Review Souk - Melbourne

Ambiance is great, the decor is very nice and the waiting staff were very friendly and accomodating. Good place for large groups. We ordered the $70 banquet plus cocktails. The food was ok, nothing extraordinary. The wait time between dishes was too long - we had to ask for the next dish to be brought out and the cocktails also took a while to come out - although the cocktails were really good. Would've like to have seen bolder dishes brought out with more flavour, the beef ribs were the highlight as well as the prawns. The 'dumplings' were disappointing - tasted like tortellini. Not the best value for money, but worth a try if you're into middle eastern food.

Was not as good as what I was expecting reading the menu. We went with the $55 feed me option and there was only one standout dish. No desert was included in the set menu which was disappointing and we weren't told before hand. The place was very quiet so the atmosphere was very dull with the exception of a few drunks in the back corner. I've heard this place is amazing and consistently packed so maybe I went on an off night.

Was looking for a nice middle eastern place to eat in the city. With Maha booked it and overpriced we came across this hidden gem. The for was able fantastic, each dish had a unique flavour, with nothing tasting the same. The staff was super friendly and accommodating. My wife and I were very pleased and will go back.

Quirky upstairs venue down a little alley way. Great atmosphere for catching up. Not very loud. Nice.cocktails, but these are not cheap. Food came in sharing plates ( tapas ) and was delicious, esp the fried chicken and the fried cauliflower.

Down the end of Bligh place, enter the venue and head to the right, up the stairs. Souk is a fun neon filled Middle Eastern bar and restaurant - it was pumping for a Tuesday too! Doesn’t take itself too seriously which I like, in the decor and the food. Came in for some snacks, stands out for me were the truffle cheese borek, fries and for dessert the rose water parfait! Not the biggest fan of Turkish delight but the dessert was beautiful. Loved the cocktails we had to, espresso martini and a kiwi mojito. Thanks to our lovely waiters and waitresses for great service.

We went for the small banquet and wasn’t impressed. As a start, the bread was oily and there was a scary looking green pickle. Hummus was alright. The smoked eggplant was way too smoky to our liking. For mains, there was sooo much of shoestring fries - why?? Iceberg lettuce tasted funny - more on the sour side. Lamb was alright. But the chicken kebab was a let down. Very thick roti wrap with barely any stuffings/meat. And surprisingly no desert in the banquet. Won’t be back.

This place is amazing!. I've been there with girlfriends and we all love it. The food is absolutely delicious (I had lamb chunks and crispy cauliflower, best decision ever!), the staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed (great to catch up with friends). Will definitely be back. 💜💜

We came here on a Wednesday night for dinner so it wasn't busy, there were only around 5-6 tables of people. The service was ok, drinks were pretty slow to come out as the waitress would put the order through and there was no one in the bar most of the time. We had a few items to share: Tomato Hummus which was a bit bland, the bread was good however. Kuwaiti fried chicken which had a very nice spiced coating but the chicken seemed way over cooked. Turkish dumplings were good. Fattoush salad was ok but lacked seasoning plus it would be better off served in a bowl given you need to break the pita cone which is difficult on a flat plate. Also had the lamb shwarma which was ok. Unfortunately my experience at Souk wasn't as good as I expected when compared to other similar middle eastern restaurants. They do have good rating on Zomato so maybe it was an off night.

We were invited to Souk tonight to try their banquet and it’s difficult to comment on the experience due to it being quite a unique slash awkward situation. The venue had essentially been booked out for a private function complete with media wall and speeches and my friend and I were the sole other diners (another table of 2 joined later).<br/><br/>Due to the other people in the space there were also naturally delays. We enquired as to the whereabouts of our drinks 20 minutes after we ordered them and were asked if we still wanted them. When we said yes the bartender realised they had been sitting on the bar for some time and brought them over. While it was dark I’m glad I realised that my drink was half full and had the tell take signs of someone’s bright lipstick mark on the glass and promptly returned it. I guess someone helped themselves as it lingered awaiting delivery to our table. <br/><br/>It’s been two years since it’s opening when I had my first foray to the restaurant and things have changed a little bit but it seemed they hadn’t learnt much about hospitality. We then met the owner who was profusely apologetic about the function situation and did offer us huge discounts and complimentary drinks (not realising at this point we had been invited) so I will commend him on that. <br/><br/>The food itself was hit and miss for me. I personally enjoyed the offerings more on my first visit though I absolutely loved the seasoning on the shoestring fries. The dessert was nice and light but I found some of the flavours a little overpowering with the rose, lime and pistachio combination. This may also be due to the fact that it was quite sizeable and while I generally think you can never have too much dessert perhaps it was a case of too much of a good thing. <br/><br/>The chicken was the standout dish for me and exceptionally well cooked, moist with a crispy skin. Cocktails also impressed. Overall such a bizarre situation and perhaps better on a regular evening <br/><br/><br/>Update <br/>We were invited to a launch event at Souk which had some real highs (in the form of a whipped Turkish coffee and Nutella ganache dessert) and some real lows in terms of service. We didn’t get our desserts until just after 11pm and granted there were many dinners occupying the space but if the restaurant is even nearing capacity there is no way it is going to cope. And this is when we were on a set menu hence reducing complexity for the kitchen. The cocktails are delicious and the atmosphere is killer so your best bet is definitely to drop in for a drink (and perhaps dessert) <br/><br/><br/>Original review<br/>Souk is the perfect example of style over substance. They've obviously spent a colossal amount on the phenomenal fit out and failed to allocate any of their budget to hiring adequate staff. All of the waitresses who attended our table were clearly backpackers with some serious attitude and apparently not much interest in being attentive or helpful. <br/><br/>They were at the same time very pushy in trying to get us to order before we'd hardly sat down and suggesting we order cocktails for someone who hadn't even arrived yet. There was obviously some confusion as someone arrived to explain the lactose free items on the menu incorrectly assuming we were the table with the lactose free booking.<br/><br/>Next thing you know I was confused as I tried to order the chicken and prawns dumplings and was told there wasn't any. I asked the waitress how could that be given it was only 5pm (we simply couldn't endure staying at work until 6) and her response was simply there just isn't any. I clearly gave her a firm 'that's absurd and makes no sense look' as the manager promptly came over to explain they had been taken off the menu as had several other items.<br/><br/>I think it's pretty unacceptable to give the impression they merely aren't available as I could easily come back another time expecting to be able to order them. Also if you've only been open two months sort the menu out. If you are going to overhaul it print a new one. People rarely come to a restaurant without checking out what's available first and they will inevitably be disappointed to find something markedly different from what they envisaged. Menus obviously change seasonally but it's not unreasonable to expect a place that's just opened has a current menu online.<br/><br/>Right now on to the food. Let's talk about how microscopic the portions are. The waitress talked about being designed to share but based on those serving sizes I'd need at least three dishes to myself and there isn't enough breadth to the menu to order lots of small thing to share. In fact we ordered the Arabian tacos which are $24 for 4 and I ate all 4 myself. I will say the lamb and prawn tacos were utterly delicious but stay tuned for the pettiness I'm talking about.<br/><br/>The menu has four different types of tacos listed and states you get 1 of each variety but even that has changed and we were told we had to pick two varieties and get two of each. How does that impact them? Either way we are getting four tacos and its listed on the menu as 4 x 1 not 2 x 2. So ridiculous. Anyway as mentioned it's not enough to share so we got a second plate of them regardless and got another 2 x 2 which was chicken and also haloumi.<br/><br/>I let the vegetarians have the haloumi but the chicken was average compared to the others we'd had. The lamb shoulder was not bad (a little salty) and the chipotle hummus okay but a little oily for my liking. The cocktail menu is sensational and they are all visually stunning so if anything I'd suggest coming to the achingly beautiful downstairs section for a drink before heading somewhere else ANYWHERE ELSE for dinner

Delicious food, great set menu, meal is massive & staff friendly and helpful.

Serving sizes were not very big for the price. Food took a while and they also missed an order so we left not very full. Service was slow however staff were friendly.. seemed like they were busy so we didn’t bother ordering the dish that was missed again. The only thing I’d rave about were the Brussels spouts, they were really tasty and roasted well :) Everything else was just ok - The lamb chops were mostly fat and bone.. with only 2 pieces of meat, rice and some salad... . The falafel were way too over fried, croquettes batter were too thick... Fried chicken was average, the crumbed was not that good and chicken ‘drumsticks’ were so small? Could get better fried chicken elsewhere. Although taste wasn’t ‘bad’... for the price, I probably won’t revisit as we tried a fair few things on the menu already. Was actually excited to try this place out and it has a cool vibe when you walk in.... oh well. Went to another place for dessert to satisfy us.

