I LOVE this place. Gruff service from a man of few words, who has occasionally been known to smile, in a small hole in the wall take-away, on the corner of a busy street.
He has been making me shwarma and felafel since I was a teenager after school (I am in my 50's). Nothing has changed - even the decor. Thank god, because I wouldn't want anything to change about my shwarma.It may look shabby but it is a clean kitchen and the food has always tasted fresh. The meat isn't fatty, the felafel are crisp but soft and moist on the inside, and the tabouli is lemony. The portions are plentiful.Take home some punnets of the cauliflower or beans, and a bag of fresh bread too for dinner - they are ALL delicious.
The women on the register are always lovely too.
The Vegetarian Plate (4/5): This plate had a generous serving of creamy hummus and baba ganoush that balanced out the saltiness of the pickled radish and tabbouleh. The potato and green beans were the mixed veggies on the side which I could give or take...it wasn't the memorable part of the dish but all the other elements made it forgiving. The falafel was nice and crispy just the way it should be! At first I wished there was more but I was struggling to finish my plate towards the end of it.
We ordered the hot chips as our side dish and it wasn't great. Chips were kind of soggy and wasn't really seasoned.
The Baklava (4/5): The Baklava here is soooo good. Enough said.
I didn't go to the proper restaurant (although I'm sure I've been there in years past as it's been a longstanding part of Sydney's Lebanese restaurant zone, inheriting the old "Beirut by Night" building that I always loved the sound of) but I just got a kebab that was huge and only $9.50. Decent ingredients including many sauces, tabouleh, pickles and so on. Gruff but efficient service. After paying $14 for a much smaller kebab in Melbourne the other day, I would definitely have to recommend Abdul for a big feed, plus there were many other vege and pastry things in the window for takeaway.
Heard about this place through my parents whom use to eat here 30 years ago so decided to see what it was like for myself. Food was very nice, had the mixed mazza banquet as pictured. Decor is relatively outdated and place can get very noisy at times. Not an ideal place for a first date but good for groups.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I have said this before and I will reiterate it : If you are a foodie, eat in big groups. You get to eat more. While there was no change in philosophy this time , there was an additional value add. We were able to enjoy our meal in a 'Diwan' - a moderately sized room with Lebanese decor that gives you the right kind of feel way before you eat the food. It just enhances your experience further.
Alright, enough with the ambience. Let's get to the food. Being a big group, we ordered a lot. With the menu being limited, the dishes that we ordered included the Garlic Chicken Skewers, Kafta Skewers, Mixed Plate (every single kebab on the menu), Falafel plate and Homous (restaurant spelling) dips.
Ā The Garlic Chicken Skewers were lightly spiced, and while the meat was well cooked, there could have been more flavour. The Kafta Skewers, made of minced meat, were quite succulent and would be recommended along with the garlic dip. The standout performer among all the kebabs was the Shish Kebab, without a doubt. Tender, juicy lamb cooked to perfection with the right combination of spices made the meal fulfilling. The Falafel plate was your standard falafel plate which you get in every other Lebanese restaurant these days - not brilliant, but not too bad either. The potato curry, however, was quite flavorful. When the kebabs are up to the mark, the Homous usually is too, and it was here as well.
While the service was courteous, the Diwan's ill thought of location meant that I had to make a phone call every time I had to place an order. However, the place is worthy of a visit, and kebab lovers should definitely give it a try,
Overall, the ratings would be -
Food - 7/10
Ambience - 8/10
Service - 6/10
Value for money - 8/10
P.S. DO NOT FORGET TO ORDER THE LIME JUICE. EXTREMELY REFRESHING!
First time having Lebanese mixed plate. I shared with a friend and we couldn't finish the whole plate. Portion was generous. Their lemon juice is so nice and fresh.
Abdulās is a family-run, no-nonsense takeaway joint/Lebanese Restaurant that sells authentic Lebanese dishes like mixed plates, fingerfoods and shawarma. I decided to stop by while searching for something new to eat in Surry Hills. I didnāt expect much from the somewhat aged interior but boy, was I surprised.
Jahan 'Aladdin' Kalantar
+4
This place has been a local favourite and my Lebanese of choice for the past few years. Despite its horribly dated decor and the indifference of one of the staff members (we all know who I'm talking about), Abdul's continues to be a reliable favourite with beautiful Lebanese food which excited the palate and satisfies the cravings. The Large Mixed Grill can comfortably feed two people and the homemade hommus and tomm sauce are exactly what the doctor ordered on a cold winters night.
