Comptoir Libanais Restaurant – Honest Review

Welcome to MHM Honest Review of Comptoir Libanais Restaurant.

First things first, you food loving sunshines. I see you and I appreciate you being here. If you’re new here, food is my JAM. I am such a foodie. That feeling you get when an explosion of flavour hits your mouth and you think, YUP! That’s a good bite of food. That feeling, I live for it. OK. Let’s get started. So, what did I really think of Comptoir Libanais restaurant? Read on to find out!

The Need to Know Before You Go

Comptoir Libanais restaurant is a fab place founded by Tony Kitous. He shares his story about how he and his friend visited London one summer with only £70 in his pocket. He quickly fell in love with London, I mean, who wouldn’t! Tony told himself that he would own a restaurant in this lovely city one day.

He obviously worked hard to make that dream a reality because now there are a chain of Comptoir Libanais restaurants all dotted around! His aim: to make people love Lebanese food just like they love Italian food. He wanted people to fall in love with the bold flavours of the Middle East. Well, Tony, you’ve certainly done that!

Fun Fact: There are 20 Comptoir Libanais restaurants and they aren’t just in England!

How to Get There:

The most convenient way to travel around London is by tube. So, the closest station from the restaurant is Sloane Square Station. Here you can get the circle or district line. From the station it is only a 2-3 minute walk to Duke of York Square, where you will find Comptoir Libanais restaurant. There are also bike racks in the square if you need them.

Address: 53-54 Duke of York Square, London, SW3 4LY (Check their website for more locations)

What to Expect at Comptoir Libanais Restaurant

As you walk up to the doors at Comptoir Libanais restaurant your mouth will begin to water as your senses transport you to Lebanon, without even leaving London! The smells will entice you in and you’ll be skipping to the door. Well, OK, maybe only I’ll be skipping to the door. If you follow me on Instagram (@maphermiles) then you’ll know what I’m talking about here.

Anyways, the smells will transport you straight to the Middle East and very quickly after that you’ll begin admiring the quirky decor that sends you straight to Lebanon. The only thing missing: is a stamp on your passport. At the Duke of York Square location, you’ll be greeted by a lovely outdoor seating area before you walk into the restaurant to be seated. The blue tiles on the floor and pictures on the wall will put a big smile on your face as you walk to your table. Comptoir Libanais restaurant does not disappoint when it comes to decor.

As you walk in there is seating both to your left and right. The restrooms are up a spiral staircase tucked away in the back left corner. Look up as you walk up the stairs! It’s pretty, I promise.

We arrived at 1:30 pm for lunch and the restaurant was quite busy. We waited for a few moments before being seated and our server came over straight away to get a drink order from us. By the time we left, around 3:00 pm, the restaurant was packed and very busy! They probably could have done with an extra server to help with service but all in all, we had a great experience.

MHM Tip: Book ahead of time! Unless you’re visiting during an off-peak time, this restaurant gets busy and if you want to guarantee yourself a table, you definitely have to book ahead.

And an even bigger tip! Check their Instagram because they often offer a great deal where if you buy a £50 voucher, they’ll give you £10 free! 

Comptoir Libanais Restaurant: What We Ordered

Now for the great part, the FOOD. We had a few starters and then two main dishes. Everything was delicious and full of flavour and I don’t regret over stuffing myself! Even if that meant I had literally no room for dessert. I guess I’ll have to go back to try those… Not a problem, of course.

I hope these dishes get your mouth watering and ready to hit that ‘book table’ button on their website.

Comptoir Libanais Small Plates (Mezze)

We sat down and immediately wanted to try all of the small plates. Instead, we were disciplined (a word that shouldn’t even be thought of when it comes to food!) and ordered a few dishes.

First, we ordered the vegan hommos (Middle East spelling) (£5.50), which was topped with fresh herbs, olive oil, lemon juice and chickpeas. There was a sprinkle of tahina and it was just enough to make the dish extra delicious and give it that cheeky bit of red colour.

We then ordered the vegan baba ghanuj (£6.50) which had a beautiful smoked aubergine flavour and just the right amount of garlic. Not enough the keep the vampires away, but enough to make you appreciate the flavours. Even better: it was topped with pomegranate seeds!

We of course also had the 3 piece cheese samoussek (£5.95). I’m such a sucker for anything that says pastry and cheese! These were the perfect pastry parcels filled with cheese and a hint of mint. Highly recommened ordering two plates of these! (don’t judge)

Last to arrive to our table was the 4 piece falafel (£5.75). I love falafel but am often left feeling disappointed as they’re usually served over cooked, not hot enough and very dry. Fear no more! My falafel lovers. These bundles of joy were hot, flavourful (and very generous on the coriander) plus, not dry at all! The tahina sauce drizzled on top  made them *chefs kiss* delicious.

PS…With all of this, we also had the authentic flatbread and I could have eaten that 3 times over.

I thought it was fantastic how our server described everything that was on our plate and always asked if we needed anything else with each dish.

PS… I used my DJI Gimbal to take these photos and it was a dream! I’ve linked it here on my Amazon shop.

We waited 40 minutes for our main plates which, to be honest, was perfect timing as we were quite full from all our mezze starters! During this time, we were able to admire all the decor and really pay attention to all the detail. The pictures, light fixtures, flower displays, you can even watch the staff cooking if you are sitting on the right side of the restaurant.

After what felt like no time at all, my trusty nose was telling me that our main dishes were on the way! We ordered the chicken taouk wrap platter (£10.95) served with pickled cucumber, the most amazing garlic sauce, and fresh tomatoes. The side salad and hommos were the perfect way to compliment the wrap. After all, you can never have too much hommos!

We also ordered the mixed grill (£15.95) which came with a selection of lamb kofta, chicken taouk and chicken kofta. On the side, there was a delicious comptoir salad (yum!) and vermicelli rice (also yum).

Comptoir Libanais Restaurant Dessert

We were so full we didn’t have any dessert so I can’t comment from my own personal experience. However, the table beside us ordered the baklawa selection (£5.95). And I asked for their honest opinion so I could share it with all you foodies! Here’s what they had to say: “They are the perfect combination of sweet and crunchy! You should definitely try them!”

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So, I started this article by saying that if you want ‘an explosion of flavour’ then book a table at Comptoir Libanais Restaurant. And I still mean it! The staff are friendly and relaxed, the space is quirky with some serious Middle East vibes. The food is packed full of flavour and tastes so fresh.

Oh, and for all my veggie/vegan readers out there, there is plenty on the menu to choose from! A massive bonus in my eyes.

Even the journey to the restrooms is exciting as you walk up to the spiral staircase and check out the various lamps hanging from the ceiling!

So, go on, book a table and see for yourself how amazing this place is. You can also check out their Instagram for even more photo inspo!

Let me know in the comments what you’d like to order first!

Thank you, Comptoir Libanais Restaurant for having us and we will see you soon!