Been here a few times and it used to be a lot better. Came on Valentine’s Day for a set menu. Staff had no idea who had eaten what. Food came out incredibly slowly and most of the time was cold. They served an “iceberg lettuce” which was really just a 4 leaf mix from coles (see photo)

We were looking forward to our fourth anniversary dinner at Souk on Saturday just gone, and we were extremely disappointed. Venue was cool and mood was OK but trouble started when we ordered our food. We went with the banquet for two. Waited approx 30 mins for dips, not an issue. However the next round was gozleme, which came out 30 mins after dips. We waited another hour for the main. We were told the Kuwaiti Fried Chicken (KFC) was part of the banquet, but instead we got cauliflower(???). Our banquet was ordered at 7:45PM, we got our mains approx 9:20PM. The were hardly any customers all night. Two tables near us left, and more than an hour after leaving there was still plates on the table. Spent more than $130 when honestly McDonalds wouldve been more satisfying and even filled us up more. Never going back to this place ever again, and if you're considering going dont waste your time or money.

Very bizarre concept and feel. Not sure what theme they are trying to achieve. Staff were inattentive and lacked basic customer service skills. Four menu dishes (mains) were “sold out”. A soft drink we initially ordered didn’t arrive until after we had finished eating. Plates were dusty. No toilet paper in the restroom however I was offered a handful of napkins. Was really excited to try Souk but unfortunately this was the first and last time.

The management and bar staff were unbelievably friendly. Really cool dudes. The waiters were also friendly, but the person who I think was the manager really went out of his way to make the experience for my friend and myself really spectacular.<br/><br/>The broccoli was the favourite dish for both of us, and I can't wait to come back and try more options. I'm sad that there aren't many keto options but y'know, that's most tapas places. Pastry helps hold little food bits together and it's nobody's problem but my own that I can't eat it 😅😅

Loved the ambience at Souk, nice decor and layout. The menu had a good variety and food was good. <br/><br/>The eggplant and beef ribs were amazing. The rice was good but the portion was rather small<br/><br/>Overall a pleasant experience.

- Chicken wings had no flavour<br/>- Lamb ribs weren’t crispy and just fatty<br/>- Tomato dip was just chopped watery tomatoes with some chilli<br/>- Cheese borek was nice, but flat and miserable<br/>- Manti was the only saving grace, delicious<br/><br/>Service was okay, they were friendly but pretty inattentive, took ages to take out me order and bring drinks. The dip was brought out without the bread, waited a while then asked if it was coming. You would think you would naturally bring both together.. Decor was bad. Really gone downhill.

We were here with family and friends, the guys were very helpful and friendly. The decoration and ambience was a bit dated and old. I was not much impressed with it. We ordered the food and the server didn’t advice that the food we ordered was less. The chargrilled flat bread with hummus was a disappointment in taste and quantity. The server said that the cauliflower tahini would be a good portion to share, the bowl was big but the quantity was really less. The taste has nothing to notice and was a disaster. The spiced lamb bourek and chicken wings were only saving grace in taste. The portions of the food was so small we could possibly not share it, which would have been fine if the server would have informed us. The drinks we ordered were below average. The only fun we had table was by making jokes on the portion sizes. It was not even appropriate for the price.

My partner and I were looking forward to the $75 per head feed me option before heading out. We ordered a bottle of red to go with it. The food came out slowly (to put it kindly) the temperature and quality of the food was awful, side dishes came out alone without being accompanied with a main, the table wasn’t clean or cleared at all, and we were served our entree after 45 mins of being seated. It was a Tuesday night, with few customers in the restaurant, therefore service should’ve been immaculate. It was disappointing to say the least, particularly given we both aren’t fussy and never leave reviews such as these. We were almost late to our show. The quality of food was so poor, we were put off finishing meals. Embarrassing to say, we were most pleased with our fries (which should not be put on a feed me menu). We felt like we were served scraps, and chefs were out of ingredients. <br/>I wouldn’t serve that food to a person I dislike. Souk needs to reconsider the quality of the food they’re serving, otherwise they’ll have very little customers if any.

Hide at the back of laneway. Food was very tasty. Absolutely love everything we ordered. Staff are attentive and friendly. Totally will come back. Light make it quite hard taking photos.

Funky retro 80s vibe, in a hidden lane way of Melbourne. Great atmosphere inside, with the neon lighting and the food is quite enjoyable. I’d definitely return when I’m in the area and I recommend others try here also.

We were here on thefork discount making the food exceptional value. If it weren’t for the discount, the meal will be on the pricey side. The food was delicious- we had the whitebait, lamb ribs -yummy. The Smokey eggplant was the highlight. The manti (Turkish dumpling) was a little disappointing as couldn’t really taste any beef, it was just rather doughy. We also had the dessert- the parfait was beautiful, subtle and delicate. The doughnuts was a really odd dessert- basically a big pile of dough balls with very little flavour. The place is beautifully decorated, situated in the end of a tiny alleyway- would never know it exists if not for thefork! Glad we found it would recommend to friends! Service was good and the decor was very funky. It wasn’t too noisy too. Great night it was.

To try:<br/>- fried brussel sprouts; my favourite brussel sprouts ever! These had been fried and were so deliciously crispy and had a perfect balance of savoury and sweet flavours<br/>- spiced lamb and yoghurt spring rolls; the lamb inside was tender and well seasoned and it is hard to say no to the tasty traditional crispy spring roll pastry<br/>- truffled cheese borek; not at all traditional but such a treat nonetheless<br/><br/>To skip:<br/>- soukabab; this mixed meat kebab was unfortunately lacking the meat. Both my partner and I had some barely visible little pieces of chicken and a thin slice of lamb. The garlic yoghurt with salad whilst tasty, do not constitute what I would call a kebab<br/>- lokma doughnuts; this was the only dessert available on the night and it was quite a let down. Too dense, not crispy enough, the flaked almonds did not compliment the dish and there wasn't enough sugar syrup to flavour the doughnuts.<br/><br/>Souk does a delicious modern take on middle eastern good in a venue that is decked out with pink neon lights giving you those 1980 Miami nightclub vibes. Great venue for big groups and I look forward to returning and sampling the other dishes they have on offer.

Down the end of Bligh place, enter the venue and head to the right, up the stairs. Souk is a fun neon filled Middle Eastern bar and restaurant - it was pumping for a Tuesday too! Doesn’t take itself too seriously which I like, in the decor and the food. Came in for some snacks, stands out for me were the truffle cheese borek, fries and for dessert the rose water parfait! Not the biggest fan of Turkish delight but the dessert was beautiful. Loved the cocktails we had to, espresso martini and a kiwi mojito. Thanks to our lovely waiters and waitresses for great service.

Brussel sprouts. How often would sprouts be the standout dish from a meal? Hardly ever, but these were amazing! Served with pomegranate molasses and soy sauce, I can’t convey just how much these rocked my world. Now Souk has been on my list for a while and is an open industrial space with plenty of neon. We started with bread and hummus and then the whitebait. Next were those mind blowing sprouts. The triple cheese borek with truffle cream was the other highlight of the meal. Finally, we had the fries and mantau dumplings. On another note, the owner of this place pops around and has a little chat. I like this kind of old school, ethnic hospitality and find it to be a bit of a rarity in our Asian cuisine dominated city. Really enjoyable meal complimented by great hospitality 👍🏼

This place is a very modern restaurant with neon lights on the wall, so I'm not surprised at the type of crowd it's pulling. A lot of youngins, dressed to the t so if you're going to come here, dress up. No photos of food as the lighting would not make anything look good.<br/><br/>Got the banquet and it was a hit an miss. The entree was the whitebait and it was quite tasty, but eating it on it's own without bread or the rest of the food wasnt something I enjoyed doing. The smokey eggplants were really nice and I cant believe I'm saying this, but the best dish was the iceberg lettuce salad!<br/><br/>I really didnt enjoy my time here, waited close to an hour for my cocktail to arrive, waitress kept dropping bits and pieces of the food into my glass of water and my jacket and the food wasnt worth the wait. Would've loved family style eateries where everything is served together so you eat everything with everything. But waiting for our food to come one at a time with a long wait in between is how you get someone hangry.

Came here last night with a group and had the banquet. I was disappointed with my experience. The food, whilst edible, nothing to rave about. I’ve tasted a lot of Middle Eastern food in my life, and I felt the food here lacked the depth and flavours of Middle Eastern cuisines. The service ... where do I begin. We were greeted by a friendly male host. And that’s where the service stopped. Our waiter looked unbothered and as if she didn’t want to be there. Ordered our drinks at 9.15, waited until 10pm for them to be brought out. They told us that there was a big group ordering cocktails, which was why ours took a long time. The food also took a long time to come out. My experience felt like I was at a newly opened restaurant with teething issues and still trying to find it’s feet. This place has the potential, but has a long way to go if they want to keep up with the plethora of great restaurants in Melbourne.

