Ate here recently with a group of four. Not impressed. Dirty interior, flat-affect staff with strange attitudes, waitresses outside smoking cigarettes between orders, something gross and grimy about the whole place. We were given lots of hot bread but this is not the traditional thin pita bread but a puffy white bread that didn't go well with the hummous and tabouli. My fattoush tawook salad had minimal pita chips with overpowering dressing topped with old dry chicken parts. Strange and oily taste. This is a standard dish so how can it get messed up? YUCK! The schwarma's are no big deal. Cheap grape leaves rolled around cheap rice. The roasted cauliflower was cold and not cooked through. A member of our party ordered a hamburger advertised on the menu as the Cedar Burger. It was served as a burned brick of meat on a stale hamburger bun. Unbelievable that a restaurant would have the gall to put this on a plate and serve it to a customer. It was almost like an Arabic F-you. Best bets are the crushed lentil soup. Overall, this is poor Arabic food and kinda overpriced for the quality served. There are too many better Arabic restaurants in the tri-county area. Seek them out. Avoid this one.
(2)
Keristyn H.
There service is great! They are super quick too. I really enjoyed the food as well, but it is a tad pricy.
(4)
Kathryn G.
Good place if you're looking for a quick vegetarian dish to go.
(2)
J F.
1) The food just wasn't good. I ordered the vegetarian combo; it was unappetizing and blah. 2) ***Most importantly**** I was completely stared down and felt awkward, unwelcome, and out of place when I walked in and out of this place. I would have actually given the food a 2nd chance if it weren't for the unfriendly staff members that were mainly creepy men. GET NEW STAFF, preferably a friendly female to make this place less creepy.
(1)
Kevin S.
Great Shish Tawook, Great Hummas and Great Salad....however a member of the waitstaff leaned over to pick up plates on my table and I almost puked the smell was HORRIBLE. Body odor and food don't go well together. Come for the food....but be ready for the "Smells"
(4)
Penny Z.
Great food. Nice waitress. The manager should get fired for telling us a half hour before closing that we should go elsewhere since they are closing in a half hour. I thought that if the door says they close at 9 that they will seat people until 9 not 820.
(4)
KJ D.
I've been coming to this place for over 15 years, and this is the first thought I've had to review it. Lately, as my craving for middle eastern food has been overwhelming, I've think I've been here 10 times in the past 2 months, for lunch, for dinner, for carryout. I really like the hummus and lamb or hummus and chicken plates. Both give a lot of food that is so tasty and savory, I can't get enough. I also love the fatoush, which is perfectly seasoned in my opinion. I usually get a few schwarma sandwiches to take home to eat for lunch the next time. When you dine in, you get a basket of wonderful puffy pita breads with your meal. (Although when you order carry out, they only give you store bought, flat pita.) And usually the staff is very friendly. On my last visit to get carryout last week, I do have to admit that the man working the cash register who took our carryout order was not super friendly, actually he looked pi**ed about something... and while the food was good, the fatoush was not up to par, but I will not fault them for that one snowy night. I have always enjoyed this place.
(5)
Zach P.
Good food, rude employees.
(4)
Bill B.
Where do I start with Cedar Garden? Salads are brightly verdant, large and subtly dressed. Appetizers such as cauliflower, onions and tahini sauce (my personal crack) are so savory. Vegetarian dishes, from the basic falafel sandwich to mjadra (lentils and cracked wheat) and lentil kibbie are polished and tasty. Smoothies and fresh juices (love the lemonade) are sweet-tarty perfection. Cedar Garden sets the bar high for Lebanese cuisine. If you're remotely nearby, you owe yourself a trip there.
(5)
Suzan M.
We ordered takeout yesterday- a veggie combo platter and lamb kabob entree. And tabouli. So sad to say that it's really gone downhill. The cabbage rolls were good. But the tabouli was DRENCHED in canola oil!!!!! And the lamb was like leather. (They asked how I'd like it cooked and I said medium. Plus it was in strips, not kebob skewer squares. The rice was good. Everything else was meh at best. I used to love their falafel and now it's just a bland fried ball. I was pretty upset bc this was my only shot at Middle Eastern food while visiting home.
(2)
Sam M.
Great food abd very attentive staff, same consistency, salad dressing is delicious and sautee mushrooms is a must try
(4)
Shannon S.
Authentic and Awesome!! Everything from the hummous, tabouli, grape leaves, bread, veggies, tzatziki, and falaffel....YUM YUM YUM!!!!
(4)
Carole H.
FRESH. Inexpensive. Huge portions. Delicious. The pita & garlic spread must have crack sprinkled in them.
(5)
Tony S.
I've been here off and on for 10 years or whenever they opened. It used to be one of my favorites, it's comparable to La Shish in taste quality. I never thought La Shish was the best, but they were pretty much the standard of quality. They do most dishes very well but their grilled green pepper, carrots and onions are the best! I only wish they'd put more in their dishes. I haven't asked but they'd probably put more in for an extra charge. I got a Gallaba once where the vegetables were barely cooked but maybe the normal cook wasn't there that day or something. Someone mentioned the owners yelling at each other. It's funny but it does seem like there is some tension in there, maybe it's from trying to keep up the quality of the food, that's probably stressful! I love the fact this place is close to Eastpointe. We have Hummous on Gratiot which probably gives bigger portions and some more unique items like the bread salsa but Cedar Garden does the basic things better overall.
(4)
Michael C.
Hummus! I stopped by to get carryout a few days ago, and I'm glad to see that they're still open. The carryout hummus I got was MASSIVE. I did a comparison to the usual grocery store stuff we buy - for the same price as the grocery store, Cedar Garden gave us TWICE the amount of hummus. Lordy! And delicious as I have come to expect. Seriously, why haven't you been here yet?
(5)
Lorna D.
Cedar Garden has stayed consistently good for years. The place is spacious and comfy, good for catch-up chats. I've found the servers to be quite friendly, especially the wonderful Amy. If you're strapped for cash the sandwiches are filling, tasty, and dirt cheap! I love the falafel, hummus and tabbouleh option. They have a milk smoothie that will make your eyes roll back, moist & marvelous tomato kibbie, and great, roasty-tasting baba gannoush. The salads are huge and very fresh, and the crushed lentil soup is a welcome comfort on a chilly day. They also have the rare and intriguing "cauliflower" dish, which was once banned from my workplace due to its face-scrunching stench! I have never seen this on a Middle Eastern menu anywhere else, and when I am in the mood for this unusual taste, NOTHING else will do. It's the strangest thing...it smells like a sewer but tastes AMAZING. I have actually gagged driving back to work with it in the car. Anyone who samples it though cannot believe how great it is, and you will be forced to rip it back out of their grasp! It's seared cauliflower and onions in a tahini sauce, and it is both an enigma and an addiction. You'll leave full, happy, and garlic-infused, tomorrow's lunch in hand.
(5)
Paul S.
My favorite Middle Easter place in the area. We always get fattoush salad with majadra and hummus, (I'm a big fan of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean and I think that their majedra is incredible), but almost all of their dishes are fantastic. Friendly waitstaff and inexpensive prices. Great all around. The decor of the restaurant is nothing special when you're dining in, but the food makes it worth it.
(4)
Jim H.
I have to lower my star rating for this restaurant, as it seems I've been finding more gristle in one of my favorite dishes there-the lamb schwarma. Had it been an isolated incident, I would have let it slide, but at least three times in a row, I've had to pull out big pieces of fat from my sandwich-YUCK. They really need to pay attention to meat prep.
(3)
Nancy O.
Horrible! I came here for lunch by myself. I walked in to find the waitress and manager and cook arguing in Arabic at each other. I was given a glass of water by the manager and never asked if I wanted anything to drink. I was ignored for about 5-10 minutes by the waitress until the manager asked if she helped me yet. He took my order and said bread was coming. He said bread was coming 2 more times until the busboy finally brought it. I ordered a soup and salad, they both came at the same time. No one asked how my meal was. My chicken swarma was the worst ever, it was all fatty and soggy. Inedible. The greens tasted good, but there was too much dressing. I put my credit card out and paid, got the hell out of there! Don't waste your money!
