the ONE other table in the restaurant, please, long enough to give this French girl the fucking check?

by Adrian B.

Incredible friendly service and delicious high quality Lebanese food. We started with the falafel , a refreshing change from the Israeli style I am used to , handmade kibbeh with a tasty moist filling, followed by a lamb dish ,the name of which escapes me. Rounded off by tasty olives and pickled turnips ,a great Lebanese beer, Almaza and finally finished with a moist baklava.

by ZumaJay ..

I am so excited.Why?Because... tonight I am going to Marouch.I haven't been in awhile... but whenever I get the chance I visit.The neighborhood it's in is ghetto.... but if you've read some of my reviews, you'll know... you can't keep me away from good food!If you like Middle Eastern food, this place is my favorite joint... a little oasis in the middle of LA.  The service is good... the food is good... the menu is expansive.It's a great place to go with a group and sit down... enjoy a meal... forget about speeding through your meal here... it's all about getting into the food and the company and just enjoying life.I would have to say try EVERYTHING.  I've never eaten anything bad here...My mouth is watering just thinking about dinner tonite...

by Dr Lov E.

I'm so glad my veggie-girl suggested this place.We had a late lunch Friday, the wait staff was at the market picking out produce with the chef's wife, which was cool cause the chef came out to take our order and give us the run down on the food, it was a very nice touch and he was charming.Veggie-girl ordered the vegetarian sampler which was not only incredible, but was one of the best presentations ever.  Loved the babah ganoush - smokey smooth.I'm a "daily special" type of guy and try to support veggie-girl.  The veggie Moujadara was not being offered - it sounds delish and I look forward to trying it next time.  Kebbeh Labanieh was wonderful.  Lamb meat stuffed with ground beef and pine nuts (killer lebanese meatballs), with a white sauce surrounding a mound of almond rice pilaf.  I loved it.  The flavors didn't jump out, but it was very tasty, very smooth, very comforting.  I ate every last morsel.The home made Tan was a delight ( at other places its too salty, this was very refreshing), Lemonade was superb.I was too stuffed for dessert, and look forward to my next visit.