Hidden in the narrow foodie alleyway of Bligh Place that can be easily looked past is Souk - a contemporary Middle Eastern fusion restaurant. <br/><br/>Upon arrival, we were led up the stairs and into the dining room which was nothing short of amazing. Neon lights, funky vibes, and the most unique decor like a bath tub in the middle of the restaurant - every turn you’ll find something new to look at!<br/><br/>We opted for the ‘Bring ‘Em Out’ Option Two ($75pp) which was a feed me menu comprised of Souk favourites selected by the chef. And what a feast it was!<br/><br/>We started with roasted chickpeas to nibble on. Although they weren’t as crunchy as I’d like, the flavour was still very nice.<br/><br/>For the first course, we had the Charred Flatbread with Whipped Hummus & Tomato Dip, and Salted Goddess Pickles.<br/><br/>The flatbread had plenty of sesame seeds on top which added a crunchy element, and a slight bitter note. I enjoyed both the hummus and tomato dip which went well with the soft flatbread. The tomato dip was a highlight - tart and refreshing with a hint of lemon.<br/><br/>For the second course, we were presented with the Smokey Eggplant, Crispy Fried Whitebait, and Fenugreek Chicken Wings.<br/><br/>The whitebait was so addictive, I couldn’t stop eating it! Not many places have whitebait on the menu, but Souk does and they do it well. <br/><br/>The chicken wings were another well-executed dish. Crispy on the outside, and perfectly juicy on the inside. This one is not to miss!<br/><br/>The eggplant was lovely but also very oily too. I liked the crispy pastry which balanced the creaminess of the eggplant.<br/><br/>For our main course, we had the Slow Cooked Lamb Chops, Turkish Manti (dumplings), Shoe String Fries, Roasted Broccoli and Iceberg Wedge. <br/><br/>The lamb was cooked to perfection - fall-apart tender and so flavourful. Unfortunately, we were already too full to finish the huge portion of this dish, although if it was served first I would’ve easily downed the whole thing. Absolutely delicious!<br/><br/>The beef dumplings were delightful. Almost like gnocchi - the dumplings are small, star-shaped balls of dough that are nice and chewy, and coated in an amazing garlic sour cream and paprika sauce. Loved every bite!<br/><br/>The broccoli was lovely - I loved the charred bits which became crispy. And the iceberg salad was much needed to balance out all the food! Very refreshing.<br/><br/>Even the fries were delicious! I was so full about I couldn’t stop eating - dangerously addictive!<br/><br/>Last was dessert - Luqmat Doughnuts. Now, by this time we were full to the brim and couldn’t finish our last course, however I have to ask you to pull through and have the dessert because it was phenomenal! Crispy little balls of fragrant doughnuts soaked in a lovely spiced honey syrup. What a delicate way to end off the great meal.<br/><br/>We also had 2 of the cocktails recommended by our waiter which were both really good. Sweet, refreshing, and beautifully presented.<br/><br/>They’re opening a bar downstairs that’s going to be serving all vegan nibbles and drinks too!<br/><br/>We were well taken care of throughout the whole night and our waiter was attentive and fun. <br/><br/>Highly recommend this place! Souk is worth the visit, and you definitely won’t be disappointed!<br/><br/>Thank you so much for having us!

This Middle Eastern cuisine place is really a hidden gem! It is situated at the end of a small alley which isn't 'visible' unless you search for it - but once you have found it, you will be truly grateful!!<br/><br/>The place looked dark and dim, but as you go up the stairs - you will see the amazing looking decor with pink and purple lights. It kind of reminds you of a party place and there are so many different unique elements to explore around the place. E.g. there is a transparent glass head, a 'magic carpet' and a bath tub.<br/><br/>We were greeted with friendly staff who asked to take our orders for their delicious looking cocktail menu. As we both don't drink, we opt for the mocktails instead. They were very refreshing and unique!<br/><br/>These are the dishes we had - the portions were really huge and filling!<br/><br/>1. Salted goddess pickles - really packed full of soury punchy flavour which is a good palate cleanser.<br/><br/>2. Charred flatbread, sesame and nigella with dips - wow the tomato dip is soo good! really zesty and refreshing.<br/><br/>- whipped hummus, zaatar and pepper oil<br/><br/>- tomato dip - dried tomato, lemon oil, sumac, black chilli and pickled citrus<br/><br/>3. Smokey eggplant, fennel pollen, olive oil, spiced lemon, confit garlic and crispy pastry – This was so soft and tender! Full of flavour and you combine it with the crispy pastry for some awesome texture.<br/><br/>4. Crispy fried whitebait with zaatar, preserved lemon aioli – OMG I love this dish so much! It’s so crunchy and small and tasty!! There was a whole heap of it and I just got too excited about eating them.<br/><br/>5. Shoe string fries with salt and vinegar chilli served with ranch or kaymak – These fries were so thin, long and addictive with the salt and vinegar chilli. It was a bit salty but can be balanced out with a ranch.<br/><br/>6. Iceberg wedge, yoghurt ranch, dill, salt pickle and lemon – Fresh iceberg pieces which were so refreshing and nice when served with the lamb chops.<br/><br/>7. Slow cooked, spiced and charred lamb chops, minted sour cream and herbs – This is hands down the BEST lamb chops I’ve had. It doesn’t have that unpleasant lamb smell that some meats have, and this meat is so so tender and slides off the bone! So much meat and it wasn’t chewy at all – I didn’t even need a knife – I can just chew it off! It was that soft! Omg, I can do with one right now – drooling about it!<br/><br/>8. Lokma doughnuts, spiced honey syrup and flaked almonds – These doughnuts were made fresh and came out hot! It was drizzled with spiced honey syrup and I just wanted to keep dipping and soaking with honey and almonds. A bit plain by itself though.<br/><br/>If you can’t decide what dishes to order, I recommend you to try a selection of Souk's favourites chosen by the chef for $55pp or a larger selection for $75pp – definitely worth it!<br/><br/>The food was very unique, and delicious. Thank you so much for having us in Souk Melbourne – I will be sure to bring friends back to try this awesome place again! Apologies for the red photos because of the lighting at the place.

It was well over a year since I went to Souk for dinner. I love middle eastern food and I thought the new menu was pretty good. A great list of great cocktails and a menu that matches it well. A 4 course banquet was well executed. It was a very busy night which made the wait times a little longer than usual. All in all a great date. night**Disclaimer: although the restaurant has generously invited me to their restaurant this review is still based on my genuine opinion.

Wow! I was blown away by the dining experience at Souk! <br/><br/>First off, the décor is amazing! I love all the neon lights and signs, the strange mannequins and a random bathtub in the restaurant. The bar is super cool, and many candles around add to the atmosphere. Also, the playlist is awesome!! <br/><br/>We tried the vegan degustation, which included many delicious and creative courses! From dips, to salads, to roasted veg, to a whole Cauliflower and some amazingly salted fries, we were stuffed full of goodness by the end of it! <br/><br/>The service was excellent too, which made the whole experience even better.<br/><br/>I would definitely recommend you try Souk, for a tasty and unique dining experience!!

We were kindly invited to Souk, a trendy contemporary Middle Eastern Restaurant, for dinner. I loved the bright pink and blue neon lights in the interior and the music gave it a great vibe. <br/>We were seated immediately and the staff were all lovely and friendly. <br/>We were served the banquet option which is a large selection of the restaurant’s favourites chosen by the chef. For starters we had warm spiced chickpeas to nibble on, salted goddess pickles, charred flatbread with whipped hummus and tomato dip. The tomato dip was unlike anything I had ever tried before. The flavours were complex, sour, sweet, savoury, umami and fresh. It went very well with the creamy spiced hummus and the sour pickles and sesame nigella flatbread. An excellent start.<br/>We were then served the smokey eggplant and the crispy whitebait with lemon aioli. The smokey eggplant was my dish of the night. It was dark, creamy, smokey and had confit garlic on it which elevated the dish to another level. The whitebait was crunchy and moreish, you couldn’t stop eating it.<br/>For mains we had the slow cooked, spice & charred lamb chops with minted sour cream & herbs. To go with the lamb we were served a giant bowl of shoe string fries and a huge plate of iceberg lettuce with yoghurt ranch. The lamb dish is one of the best lamb dishes I have had in my life. It was extremely tender, melt-in-the-mouth and fatty. I loved the smokey char on it. The iceberg lettuce was crisp, light and fresh and contrasted the lamb well. The shoe string fries had a seasoning on them which made them very addictive. <br/>Just as we were bursting we were served dessert which was luqmat doughnuts in a spiced honey syrup with ground almonds. The doughnuts were soft and fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. They were still warm when they hit the table and we spooned the honey syrup over them and went to heaven. A perfect way to end the meal. <br/>Thank you Souk for having us! I highly recommend this restaurant - they have taken Middle Eastern food to a whole new level. I will be back to try the other dishes on the menu.

I've passed Souk and always wondered what it was and now the secret has been revealed. Souk is vibey without trying too hard, curated but doesn't flaunt it, very very vegetarian and vegan friendly, and the list goes on. If you drink, try their cocktails. The fairy floss-topped drink is fun and the gin, Chardonnay and lavender is downright delicious.<br/><br/>I followed up the drinks with one hell of a feast. It started sweet and vinegary tomato "carpaccio", pita and hummus, and the absolute best pickles. Next were platters of tender roasted eggplant and broccoli topped with a creamy dressing and herbs. The final savoury course featured a roasted cauliflower with some amazing muhammara and pomegranate tendrils, a saucy wedge salad freshened up with yoghurt ranch and herbs, and some well-spiced thin cut chips.<br/><br/>It was hard to find room for dessert but I managed. The spiced honey-soaked donuts are relatively simple and a nice way to end the meal. Souk also has a new front bar in the works which I'm really looking forward to frequenting once it's complete.<br/><br/>I'll also note that if you're into kitsch, the mismatched and gleaming crockery, velveteen lounge chairs and piles of dripping candles are guaranteed to amuse you.