(1)
Melanie J.
I dream about this pita bread! I came here for lunch on a recommendation from a friend who lives in the area. We came during peak lunch hour and there were only a handful of tables filled, so we were seated right away. Even with the low number of patrons, the service was slow. We got our drink order put in right away, but it was a while before he came back and took our food order. No biggie because we were too consumed with pita bread and garlic sauce to care. The pita bread is no joke. It's fresh from the oven and has a flavor that I have never experienced at my usual Middle Eastern spots. It was also denser then what I'm used to......and just so delicious, especially lathered with garlic sauce. Mmmmm I decided to order the falafel plate, and wished that it came with some rice and hummous like I have been spoiled with at Anita's, so I ordered some rice on the side. The falafel was excellent. A great crust on the outside and soft and heavenly on the inside. The tahini was great and I loved the tomatoes and pickled veggies that were also served on the plate. My friend ordered the baked kibbee. She enjoyed it and consumed the entire plate, but said it was tough at parts. With the exception of service, the experience at Cedar Garden was fabulous and next time I'm in the area I'll be sure to drop in. In the meantime I will continue to dream about that pita bread.
(4)
Tomas T.
For the Detroit eastside, this is the best middle eastern food you will find. For the remainder of the country, this place is simply extraordinary. The food is great and the waitstaff is helpful and friendly. The interior and exterior could use some work, as it is very drab. However, I stop by here on a very regular basis to get a quick shawarma sandwich or the crushed lentil soup is great. The kebabs are excellent. The kibbee is good. The grape leaves are great. Everything I have had on this menu I love Especially the waitress Anna. She is hot and friendly and funny. Look for her. The pitas even come to the table warmed. Definitely stop by if you are ever in the area
(5)
Melissa K.
The service was really good and the food was out of this world!! The hummus and garlic bowl were soooo good and the bread -- can't even describe how great it was!!
(5)
Renee A.
I pass a middle eastern restaurant to go to Cedar Garden! The staff and food are consistent which is a awesome quality in a restaurant. Every time I order a dish I know what it will look and taste like :-). I judge middle eastern cuisine on the quality of the kibbeh nayheh, which is super great, along with the de-boned chicken. Ohhhhh yeah get the de-boned chicken, you will not at all be disappointed, you may even want to thank me for introducing you two. The garlic spread is delicious, so please order some for yourself to enjoy at your table, and do not forget to ask for a side order to take home. The only down side is that you will indeed be burping garlic after thought later in the evening, and you if you will be kissing someone, they had better eat the garlic spread as well. The funny belly dancing music is fun, and you can pick up a metro times at the front door. One of the few restaurants my chef husband loves.
(5)
B C.
The food here is so tasty. The crushed lentil soup is amazing. Their fattoush salad is better than most other middle easters fattoush salads. There's nothing to complain about in the food department, that's for sure. DELICIOUS! As for the staff/ service? Eh. Whenever I call to place a lunch order, they are quick and brief with me on the phone... borderline rude. They don't ask for a name, and I'm always afraid they are going to mess up the order because they never repeat it back to you. (even when you feel your order is complicated) BUT, my order has never been messed up. Impressive, guys! Also, there have been times when I walked in and ONE person was doing everything. They were answering the phone, bussing and waiting tables, cashing out carry-out. I was so stressed for her. All the customers, as well as she, had to be extra patient because things were taking a little longer to get done. This has happened several times. Nonetheless, they seem to have it down. Again, impressive, but still, you wish for their sake they would have the place better staffed.
(4)
Michael C.
I've been going to Cedar Garden for the past few months for lunch at work and I love it. It's been around for a while, but I just never went. The Shwarmas are great and I love their garlic sauce and hummus. The bread is always fresh, and I've never had to wait for my carryout like I sometimes do at other places.
(4)
M G.
Wow we were glad to read these yelp reviews and stopped by. We asked about the garlic sauce and the waitress immediately brought us some with warm pita. It is SO good! The pita bread alone is delicious...the type I might dream about later. The three of us got the sample platter. For about $33 we could have split it with 4-5 people easily (and we are big eaters ). It seems like all portions were big and tasty. One complaint is that the meats we're a bit dry...only more reason to slather them in garlic sauce, hummus, or tabuli! The waitress was really helpful and offered honest advice (like don't get a smoothie now or you might not be able to eat your meal and bringing us a thinner bread to eat with our meal so we didn't just fill up on pita.) we were really happy with the amount of attention and suggestions! I'm sad we live in Chicago and won't be able to stop by more often!
(5)
Chris Y.
I'm not an expert on middle eastern food but this is definitely one of the best places I have ever been for bread. The bread is so soft and chewy. The meats were well seasoned and juicy. The service was decent but not exceptional. The price was very reasonable. A meal for 2 with plenty of leftovers came out to less than $30.
(4)
chad g.
This is in my opinion the best Middle Eastern food in this area. Everything I have ever had here was perfect. It's always fresh and made to order. I recommend the Garlic Chicken with Hummous. I also have to say that the rice is the best I have had ANYWHERE. Ask for extra slivered almonds in it. I have always had great and friendly service from the female staff, but a few of the men seem a little smug. That would be my only complaint.
(5)
Ashley G.
After reading all of the great reviews I was excited to eat here. However, after waiting 5+ minutes to get 2 waters and some menus (even though there was only 1 other table in the whole place) my excitement began to dwindle. Ten minutes later, still no return to take our orders as we watched as the cooks sat and joked at the table across from us. When the person FINALLY returned, we opted to leave. First impressions are everything and this wasn't a good one.
(2)
Ricky P.
Awwwww YEAH GIMME SOME 'DAT GARLIC SPREAD. MmMmMmmmmm......Shwarma is good too.
(4)
Jeff F.
This is our absolute favorite middle eastern restaurant. The food here is always great and the service is great too!
(5)
Maureen D.
I agree this place is really good. One of my favorites is the fatoosh salad with tawook (chicken kabob) instead of shwarma. Try it. You'll love it! All the sandwiches and soups are great, too. Don't forget a "blood tune up" -freshly squeezed juice. I wonder, does it really work?
(5)
Jessica A.
Ya HAVE to get the pita bread with a side of the garlic sauce!
(4)
John K.
Amazing food, and friendly staff. Give's you plenty of food! Always enjoy coming here. Been to the other Cedar Garden in Dearborn, and this one is just as good! So happy to have one close to home.
(5)
Annie B.
I've only been here once, but in one sitting I sampled so much of the food, I thought I was knowledgeable enough to give it 5 stars! ha First off, the bread is amazing. Soft, warm, fresh..little fluffy pillows of bread. Not like typical large, flat pita bread. You really need to try it with a side of "garlic dip/spread", mmmm (an additional $1.50 or so). The prices are really good, particularly the schwarma and other wraps, they were around $2 to $4. I split a huge "sampler" type meal with my cousin and we split the tab ($11 a peice) The crushed lentil soup is realy good....thick yet creamy. Not too bland, but not too overpowering. Just a good all-around flavor. The sampler meal (argh i dont remember what it's called) came with some soup or salad, Chicken, Beef, Lamb, rice, falafel, more garlic dip, hummus, and other condiments. I would really reccomend as a way to try many of their offerings at once. I've been to other middle eastern places around the East Side and this one is my favorite so far. Everything was just so good, and the people who work there are really friendly. They never placed judgement after re-filling our bread basket about 6 times haha.
(5)
Matthew P.