It's worth a try if your craving a Lebanese fix in Sydneys inner West
We had trouble deciding what Middle Eastern restaurant to visit when we were around the neighbourhood as there were at least 7 near each other! Based on reviews, we decided to choose Abdul's Lebanese and it certainly did not disappoint! We ordered the mixed BBQ shish kebab combo and the extra chicken combo. From memory, I think each dish was around $20? Totally inexpensive, especially for the food portion you receive!
My dish was amazing, we had falafel, dolma, lamb and chicken kebab, generous amounts of hummus and tabouleh- lots of it lol. Every aspect tasted very delicious and super authentic! Definitely try it out if you're in the area :)
Amys_food_adventures
+3.5
Great quick dinner if you are in the area. As we arrived we could hear belly dancing in their functions room.
Love the lemon drink they make goes well with the food and to help cool you down in humid weather.
Got the banquet with dessert which comes to $30 per person. You get flat bread with 2 dips, bowl of beans, tabuleh, falafel and a plate of bbq meats. Food was tasty and came out quick.
Overall, i thought it was an ok first visit. Because we didnt get to sit and eat the sweets we got a mixed pack container to take awa
This is my favourite place in Sydney so far to get take away chicken shwarma or falafel. The falafel are fresh and the toppings are authentic. It's hard finding a place in Sydney with garlic sauce or even picked turnips, but this place has it all! Great size and very affordable!
Winner kebab. Have tried the beef, falafel and chicken and all were amazing. Very friendly service too. Am a local here and would definitely recommend
Old school. Completely agree with the previous reviewer. Abdul's is one of those places that grows to fit you, just like an old slipper that's worn in all the right places so it fits every groove of your foot. It is a totally basic Lebanese restaurant, completely unpretentious, serving cheap tasty food. When eating here I steer away from the menus and order my favorite dishes - hummus and baba ganuj of course, eggplant, lady fingers, omelette, garlic chicken, lots of pita bread to wrap it all up in and then some of their delicious little sweets to share. Everything about Abdul's is pre-Instagram so don't come here looking to judge the book by its cover, or wow your Insta-buddies. Just order your kai (food), eat and enjoy :)
Been coming to Abduls frequently since about 1980 so not sure I can review them objectively. The guy behind the counter & I have aged together & comfortably nod at each other.Ā
Kafta rolls in Prince Alfred Park, big eat-in banquets with babies & grandparents, countless takeaways brought home, bags of falafel eaten while driving, food from Abduls is just part of my life fabric.
I have no idea how Abduls compares to other Lebanese restaurants & I don't care. I've been through vegetarian phases & carnivore phases & Abduls has fed both. Long-time favorites:
Ā - deep-fried cauliflower with tahini. IMO the best cauliflower dish anywhere, my overseas visitors always want this when they come
Ā - kafta or omelette, with some of the best babaganouj anywhere
Ā - chicken skewers with garlic sauce
Ā - forget tabbouli & get the fattoush salad, freshly made with crunchy fried bread
Has to be one of the best kebabs in Sydney. And hope to get the big guy serving it cause he totally loads that kebab. Super tasty.. Always done take aways. The meat or veggo fingers aren't to bad either.
I absolutely love the garlic chicken mixed plate here. The dips are amazing with the flat bread and the combination of salads such as the tabouli is great with the chicken. The day core isn't very modern but the food speaks for itself.
Came here for lunch and had the mixed shwarma grill with chips and garlic sauce, which were all cooked well and tasted delicious. The staff were attentive and the food was prepared quickly. The place is obviously popular by the number of people that frequent this joint every hour. I also had this can of lemon juice called perrier. This drink was also refreshing, slightly different in taste to your normal lemonade. Prices are reasonable and I highly recommend this place to all.
Nothing much has changed here since 1968, and that's a good thing! Inexpensive, generous serves of great, fresh Lebanese food. Abdul's is an institution
Abdul's Lebanese Restaurant on Elizabeth Street in Surry Hills is a family owned Lebanese Restaurant and Take Away. The take away options are cheaper than the dine-in - but the food is just as good. There is the normal seating option in their main dining hall or small rooms where patron seat on low couches and eat from coffee tables. The latter is pretty good when you dine in a group as it provides a private and cosy feel. There's also a belly dancer who comes now and then to entertain. ļ»æ There's an ala carte menu as well as a banquet menu. If you are starving, the banquet menu is definitely worth every cent with a wide range of cold and hot dishes, and desserts served.