4.5/5 <br/>Souk is a Middle Eastern Restaurant in the heart of the CBD up a laneway that you might walk past if you weren’t looking. But that’s Melbourne.<br/><br/>This was my second visit to Souk and as memorable as my first visit.<br/><br/>My partner and I started with a cocktail each, a whisky sour and a raspberry cocktail which was delicious. I can’t remember the name but I’ve got a pic lol<br/><br/>Then it was dinner time, woo hoo! We had a feed me menu, and some of the highlights were for starters, the tomato tartare w a lemon emulsion which was amazing!! I’m trying this at home! <br/><br/>Smoky eggplant, w fennel pollen and confi garlic dip and a flat pastry and I really enjoyed the dip and the crunch of the pastry. Yummo! <br/><br/>For mains we had lamb chops in mint and yoghurt and the lamb was some of the best restaurant cooked lamb I have had in too long. The lamb was excellent quality and the yoghurt was so good I’d buy it! Hahahaha <br/><br/>Iceberg lettuce salad was unusual at first but wow, it was crispy, w ranch dressing (yoghurt based) salt, lemon and dill. OMGosh yes. So simple but sooo tasty. <br/><br/>As a side dish we had brussel sprouts in pomegranate sauce and they were char grilled and still slightly firm and the sauce, amazing. <br/><br/>The chips were salty, crispy and hot!! Perfect.<br/><br/>For dessert we had lokma donuts w slivered almonds and this was sweet with a 5 spiced syrup but definitely not sickly sweet. The donuts were filling and the texture wasn’t too soft. They were excellent. <br/><br/>Overall we had a great time and whilst I don’t mention the service when invited to a restaurant, the waitress was really friendly and attentive not only to our table but to everyone. <br/><br/>Thank you to the owners for their kind invitation to visit your restaurant.<br/><br/><br/><br/>Previous review. October 2017<br/>My partner and I received an invitation to attend the launch of the SOUK spring menu.<br/><br/>We had a wonderful night, the service was excellent and the food was good. This is a middle eastern restaurant in a small CBD laneway.<br/><br/>We had a signature gin based cocktail which was delicious, and it set the mood for the night.<br/><br/>We tried a variety of dishes including a Turkish green bean salad, Kuwaiti fried chicken lol which was really good, spiced beef croquettes which were good too.<br/><br/>We had a tomato based salad which was fresh and lively, and beef meatballs which were ok but a bit dry for me.<br/><br/>The seafood was nice but the slow cooked lamb shoulder was divine! I could have eaten that all night as it just melted in my mouth. Perfect haha<br/><br/>We missed dessert as it was getting too late and we were full so we didn't eat too much for a change. But overall it was a fun night, and we were lucky enough to meet another lovely couple.<br/><br/>This restaurant would be nice for a romantic dinner in a very easy to access location. Thank you.

Would absolutely recommend Souk! Every dish was amazing, zero disappointment. The food was fast, great table service, amazing interior design and decoration too. A few stand out dishes include were the lamb ribs, the fenugreek chicken wings and fried brussel sprouts were to die for. The cocktails are also amazing. Will definitely be going back!

Dined on Tuesday 11th of June at 6pm<br/><br/>This place never fails me!<br/> I was greeted by friendly staff and was showed upstairs to the dining area, newly renovated and amazing! We sat down and ordered our drinks, Arabian nights cocktail; which was sour lemon flavour, and the pomegranate dream mocktail which was sweet and Satisfying. <br/>We then ordered four dishes: <br/>Vegetarian kibbeh, crispy cauliflower, lahmajoun and the BBQ spiced chicken. All four dishes were amazing, however the chicken was a little on the dry side. Overall the food was full of spice and flavour which danced in my mouth and left our appetites perfectly satisfied. Whilst eating dinner my eyes were always entertained with different and quirky objects around the venue. The neon lights bounced off the white walls which was very cool. The waitress was very friendly and helpful with the dishes. <br/>Overall I will yet again come back for dinner and will always recommend this venue.

The dark and dimly lit venue makes you forget the winter outside and puts a comfortable spin on the dark night. If I hadn’t come out my child I’d have said it had a romantic feel to it also! <br/>We were warmly greeted by the staff who were very attentive and helpful, with not just one person looking after us, but a few stopping by to make sure our food and experience was a good one. <br/>The food was as good as I’d hoped (more meat dishes than I was expecting tho) we had the lamb ribs, Brussel sprouts (they had a really tasty sauce on them!) the cauliflower (my favourite) the bbq chicken and a few other dishes I can’t recall. Each was a good portion size and the drinks were well paired with the dish flavours. The desserts were too small to share but very tasty with Turkish coffee topped with fairy gloss making for an unusual but well balanced finish to the whole experience. I would happily I would recommend and return.

Came here on Saturday night with a mate keen to check out the place and their cuisine. My wife had already been and said really great things.<br/>We started off with the Turkish espresso martinis which didn’t really have a Turkish coffee element to them however at the same time it was decent. <br/>We ordered the hummus which was freakin amazing, the spiced bbq chicken which was delicious , the kibeh which was tasty, the chicken wings were ok nothing special and the whitbait which I wasn’t a fan. <br/>The venue was very different to any other modern casual feel I’ve been to in Melbourne and got a little bit of getting use to but definitely very edgy.<br/>Service was friendly and attentive which always helps.

I’ve been in a mood for Middle Eastern cuisines lately and Souk gets a hell yes from me!!<br/><br/>Every dish had depth in flavour, portions were just right for the 3 of us. Carpaccio was definitely my favourite 😱<br/><br/>Ambiance was great, neon lights and lively colourful interior wall art was awesome. It wasn’t too loud, being that it was also a bar for others to have a lil mingle. No disruptions from our end. <br/><br/>One slight lil comment would be maybe there wasn’t enough house-made village bread with the beetroot. Nonetheless, you could still order extra on the side (I’m abit of a carboholic 😋).<br/><br/>Definitely left me thinking about the next time I’ll be back!! Highly recommended 👍🏼

Came here with some girlfriends for a weeknight dinner and loved it... order as much as you like - or don’t! <br/>We shared three entrees (Kuwait fried chicken, eggplant dip and cauliflower) and meatballs for main... we shared a bottle of wine and ended up with a bill of a bit over $100 for three including our wine so pretty good value too! Bonus - it’s in the entertainment book for another 25% off!<br/>The service was friendly, available but we were ok to just sit and chat and were happily left to it.<br/>Great sharing food, fun night out... something a little different! I suspect that this place would be buzzing late at night! and were happily left to it.<br/>Great sharing food, fun night out... something a little different! I suspect that this place would be buzzing late at night!

Very imprrssive experience. Great food and very attetive service even though it was a busy Saturday night. Well done guys, will definitely be back.

Had the banquet - great delicious food!! very disappointed that we had to wait so long for food and didn’t get a set menu to see what we were eating. Sat down at 6.45 didn’t get our main until 9.30. Bar staff were a little confused with drinks which made it hard for our large group to pay and order - would have sold more drinks if they came around more often. One of our friends had an allergic reaction to a food we specifically told them she was allergic to, no compensation or apology. food - great, service - not good.

Everything about our experience was first class. Booking was easy and friendly. Our greeting on arrival was very welcoming. Service was prompt, courteous and efficient from the minute we sat down. Importantly, we declined drinks and were not pressed in any way. The food was truly exceptional with one minor flaw and that was that the rice in the cabbage roll (part of a dish) was a little undercooked. Everything else was truly a delight to teh palate and the eye.

Small dishes - absolutely amazing and melt in your mouth delicious!<br/>Large dish was a disappointment to end on :(<br/><br/>Ordered: The Choban: Pick any 4 small dishes & 1 large dish ($55 pp)<br/>[Small]<br/>🥗 Cauliflower (v): Beets, mulberry tahini, mint, cauliflower, dutch carrots, hazelnuts, roasted carrot puree ($16.00)<br/>🥙 Icli Kofte/Kibbeh (6 pieces): Spice beef croquettes, mint yoghurt, pickled turnip minted yoghurt, mulberry tahini ($25.00)<br/>🍖 KFC - Kuwaiti Fried Chicken (12 pieces): Fried chicken ribs, 7 spice baharat + maras chilli & mango mayo ($18.00) <br/>🍕 Lahmajoun: Thin-crust pide, spiced lamb, garden greens topping, pickles, zesty yoghurt tahini ($17.00)<br/>[Large]<br/>🍖 Beef short ribs: Beef ribs, portobello mushrooms, Brussel sprout, grilled apple + potato (gf) ($23.00)<br/><br/>Review:<br/>Was absolutely floored by the Cauliflower dish. Filled with such flavour, it ignites you in such a way that keeps you reaching for more. The meat lovers in our party were also amazed by how good cauliflower could taste - I would highly recommend this dish!<br/><br/>Other small dishes gave a sampling of the flavours of the Middle East and the Choban feast really lets you pick and choose while letting us save $54.00!! Join that with the Dimmi bookings for 30% off and you get an absolute worthwhile, affordable meal.<br/><br/>Souk would've gotten close to a 5 star rating from me, if the large dish wasn't such a disappointing note to end on. It was just a pile of chewy, flavourless meat which was awfully lacklustre in comparison to the colourful palette of the small dishes. Would highly suggest adding a LOT more salt, or any other spices to recreate the amazing depth in the smaller dishes.