This place killed it for me! Today I treated my two co-worker lady friends for sweetest day. I had heard rave things out of one of them who lives only a few miles away, and comes here often. Up by our place of work, there is a poor excuse for a Middle Eastern restaurant. First was the in house flat bread. Warm, soft, fresh, and with just a bit of chew. Ask for the garlic sauce to go with it. Their's is a mild yogurt base garlic spread that was not overpowering at all. Perfect! Crushed lentil soup was buttery smooth, but a hint of that crushed lentil grittiness came through at the end of the bite. It reminds you that this is home made, and fresh. Touch of pepper added table side, yum yum. For lunch we enjoyed many sandwiches, which are priced amazingly at $3.79, and big in my opinion. I had the lamb grape leaves, with hummus sandwich (so rolled up in a pita and baked / grilled I'm not sure). Oh man, the flavor combo was lovely. It was a little 'soft' as far as pallet texture overall as the silky hummus meshed with the grape leaves inside. MY second sandwich was my FAV. The Lamb Ghallaba is packed with red, and green peppers, perfectly cooked rice, and the most amazing lamb. I was pulling bits of lamb from the sandwich to try on its own. OMG what amazing flavor. I wanted to order 25 of them to go, and hug them. One lady friend had the same lamb grape leave sandwich and loved it. The other enjoyed the vegetable grape leaves with baba inside and loved it. YUM! Service was very attentive, and water was always full.
(5)
David R.
This place is the real deal. There are so many good Middle Eastern restaurants in the area, and this is one of the best. Plenty of parking in front or in the back. Plenty of booths and tables inside. The servers are attentive and friendly. The food is just heavenly. I especially like the juices they blend. They have a juice station near the back door that has piles of delicious vegetables they use for their juices. The hummus, the lentil soup, the lamb... it just goes on and on. Big portions, deliciously spiced. You can't lose here, and it could turn into a semi-regular addiction.
(4)
Jacqueline K.
Top notch, and sorely lacking in the area. Great service, quick, and great value for the dollar. Falafel is fresh and tasty, baba is excellent, hummus is excellent, spinach feta salad is so fresh, and the manoushi bread.....hot and delicious. You can't go wrong here.
(4)
Richard K.
They jack up their prices on carry outs. I ordered a chicken shwarma ($3.50) and a small humous ($3.50) and they charged me over $9. It's a ripoff. Then the guy stares at you for not tipping. Get your prices right and maybe I'd leave something for doing your job and putting stuff in a bag. Not going back.
(1)
Tim R.
If you like homestyle Lebanese cuisine, this is the place. The whole lentil soup is very authentic. Everything is very fresh. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The baked kibbie and lentil kibbie are my personal favorites!
(5)
John C.
Decent middle eastern food. Nothing special but not bad. Service, food, and prices were all average at best. Hummus was really good as was the bread. I ordered shush tawook sandwich it was ok but chicken was kind of fatty and mostly dark meat. Chicken shawarma was decent and the boneless chicken with rice was ok but I've had better. Dining room is dated. Average all-around.
The food is good, your standard middle eastern dishes you can order anywhere. The hot baked bread is a plus plus. I smother it with the fresh garlic mayo. This is where I go to eat lemony crushed lentil soup, streaming hot bread, fattoush salad and a sandwich. ..ALWAYS delicious. Another review mentioned the decour, yes it is tired but it's clean. It could use new carpet but like the owner says. If I change everything I have to raise prices. If I raise prices people will go somewhere else.
(4)
Jeanette M.
My very favorite middle eastern restaurant. What judge all others by. This is always a stop while we're in town. Shish combo get you everything you need to try. Love the baba here, smokey flavor makes it extra yummy.
(5)
Bob J.
Well hadn't been to Cedar Gardens in a couple of years...all other times good had been ok...this time we ordered take out...got it home - what a disappointment...ordered 2 Chicken Schwarmas...the chicken was incinerated...couldn't have been drier if it had been smoked for 3 months!...the potatoes were limp and greasy...and despite the fact that the food was immediately taken home - 2 miles and consumed upon arrival it was almost stone cold!...sorry but won't ever be eating there or take out again ...absolutely nauseating...almost forgot - the rice puddings were watery!!
(1)
Crystal F.
Pretty good. I've gotten carry out a few times, never eaten in. My only complaint is that once I went and was pretty much ignored for 5-10 mins waiting to put my order in. And the prices on the online menu are not accurate AT ALL- they are just a bit higher- which was disappointing. Good is pretty good- salad doesn't have nearly enough lettuce.
(4)
Barbie M.
I've been a fan of Cedar Garden for ages! I have never once received bad food or service. Their food is always fresh and delicious. Want to stuff your face with salad and garlic sauce? This is the place to do it. I eat so much of their garlic sauce I offend myself I stink like garlic so bad ahaha! My fav is the the appetizer trio, it comes with hoummous, baba, tabouli. I get that and a fatoosh and throw down! The fresh/raw juices are phenom too! I love a carrot and apple combo, so tasty, refreshing and good for you. I know this place has gotten some bad reviews or flack but as I said they have never done me wrong so I will continue to go until I see or receive bad food and or service. Get the garlic sauce!!! GET IT!!!
(4)
Christina S.
I really like the food here, but the owners are always fighting very loudly and it kind of ruins the experience. There always yelling at each other and Arabic even when it's really quiet in there. It makes for a very awkward lunch. Their food is so good but I feel like they need Robert Irvine from the food network to come stop in.
(2)
Keith C.
Great food and prices. The Chicken Swarma Salid, Kafka and garlic sauce was fantastic! Sandwich menu is great with most costing only 5 to 6 dollars. A real find in SCS!
(4)
Blake W.
This is a hidden gem that most over look this place has great food but best of all their free bread is amazing. They give you this bread that you can dip in their garlic sauce that is just magical. Anyways...the rest of their food is very good and the prices are fair. I would recommend giving them a try.
(4)
Crystal S.
Clean restaurant, very attentive staff and delicious, fresh food.
(5)
Will B.
Huge disappointment. I went here based on local St. Clair Shores people telling me how great it is, and numerous Yelp reviews bragging about the quality. I was hugely disappointed. The atmosphere is horrible. It's drab, tacky, and distasteful. The place reeks like a greasy spoon. I almost left when I walked in, but figured I was there, may as well give it a shot. Wish I would have left... The menu is a cluttered mess, and doesn't really explain what you're getting. I ordered the hummus and lamb entree, and my date ordered beef tenderloin shish kabob, and a fetush salad. The salad was decent, nothing special. Her tenderloin shish kabob were horrible. Over-cooked, dry, and bland. Nothing else on the plate, horrible presentation. My "hummus and lamb" was disgusting. It was literally a pile of oily, tiny, over-cooked lamb bits in the middle of a huge pile of hummus with some pine nuts. The hummus was actually good, but everything else was disgusting. My "entree" was $14, and seemed much more like an appetizer. That said, I felt like I had to order something with hummus as they don't really include it with their meals. I'm used to Middle Eastern places PILING you with hummus and tabouli, but not this joint. Everything is extra here. Go to Ikes in Warren. They include one or the other with every entree (I love that you can go to Ikes with two people, one order tabouli and the other hummus and get everything with your meal, and there's definitely enough to share at Ikes). Our waitress was terrible. She talked incessantly to the table behind us, ignored us the whole time, and complained about "working 5 days a week"... She literally said the phrase "do you know what it's like being here 5 days per week" 7-8 times to the table behind us, as if it was such a tragedy that she had to work for a living. Maybe her parents owned the joint or something, but sorry Dollface, most people work 5+ days per week, and they work a helluva lot harder than she does. Get a new job if all you're going to do is complain about your current form of employment. This is a place I won't be returning to. I'm looking forward to trying Hummus Grill in Eastpointe, and I absolutely love Ikes, my go-to East side Middle Eastern spot. Never again Cedar Garden, your food is garbage. I feel bad for people that actually think this place is good. They're probably comparing it to Steve's Back Room down the street on Jefferson, another huge Eastside Middle Eastern food fail...
(1)
Shelley W.
The food is delicious from salads to bread and garlic to entrees. The place could use a little update inside and the prices are a little high. But the food is so good it's worth it.
(4)
Ernesto V.
