04/13/07

They serve small portions and food is microwaved

by portlandpersian

I had the displeasure of going in for a late lunch. The place was bare-bones empty. The older lady serving was not shy in displaying her oversized solid gold cross around her neck. She was obviously proud to be Christian, more so than any other Portlander, and without regard to having her more secular or non-Christian customers feel unwelcome and uncomfortable. I order from the lunch menu and to my astonishment I suddently heard the microwave being turned on in the kitchen and then the food was prepared in 4 minutes. I simply could not believe it. At least she could have waited 15 minutes to pretend the food was actually being cooked fresh. To top it off, the food portions were so absurdely small that I had to fill myself up with the entire basket of bread that accompanied my food (no butter or feta cheese included). Despite the lack of customers, nobody once asked me how the food was or if my water should be refilled. I will never return to this place and I recommend that you don't waste a dime eating there, given the other choices in town. One word: horrible. Chili's or TGIF would have been better.

• Pros: Very nice paintings on the walls.
• Cons: Microwaved food (not fresh), tiny portions, and no service at all.

Editorial Review by Mary Morley

by Contributor

Downtown Lebanese restaurant serves Mediterranean classics like mezza and baba ganoush in a romantic setting; some nights have live music.

02/22/07

Good Stuff

by vlcgoddess

We had a nice date night here. We were seated promptly and attended to by a nice older man--he could've been a manager or even the owner. We ordered the labne, a Lebanese cheese spread appetizer, and it was creamy and delicious with the pita that accompanied it. My husband had the lamb cabbage rolls, which he thoroughly enjoyed. They came with a killer tzatziki sauce with huge chunks of cucumber. I ordered the a la carte mezza platter, which included hummus, baba ghanouj, tabouli and falafel. Good falafel--not too dry, the hummus was good and the baba ghanouj was amazing. It had a really great flavor. Tabouli isn't my favorite, and it was fine. Homemade pita would've complemented things better--the bread we had tasted store-bought and was average. Baklava and pistachio pudding completed the meal, and while the baklava was stellar, the pudding was so-so.

Our service was quite friendly, though a bit slower after the restaurant filled up. The live jazz was a great accompaniment to the meal, but I wish we would've been seated further back from it--it made conversation difficult.

All in all, we had great food and service here. Definitely recommended!

• Pros: Friendly service, great food, decent wine list
• Cons: A bit small

07/05/06

Simply Charming

by persianprincess

Wonderful date atmosphere, yet kid friendly. Knowledgable staff speak many languages and on certain evenings one can enjoy live music. The food was perfect. I wouldn't change a thing.

• Pros: Beautiful place, Friendly staff, Romantic
• Cons: Parking

05/26/06

Great food and service, warm atmosphere

by stevew1962

My wife and I visited Karim on a fluke, and it proved to be one of the best dining experiences to date! The food was great, the owner and waitress were pleasant and professional, and the atmosphere was super. The prices were a little high but other than that I would rate Karim a 10!

• Pros: Great Food, Great Service, Nice ambiance
• Cons: slightly high prices

04/19/06

Nice cozy little spot

by jag415

My husband and I went there for my birthday. It was very cozy and comfortable. We had the Falafal platter for an appetizer. My husband had the Mezza platter and I had the cabbage rolls. The only thing was... I got confused when they kept bringing stuff out to the table.. I wasn't sure which was what, but it was all very good and my husband and I dove right in. The owner is very friendly and hosptitable. The belly dancer was lovely. The singer did a great job too. If you are looking for good food and a nice ambience, try Abou Karim.

• Pros: Food, Owner, Entertainment
• Cons: Small, Noisy

12/30/05

A diamond in the rough of Portland

by huewish

I have never walked away with anything but satisfaction from a meal here. The food is consistantly good, the service is always above par for Portland, and other than some beer stock issues that were beyond their control, everything has been perfect every time I have been there in the last four years.

• Pros: Outstanding food, a family business, always friendly
• Cons: Too far to eat often

11/03/05

Great Food - Wonderful Experience

by blacksheepministry

First I have eaten at some of the best Middle Eastern food in the US, and Abou Karim is about average, but their have been few places where the men get up and spontaneously dance and throw money into the air ala Zorba The Greek. The Belly Dancer was supposed to be there at 9:30, arrived at 10:30 and had drinks with another ravishing dancer till midnight and then got up and really danced! A True Greek/Lebonese style and reasonably priced fare.

• Pros: Service, Food, Ambiance
• Cons: Small, Noisy

11/22/02

Wonderful!

by rebecca02

I think some people are confusing Abou Karim with another restaurant. I've gone several times over the past years and have always had wonderful, attentive wait staff. Their food is fabulous. You must try this place!

• Pros: Wait Staff, Food
• Cons: None

08/22/02

Wonderful, a favorite of ours for years!

by Heatherflower8

My husband and I have loved Abou Karim for years. After reading the prior two review I couldn't help but wonder if they were reviewing the wrong restaurant because the food (chicken filet and ice cream) they talked about does not sound like manu choices offered at Abou Karim. We have always, even today when I went for lunch, had courteous, helpful waitstaff. We have had many things over the years but our favorite continues to be the Mezza Platter which is always delicious and filling. This restaurant is highly recommended for lunch or dinner!

• Pros: Food, consistant quality, good value
• Cons: sometimes crowded