Loved the bar-like setup that's great for creating an atmosphere, but unfortunately the food experience wasn't so good for me.<br/><br/>The Kibbeh beef Croquettes were tough, the Turkish Manti beef dumplings were rubbery, bland and I couldn't discern any beef. The prawn had a decent BBQ flavour but was powdery while the Mograbieh cous cous was inedible for me. I struggled with the meal tonight but my friends enjoyed the recommended Cauliflower dish, though they commented the other vegetarian dishes didn't have much flavour.<br/><br/>Service was patchy - we were mostly ignored at the start but attentiveness improved as it became less busy. I love Middle Eastern cuisine and was sorry to leave hungry as the offerings didn't appeal to my tastebuds.

Whilst the food may be nice, it’s hard to overlook the appalling service. <br/>Half our drink orders were forgotten, as was the main dish (hard to believe when we had opted for the banquet option which (should) include 5 dishes). The 4 entree/share dishes that we did get, were given to us one at a time, with a 20 minute wait time between each serve, all up 2 hours waiting for a main that never came - never again.

This is the type of restaurant you would go to with the girls for drinks and dinner after work on a Friday. It almost feels like a nightclub - the room is lit by neon lights and has a concrete floor (which does makes it noisy).<br/>No complaints about the service. Our waitress was very attentive.<br/>For us (2ppl) the experience was average because:<br/>- When the waitress handed us the menus she told us that 3 items had already been “sold out”. One of those items was the fried Kuwaiti chicken which, based on reviews, is one of Souk’s best dishes. We were surprised that there were items sold out at 7pm, particularly given the fried chicken is one of the most popular dishes.<br/>- We ordered the prawns, octopus, dumplings, beef pizza and the ribs. Three of the 5 dishes were served to us at once. That was annoying because bu the time we finished the first of the 3, the balance 2 dishes were cold. No complaints about the pizza but the ribs, although it fell off the bone, had zero flavour.

You instantly feel welcomed the moment you walk into Souk, from the atmosphere to the big warm welcome from the girls at the entrance. The decor is unlike other middle eastern restaurants, a funky atmosphere with hints of a 'souk' (market in Arabic). I love middle eastern food & Souk did not disappoint. We had the calamari, kibbeh, manti (Turkish dumplings, kinda like gnocchi with yogurt) & shwarma (nicely cooked lamb though some parts were a bit dry). I didn't feel like alcohol so had a 'virgin' cocktail called Still Dre. Omg it's one of the best drinks I've ever had! It has a surprising combination of date molasses, blackcurrent & elder flower. I like trying different things & soo glad I chose it! I'd go back just for that drink!

I had a nice dinner with friends at souk tonight. Nothing remarkable to say about this place . The lamajung was quite disappointing, more a creppe than anything. They didn’t have few of the desserts on the menu. We won’t come back <br/>

It’s my first attempt for Modern middle eastern fusion. There’s such a great vibe on a Friday night. Very nice fit-out, separating dining and drinking area.. I was fascinated by the little tables on the stairs, would love to have some drinks there. <br/>The food are with a creative touch.. My fav among all is the fish dish.. cocktails are very nice. <br/>Would bring friends and try other dishes next time..

Cocktails were nice, food was tasty and came out quickly. Favourites were the kibbeh and cauliflower - very flavoursome. Cool venue and liked the quirky names of things on the menu. Was a bit noisy upstairs and our main waiter wasn’t very warm or friendly and felt like he was trying to rush us out. Otherwise the other people who brought us things were nice. Overall would return.

This place scores 5+ in everything.. the confirmation of the booking, the customer service then the environment and the super friendly staff<br/>The food it self is great, the portion, the taste, the way they serve it and the organisation of everything!<br/>Well done Souk !

Lovely place with great staff. Had our anniversary here and they really looked after us. Will be a regular here. The lamb is amazing and cauliflour dish was also a highlight.<br/><br/>

The first thing you notice as you enter is the fragrant smell of incense. This comes from their signature cocktail (the shisha foreplay) a mix of smoke Turkish delight and fresh fruits<br/>The drink list is ok but shame the Turkish wines by glass are limiting<br/>Food is good and filling. Think what you want and deduct a dish or two<br/>For dessert ask for the trio for $22

This place is such a hidden gem. Right at the end of the coolest little alleyway Bligh place off little flinders. Bright pink lights draws you in like a sunset. The place is funky & perfect place for big groups as well as couples. Share dishes all the way. Our favs were the fried cauliflower, homemade mini dumplings, fattoush salad, the amazing flat bread & the beef croquettes. All the flavours in each of these dishes smack you in the face & interrupt your thought flow as they are SO good. Waiters lovely, warm, personable. Great bar & happy hour b4 6:30 👍 Turkish espresso martini was lovely

Had a group booking with pre-booked meals for a birthday dinner. Everyone on the table had the same set of pre-booked meals, yet our first main dish for our 7:30pm booking arrived at 10:30pm. Cancelled the second main dish cause it was just taking too long. Some of my guests had to unfortunately leave without eating a main. Table sitting next to us was a group of about 6 girls, who were there for a similar time we were, and did not even get to eat anything !! at least we had some small sides .... very unfortunate that I had to have a table full of starving guests on my birthday :(

My partner and I went for dinner Saturday night, I booked online through Dimmi a very simple easy system which also gave me 30% off my food purchase being my first visit which was a great start to the experience. <br/>This place is modern middle eastern restaurant and exclusive touch being tucked away in Bligh place in the cbd with such a great vibe. The staff are on the ball, friendly and efficient, <br/>We started with a couple of cocktails the Turkish coffee martini and the shisha foreplay which I have to admit were some of the best tasting cocktails I’ve had in a long while.<br/>We took our time ordering and settled in nicely in the cosy surrounding, for dinner were ordered the Lamb Shwarma and also the DYI kebab station <br/>Both dishes were 10/10. We couldn’t fault them, great serving size and amazing taste. We will be back very soon, great night out.<br/>

Delicious! They were out of the smoked eggplant dish, but they brought us smoked eggplant dip on the side for free for another dish. Lamb balls and shawarma were a highlight. Service and ambience was great. Definitely going back.

Good atmosphere on a Thursday evening.  We ordered a 3 starters and 2 mains to share between 4 people, and there was an abundance of food.  Our waiter was really good at guiding us towards what to order, and steered us away from over ordering.  Drinks were good.  Best dish was the lamb sharwama.

Went for dinner on Friday night. Food was nice overall - broad middle eastern / Turkish influence. Hummus was a tad bland, but KFC was nice, and lamb shawarma was delicious. Also loved the salads (I’m partial to a sour dressing). Would recommend it for something different, as there aren’t many middle eastern restaurants in the CBD!

Great location tucked away in what Melbourne CBD is famous for...its lane ways, yet right in the heart of the CBD! The neon lights and spacious urban feel interior give Souk a modern and vibrant atmosphere. Great selection of cocktails with fun names fitting the middle-eastern theme (e.g. Princess Jasmine). The Food menu has a great selection of small and larger size mezze dishes, best for sharing! The banquet options cater for all budgets and appetites. A must try are the Sumac Calamari and MANTI  - Turkish Dumplings (YUMMMMM), Souk dumplings were so much better than those I had whilst in Turkey! The crispy cauliflower is also a must try! The service is great and the staff are very knowledgeable when it comes to the drinks and food menu.<br/>For a long time Melbourne was limited in choice when it came to middle eastern cuisine , but this is finally changing and Souk can take some of the credit. Souk is a great and a little more casual alternative than the great middle eastern Melbourne institution...Maha!

The staff at Souk are lovely and the drinks are pretty cool. The food however, is terrible. Tried Souk twice, a few months apart and was dissapointed both times.<br/>- The "KFC Chicken" has such thick crumbing which is so overly herbed that it overpowers the chicken completely<br/>- The Morrocan seafood dish which is on the menu as a "larger mezze for 2pp" is what I'd classify as a tiny bowl of soup<br/>The Banquet doesn't include bread, dips and salad as every other middle eastern restaurant does - and is so overpriced<br/>This venue is great for drinks, but don't come here if you actually want to eat.

Nice food but not spectacular for the price. Really good young women waiters, but they mixed up our wine order, clearly not being trained in how to handle it. Biggest issue - LOUD music, so much so than we could only yell at our diner guests. We asked for it to be turned down to no effect. It’s no fun to have to scream at your fellow dinner guests while you eat. We won’t be coming back, no matter how good the food was. There’s nothing fashionable or enjoyable about screaming while you eat.

