Al-Amir Restaurant

I have finally experienced Al-​Amir Restaurant in a sober condition. This is mostly because it was lunch time. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with day drinking, and Al-​Amir would be a fine place to do so.
For the past 5 years or so this place was my go-​to weekend party spot on Friday and Saturday nights. I have also been there for birthdays, etc. so have actually had dinner there which is great. It is an excellent venue for a large birthday party if you happen to be in the market for a birthday venue for large groups. It would also make a great date destination as the ambience is dim, and the historic building is enchanting and the music is sexy.
Lunch the other day was interesting and more importantly it was delicious. Interesting because there was no loud Arabic house music blaring, nobody was dancing on the bar or in the aisles, no belly-​dancer sashaying around, rather it was just a few other folks lunching and us with lovely and quiet Arabic music. I am gaga for the Baba and the hummus, it’s as if it were prepared by Angels, it is so perfectly seasoned and oh, so, smooth.
Service as always was excellent. I will always be a devout fan of Al-​Amir and in case you were wondering, no, I did not dance on the bar.
2016 — Review #1

Excellent veggie kebabs – a favorite dish I’ve found missing on other Lebanese menus in Portland. A quieter lunch option than Nicholas’. Down side: Onions on the kebab were a little too rare (if that’s the appropriate term?).

Good enough, though an odd location given its proximity to several food trucks serving similar lunch cuisine.
I actually found a bone in my lamb shwarma here! I can’t believe it. That has literally never happened to me in any Middle Eastern restaurant before. I can only imagine the server was not paying any attention to preparing my meal. The bone was the width of a nickel, and thick as a fifth of a roll of coins. Had I swallowed it, I would certainly have choked.
Items are very expensive, particularly appetizers. I can appreciate how lovely the dining experience would likely be for dinner, but for lunch-​especially takeout-​it just seemed way overpriced.
I think that with a little more attention to detail, this restaurant could improve greatly. As is, however, I do not intend to return.

I’m Home! We moved to Portland (Lake Oswego) a year ago from a Detroit, MI suburb. One of the biggest things I missed was the authentic food from around the world every Detroit neighborhood/​suburb offers. Well, if you love Middle Eastern food as much as I do, this is the place to go! We went last night for my husbands birthday. We started off with the Al Amir appetizer sampler because we wanted everything. It was amazing! It was all good but the Falafel was the best I’ve ever had! My husband and daughter both ordered the lamb shank special and I ordered the Kharouf Mohammar. So good! The serving sizes are huge (three boxes in leftovers) and the prices are great for such an amazing meal. Another sign that it’s a great restaurant is that there were 3 birthday parties going on while we were here. You know it a great restaurant if so many people want to have there special birthday meal there. Also, the staff was great! They were very busy but the whole staff was very attentive and sweet.
My new favorite restaurant.

When we checked it out back when Unilocal held its Elite event here, we really enjoyed the food. During the event, we scored a $ 20 gift certificate, so we decided to put it to good use just before its expiration date.
Food was still phenomenal! I could not think of any reason not to love it! The service was extremely friendly and attentive. Our water glasses were filled constantly and they made sure all of our needs were taken care of.
I got the combination platter with shrimp, chicken and kebab while Matt got the one with lamb shank. Holy moley, that was a lot of food! On average about $ 20-​$ 25 a plate, you get to enjoy flat bread, soup, and your entrée that comes with delicious almond basmati rice. It was awesome!
My kebab was so juicy and flavorful. I wished there was more so I could eat them ALL DAY! The chicken with their garlic sauce was really tender, and I enjoyed the smokiness of the slightly charred shrimp.
Matt’s lamb shank was really gigantic, and he seemed to enjoy it as well. When they packed it up for us, they kindly removed the bone in the middle of the shank, and I loved the considerate little touch!
Romantic atmosphere, great food, and friendly service! They also have belly dancers on some nights!

For our group, they offered a a family style mezza meal. They brought us a ton of awesome foods and everything was delicious! Super tender and moist chicken kabobs with great rice and veggies. I couldn’t recommend this place more! Amazing service, beautiful atmosphere and great people! 6 stars!