This place has in average very good reviews, and that's what drew me in in the first place. However, all I can speak for is my own experience today, and it wasn't all that great at all. I love all kinds of Middle Eastern food, from falafel, to tabouli, to kabobs, hummus, fatoush salad, chicken and lamb shwarma, etc.... but I usually start experiencing a new restaurant via their fatoush salad with lamb shwarma. That's what I ordered today, and unfortunately it was the blandest fatoush salad I've ever had. The ingredients were actually very fresh and crisp, but the dressing makes or breaks a good fatoush salad, and this dressing was mostly oil and not much else. A good fatoush salad dressing has a fun balance of oil, vinegar, lemon, sumac, parsley, etc.... This dressing again was mostly oil, with not much flavor... so it was very unimpressive. The lamb shwarma meat was also not the best I've ever had. It was hard, a bit dry, and not as savory as I expect, but it was nice and warm when served on my salad so I'll give them that. One good thing to mention about the salad was the size of the salad, I think it's of a good fair quantity for the price. On another note, it was nice to get a basket of pita breads quickly upon sitting down, but these pita breads were very "un-middle eastern".. they don't have that nice warm split, relatively thin layer, and comforting taste of a good pita bread, instead it was thick and cakey, and tasted very much like a dinner roll.... So it's more like a dinner roll in the shape of a pita bread... disappointing... And what made my experience really uncomfortable was that the waitress and the cook were arguing and yelling over if an order were 2 chicken shwarma sandwiches or chicken shwarma salads or whatever that was about... you don't do that in front of your customers... The ambience is ok standard, but a bit dirty, though I feel the place is probably nice and quiet most of the time... However, I was very tense during my lunch because of the arguing in front of me, and because the food was just not up to par. I finished my meal wishing I could get another lunch hour from work to go to a good restaurant and actually enjoy my food... but alas my lunch hour is over, and I'm actually full.. so it'll have to wait for another day. I would not recommend this restaurant. Try Sahara's down the street on Harper =)
(1)
Kelly A.
Fattoush salad. Garlic dip and bread is the best around.. Love the chicken shawarma. Service is great. It's clean. I didn't like any middle eastern food until I tried Cedar Gardens. Family is very nice that owns it. Don't pass up trying this place.
(5)
Lauren P.
I convinced a large group to go here because of the ratings, however none of us had a good experience. The chicken was very dry. Service wasn't bad but not very fast. Prices are high.
(2)
Nicole G.
Dining in here is better, you get the fresh warm pita bread at the table! Love everything I've sampled from menu. Vegetarian Kibbie, as recommended by the waitress, was delicious. Hearty, wonderfully spiced, and served warm with caramelized onion on top. Meatless grape leaves are among my favorites. Carry outs are always Correct! This is a huge bonus because I'm not sure all restaurants put as much effort into accuracy on carry outs. Prices are reasonable and portions generous.
(4)
Ruffy L.
Leisurely ate my lunch here today at the recommendation of a friend who, I believe has long been a patron of this place. The atmosphere was most definitely Mediterranean especially the beading on the chandeliers (ok, I am an artist and very observant ok? lol). I ordered a lunch chicken shawarma and boy was it GOOD! The spices were just right for my taste and the rice have bits of almonds on them -- a major plus for me since I LOVE almonds! The service was timely. The server was courteous. The garlic sauce, a staple for any Mediterranean restaurant, was just right. So why the for stars? I am a creature of habit. Every Mediterranean place I have ever eaten has pitas I can open, where I can stuff the meat in them and then spread the garlic sauce over the meat, fold it and then eat it like a pita (hence the name!). Cedar Gardens' pitas I can NOT open!!!! ARGH!!!!! So I have to eat my chicken sans the pita bread. :-( On my way out though, there seems to be redemption as I saw the KIND of pita I want with my shawarma or tawook! I will definitely come back AND confident that my next visit WILL get the extra star missing from this one... (to be continued...) *** after some thought, I think CG DO deserve the other star so I am giving it to them! :?)
(5)
Charmaine F.
I went here today after working out to grab something from the juice bar. Juice was yummy and fresh, the waitress offered humus and garlic sauce while we waited and it was yummy. I will go back for juice and probably some take out.
(4)
R R.
Excellent food; perhaps among the best Middle Eastern cuisine I've ever had. However, the staff is QUITE rude, especially the manager (a taller, bigger guy). He was very dismissive, seemed bothered by my questions and seemed to intently watch me fill out the receipt for my carryout to see what kind of a tip I was going to give. Overall, I felt like my business wasn't appreciated, and though the food was great, I'd have to think twice before going back.
(3)
K B.
Ive never eaten in the restaurant. Only take out. But the food is so good! Hummus is very yummy. And the meat is great, the beef was a bit overcooked last time but was still good. Come here for great middle eastern food!
(4)
Debbie H.
We get our Lebanese fix at Cedar Garden and we rate it 4 stars for a few reasons. One, of course is that the food is very good. We get the dinner for two ... comes with chicken, beef and lamb, plenty of rice, pita bread, and tahini. It's excellent. We also get the bread (not the pitas) with a side of hummus which is worth the visit alone. The lemonade is phenomenal ... I'm not sure what's in it, I taste lemon, orange or tangerine ... anyway, it's one thing I will not go without on our stops here. Another positive for Cedar Garden has always been the service ... very friendly and welcoming. Finally, the carry-out is almost as good as the dine-in. We've ordered "to go" a few times and were happy with the portions and freshness.
(4)
Mike P.
I'm new to the concept of an expense account. I'm used to having to spend my own money on going out to eat. But being on business travel means that if you're lucky, you will be able to say "I spent $X on food today, which I wouldn't have done if you sent me to this far-away land to take pictures of server racks and pore through emails looking for software licensing agreements and vendor contacts. I'd like my $X back, maybe with interest to cover for the existential isolation and angst of being away from my wife, my house, and my cats." (For the record, I miss them dearly, and I know that they miss the guy who feeds them in the evenings, too) So when lunchtime came around on Client Onboarding Day 2: the Search for Software, I wanted to continue my hopes of never doing the same cuisine twice on this trip. Having loved pretty much everything I've ever eaten at any Middle Eastern restaurant back in the heavily Arab/Muslim enclave of South Paterson, Cedar Garden leapt out at me. This place is nice and big, and there was more than one lunch gathering on this otherwise normal-seeming Tuesday in the Detroit metro area Lebanese hot spot. It's in a nice little mini mall area with completely confusing parking. It's a one-way thing with no real space if you're driving a gigantic SUV which was foisted upon you by the rental car people when they had nothing small enough to give for your price range. I mean, what kind of an "upgrade" is it when they give you a freakin' Dodge Journey SUV over that awesome Mustang sitting over there? ;_; Anyway, the menu is crazy extensive. There's real freakin' Lebanese food out there! They make their own strained yogurt, and they had the actual raw lamb kibbie. I saw that on Tony Bourdain's visit to Detroit and was dying to try it, but I wanted to kinda keep things lightweight. The bread is fresh, homemade, and brought out warm and delicious. This is not some storebought pita, this is real and it is legit. Perfect with their tzatziki, which I should have thought twice about ordering - despite this not being a GREEK restaurant, this was my genius move of the day. /sarcasm It needed more mint and more garlic, but it was nice as a cucumber-yogurt dip. The real star was the vegetarian stuffed grape leaves. Normally I enjoy my meat but I wanted to keep things easy, but for $6 I got six or seven delicious, WARM and freshly made stuffed grape leaves. Damn, this is a value. The star came off for the tzatziki... it was my fault for not ordering the baba ghanoush like I thought I should do (wife doesn't like eggplant, wife is allergic to garlic... why order anything else when it's just me?!) but it was still just okay. Not bad, but not too good either. Definitely worth coming back... next time I hope to do so in a car that's easier to park in their dang front lot.
(4)
Msf I.
Eatten here for years; guests are always impressed. Reasonable value, though not inexpensive. Expansive menu, consistent quality of cuisine. The only downside might be the inconsisent service; never know if its going to be stellar, or spotty. The food is worth the inconsistent service. Owners: try a smile and a friendly word. Makes all the difference in the world!
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Bob L.
Ate here recently with a group of four. Not impressed. Dirty interior, flat-affect staff with strange attitudes, waitresses outside smoking cigarettes between orders, something gross and grimy about the whole place. We were given lots of hot bread but this is not the traditional thin pita bread but a puffy white bread that didn't go well with the hummous and tabouli. My fattoush tawook salad had minimal pita chips with overpowering dressing topped with old dry chicken parts. Strange and oily taste. This is a standard dish so how can it get messed up? YUCK! The schwarma's are no big deal. Cheap grape leaves rolled around cheap rice. The roasted cauliflower was cold and not cooked through. A member of our party ordered a hamburger advertised on the menu as the Cedar Burger. It was served as a burned brick of meat on a stale hamburger bun. Unbelievable that a restaurant would have the gall to put this on a plate and serve it to a customer. It was almost like an Arabic F-you. Best bets are the crushed lentil soup. Overall, this is poor Arabic food and kinda overpriced for the quality served. There are too many better Arabic restaurants in the tri-county area. Seek them out. Avoid this one.
(2)Keristyn H.
There service is great! They are super quick too. I really enjoyed the food as well, but it is a tad pricy.
(4)Kathryn G.
Good place if you're looking for a quick vegetarian dish to go.
(2)J F.
1) The food just wasn't good. I ordered the vegetarian combo; it was unappetizing and blah. 2) ***Most importantly**** I was completely stared down and felt awkward, unwelcome, and out of place when I walked in and out of this place. I would have actually given the food a 2nd chance if it weren't for the unfriendly staff members that were mainly creepy men. GET NEW STAFF, preferably a friendly female to make this place less creepy.
(1)Kevin S.
Great Shish Tawook, Great Hummas and Great Salad....however a member of the waitstaff leaned over to pick up plates on my table and I almost puked the smell was HORRIBLE. Body odor and food don't go well together. Come for the food....but be ready for the "Smells"
(4)Penny Z.
Great food. Nice waitress. The manager should get fired for telling us a half hour before closing that we should go elsewhere since they are closing in a half hour. I thought that if the door says they close at 9 that they will seat people until 9 not 820.
(4)KJ D.
I've been coming to this place for over 15 years, and this is the first thought I've had to review it. Lately, as my craving for middle eastern food has been overwhelming, I've think I've been here 10 times in the past 2 months, for lunch, for dinner, for carryout. I really like the hummus and lamb or hummus and chicken plates. Both give a lot of food that is so tasty and savory, I can't get enough. I also love the fatoush, which is perfectly seasoned in my opinion. I usually get a few schwarma sandwiches to take home to eat for lunch the next time. When you dine in, you get a basket of wonderful puffy pita breads with your meal. (Although when you order carry out, they only give you store bought, flat pita.) And usually the staff is very friendly. On my last visit to get carryout last week, I do have to admit that the man working the cash register who took our carryout order was not super friendly, actually he looked pi**ed about something... and while the food was good, the fatoush was not up to par, but I will not fault them for that one snowy night. I have always enjoyed this place.
(5)Zach P.
Good food, rude employees.
(4)Bill B.
Where do I start with Cedar Garden? Salads are brightly verdant, large and subtly dressed. Appetizers such as cauliflower, onions and tahini sauce (my personal crack) are so savory. Vegetarian dishes, from the basic falafel sandwich to mjadra (lentils and cracked wheat) and lentil kibbie are polished and tasty. Smoothies and fresh juices (love the lemonade) are sweet-tarty perfection. Cedar Garden sets the bar high for Lebanese cuisine. If you're remotely nearby, you owe yourself a trip there.
(5)Suzan M.
We ordered takeout yesterday- a veggie combo platter and lamb kabob entree. And tabouli. So sad to say that it's really gone downhill. The cabbage rolls were good. But the tabouli was DRENCHED in canola oil!!!!! And the lamb was like leather. (They asked how I'd like it cooked and I said medium. Plus it was in strips, not kebob skewer squares. The rice was good. Everything else was meh at best. I used to love their falafel and now it's just a bland fried ball. I was pretty upset bc this was my only shot at Middle Eastern food while visiting home.
(2)Sam M.
Great food abd very attentive staff, same consistency, salad dressing is delicious and sautee mushrooms is a must try
(4)Shannon S.
Authentic and Awesome!! Everything from the hummous, tabouli, grape leaves, bread, veggies, tzatziki, and falaffel....YUM YUM YUM!!!!
(4)Carole H.
FRESH. Inexpensive. Huge portions. Delicious. The pita & garlic spread must have crack sprinkled in them.
(5)Tony S.
I've been here off and on for 10 years or whenever they opened. It used to be one of my favorites, it's comparable to La Shish in taste quality. I never thought La Shish was the best, but they were pretty much the standard of quality. They do most dishes very well but their grilled green pepper, carrots and onions are the best! I only wish they'd put more in their dishes. I haven't asked but they'd probably put more in for an extra charge. I got a Gallaba once where the vegetables were barely cooked but maybe the normal cook wasn't there that day or something. Someone mentioned the owners yelling at each other. It's funny but it does seem like there is some tension in there, maybe it's from trying to keep up the quality of the food, that's probably stressful! I love the fact this place is close to Eastpointe. We have Hummous on Gratiot which probably gives bigger portions and some more unique items like the bread salsa but Cedar Garden does the basic things better overall.
(4)Michael C.
Hummus! I stopped by to get carryout a few days ago, and I'm glad to see that they're still open. The carryout hummus I got was MASSIVE. I did a comparison to the usual grocery store stuff we buy - for the same price as the grocery store, Cedar Garden gave us TWICE the amount of hummus. Lordy! And delicious as I have come to expect. Seriously, why haven't you been here yet?
(5)Lorna D.
Cedar Garden has stayed consistently good for years. The place is spacious and comfy, good for catch-up chats. I've found the servers to be quite friendly, especially the wonderful Amy. If you're strapped for cash the sandwiches are filling, tasty, and dirt cheap! I love the falafel, hummus and tabbouleh option. They have a milk smoothie that will make your eyes roll back, moist & marvelous tomato kibbie, and great, roasty-tasting baba gannoush. The salads are huge and very fresh, and the crushed lentil soup is a welcome comfort on a chilly day. They also have the rare and intriguing "cauliflower" dish, which was once banned from my workplace due to its face-scrunching stench! I have never seen this on a Middle Eastern menu anywhere else, and when I am in the mood for this unusual taste, NOTHING else will do. It's the strangest thing...it smells like a sewer but tastes AMAZING. I have actually gagged driving back to work with it in the car. Anyone who samples it though cannot believe how great it is, and you will be forced to rip it back out of their grasp! It's seared cauliflower and onions in a tahini sauce, and it is both an enigma and an addiction. You'll leave full, happy, and garlic-infused, tomorrow's lunch in hand.
(5)Paul S.
My favorite Middle Easter place in the area. We always get fattoush salad with majadra and hummus, (I'm a big fan of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean and I think that their majedra is incredible), but almost all of their dishes are fantastic. Friendly waitstaff and inexpensive prices. Great all around. The decor of the restaurant is nothing special when you're dining in, but the food makes it worth it.
(4)Jim H.
I have to lower my star rating for this restaurant, as it seems I've been finding more gristle in one of my favorite dishes there-the lamb schwarma. Had it been an isolated incident, I would have let it slide, but at least three times in a row, I've had to pull out big pieces of fat from my sandwich-YUCK. They really need to pay attention to meat prep.
(3)Nancy O.
Horrible! I came here for lunch by myself. I walked in to find the waitress and manager and cook arguing in Arabic at each other. I was given a glass of water by the manager and never asked if I wanted anything to drink. I was ignored for about 5-10 minutes by the waitress until the manager asked if she helped me yet. He took my order and said bread was coming. He said bread was coming 2 more times until the busboy finally brought it. I ordered a soup and salad, they both came at the same time. No one asked how my meal was. My chicken swarma was the worst ever, it was all fatty and soggy. Inedible. The greens tasted good, but there was too much dressing. I put my credit card out and paid, got the hell out of there! Don't waste your money!
(1)Melanie J.
I dream about this pita bread! I came here for lunch on a recommendation from a friend who lives in the area. We came during peak lunch hour and there were only a handful of tables filled, so we were seated right away. Even with the low number of patrons, the service was slow. We got our drink order put in right away, but it was a while before he came back and took our food order. No biggie because we were too consumed with pita bread and garlic sauce to care. The pita bread is no joke. It's fresh from the oven and has a flavor that I have never experienced at my usual Middle Eastern spots. It was also denser then what I'm used to......and just so delicious, especially lathered with garlic sauce. Mmmmm I decided to order the falafel plate, and wished that it came with some rice and hummous like I have been spoiled with at Anita's, so I ordered some rice on the side. The falafel was excellent. A great crust on the outside and soft and heavenly on the inside. The tahini was great and I loved the tomatoes and pickled veggies that were also served on the plate. My friend ordered the baked kibbee. She enjoyed it and consumed the entire plate, but said it was tough at parts. With the exception of service, the experience at Cedar Garden was fabulous and next time I'm in the area I'll be sure to drop in. In the meantime I will continue to dream about that pita bread.
(4)Tomas T.
For the Detroit eastside, this is the best middle eastern food you will find. For the remainder of the country, this place is simply extraordinary. The food is great and the waitstaff is helpful and friendly. The interior and exterior could use some work, as it is very drab. However, I stop by here on a very regular basis to get a quick shawarma sandwich or the crushed lentil soup is great. The kebabs are excellent. The kibbee is good. The grape leaves are great. Everything I have had on this menu I love Especially the waitress Anna. She is hot and friendly and funny. Look for her. The pitas even come to the table warmed. Definitely stop by if you are ever in the area
(5)Melissa K.
The service was really good and the food was out of this world!! The hummus and garlic bowl were soooo good and the bread -- can't even describe how great it was!!
(5)Renee A.
I pass a middle eastern restaurant to go to Cedar Garden! The staff and food are consistent which is a awesome quality in a restaurant. Every time I order a dish I know what it will look and taste like :-). I judge middle eastern cuisine on the quality of the kibbeh nayheh, which is super great, along with the de-boned chicken. Ohhhhh yeah get the de-boned chicken, you will not at all be disappointed, you may even want to thank me for introducing you two. The garlic spread is delicious, so please order some for yourself to enjoy at your table, and do not forget to ask for a side order to take home. The only down side is that you will indeed be burping garlic after thought later in the evening, and you if you will be kissing someone, they had better eat the garlic spread as well. The funny belly dancing music is fun, and you can pick up a metro times at the front door. One of the few restaurants my chef husband loves.
(5)B C.
The food here is so tasty. The crushed lentil soup is amazing. Their fattoush salad is better than most other middle easters fattoush salads. There's nothing to complain about in the food department, that's for sure. DELICIOUS! As for the staff/ service? Eh. Whenever I call to place a lunch order, they are quick and brief with me on the phone... borderline rude. They don't ask for a name, and I'm always afraid they are going to mess up the order because they never repeat it back to you. (even when you feel your order is complicated) BUT, my order has never been messed up. Impressive, guys! Also, there have been times when I walked in and ONE person was doing everything. They were answering the phone, bussing and waiting tables, cashing out carry-out. I was so stressed for her. All the customers, as well as she, had to be extra patient because things were taking a little longer to get done. This has happened several times. Nonetheless, they seem to have it down. Again, impressive, but still, you wish for their sake they would have the place better staffed.
(4)Michael C.
I've been going to Cedar Garden for the past few months for lunch at work and I love it. It's been around for a while, but I just never went. The Shwarmas are great and I love their garlic sauce and hummus. The bread is always fresh, and I've never had to wait for my carryout like I sometimes do at other places.
(4)M G.
Wow we were glad to read these yelp reviews and stopped by. We asked about the garlic sauce and the waitress immediately brought us some with warm pita. It is SO good! The pita bread alone is delicious...the type I might dream about later. The three of us got the sample platter. For about $33 we could have split it with 4-5 people easily (and we are big eaters ). It seems like all portions were big and tasty. One complaint is that the meats we're a bit dry...only more reason to slather them in garlic sauce, hummus, or tabuli! The waitress was really helpful and offered honest advice (like don't get a smoothie now or you might not be able to eat your meal and bringing us a thinner bread to eat with our meal so we didn't just fill up on pita.) we were really happy with the amount of attention and suggestions! I'm sad we live in Chicago and won't be able to stop by more often!
(5)Chris Y.
I'm not an expert on middle eastern food but this is definitely one of the best places I have ever been for bread. The bread is so soft and chewy. The meats were well seasoned and juicy. The service was decent but not exceptional. The price was very reasonable. A meal for 2 with plenty of leftovers came out to less than $30.
(4)chad g.
This is in my opinion the best Middle Eastern food in this area. Everything I have ever had here was perfect. It's always fresh and made to order. I recommend the Garlic Chicken with Hummous. I also have to say that the rice is the best I have had ANYWHERE. Ask for extra slivered almonds in it. I have always had great and friendly service from the female staff, but a few of the men seem a little smug. That would be my only complaint.
(5)Ashley G.
After reading all of the great reviews I was excited to eat here. However, after waiting 5+ minutes to get 2 waters and some menus (even though there was only 1 other table in the whole place) my excitement began to dwindle. Ten minutes later, still no return to take our orders as we watched as the cooks sat and joked at the table across from us. When the person FINALLY returned, we opted to leave. First impressions are everything and this wasn't a good one.
(2)Ricky P.
Awwwww YEAH GIMME SOME 'DAT GARLIC SPREAD. MmMmMmmmmm......Shwarma is good too.
(4)Jeff F.
This is our absolute favorite middle eastern restaurant. The food here is always great and the service is great too!
(5)Maureen D.
I agree this place is really good. One of my favorites is the fatoosh salad with tawook (chicken kabob) instead of shwarma. Try it. You'll love it! All the sandwiches and soups are great, too. Don't forget a "blood tune up" -freshly squeezed juice. I wonder, does it really work?
(5)Jessica A.
Ya HAVE to get the pita bread with a side of the garlic sauce!
(4)John K.
Amazing food, and friendly staff. Give's you plenty of food! Always enjoy coming here. Been to the other Cedar Garden in Dearborn, and this one is just as good! So happy to have one close to home.
(5)Annie B.
I've only been here once, but in one sitting I sampled so much of the food, I thought I was knowledgeable enough to give it 5 stars! ha First off, the bread is amazing. Soft, warm, fresh..little fluffy pillows of bread. Not like typical large, flat pita bread. You really need to try it with a side of "garlic dip/spread", mmmm (an additional $1.50 or so). The prices are really good, particularly the schwarma and other wraps, they were around $2 to $4. I split a huge "sampler" type meal with my cousin and we split the tab ($11 a peice) The crushed lentil soup is realy good....thick yet creamy. Not too bland, but not too overpowering. Just a good all-around flavor. The sampler meal (argh i dont remember what it's called) came with some soup or salad, Chicken, Beef, Lamb, rice, falafel, more garlic dip, hummus, and other condiments. I would really reccomend as a way to try many of their offerings at once. I've been to other middle eastern places around the East Side and this one is my favorite so far. Everything was just so good, and the people who work there are really friendly. They never placed judgement after re-filling our bread basket about 6 times haha.
(5)Matthew P.
This place killed it for me! Today I treated my two co-worker lady friends for sweetest day. I had heard rave things out of one of them who lives only a few miles away, and comes here often. Up by our place of work, there is a poor excuse for a Middle Eastern restaurant. First was the in house flat bread. Warm, soft, fresh, and with just a bit of chew. Ask for the garlic sauce to go with it. Their's is a mild yogurt base garlic spread that was not overpowering at all. Perfect! Crushed lentil soup was buttery smooth, but a hint of that crushed lentil grittiness came through at the end of the bite. It reminds you that this is home made, and fresh. Touch of pepper added table side, yum yum. For lunch we enjoyed many sandwiches, which are priced amazingly at $3.79, and big in my opinion. I had the lamb grape leaves, with hummus sandwich (so rolled up in a pita and baked / grilled I'm not sure). Oh man, the flavor combo was lovely. It was a little 'soft' as far as pallet texture overall as the silky hummus meshed with the grape leaves inside. MY second sandwich was my FAV. The Lamb Ghallaba is packed with red, and green peppers, perfectly cooked rice, and the most amazing lamb. I was pulling bits of lamb from the sandwich to try on its own. OMG what amazing flavor. I wanted to order 25 of them to go, and hug them. One lady friend had the same lamb grape leave sandwich and loved it. The other enjoyed the vegetable grape leaves with baba inside and loved it. YUM! Service was very attentive, and water was always full.
(5)David R.
This place is the real deal. There are so many good Middle Eastern restaurants in the area, and this is one of the best. Plenty of parking in front or in the back. Plenty of booths and tables inside. The servers are attentive and friendly. The food is just heavenly. I especially like the juices they blend. They have a juice station near the back door that has piles of delicious vegetables they use for their juices. The hummus, the lentil soup, the lamb... it just goes on and on. Big portions, deliciously spiced. You can't lose here, and it could turn into a semi-regular addiction.
(4)Jacqueline K.
Top notch, and sorely lacking in the area. Great service, quick, and great value for the dollar. Falafel is fresh and tasty, baba is excellent, hummus is excellent, spinach feta salad is so fresh, and the manoushi bread.....hot and delicious. You can't go wrong here.
(4)Richard K.
They jack up their prices on carry outs. I ordered a chicken shwarma ($3.50) and a small humous ($3.50) and they charged me over $9. It's a ripoff. Then the guy stares at you for not tipping. Get your prices right and maybe I'd leave something for doing your job and putting stuff in a bag. Not going back.
(1)Tim R.
If you like homestyle Lebanese cuisine, this is the place. The whole lentil soup is very authentic. Everything is very fresh. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The baked kibbie and lentil kibbie are my personal favorites!
(5)John C.
Decent middle eastern food. Nothing special but not bad. Service, food, and prices were all average at best. Hummus was really good as was the bread. I ordered shush tawook sandwich it was ok but chicken was kind of fatty and mostly dark meat. Chicken shawarma was decent and the boneless chicken with rice was ok but I've had better. Dining room is dated. Average all-around.
(3)Jack M.
Was in St. Clair Shores and stopped her for lunch with a friend. Read some reviews talking about the décor..when I want good Middle Eastern food the décor is the last thing I am concerned about. Having worked in Dearborn I have hit many places. Cedar Garden food was very solid from soup to salad to entrée. Everything was fresh and flavorful. If I did not live so far away I would be a regular.
(4)Jo N.
The food is good, your standard middle eastern dishes you can order anywhere. The hot baked bread is a plus plus. I smother it with the fresh garlic mayo. This is where I go to eat lemony crushed lentil soup, streaming hot bread, fattoush salad and a sandwich. ..ALWAYS delicious. Another review mentioned the decour, yes it is tired but it's clean. It could use new carpet but like the owner says. If I change everything I have to raise prices. If I raise prices people will go somewhere else.
(4)Jeanette M.
My very favorite middle eastern restaurant. What judge all others by. This is always a stop while we're in town. Shish combo get you everything you need to try. Love the baba here, smokey flavor makes it extra yummy.
(5)Bob J.
Well hadn't been to Cedar Gardens in a couple of years...all other times good had been ok...this time we ordered take out...got it home - what a disappointment...ordered 2 Chicken Schwarmas...the chicken was incinerated...couldn't have been drier if it had been smoked for 3 months!...the potatoes were limp and greasy...and despite the fact that the food was immediately taken home - 2 miles and consumed upon arrival it was almost stone cold!...sorry but won't ever be eating there or take out again ...absolutely nauseating...almost forgot - the rice puddings were watery!!
(1)Crystal F.
Pretty good. I've gotten carry out a few times, never eaten in. My only complaint is that once I went and was pretty much ignored for 5-10 mins waiting to put my order in. And the prices on the online menu are not accurate AT ALL- they are just a bit higher- which was disappointing. Good is pretty good- salad doesn't have nearly enough lettuce.
(4)Barbie M.
I've been a fan of Cedar Garden for ages! I have never once received bad food or service. Their food is always fresh and delicious. Want to stuff your face with salad and garlic sauce? This is the place to do it. I eat so much of their garlic sauce I offend myself I stink like garlic so bad ahaha! My fav is the the appetizer trio, it comes with hoummous, baba, tabouli. I get that and a fatoosh and throw down! The fresh/raw juices are phenom too! I love a carrot and apple combo, so tasty, refreshing and good for you. I know this place has gotten some bad reviews or flack but as I said they have never done me wrong so I will continue to go until I see or receive bad food and or service. Get the garlic sauce!!! GET IT!!!
(4)Christina S.
I really like the food here, but the owners are always fighting very loudly and it kind of ruins the experience. There always yelling at each other and Arabic even when it's really quiet in there. It makes for a very awkward lunch. Their food is so good but I feel like they need Robert Irvine from the food network to come stop in.
(2)Keith C.
Great food and prices. The Chicken Swarma Salid, Kafka and garlic sauce was fantastic! Sandwich menu is great with most costing only 5 to 6 dollars. A real find in SCS!
(4)Blake W.
This is a hidden gem that most over look this place has great food but best of all their free bread is amazing. They give you this bread that you can dip in their garlic sauce that is just magical. Anyways...the rest of their food is very good and the prices are fair. I would recommend giving them a try.
(4)Crystal S.
Clean restaurant, very attentive staff and delicious, fresh food.
(5)Will B.
Huge disappointment. I went here based on local St. Clair Shores people telling me how great it is, and numerous Yelp reviews bragging about the quality. I was hugely disappointed. The atmosphere is horrible. It's drab, tacky, and distasteful. The place reeks like a greasy spoon. I almost left when I walked in, but figured I was there, may as well give it a shot. Wish I would have left... The menu is a cluttered mess, and doesn't really explain what you're getting. I ordered the hummus and lamb entree, and my date ordered beef tenderloin shish kabob, and a fetush salad. The salad was decent, nothing special. Her tenderloin shish kabob were horrible. Over-cooked, dry, and bland. Nothing else on the plate, horrible presentation. My "hummus and lamb" was disgusting. It was literally a pile of oily, tiny, over-cooked lamb bits in the middle of a huge pile of hummus with some pine nuts. The hummus was actually good, but everything else was disgusting. My "entree" was $14, and seemed much more like an appetizer. That said, I felt like I had to order something with hummus as they don't really include it with their meals. I'm used to Middle Eastern places PILING you with hummus and tabouli, but not this joint. Everything is extra here. Go to Ikes in Warren. They include one or the other with every entree (I love that you can go to Ikes with two people, one order tabouli and the other hummus and get everything with your meal, and there's definitely enough to share at Ikes). Our waitress was terrible. She talked incessantly to the table behind us, ignored us the whole time, and complained about "working 5 days a week"... She literally said the phrase "do you know what it's like being here 5 days per week" 7-8 times to the table behind us, as if it was such a tragedy that she had to work for a living. Maybe her parents owned the joint or something, but sorry Dollface, most people work 5+ days per week, and they work a helluva lot harder than she does. Get a new job if all you're going to do is complain about your current form of employment. This is a place I won't be returning to. I'm looking forward to trying Hummus Grill in Eastpointe, and I absolutely love Ikes, my go-to East side Middle Eastern spot. Never again Cedar Garden, your food is garbage. I feel bad for people that actually think this place is good. They're probably comparing it to Steve's Back Room down the street on Jefferson, another huge Eastside Middle Eastern food fail...
(1)Shelley W.
The food is delicious from salads to bread and garlic to entrees. The place could use a little update inside and the prices are a little high. But the food is so good it's worth it.
(4)Ernesto V.