Hidden away on Blight Avenue is Melbourne’s newsih Middle Eastern restaurant Souk. Lit up by only the likes of pink neon signs and yellow taxi lights (hence the terrible pictures), the venue itself is spacious a metro-edgy vibe. Heading there for a mid week lunch, I was surprised to find that we were the only ones in the restaurant - although let’s be honest, as a Middle Eastern restaurant, you’re always going to face an up hill battle with Melbourne institute Maha situated just around the corner.

Came here for Valentine's day dinner. Set menu had two options $75 & $85pp. We went the $85pp option. 3 hours later and we were finished. Mains which was a lamb shank was completely dry and terrible and the desert was essentially melted coffee ice cream with a biscuit. Mind you it took 1hr 10mins for for the desert to arrive after the mains. Overall increadibly disappointed I booked a table here.

Clearly, one of the best Middle-Eastern food I ever had. We went here for a colleague's farewell who is an Arabic. He too was impressed with the food. The service and ambience was amazing. The waitress was really nice and explained us all food in detail.<br/><br/>We ordered - Calamari, Crispy Chicken and Lamb Shorma. Calamari was super crispy and delicious and so was chicken. Lamb was juicy and delicious. This is good place for a corporate lunch/dinner. They have big tables to fit in large number of people.<br/><br/>Keep it up Souk! I would like to revisit this place.

It has been over 6 months since Souk first opened in Melbourne, during which they have reinvented the way some of us see Middle Eastern cuisine. Recently, Souk released their new Spring menu featuring many different smaller and larger dishes, such as the Kuwaiti Fried Chicken and Manti, as well as a DIY kebab station.

Explosion of flavah. Order the KFC. Excellent service and super duper friendly staff. Great place to take a hawt date. Nom! Nom! Enjoy your time at this top notch, exquisite restaurant. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Staff were great to start but things got sloppy as it got busy; forgot our beer order, later we ordered 2 drinks and 1 dessert which came out twice, we were also charged twice for it however this was fixed up pretty easily though. Seems cheaper to order off the menu rather than doing a banquet. The tomato hummus and whipped coffee dessert was my favourite however the KFC and lamb shoulder lacked salt, no salt or pepper offered on the table. The calamari was refreshing but the prawn falafel was a bit dry. All in all it was okay.

Ate here with a big group recently - overall it was below average, nothing to write home about and not worth a second visit. It was dark, had a bit of a nightclub vibe to it which I thought was odd for a restaurant. <br/><br/>The service was a bit lucklustre, I found myself having to remind waitstaff I had ordered another drink a few times. Our starters/entree dishes were not cleared from the table when we were served mains. It wasn't a staffing issue, there were plenty of waitstaff around. Our table was an absolute mess. <br/><br/>The food, like the service, below average. The highlight was the bread with the different flavoured hommus that came out to start, it was all downhill from there. Share style food, but very difficult to actually share.

I’m a huge fan of Middle Eastern food, and no, I’m not just talking about smashing down a HSP later at night after some fun and frivolities! We were fortunate enough to sample their newly minted Spring Menu and will share that experience with you today. As you would expect from a restaurant tucked away down an alley in Melbourne, they offer a rocking cocktail menu and we enjoyed the ‘Princess Jasmine’: Ink gin and chardonnay topped with lavender tea and a fragrant lavender spray. While the gin hits you initially, the sweet lavender tea syrup dominates the aftertaste and leaves you feeling like you just ate a fragrant lavender sweet!

I was dragged there tonight, my family insisted. Ok let’s give it a try.....<br/><br/>Hmmm <br/><br/>1. To dark<br/><br/>2. Food very average and way over priced for what is brought out.<br/><br/>3. Menu pretty boring <br/><br/>$440 later for 4 people.......<br/><br/>Time to go home for some cheese and biscuits.<br/><br/>Toodles <br/><br/>

Souk has a very trendy layout looks sleek! We had a lovely time there. Food is was great and the waiters are superb. They make us fell very welcomed and are attentive. Highly recommend it for small or large group dinner.

I came back recently to try their new winter menu and it honestly blew my mind away. I was in awe and obsessed with all the flavours. I also ordered a cocktail with the work "jasmine" in it to go with the Arabian theme and it was super delicious - with passionfruit! <br/><br/> 😱Lizzie's first impression: Just like many other Melburnian hidden gems, this place is situated in one of the alleyways in the CBD.<br/><br/>🍩Lizzie enjoyed: The stand out was the cauliflower entree as it was so tasty. The lamb was delicious and cooked so tenderly and fell apart easily. The chicken was also very tender and flavoursome.<br/><br/>🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: I wasn't a big fan of the DIY kebab station as it wasn't what I expected as it had a misleading menu dish title so I was actually expecting a kebab. The seafood pot was also a little underwhelming as I was expecting big prawns and mussels in there but the portion size was a little less than what I had imagined.<br/><br/>🎖Lizzie rates overall: A great place to go to for some middle eastern fusion. I would love to come back to try more of the entrees. I saw an extensive list of cocktails too!

Came to Souk expecting the trendiest of trendy restaurants and I was not disappointed. The atmosphere is dark and cool with a wait staff to match. I found the service impeccable and so so friendly. As I'm quite unfamiliar with Middle Eastern cuisine they were really able to help me nail down what I really wanted to try.<br/><br/>The dishes were delicious and unique. I highly recommend trying the Fried Chicken...absolutely amazing flavours and so perfectly cooked. Dessert was a highlight but also a let down as the tea cups were so small!!! I just wanted more and a bigger portion...thought it was a bit steep for the price.<br/><br/>I also recommend trying out the cocktails. They are great and tailor to a range of flavours from the sweet (Passionfruit Oasis) , to the dark (Turkish Coffee Martini), to the refreshing (Aladdin's Mistress).<br/> <br/><br/>Head here for the great vibes and delicious food. Perfect place for large groups and for some food over a couple of drinks!

Hidden at the very end of one of the many laneways in the CBD, Souk is a hip and very trendy haunt that’s cleverly fit-out, offering up patrons an irresistible and contemporary taste of Middle-Eastern cuisine.<br/>With a cleverly designed menu that skilfully combines modern interpretation and traditional flavours and ingredients, not only did we find the dishes here intriguing and interesting, but most importantly, they impressed us in every conceivable way. Coupled with the down-to-earth, friendly service thanks to our server Fernando, it was an amazing evening indeed.

Great service, fantastic cocktails, delicious food.<br/><br/>Was a walk in guest, got seated immediately. Decor is unique and relaxed. Highly recommended.

Under the guidance of owners Ergun Elmas (Arabesque) and Vlad Kovacevic's, Souk seeks to impress with the flavours of Arabia, North Africa and Anatolia. Souk’s floor-plan is separated into two main areas, featuring a bar and small tables downstairs and a larger dining space upstairs. The interior is a collaborative project by artist Tom Adair, interior consultant Robyn Levin and Melbourne-based design studio Mildred & Duck.

Worst dining experience EVER!!! My husband and I were both celebrating something special so we came here, and it was a total disappointment... from the loud head banging music that made conversation almost impossible to the ridiculously long wait for food and drink, this place is a joke! We were at the restaurant for close to 2 hours and all we’d had were our drinks and one entree. They repeatedly stuffed up our orders to the point that we actually decided to cut our losses and leave the restaurant. On top of all of this, the manager was completely unprofessional and didn’t even come over and apologise in person. <br/>NEVER AGAIN...

Amazing service and delicious food! My friends and I tried the Salim Shady Banquet, needless to say, we were very pleased! Also, I recommend the Passionfruit Oasis cocktail- it's amazing! <br/>Definitely will be coming back again!

Hidden away down a nondescript laneway on Flinders Lane a fluoro pink neon sign beckons. Once inside the moody lighting sets the scene. As the night goes on you could be forgiven for thinking you are in a nightclub as the music grows louder and the tempo increases. But all that aside the real hero at Souk is the delicious food. Every dish our group had was faultless. Fresh middle eastern flavours full of spices. Standouts for our group were the Kawaiti Fried Chicken (KFC) and the Sumac Calamari. Of the extensive cocktails list, the Shisha Foreplay infused with lavender smoke was a favourite of our group.

Recently visited this middle-eastern restaurant with a group of friend. We loved the ambience, atmosphere and feel of this place. The cocktails are really good!!! I recommend the Arabian Nights if you like a sweet cocktail that is easy to drink. <br/><br/>The service wasn't the best, the waiters weren't dedicated to a table and it felt as though they forgot our big group hadn't even ordered food yet.<br/><br/>Overall, the food was okay. I probably would say okay as I have a middle-eastern background and I know what our food should taste like and there is a big variance to that but the modern twist is really cool! Definitely recommend the Cauliflower dish!