I love good Middle Eastern food. Once in a while I’ll even cook Middle Eastern foods.
I ordered the appetizer sampler with the lentil soup (Shorba) as a starter.
The lentil soup was a tomato base and was bland. I’ve had instant oatmeal that had more flavor. A few dashes of salt helped it but did not rescue this soup.
Hummus was average. The baba ghannooj was the highlight of what I ate. Smoky and yummy.
Tabooli was little more than chopped parsley with a little chopped tomato. Granted, I am NOT a big fan of tabooli and this did not change my mind.
My single stuffed grape leaf was soft and mushy. Anyone serving Middle Eastern food would have considered this a disgrace.
The falafel was about the size of a very small golf ball and was dry and hard.
Let’s talk about bread. They brought our table of four, 6 halves of flat bread. It was chewy, definitely not freshly baked in the restaurant and I could have bought the same thing at any grocery store. Again anyone serving Middle Eastern food should be ashamed of themselves.
Service never came by to offer more of this supermarket flat bread.
One of our party had the vegetarian eggplant dish, Batinjan. The complaint was that the eggplant had not been cut consistently the same thickness and so when it was cooked some of it was mushy and some was not quite done and chewy.
The lamb dish, ala carte, Kharouf Mohammar was apparently very good.
Either we were there on an off night when pretty much everything was off, a Sunday at 6 p.m., or this is just not a place to ever go back to.
And ironically they gave us two $ 5 off gift certificates for our next visit.

Belly dancer spices up the mood! I love the food there and the environment is so festive when you go on a night with a belly dancer entertaining the night normally around 8pm on the weekends. My favorite appetizer is the hummus with lamb, omygosh that is to die for!

I’ve been wanting to try this place for awhile. I wanted to take my boyfriend here for I thought he would appreciate the food and belly dancing. The food was good. Not a whole lot of vegetarian choices that looked appetizing so I settled on the shrimp. It was yummy, and though they said the rice was yummy… I“m not a big rice person. They give you quite a bit though! :) We got the veggie sampler appetizer to share. I liked all except for the grape leaves wrap. I don’t know it just didn’t taste good to me. We did start having one of their margaritas too. Great service and very friendly folks! I’d go back sometime. I was disappointed that the belly dancing was only 45 min. I had great time watching the belly dancing though.

When I was a teenager I went to this amazing Lebanese Restaurant with a friend and I have spent ages trying to find that restaurant again. Then I get a Livingsocial deal for Al Amir and figured out it was the same place! I tried not to get my hopes up since 20+ years later it might be owned and run by the same family but that does not mean it is the same restaurant.
Best hummus I have ever had and their tabbouleh was phenomenal! Everything we had was wonderful and the service… Going to family restaurants is always such a pleasure because they really embrace their customers. And just wow — down to sneaking us extra lentil soup and baklava in with our leftover bag… amazing. If you want a quick cheap gyro — grab the food carts up the street but come here for a genuinely amazing meal with some of the nicest people.

Wow! What a nice experience. I was invited to join friends for dinner. I had never eaten Lebanese food before and was a little apprehensive not knowing what to expect.
The restaurant staff were very patient explaining the various dishes ingredients. The food was delicious. I would go into greater detail if I remembered the names of each of the dishes we tried. There was Shrimp and Chicken Kabobs that were succulent and very tasty. Also, Roast Lamb and Rice… so good! Hummus of course that was yummy as was the Baba Kanoosh (?) There were many other dishes we tried and each one wes superb.
The best part of the evening, apart from the food, was the attention we experienced from the service given by what I guessed were the owners. Their love of good food and a family atmosphere is evident.
If, like me, you have never tried Lebanese food before, I recommend Al Amir. They will guide you on a food tour of Lebanon, par excellence.

What a wonderful experience! We had the best girls night dining experience at Al-​Amir! We asked what the favorites were on the menu and the owner suggested he just bring us dinner. The food started pouring out from the kitchen… Baba ghanoush was to die for, hummus, grapes leaves, salads and then the main course! The food was incredible to put it lightly. Moe treated us like guests in his home! This place it top notch! I can’t wait to go back!

I think you guys know by now how I feel about giving 5 stars. Apprehensive might be a good word for it. Stingy might be another. But after my 2^nd visit to Al Amir, I can’t see my way clear to any other rating. This place is the tops! The location is superb, near everything. even if parking is a little tougher — just bring your parking kharma.
I saved my gift certificate for a Saturday night dinner with girlfriends and by 7:45 we were all in place. We got the very last table in the dining room, which kinda stuck out a bit, what what the hell. There’s still small tables and stools at the lovely bar up front.
I asked if they could make me the cocktail from the Unilocal event and it was no problem. Some sort of deliscious margarita. We ordered baba ganoush, my friend ordered an eggplant dish with lots of veggie things (i forget) and my other friend a prawn dish with carrots and rice and a lovely sauce for each. The prawns were amazing. Everything esle here is really top nothc (although I usually prefer more meat, it was one of those evenings). The service is impeccable — really. They bend over backwards here.
By 8:15, the belly dancer was gyrating across the dining room. She was a differnt girl from last time, I think, but equally awesome. People tip them, and when I saw a table give $ 20 bill, I felt silly about my mesly $ 1, but she shimmied on over my way and was happy to let me slip it in her skirt band. I’m blushing even thinking about it now.
Anyhow. There’s a Unilocal deal for this place, so if you;ve never been, you really should. Romantic, lively, fun, family friendly. Really a gem!

I learned about this place because of a special Unilocal party held there this week. I was greeted with warmth, smiles, and kindness. Lydia, the co-​owner and manager was very friendly and organized. She had everything set up so nicely and everything went so smoothly during the event. The buffet was amazing. I absolutely loved the grilled vegetables and rice. Their babaganoush, humus, and garlic spreads are simply a treat too, and you can actually buy them at whole foods. I loved the music, belly dancing, company, and food. The night made me feel so blessed and in good company. I even won a raffle prize. This was a day that I will never forget.

Such a diamond in the rough! I say that because it’s hard to find the entrance and it’s in kind of an old building where you don’t expect a restaurant to be. So glad I did though!
I am a fan. I don’t really like Mediterranean food in general, but I loved everything I ate at Al-​Amir. My dinner was full of flavor, fresh ingredients, great variety and a really lovely wait staff. I really loved that their food was really flavorful without being overpowering (i’m a wimp with spices) and didn’t feel greasy.
My favorite part of dinner was their signature margarita. It is so good! I don’t know what makes it different but I hate Tequila and I drank two of these because I just loved the sweet to salty ratio. Very refreshing.

Last meal on Earth? Roll me right on over here!!!
I went with a friend and fellow Unilocal Elite to a special event here. Just simply amazing all around. Every thing went off without a hitch, and based on this I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to book this place for a wedding or special event. They even had a belly dancer which made it pretty entertaining.
Drinks are great. I had a Lebanese style margarita made with fresh juice and a hint of something we figured was orange blossom water. Also had some Lebanese wine, my first taste of it, and I was pleasantly surprised. Nice Cabernet flavor, and didn’t over power the food. Just enough punch to be great table wine.
The food? Where do I even begin? I have eaten a lot, and I mean a lot of Middle Eastern food in Portland. This I have to say, was the best. Making a buffet for 50+ can go downhill quality wise in a hurry, but these folks really nailed it. Great fatoush salad, and grilled/​fried veggies, and plenty of good pita and flavorful rice.
Being veggie, I didn’t try the meat options, but no matter because the rest is so filling. I can be a falafel snob. I admit that’s a little silly, but I’ve earned my stripes baby! They can be overcooked and greasy, or undercooked and soggy. Too many places skimp on quality ingredients and it tastes like cardboard. I was blown away with the balls of veggie goodness here. Break one open and its a pleasant garlicky wonder. Perfectly crisp on the outside, soft and fragrant inside. Not the least bit greasy. Hummus was very good as well. Everyone likes hummus their own way, but this was pretty spot on, and not too much garlic or over powered by the tahini.
The baba ghanooj (greatest name ever!!!) was the real star of the show for me. This is a very labor intensive dish, and if the eggplant isn’t well smoked and cooked properly it can give a nasty bitter taste to the appetizer. This was literally the best baba I ever eaten. I would go back just for this alone. It’s just that special.
Overall it’s very clean, sits inside a historic old building once occupied by the Catholic diocese in Portland. Nice romantic setting inside, with great black and white photos of Lebanon. Also clean and spotless bathrooms which I always take into account when reviewing.
Downsides? Value wise it could be better. Downtown you expect higher prices but nearly $ 20 for a veggie mezze plate with one falafel, salad, and a few dips is too much. Also a big sticking point is that the pita isn’t fresh baked. All that nicely prepared food and you get a basket of supermarket pita bread. Very off putting and feels cheap. Also it’s in a tricky area of town parking wise. There is hardly any signage on the place, apart from an overhang with the name, which made it really hard to find in the rain as it was getting dark. Parking when busy can be a trouble spot. These things do not take away from the overall atmosphere and certainly didn’t disrupt my experience. I will be back for sure. Wonderful place to be!!!

April 13^th was a Unilocal special event at this restaurant. about 100 elite were here.
and special margarita was offered as well as red wine. the food was served buffet style.
there was lots of it. and it was all very tasty.
especially fun night with a belly dancer there.
please don’t forget that when you go to one of these events, please tip staff very generously, because they are working for it.
met a lot of fun people.

Thank you Al Amir for an enchanting evening of food, dancing and beauty. Attentive servers, amazing hummus, falafel, garlic sauce, roasted veggies, baba ganoush and margaritas, oh my!
The belly dancer was simply beautiful and entrancing. It was an evening in the beautiful dining room to remember! Great for parties and events.
To Matt E. and all of the fabulous Unilocal team, thank you for including me. I can’t wait to come to Al Amir again to once again!

Okay. I’ll give it to them. This was, hands down, one of, if not THE, best Lebanese places I’ve been to in a LONG time.
Walked in and was greeted by the sweetest lady ever! The young man who showed me to my table was incredibly easy on the eyes and just as personable.
Asked for a few recommendations and ended up ordering the (what I call) meal sampler. It came with Baba ganouch (so!?), hummus, grape leave, falafel, and tabouli. Talk about wow. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING on that plate was heavenly. The texture and flavour was amazing. You can seriously eat it all with a fork. No pita needed. The falafel caught me by surprise. I usually don’t like falafel unless it’s home made, this was just like home made!!! Actually, it was better!
My main dish was the shish tawook. So tender and succulent, made to perfection. All items hit every pallet and tastebud. The flavours were rich, real, and authentic. The service was just as wonderful and pleasurable. The lady, who was my server, was beyond amazing. Others in the industry should take lessons from her on customer service.
I will DEFINITELY be back. And tell everyone about it who’s ever visiting or willing to listen!

Visited this place for the first time yesterday and was impressed. The food is some of the best Middle Eastern food I have had.
The restaurant itself is a little dingy looking, to be honest. There is a front area which has a bar and a few tables, but most people sit in the dining room in the back. So it kind of seems like it’s not busy in the front, but the back room is usually full. The décor is questionable in my opinion, a bit outdated and dark, but it’s okay.
To start, they give you pita bread, but don’t serve you anything with it, so you are kind of forced to order hummus or baba ganoush. Fortunately, my mom decided to order the Vegetarian combo platter thing, which comes with an entrée as well as hummus and baba ganoush, which was a great option for vegetarians. I ordered the shrimp a la cart, and my sister and dad got the chicken dish. All were very, very food. The shrimp was very well cooked and flavorful, and it was served with rice. The dish was just right for one person. I had a taste of the chicken — it was amazing: juicy, succulent, and flavorful.
The service was very good as well. We skipped dessert, but all in all, very good food!