This place has in average very good reviews, and that's what drew me in in the first place. However, all I can speak for is my own experience today, and it wasn't all that great at all. I love all kinds of Middle Eastern food, from falafel, to tabouli, to kabobs, hummus, fatoush salad, chicken and lamb shwarma, etc.... but I usually start experiencing a new restaurant via their fatoush salad with lamb shwarma. That's what I ordered today, and unfortunately it was the blandest fatoush salad I've ever had. The ingredients were actually very fresh and crisp, but the dressing makes or breaks a good fatoush salad, and this dressing was mostly oil and not much else. A good fatoush salad dressing has a fun balance of oil, vinegar, lemon, sumac, parsley, etc.... This dressing again was mostly oil, with not much flavor... so it was very unimpressive. The lamb shwarma meat was also not the best I've ever had. It was hard, a bit dry, and not as savory as I expect, but it was nice and warm when served on my salad so I'll give them that. One good thing to mention about the salad was the size of the salad, I think it's of a good fair quantity for the price. On another note, it was nice to get a basket of pita breads quickly upon sitting down, but these pita breads were very "un-middle eastern".. they don't have that nice warm split, relatively thin layer, and comforting taste of a good pita bread, instead it was thick and cakey, and tasted very much like a dinner roll.... So it's more like a dinner roll in the shape of a pita bread... disappointing... And what made my experience really uncomfortable was that the waitress and the cook were arguing and yelling over if an order were 2 chicken shwarma sandwiches or chicken shwarma salads or whatever that was about... you don't do that in front of your customers... The ambience is ok standard, but a bit dirty, though I feel the place is probably nice and quiet most of the time... However, I was very tense during my lunch because of the arguing in front of me, and because the food was just not up to par. I finished my meal wishing I could get another lunch hour from work to go to a good restaurant and actually enjoy my food... but alas my lunch hour is over, and I'm actually full.. so it'll have to wait for another day. I would not recommend this restaurant. Try Sahara's down the street on Harper =)
(1)Kelly A.
Fattoush salad. Garlic dip and bread is the best around.. Love the chicken shawarma. Service is great. It's clean. I didn't like any middle eastern food until I tried Cedar Gardens. Family is very nice that owns it. Don't pass up trying this place.
(5)Lauren P.
I convinced a large group to go here because of the ratings, however none of us had a good experience. The chicken was very dry. Service wasn't bad but not very fast. Prices are high.
(2)Nicole G.
Dining in here is better, you get the fresh warm pita bread at the table! Love everything I've sampled from menu. Vegetarian Kibbie, as recommended by the waitress, was delicious. Hearty, wonderfully spiced, and served warm with caramelized onion on top. Meatless grape leaves are among my favorites. Carry outs are always Correct! This is a huge bonus because I'm not sure all restaurants put as much effort into accuracy on carry outs. Prices are reasonable and portions generous.
(4)Ruffy L.
Leisurely ate my lunch here today at the recommendation of a friend who, I believe has long been a patron of this place. The atmosphere was most definitely Mediterranean especially the beading on the chandeliers (ok, I am an artist and very observant ok? lol). I ordered a lunch chicken shawarma and boy was it GOOD! The spices were just right for my taste and the rice have bits of almonds on them -- a major plus for me since I LOVE almonds! The service was timely. The server was courteous. The garlic sauce, a staple for any Mediterranean restaurant, was just right. So why the for stars? I am a creature of habit. Every Mediterranean place I have ever eaten has pitas I can open, where I can stuff the meat in them and then spread the garlic sauce over the meat, fold it and then eat it like a pita (hence the name!). Cedar Gardens' pitas I can NOT open!!!! ARGH!!!!! So I have to eat my chicken sans the pita bread. :-( On my way out though, there seems to be redemption as I saw the KIND of pita I want with my shawarma or tawook! I will definitely come back AND confident that my next visit WILL get the extra star missing from this one... (to be continued...) *** after some thought, I think CG DO deserve the other star so I am giving it to them! :?)
(5)Charmaine F.
I went here today after working out to grab something from the juice bar. Juice was yummy and fresh, the waitress offered humus and garlic sauce while we waited and it was yummy. I will go back for juice and probably some take out.
(4)R R.
Excellent food; perhaps among the best Middle Eastern cuisine I've ever had. However, the staff is QUITE rude, especially the manager (a taller, bigger guy). He was very dismissive, seemed bothered by my questions and seemed to intently watch me fill out the receipt for my carryout to see what kind of a tip I was going to give. Overall, I felt like my business wasn't appreciated, and though the food was great, I'd have to think twice before going back.
(3)K B.
Ive never eaten in the restaurant. Only take out. But the food is so good! Hummus is very yummy. And the meat is great, the beef was a bit overcooked last time but was still good. Come here for great middle eastern food!
(4)Debbie H.
We get our Lebanese fix at Cedar Garden and we rate it 4 stars for a few reasons. One, of course is that the food is very good. We get the dinner for two ... comes with chicken, beef and lamb, plenty of rice, pita bread, and tahini. It's excellent. We also get the bread (not the pitas) with a side of hummus which is worth the visit alone. The lemonade is phenomenal ... I'm not sure what's in it, I taste lemon, orange or tangerine ... anyway, it's one thing I will not go without on our stops here. Another positive for Cedar Garden has always been the service ... very friendly and welcoming. Finally, the carry-out is almost as good as the dine-in. We've ordered "to go" a few times and were happy with the portions and freshness.
(4)Mike P.
I'm new to the concept of an expense account. I'm used to having to spend my own money on going out to eat. But being on business travel means that if you're lucky, you will be able to say "I spent $X on food today, which I wouldn't have done if you sent me to this far-away land to take pictures of server racks and pore through emails looking for software licensing agreements and vendor contacts. I'd like my $X back, maybe with interest to cover for the existential isolation and angst of being away from my wife, my house, and my cats." (For the record, I miss them dearly, and I know that they miss the guy who feeds them in the evenings, too) So when lunchtime came around on Client Onboarding Day 2: the Search for Software, I wanted to continue my hopes of never doing the same cuisine twice on this trip. Having loved pretty much everything I've ever eaten at any Middle Eastern restaurant back in the heavily Arab/Muslim enclave of South Paterson, Cedar Garden leapt out at me. This place is nice and big, and there was more than one lunch gathering on this otherwise normal-seeming Tuesday in the Detroit metro area Lebanese hot spot. It's in a nice little mini mall area with completely confusing parking. It's a one-way thing with no real space if you're driving a gigantic SUV which was foisted upon you by the rental car people when they had nothing small enough to give for your price range. I mean, what kind of an "upgrade" is it when they give you a freakin' Dodge Journey SUV over that awesome Mustang sitting over there? ;_; Anyway, the menu is crazy extensive. There's real freakin' Lebanese food out there! They make their own strained yogurt, and they had the actual raw lamb kibbie. I saw that on Tony Bourdain's visit to Detroit and was dying to try it, but I wanted to kinda keep things lightweight. The bread is fresh, homemade, and brought out warm and delicious. This is not some storebought pita, this is real and it is legit. Perfect with their tzatziki, which I should have thought twice about ordering - despite this not being a GREEK restaurant, this was my genius move of the day. /sarcasm It needed more mint and more garlic, but it was nice as a cucumber-yogurt dip. The real star was the vegetarian stuffed grape leaves. Normally I enjoy my meat but I wanted to keep things easy, but for $6 I got six or seven delicious, WARM and freshly made stuffed grape leaves. Damn, this is a value. The star came off for the tzatziki... it was my fault for not ordering the baba ghanoush like I thought I should do (wife doesn't like eggplant, wife is allergic to garlic... why order anything else when it's just me?!) but it was still just okay. Not bad, but not too good either. Definitely worth coming back... next time I hope to do so in a car that's easier to park in their dang front lot.
(4)Msf I.
Eatten here for years; guests are always impressed. Reasonable value, though not inexpensive. Expansive menu, consistent quality of cuisine. The only downside might be the inconsisent service; never know if its going to be stellar, or spotty. The food is worth the inconsistent service. Owners: try a smile and a friendly word. Makes all the difference in the world!
(4)Cyndi J.
Pita bread. Garlic sauce. Chicken Schwarma. Mjadra. Done.
(5)