The decor is amazing, like a hide out for the uber cool...perfect for date night. Staff were prompt and attentive. The cocktails are amazing! Aladdin's mistress and princess jasmine were schmik and highly recommended. The menu is reasonably priced for what you get, especially for a banquet group. The food was pretty but you're comparing it food you've had your whole life, its hard not to be picky. Overall pretty impressed, chicken was a bit tough but the cauliflower was excellent. Whatever sauce was used, I'd have it by the tub.

I have been waiting a while to come here and finally the night had come. The style of the restaurant inside definitely represents what draws you in from the outside. Such a cool, vibrant place. Loved the quirky features.<br/><br/>We shared two small dishes and two large. Just a quick summary, it was all amazing. Losing .5 for scoring just with slight lack of seasoning. <br/><br/>You cannot come here and not try their cocktails. We had a couple to suit the bar vibe, and we couldn't stop. <br/><br/>Definitely a place to go for a birthday or catch up drinks. Not a very casual place, definitely worth having a laugh and some drinks and share food at.<br/><br/>Loveit and will be back.

Being Lebanese myself, I was hoping this place would bring some great Lebanese flavours to the plate. To be honest, it didn’t, it was very generic and things were lacking <br/>The manti which is like Turkish pasta lacked the beautiful yoghurt sauce <br/>And the fattoush salad needed more oil but was beautifully presented<br/><br/>Got the diy kebab station which had very tender meat but overall tasted like any other ‘kebab’ that you’d have and it needed more dip/sauce <br/><br/>I’m upset I didn’t get the kfc because that looked really nice but overall I guess it could have been better<br/>Wouldn’t recommend anyone to come here for a Lebanese feed

It’s been a while between posts, because you know, life and stuff happens. Outings have been few and far between (or not worth writing about!), but life seems to be flying by at the moment, I guess that’s what happens when you’ve got a couple of kids and run a business! Needless to say, the husband and I were super excited to be invited to the Spring Menu launch at Souk.

We were so pleased to be invited to their Spring Menu Launch - we had such a great night! As gin lovers, those Princess Jasmine cocktails went down a treat!<br/><br/>The modern, funky fit-out makes for a great place to hang over cocktails and delicious food. <br/><br/>The highlights for us were the fried chicken, the fattoush salad and that fall-off-the-bone lamb. Most of all, the Nutella Turkish coffee was THE perfect way to finish the meal. <br/><br/>We will definitely be back. Thanks for having us Souk!

Souk is definitely a hidden gem in Melbourne’s CBD. Nestled at the end of one of our alleyways, it serves up a fusion of flavours from the Middle East. Service is cheerful and attentive, taking care to explain each dish as its brought out. Great flavours and many of which I’ve never tried before. Great for those up for a new dining experience! Would recommend.

Now this is the place you go to when its your turn to pick a place to eat for a date or dinner with friends. The decor is dark with minimal lighting and the food is exotic and so different.  We were invited to try Souks spring menu. Our favorites from the spring menu is the fattoush salad. Which was delievered to our table in a pita cone with the salad inside. The salad consists of tomatoes, cucumber, radish, pomegranate and shallots with a sumac & lemon dressing, the cone is topped with tulum cheese and za'atar. Next is working out how to eat it - best way is to smash into it with your fork! We also loved the meatballs which was served with a grilled pepper, gorgeous plating. The highlight was the dessert - whipped Turkish coffee and nutella ganache with perisan fairy floss on top. This dessert was absolutely delicious. Will definitely visit again and will continue to recommend Souk.

Having missed out on the Souk Spring Menu Launch, I was ecstatic to be asked to try out the menu when I was available (YAYERS!). Anywho, we searched for Souk and it was hidden away but you can definitely spot it’s neon sign a mile away. We walked in and BAM, we were hit with a beautiful decor, a bar in the front and a dining area upstairs. We were greeted by the friendly staff and got to our seats ready for food galore!

Awesome find - it's at the end of an alleyway with pretty pink neon lights. All the food  was delicious, but make sure you try the Turkish dumplings and the sumac calamari - those were my favourites. Waitstaff also very friendly.

Delicious food, an abundance of tasty cocktails and a very cool vibe. Staff were very attentive and ensured that our group of 20 (birthday event) had a wonderful evening. Staff were very helpful in the lead up to the event and during. To the team at Souk, thanks again for a brilliant evening!

In the six months that it’s been open, Souk (the Arabic word for ‘bazaar’) has well and truly conquered Melbourne’s Middle Eastern food scene. With delicious share food, unpretentious and friendly staff and décor that is reminiscent of a classy nightclub – it’s hardly a surprise that the recent Spring menu launch was a full-house of hungry reviewers and bloggers from around town.

Located in one of Melbourne's hidden CBD alleyways, Souk serves the flavours of Arabia, North Africa and Anatolia into Melbourne's dining scene. Let's welcome spring by indulging Souk's new menu.<br/><br/>Zeytinyagli Fasulye (Turkish green bean salad with broccolini, crispy onion, basil, finished with silverbeet) Amazing combination of spice with greens!<br/><br/>KFC - Kuwaiti Fried chicken (Chicken ribs fried in spiced pita crumbs served with a creamy harissa toum) Nice crunchy chicken ribs to be devoured with our bare hands.<br/><br/>Icli Kofte - Kibbeh (Spiced beef croquette served with lemon scented labneh and smoked eggplant) My favourite!<br/><br/>Fattoush Salad (Tomatoes, cucumber, radish, pomegranate and shallot with a sumac & lemon dressing, served in a pita cone topped with tulum cheese and za'atar) Eating salad made fun! How to eat, crush the pit cone with a spoon! Make sure to smash all the good stuff.<br/><br/>Adana Meatballs (Charred ground lamb with smoked capsicum puree, fennel labne, preserved lemon syrup, grilled chilli and young mint) For some one who don’t like lamb that much, I sure like this one.<br/><br/>Lamb Shwarma (Spiced and slow roasted whole lamb shoulder, served with angel hair rice, pickled lemons, saffron yogurt and a fresh garden salad topped with za'atar cheese.) Balance of savoury meat with the fresh salad and the creamy yogurt.

Can't tell you how excited I was to finally head into Souk, and was grateful for the opportunity to hit up their Spring menu launch. What an awesome space, typically, of course, at the end of a Melbourne laneway. Not making it easy to find a place is what makes the effort all worth it. Gin based lavender tea cocktails on arrival was definitely a welcome start.<br/><br/>Admittedly a little dark for taking too many photos (yeah, I'm one of the ones in the room who DIDN'T have a seven thousand dollar camera with a flash that could blind you through inch thick sunglasses), this was also a good excuse to just eat the food while it was hot - win! While all the dishes brought amazingly different flavours and textures, the highlights had to be the KFC (Kuwaiti Fried Chicken), Fattoush salad (love that crunch) and the fresh seafood in spiced sauce were faves. Highlight at the tail end though? Nutella ganache with whipped turkish coffee - I could have eaten 8 of those suckers.

This is definitely the place to come in a big group, though I would agree with another reviewer that Souk can't seem to decide if it's a restaurant or a nightclub. I really enjoyed the cocktails, they were a real stand out. The food was delicious and it kept coming, though I wouldn't call it outstanding. The service was good when we were there, a little slow but she did seem to be attentive. I'd like to come back on a night mid-week, just to see what the difference is.

Great food, ambience and friendly service. <br/>Highly recommend!! <br/>Standout dishes were the lamb shoulder and whipped Turkish coffee with Nutella dessert!

A friend once described food launch events as being similar to 'cash for comments'. Invite a heap bloggers, influencers etc., give them a free meal and drinks, and expect they'll describe their experience so positively. I managed to snag an invite to the Spring Menu Launch but that won't influence my review - it wasn't great. It's really hard to know if the pressure of an event accurately reflects a regular dining experience here, but I found the food to be underwhelming (save for the Zeytinyagli Fasulye and Kuwaiti Friend Chicken, which were enjoyable enough) and confusing (I don't understand the Middle Eastern, Northern African and Gulf influences on the one menu). Service was increeeeeeedibly slow and our waitress was either bored or tired or both (possibly because of the long wait between courses). Perhaps the whole night can be put down to event hiccups, but I'm glad I didn't have to pay for that dining experience and I don't think I'd go back...even with another free meal.