An institution of deliciousness. Easily one of my favourite places in Sydney. I can't pick a favourite dish but the tahini fried cauliflower, falafel (with hommus) and the stuffed vine leaves should definitely be had. This is aside from the meat dishes that are all cooked to perfection (chicken and garlic sauce!)
I could go on and on..
And I will! For the desserts, make sure to have the Birds Nest with some cinnamon tea.
And after stuffing your face with the above, buy some takeaway so you can relive the experience in the days following Abdul's.
Best takeaway option in Surry Hills. We often grab takeaway from here - generous servings of delicious hommus and tabouli. Easy and delicious food at a decent price, and always a crowd favourite at parties and BBQs.
Fantastic Mixed Plate. Had the BBQ Grill mixed plate.....$18.50 eat in @ lunch time...really nice. Great tabboulli....good dips..really good felafel...and 3 meats were all good...beef a bit chewy but still good...great chicken and lamb kofta. Very Happy .
Great. Went in a VERY large group. Staff accomodated everyone and were constantly checking on us and clearing plates that weren't used. There was so much food we had to take some home. Everything was was pretty good.
Yum. Best Hommus in Sydney by far. Friendly staff and yummy flavours.
Family favourite for 20+ years. never disappoints!
Order the takeaway garlic chicken pack, lots of food and very tasty.only $13
YUMMMMMMM. I ordered the banquet menu for $25, there was so much food I couldn''t finish it. Very authentic, gorgeous chicken and beef Kebabs with Garlic sauce, loads of sides, service was friendly and fast.
Would definetely go back again. Noticed the baklava on my way out but was just to full to get some, but it looked gorgeous. Very good value for money and very tasty.
Best Restaurant in Sydney. One of my favorite restaurants and the best Lebanese food I have ever eaten. I have regular dreams about eating Abduls mixed plate.
Finn & Filo Downunder
+4.5
Excellent BYO place. Good Lebanese, dinner menu 25 bugs and I couldn't even eat everything :)
No alcohol, but liquer store next to it with good wines.
The best Lebanese place we have beenš
Totally loved it nothing could be betterā¤ļø
Fresh yummy foods,big portions with reasonable prices,nice & clean sittings~
Nothing fancy just pure food with lots of family love š feeling like home here!
Thanks for all and sure we will come back again soonš
All the BYO vibes. And they donāt charge corkage!!
Donāt go expecting a nice setting, in fact, the fact that it feels outdated as hell is part of the charm. The waitresses were lovely and attentive. The food was very tasty and cheap. Lots of veggie options. The fried eggplant was the highlight for me. Would def return!
The service was great. I went there to break my fast and they were helpful. They offered us soup asap. It went down good.
The mixed lamb grill was not as expected but I did not mind the vegetables at all. I needed some as I had too much of meat lately.
The shish kebabs needed less grilling. It was bit over cooked. Their bean rice was unusual as well.
It was a journey to Middle East. Thank you for your hospitality.
Named after his eldest son Abdul by Dib Ghazal in 1968, this famous establishment is located on the corner of Cleveland and Elizabeth Street
It is a no-frills landmark Lebanese restaurant in the heart of Surry Hills.
I may be able to load a video of the happy grandson still serving it up after 40 years with a huge smile and a love of preparing genuine delicious Lebanese cuisine for hundreds of thousands of hungry Sydneysiders.
totally yumm. Reasonably priced as well.
The peak of Lebanese food is at this place and reaches its top place at Abdulās restaurant! The best in Sydney and it canāt get better than this. This 64 years old place is still serving the best Lebanese food. The amazing falafels, hummus, tahini etc canāt get better than this. Iāve been here dozens of times. This place will always be beyond words when it comes to praising the quality and authenticity of their food.
Been coming here for years, never disappointed. Jimmy is a legend and makes the best rolls in the area. Everything is always consistent and very reasonably priced. The bbq mix plate is my take away go to with an extra packet of bread. The mince meat lady fingers and the baklava is always good.
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes