Alyan's Middle Eastern & Mediterranean Restaurant Reviews

If you are homesick for kibbe or falaful or shwarma or anything from the Middle Eastern repertoire Mohammed Alyan can prepare it the way that you desire. The food here is simply fantastic. The falaful is crisp but not greasy or salty. The kebobs are grilled to perfection. The vegetables and hummous are flavorful and light. Everything is absolutely authentic. And the atmosphere at Alyan's is fun and welcoming - there is always a running commentary taking place in the kitchen - always laced with loud love and good karma.Alyan'a always treats you to the best. You leave feeling well cared for - and hoping the next time will be soon.

Eating at Alyan's is akin to being in a small bistro in a Middle Eastern country. The food is cooked to order and absolutely superb. Generous portions. I try to go there at least once a month. It's a 5-star experience even though the baklava is more on the dry side and not dripping with honey.

Small, cozy spot with the most authentic delicious food. The owner was very accommodating and kind. And gave me suggestions based on my hankering. The baklava was perfect, not too gooey and wet and the Turkish coffee was so aromatic and fragrant. Highly recommend and I'd definitely go back!

Ordered: Mint ice tea which was just ok so I think it is overrated on other reviews here. I personally like strong dark tea or very Shawarma which was Lamb and chicken served with salad, hummus, and pita bread. The hummus wasn't the best Ive had but it was really good. The tomato sauce was not too seasoned which paired really well with the hummus. I even ordered extra. Those two with the pita bread was the best (if not the only) part of the meal. The meat was ok and wish it had more taste. The dressing on the salad was prob the worst as it was too watery for me. Service was great, very patient. You should now expect it to be fancy, the place is small and prob not for special ocassions but a budget place you can find great hummus food. I was curious to try the combo and spinach pie but unfortunately I could only handle one dish. Price was cheap for US standard but as a world-traveller, i've eaten way better for even less.

I've been eating here for 35 years this food is the best Middle Eastern food in the entire city of Philadelphia if you don't come here You're missing out! I have had everything on the menu my wife and I had our 2nd date here 25 yrs ago ! Get in and eat!

Alyan's is two friends FAVORITE restaurant ever. I finally was able to join them for dinner, and yes, they were able to fill the big shoes that were created for them. My friends are vegetarians, I eat meat. I did decide to go with a zucchini/feta meal, and wholly smoke, I'm still thinking about it months later. Needless to say...I'll be back! It's so unassuming in the hustle and bustle of south street, but GO FOR IT! The rooms are small and intimate, but the food is big and bold.

Been coming here since the early 80's and it's always a treat. The mixed grill is what I usually get. The hummus tahini is authentic versus supermarket junk, you can taste the nutty sesame paste. Lamb chx beef and lamb sausage, salad tahini etc for $14 is a sweet deal.

If you're looking for inexpensive, authentic Middle Eastern food in a vibrant Philadelphia neighborhood, Alyan's is the place to go. Their lamb (or beef or chicken if you prefer) kebob platter comes with salad and hummus. DELISH! The owner, Mohammed, is a delightfully cranky fixture. Ask him for anything and he will do it gladly, the eye roll is just for show in true Philly style. Take out is available and just as good.

I love this place. I used to live in Philly and go back to visit my family several times a year and I always go down to Alyan's. It right off the famous South Street at 4th and South. It's a little small in front but they also have an outside eating area that is delightful. The lamb and pita sandwiches filled with falafel, feta, salad and garlic is delicious. I've been eating there since 1987 and their prices have always been reasonable and the staff is nice. You can also eat outside in the front of the restaurant in the summer. There's a lot to see in that area, you can have a rockin' good time just walking around while waiting for your food. I love their potatoes and peppers fried with onions. Their menu is short and easy to order from. Middle Eastern food at its best.

If you like Mid-Eastern food you cannot go wrong here. Not fancy but sit outside to people watch the South St. crowd or sit in the back room and you will forget you are in Philadelphia. Staff appreciates your business; they have been there for 30 years for a reason

Been coming here for 5 years. Consistently delicious are the spinach pie which is excellent and always fresh, lentil soup, falafel, chicken Shawarma platter. Just like in the quarter in Old Jerusalem. The baba ghanouj and hummus are always fresh, but less garlic would be more to my pallet.

Thanks to local friends we stopped to eat lunch at what was their family's favorite eatery. Loved their hummus (beautifully presented), grilled zucchini, falafels and kefta kebab but the best surprise was the order of fries -- the fries come with hot peppers and onions. Quite unique and delicious!

I took a friend here after a long day walking and shopping and we needed to refuel. I hadn't been to Alyan's in years, but we decided to try it! The fries were just as I remembered it - unique and amazing! But the steak... On a whim, I ordered the porterhouse steak and it took up the whole plate, needed no acoutrements like sauce or salt, was perfectly juicy, flavorful and tasty. I ALWAYS cut off the fat, but even that fat was excellent! Next time I'm in Philly...

Food worst very poor quality When I have spoken with owner his response is very unprofessional It's waste of money Our experience is bad

Food was great and so was the service. we prefer the inner room, its beautifully decorated and offers more privacy. Highly recommend it for middle eastern food.

"Alyan fries" are the best, fresh and fried with onions and hot peppers, get 'em crispy! The sandwiches are a great value, you can get a kabob in a pita with the fixin's, cheaper than the platters. Been eating here for years, a great stop right in the heart of things on South St in Philly.

I am a big fan of hummus and this place does it right. Perfect consistency and flavor. They offer very quick service also

I have been here several times and it is delightful. The backroom reminds me of a small courtyard. The food is quite delicious

I have enjoyed this intimate restaurant since college and that's good chunk of time, close to 20 years! To me, the middle eastern fare is delicious with melt-in-your-mouth falafels and other pleasing entrees. My sister and I recently visited and enjoyed our lamb platters, not to be missed with a side of unforgettable fries, where the hot chilies give your mouth a kick. The menu is simplistic and you really cannot go wrong with the dishes. Service is efficient and helpful, which really rounds your experience. I'll re-visit every chance I get, thank you Alyan's!

This small informal restaurant offers authentic food. Alyan was a chef at The King David Hotel in Jerusalem before immigrating to America. The homemade soups are outstanding. Portions are large. My favorite is the marinated lamb shishkabob. I would recommend that you sit in the back room with it's hanging plants and art. You'd think that you were in east Jerusalem. When Alyan isn't cooking his cousins run the restaurant. It has been in business for over 30 years -- a rare survivor in the South Street area.

Or maybe the atmosphere is just what it should be: worn, mismatched, funky. The room in the back was a tiny walled garden that years ago, someone glazed over. It makes for a nice outdoor feeling even in mid winter. But glossy and polished it is not. That said, the fries with peppers and onions might be the best fries in the city. The middle eastern combo comes with hummus that rivals the new and very trendy offering at Dizengoff. The tabouli, salad, pickled veggies, olives etc all are well worth eating. And it has consistently been so for well over twenty years. For a midday meal that won't cost an arm and a leg, this is perfect!

if i was middle eastern on south st i come here.

Everywhere in Philadelphia you see signs saying this is the place for the best this or that. Well Alyan's really does have the best falafel in Philadelphia or anywhere in the world that I have had falafel. This restaurant has middle eastern food. We also had hummas, salad, and baklava all of which were just fabulous. Our server Lizz was amazing. She was professional, helpful, and friendly. She made the experience wonderful. I could eat there everyday it was all so good. The atmosphere was just terrific. We ate in a back indoor garden room that was relaxing and lovely. If you have a chance check out Alyan's, you won't be sorry.

This place has some of the best middle eastern food and it's affordable too. It's a cozy place and a lot of people miss it. I go there as much as I can, the people are very nice . You should definitely check it out

This used to be a favorite place, but last two times I have been there the service was "bothersome." I'll be using them for take out in the future, but --- for lunch --- I just don't want to be ignored while the place is almost empty.

i think about this place multiple times a week, and if it wasn't 40 mins away, we would eat here daily - its just that good- its excellent, the food is outstanding, the service is good enough, the decor could use an update and they could dust the dirty looking a/c units over the tables, but we just don't sit underneath them

Alyan's is a hole iin the wall restaurant along South Street that happens to have delicious food. It's a bit hard to find so to give you a landmark it's on 4th St. directly behind Copacabana and across the street from Jim's Steak's. I'm not a fan of Mediterranea cuisine but I knew this would be great because a friend took my wife the day before and she was desperate to go back. She doesn't even get that excited about gourmet restaurants. Now I love kebob, which I ordered but I'm not fond of peppers and humus. But I loved them all this night. We talked to the waiter about the food (which I like to do because it give him a chance to shine so I can give him a bigger tip). He said their secret is they make everything in house from scratch; the bread, the humus, the baklava and rice pudding, even the pickled peppers. I enjoyed a full meal for $10 and alas, had no room for baklava. Arg! I should have ordered some to take home. But now I have an excuse fro a return trip.

We went there on the recommendation of a friend! The intimate small restaurant might not look too appealing from the street but is definitely a place to go! I had chicken kebab and my husband had lamb kebab... they were both delicious came with a home made hummus (which is btw the best i ever tasted), a small salad and their sesame seed sause. Delicious! When we will go back to Philly will go there again for sure!

It has been a long time since I have had the pleasure of dining here when I moved away from Philadelphia , but my return today produced the same consistent results I fondly remembered from the past! The menu while not vast offers many options for the decreeing diners who want something unique and different from the usual fast food South Street fair. Since it was lunchtime, I chose the Chicken Schwarma pita sandwich that I first bite didn’t not impress, but like a fine wine, the flavors expanded to produced such a delicious blend that I was pleasantly surprised that I eat most of the generously packed and tasty pita sandwich. At $8.99, a great value! A copy of their menu is enclosed for your information. A welcome relief from the usual American fare. Highly Recommended!

Homemade lemonade. Amazing. Spinach Mushroom Pie. Amazing. App sampler. Amazing. Cute, small, authentic. Full recommendation.

While the food here was good, the waitstaff decided to help themselves to a hearty tip on my credit card. When I called about it I was told someone would have to call me back but they never did. If you are going to eat here, be sure to pay with cash only.

Truthfully, it's been a while since I've been here but if I am in the neighborhood and want falafel...here's where I am going.

Since I moved out of the US this is the only place I miss. This is the best middle eastern restaurant I've ever ate in. Their hummus is best than in Israel(Israelis told me that). I am not sure how they keep their prices so low. The food is consistently amazing. Anything you chose from their manu will blow your socks off. I do not know how they make their hummus, but it is a work of art. Anyone who has ever tried to make hummus at home knows it's all about proportions and of course the ingredients. Their thina is to die for, it gives hummus the right amount of nutty flavor and makes it heavenly creamy. Babaganush has a unique smokey taste with strings of roasted eggplant. Pickles are tangy and salty and are just right. Make sure you get grilled zucchini. I can not even explain how good they are. Also they run out of their shawarma pretty early , sometimes at 7pm, so if that happens you won;t be disappointed with the kebab. Lentil soup comes with plenty of cilantro and has perfect balance of spices. Grape leaves are perfect size for you to get the taste of the leaf itself(most places will overstuff it). Spinach pie has mushrooms and onions in it and the dough is perfectly thin and flaky. Couscous is fluffy and cooked just right. What can I say - a MUST in Philadelphia. Don't forget baklawa with mint tea and do not be fooled by their interior.

Went to the Society Hill playhouse to see "She Loves You" and had an early dinner at Alyan's. In case you didn't know, Alyan's is across the street from Jim's Steaks - a popular place for Philly cheese steaks. The line around Jim's was flowing out of the restaurant. OTOH, we found plenty of seats at Alyan's. The place is a bit cramped and while some people prefer the back room, it was full at the time we got there. I ordered the Kibbi sandwich and my partner ordered the falafel. Based on a recommendation, we had the Alyan's fries. It's made with grilled hot green peppers and onions. It's hard to describe this, but the flavors work. It's rather addicting. The mint ice tea is very refreshing. While they have baklava for dessert, we were already stuffed. The service is very good. Everyone there is friendly.

Went over for lunch yesterday. Not a fancy place, but good food. I always get the falafel, which didn't disappoint. My wfie had the baba ghanoush which was good, but wasn't smokey. The baklava was also really good. Prices are not bad so go for some good food.

This small, unassuming restaurant will completely surprise you! Very casual but the food is fantastic!! Excellent fresh soups, salads, sandwiches and platters. We have eaten here for almost 25 years and it never disappoints! If you want a top notch restaurant with either take out or casual dining, this is the place to go!

Enjoyed a wonderful dinner this evening. Delicious food, great service, and a cute back room with air conditioning. We’ll return the next time we are in town.

We ordered takeout from here and it was great and fast! They even chased my husband down the road when they realized something was missing from the bag. I think it took 2-3 blocks for the staff to catch up with him! All for a side of pickles! :-) We ordered 3 entrees and a couple of sides. It was enough food for probably 4-5 people instead of the 3! We ordered several of the plates - I personally loved the kafta. A few sides - the grilled zucchini was great! And the mixed appetizer. We ended up saving this as a "lunch" snack for thanksgiving day. Perfect! We also asked for some extra pita and instead of just giving us an extra piece or two they gave us an entire bag!

We had originally come to South street for pizza but since it was pouring we decided against the pizza place that had no seats. This place claimed to have the best falafel in Philly and they weren't lying, they were crispy yet moist and the dipping sauce was amazing. My chicken kabob sandwich was really good as was my husband's kefta platter. We were seated in this cool little backroom with a glass ceiling, only issue was that there was a bit of a leak as there was water running down the wall and into the condiments on the table.

Small, unassuming South Street area restaurant with consistently great food. Everything is made to order and delicious. We've been coming to this place for years and it never gets old.

My friends and I ate here because Jim's cheese steak's line was way too long. The restaurant was small and not kept up the best but the food was good. The sandwiches they have on pita are large and should be able to fill you up. The soda you get is from a can, but at only $1 they are cheaper than other places around. I do not suggest using the restroom there, as it does not appear to be monitored for sanitary reasons regularly.

The food is actually quite good. The chicken kebab and french fries are excellent. The service is a little slow and the eat in portion of the restaurant is not very desirable. I often do takeout from there. But be very careful The price menu that you see online is not at all accurate. You may see a chicken kebab sandwich for $5.95 on on line menu ybut when you get there they charge you $8.95. Not really happy about the bait and switch part of the restaurant. It is very tasty just be sure to ask prices if you’re going to do take-out.

Been coming here for 25+ years and ALWAYS had a pleasant interaction with Owner Mohammed. Both my husband and myself continued to support Alyan's during the Pandemic and beyond. Today my husband picked up Take-out order#10142312-3405 of (2) Falafel Sandwiches and Large Alyan's Fries @ approx. 3:08 pm. Business was slow on Saturday May 13, 2023 with few customers waiting. Mohammed was extremely dismissive and curt to my husband letting him know that there would also be an ADDITIONAL 4% CARD TAX!!?? in addition to the 8% Phila Sales Tax. Although disappointed with an additional FORCED 4% card usage tax, this wouldn't have been a reason for my Yelp Review except for the fact that our food was so poorly and loosely (cheap thin foil) wrapped, stuffed inside a paper bag UPSIDE DOWN! with both sandwiches and filling spilling out all over the inside of the bag. Dear Mohammed: I don't know if you woke up this morning starting a bad day that continued to get worse, but this review should ALERT you of your mean- spirited & dismissive attitude and DESPICABLE customer service. I cannot review the food because it mostly had to be scraped off the inside of the bag. Both my husband and myself will NEVER PATRONIZE your restaurant again. If you felt that you were having a bad day from the start you should have stayed home, Period. You have family members that could have filled in on your behalf.

The shawarma was horrible. I am co e from the Middle East so I know how it should tastes. I threw the sandwich it was expensive yet disgusting I think the good ratings are family and friends of the owner. Or people who don't know the real taste of good shawarma . I called him and told Mohamed I was disappointed. He started screaming . Very bad experience. Never going there again my advice don't get take out So if you are not pleased with the taste you can exchange. I could not go back to complain in person cause I was late for an appointment. Very very disappointed

Best baklava I have had! So buttery and a bit salty, melts and crumbles, so satisfying! Tea was perfectly sweetened with honey too.

What a wonderful surprise to find this place. Our waiter was a joy and was so sweet with our 6 year old son. The place is cozy, decorated with pillows and with the overall feel of a Middle Eastern living room. The food: utterly delicious. Get the homemade lemonade and the grilled steak over couscous or rice. It comes with a side of mixed vegetables that have been cooked in a broth that could be its own meal, it's that good. My husband had the chicken kabob platter, which he got with hot sauce that finally satisfied his freakishly high tolerance for spice. The prices were very reasonable, and we will definitely be going back next time we're in town.

Just steps off of South St. on 4th,sitting here over 20yrs, same folks overseeing the action, you`ll find yourself in a small, but friendly & warm atmosphere, nothing fancy, schmacy, just great Fresh, Delicious,Cooked to order, Middle Eastern fare, at reasonable prices. So, why look elsewhere? The plus is all the action on South St. & on 4th St. south-lots of interesting varied stores, lots of them fabric specialties...the closest you`ll find to N.Y.C. in selection & quality.