We were invited to come along and try Souk’s new springtime menu. I had been to Souk previously when they had just opened so really wanted to see what had changed on the menu and how things were run given that 6 months had passed. We unfortunately missed their official launch on Tuesday but came here on following Thursday instead. <br/><br/>I can’t tell you enough how great this space is. There fun and frisky bar area at the front with perching steps and cubicles, mirror image neon signs and a well stocked and presented bar. Upstairs and just out of mobile data range (I’m with Telstra)a large dining hall with some pretty amazing spaces for groups, and an industrial styled pass opposite a pair of well lit Womens eyes which seemed to stair at you wherever you were located. Lighting was turned down low and dusky with half blacked out light globes. <br/><br/>The restaurant is largely a modern take on age old middle eastern cuisine and is all about sharing and enjoying food together. The menu itself appears to have changed a fair bit since the last visit and waiting staff did and excellent job of describing it to us. This wasn’t the case an earlier visit so an immediate improvement. I was impressed at staff knowledge about the contents of dishes and all our questions were answered on the spot.<br/><br/>We started with cocktails ordering both Princess Jasmine (gin & chardonnay) and the Passionfruit Oasis (vodka). Both came out pretty as a picture and both were quite syrupy sweet which I wasn’t expecting but on reflection of the ingredients should have. <br/><br/>For our meals we ordered the Zaytinyagli Fasulye which I won’t even attempt to say, but was a green bean and broccolini salad with a condensed tomato based spice coating. Tasty with slight sweetness from the topping. <br/><br/>The other salad we ordered was an amazingly presented Fattoush Salad served in a pita cone. I had had this previously but it had been improved quite a bit since then and a loved the pop and freshness of the pomegranates. Visually this was a stunning dish as well. <br/><br/>Our meat dishes consisted of KFC (Kuwait) with rich cinnamon in the crumb. It was explained that this was one of their most popular dishes and for sure I can see why. Who doesn’t like fried chicken with a K right. 👍🏽<br/><br/>We tried the Manti Turkish beef dumplings next. These baby little dumplings packed a ton of flavour from spiced yogurt and mint. Like little baby tacks these cute things were by far my favourite savoury dish of the night. Kelisi won’t want this widely known amongst some friends but the meat was so subtle in this dishes overall flavour that she ate beef for the first time in over 25 years (shhhh). <br/><br/>Our last main was a Morrocan Chut b’chi Zyu which I think translates into yummy seafood stew served in a clay pot. Seafood cooked well and in a spices tomato and capsicum sauce. One minor criticism to this dish was it was hard to eat on a flat plate without something like bread or rice to mop it up with and without a spoon in the table other than the serving spoon. <br/><br/>We barely had left room for sweet so had the petite Nutella and Turkish coffee based ganache topped with fairy floss and served in s cute wee Turkish coffee cup. This was our favourite dish overall. So much richness of flavour packed into that little dish. If it’s on the menu when you come here you really should try it!!!<br/><br/>So top 3 dishes of the night would have to be<br/><br/>🥇Grenache Dessert<br/>🥈Beef mini dumplings<br/>🥉KFC<br/><br/>From my previous dining experience the slow cooked lamb was the standout dish but with only one red meat eater here on this night (apart from Kelisi’s new fondness for beef dumplings 😳) we gave it a miss to try something else this time. <br/><br/>My overall dining experience was much improved since my last visit. The front of house team were knowledgeable and friendly which was what let the place down when it first opened. There is a lot of sweetness in many of the dishes which may not be to everyone tastes but I certainly enjoyed.

Having tried Souk’s menu before, I was really excited to be invited to their spring menu launch. I was greeted by the almost magical ambience at Souk’s, with their zany neon light designs and their pretty lilac-coloured ‘Princess Jasmine’ cocktails. I was seated with a group of fellow Zomato reviewers and we sipped on our Princess Jasmines which had gin, chardonnay and lavender tea. It was slightly too sweet for us, but I surprisingly enjoyed the lavender tea addition to the cocktail. <br/><br/>First up, we were served the Zeutinyagli Fasuly, which was a Turkish green bean salad with broccolini, crispy onion, basil and silverbeet. As a child, I would hate the look of this green salad! But as an adult, I really enjoyed how fresh everything was. There were these red thin strips which might be shallots? And they were just bursting with spices. Where was this salad when I was going through my vegan phase? I would’ve stuck out much longer. In contrast with the salad, the next dish was the almost-sinfully-crispy Kuwaiti Fried Chicken. Ugh, so very good. They generously gave us two buckets to share for 3 people and we were so excited. Like the last time I had it, it was crispy, juicy with a delightfully aromatic coating. <br/><br/>Next up was the Ichi Kofte which were essentially beef croquettes. Words cannot describe how much I enjoyed the texture of these croquettes. The hard crispiness of the coating was just so addictive for some reason and the beef filling was literally just bursting with flavour. We were then served the Adana Meatballs which were made with charred ground lamb with a smoked capsicum puree, fennel labne, lemon syrup, grilled chilli and young mint. I don't usually like lamb but these ones were charred so well it not only masks the gamey smell of lamb, it made the whole meatball taste of chorizo! Would pour this over my pasta any day.<br/><br/>We were full by this point but we were still excited for the Moroccan Chut b'chi Zyu, which was seasfood in a spiced tomato and capsicup sauce. It was served with a crispy rice pastry and I enjoyed dipping it to the rich tomato sauce. Our last main meal of the night was the Lamb Shwarma served with angel hair rice, pickled lemons, saffron yoghurt and a garden salad with za’atar cheese. Again, being picky about lamb, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the flavours of it all. The angel hair rice was slightly too weird for me because I think they might’ve added cinammon or nutmeg? But overall, loved the lamb and the saffron yoghurt. <br/><br/>We ended the night with a Whipped Turkish Coffee and Nutella Ganache which was just divine. Super creamy and decadent. It wasn’t too sweet, and I loved the balance of nutella and the right amount of bitterness from the coffee. A perfect, light way to end an 8-course meal!

Hidden down a Melbourne laneway, Souk has a great vibe and welcoming atmosphere. We attended the launch of the new spring menu- and boy were we spoilt. The signature princess jasmine cocktail was refreshing but sweet and a great start to the night. Highlights of the meal were the crispy chicken ribs with a sweet crumbly batter, the zeytingyali fasulye (green bean salad) which was slightly spicy but a great start to the meal, and the fattoush salad (served in a pita cone) which was surprisingly flavourful for what looked like your everyday salad! The cone was beautifully crispy and the balsamic glaze lifted the whole dish. The lamb meatballs were super spicy!- be warned. A great Melbourne restaurant!

For those who know Melbourne, Souk can be found at the end of a little laneway off flinders lane (right near Elizabeth st), and used to be home to The Deanery. Now it has been transformed into a restaurant/bar serving up delicious middle eastern food. We were lucky enough to be invited to their Spring Menu Launch function which was lots of fun. We had Princess Jasmine cocktails on arrival, a gin based cocktail with lavender tea. Delish! We were then served their 8 course tasting menu with some of the highlights being the KFC fried chicken and scrumptious dipping sauce, the rich flavoured kibbeh, meatballs and famous salad. The dessert was a Turkish coffee and Nutella mousse which was just sweet enough and topped with fairy floss. Everything was great and the service was attentive.

My friends and I tried Souk for the first time on a Friday night and I must say we had a great experience. The staff were warm and welcoming and quite cool and funky to be honest. The cocktails were super cool and we tried an amazing lemon cheesecake one it was delicious. The food was also great and dessert the Turkish coffee and Nutella mix was amazing. Must try this place again soon.

Everything everyone else has said about Souk is true. The warehouse vibe and neon lighting sets up the atmosphere quite well, and while the food isn’t incredible it’s definitely good enough. However that’s about where the positives end and the rest is just a comedy of errors in menu structure and service.<br/><br/>Even though half our party was already seated the hostess stopped us and made us wait for 5 minutes before taking us over, turns out they were seating us all at the wrong table so we had to swap.<br/><br/>The waitress prefaced her menu explanation with “it’s a bit confusing” and “it takes a while for the food to come” while recommending the banquets so, "we’re not disappointed". It seems like the waitstaff have been defeated by the menu many times.<br/><br/>When asked about portion sizes in the banquets none of the waitresses knew how much food would come out. The best answer we got was, “a good amount”, so it was impossible to compare the banquet options against the a la carte options.<br/><br/>The place was packed so it took about 40 minutes for the first small plate to arrive. They forgot to to bring out one of the small plates until we asked them at the end of the meal and the waitress legitimately said, “I 100% brought it out”. We had to explain what she brought and then she went and actually checked the kitchen and then brought it over 10 minutes later.<br/><br/>They didn’t have 80% of their bottled beers available. It was only Asahi, Corona, and Peroni, which I guess is all you can get at a decent price at the bottle-o down the road. One round of our drinks order went missing as well.<br/><br/>When we left and tried to find the cloak room, it took asking 3 separate people before finally one of the bar staff left his post and took us to the front where they were all stored.

I had high expectations of this place, based on reviews & articles I'd previously read, coupled with a love of middle-eastern food, but I was sadly disappointed. Service was slow to begin with, all the female wait staff wearing overalls - which made the whole experience seem unconvincing. Then once we ordered, it felt like the food kept coming at a rapid speed & we were swiftly rushed through the meal. <br/>My husband and I had booked a table a month prior, yet when we arrived we are seated next to the toilets in the hallway, when there were plenty of other vacant tables, I had to request that we please be moved, and the staff seemed happy enough to accommodate my request which was appreciated. <br/>The biggest negative of the whole experience was the lighting....it was so dim that we could not see what we were eating & had to use the torch app on our mobile phones in order to dish out our food & see what was on our plates.<br/>After the banquet option of 3 small plates and 2 large, (plenty for two - pleasant food, the only stand out dish was the lamb shoulder main) we decided to leave because we simply couldn't face another plate of food in the dark. Didn't get to try a cocktail or dessert as we had planned. Sadly we won't be heading back.