Having travelled through Syria a few years ago I was keen to sample this eclectic mix of Lebanese and Syrian cuisine in Birmingham to see if the restaurant lived up to the reviews on Trip Advisor. Hence last night my wife and I walked the mile or so from our apartment to the quirky building that Syriana inhabits (reminiscent of a the flat-iron building in New York but a lot smaller) and I am delighted to say that every good thing that has been written about Syriana appears to be true.

On arrival we were shown to our table in the packed restaurant (we pre booked thank goodness) by a friendly waiter, who was then happy to take time to explain the menu to us. We had, unknowingly, booked on the belly dancing night and hence a special menu was in operation. However this proved to be good value and we were able to enjoy 7 (yes 7) different starter dishes which included lots of delicious dips, sweet pickles, cheese pastries, salad and spicy potatoes all served with baskets of flat bread, before choosing a main course. As you can imagine being based on middle eastern cuisine the dishes comprise mainly grilled lamb or chicken in different guises and while my wife enjoyed a very well cooked mixed grill, I had the lamb cubes in sour cream, both of which were delicious and both complemented by expertly cooked rice. This was all washed down by sweet tea, (or a cappacino in my case) and sweet baclava, and we accompanied the meal with the house wine, an unremarkable but fruity and light red . (Contrary to earlier reports Syriana does serve lager and wine, although its a limited range)

The total bill (including drinks) was a tad over £50 but given the amount of food we ate and the excellent quality of the cooking we felt it was remarkably good value. The staff were extremely friendly and nothing seemed too much trouble. The owner even came up to us at the end at apologised if anything had been amiss as he had been short staffed (although we hadn't noticed and the staff were attentive and helpful throughout). The restaurant lived up to its glowing reputation and the tastes and smells took me right back to my time in Damascus and Aleppo in Syria.

So if you have never tasted middle eastern cuisine I would urge you to give Syriana a try as there is so much to be experienced, and the restaurant is a great venue for a night out. With friendly staff, great service and fine food its now gone to the top of our favourites list.

So go, enjoy Syriana, you won't regret it. Oh, and if you were wondering, the belly dancer was both beautiful and talented (although of course I really only had eyes for my gorgeous wife !)

Wozlow


Just loved it here, i was told about this by a friend, I have passed it a few times and thought it didn't look very invitind, thought I'd try it anyway. Really good choice, we chose to have lots of tapas style food to share, they are quite good portions and I would recommend doing this so you can get to taste as many dishes as possible.

Sam B


A great Restaurant with lovely Food. I love arabic food & this place is definatly worth a visit.
Love the belly dancing as well.
I would definatly reccomend this restauarant!!!

Imran


My wife and I had a wonderful evening at this restaurant. The owner is passionate about good quality food. The Chef's meze was a delight and the braised lamb melted in your mouth. The service was very efficient and the option was given to bring your own wine. Believe the reviews, highly recommended!
Butch


Four of us visited Syriana last night, we were made to feel extremely welcome by the staff. The food was very tasty. There was entertainment from a Belly Dancer, what was so nice is that they didin't make you get up and join in if you didn't want to. We retired upstairs for tea and danced the night away. The waiters were fantastic so friendly and attentive. The restaurant isn't licensed so don't forget to take a bottle or 2!!!

PR & JC


OMG! What can I say?? If you love tasty, exciting food, and are fed up paying through the nose in the city for fancy, puffed up restaurants that don't offer anything traditional, then here's the place for you.... The owner is a delight, the staff are wonderfully pleasant. the food? Well, it's tasty, beautifully cooked, plentiful and just to die for - just watch how much you order, because once you've tasted the freshly cooked flat bread with all the magnificent dips, you'll have no room for the succuclent chargrilled meats, let alone the sweet sticky backlawa!
I seriously suggest you go - you'll be left wanting more, and more, I guarantee it!
One last thing - you won't break the bank either - the food is very good value. Bring your own alcoholic drinks.

I found Syriana to be a great alternative to the usual city centre restaurants; tasty Syrian / Lebanese cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. I've visited this restaurant twice and can highly recommend it. The food is delicious, the prices are very reasonable and the service is attentive and polite. It's not a flashy restaurant, and you can't buy alcohol there (though you can bring your own), but it is well worth a visit.

Graham

We've just come back from Syriana and vow to go back as soon as possible, the sort of service you get matches that of what you receive when you're on your holidays...friendly and welcoming. On top of that, the food is cooked to absolute perfection with umpteen choices. You needn't be worried about the final bill as it’s more than reasonable. To summarise... an understatedly top notch place to eat for couples, friends and big parties!

Thank you Syriana xx Michelle

My first time trying Lebanese food and I have got to say it was amazing. Mouth watering starters and best of all was the main course. The customer service was amazing, was very busy but they managed to find my family a seat promptly, the food was made quickly plus the atmosphere was lovely very lively. Thanks Syriana for great food

Asim

Hello everyone I went to this restaurant last night with a bunch of ladies. I have to say, this restaurant is fantastic, the food is delicious and they give you loads. The price is fantastic too! There was music and a live belly dancer who was also very good. You didn't feel rushed like other restaurants; in fact we were there until 2am dancing away!!! It was brilliant; I would definitely recommend this restaurant. The staff are very helpful and friendly. The waiters...well, talk about handsome! This restaurant is great for party bookings, families and well just about everyone. Arabic food is fantastic, you should all give this restaurant a try, you won’t be disappointed!!!!

Kind regards

Nadia

Went to Syriana on the Friday evening, loved the food, the waiter was very pleasant and friendly. He gave us a few ideas on what to order and was very helpful, we will be definitely going again, such a shame it's in such a quiet area!

Jay

We’d seen the restaurant each time we’d passed it on the number 16 bus for the past year, and were intrigued by the idea of Lebanese-Syrian food, but for some reason, we’d never visited until this evening. We’re glad we went! We asked the waiter to make some recommendations, and were grateful that we had, as the ‘mazza’ (billed as ‘starters’, but in fact were more than a full meal by themselves) were absolutely superb. There was a selection of (possibly more than) seven dishes, some hot, some cold, but each one prepared that day with absolutely fresh ingredients, and delicately spiced. These included the familiar hummus, the less-familiar moutabal (tenderly smoked aubergine with sesame paste and lemon juice), kibbeh (balls of lamb, minced), a fresh and fragrant tabbouleh and fattoush salads, generous borack pastries with minced lamb and haloumi cheese. This was accompanied by a generous basket of griddle-cooked soft, puffy breads. Everything was prepared to perfection. We didn’t need a main course, but the staff accommodated our wishes for a ‘rest’ between courses. We then launched into the ‘main’ course of ‘mixed grill’, which, in fact, was a ‘kebab’ selection of two different types of chicken, marinated minced lamb and fillet of lamb. Accompanying this was a departure from the Syrian-Lebanon theme - couscous, with a lightly-spiced thick vegetable sauce and (optional) garlic sauce. It reminded me of an Algerian sauce I’d tried once. We loved it. We are ashamed to say that at first we chose not to opt for a dessert, assuming that these were ‘bought in’, as is the case in so many restaurants. We were assured, nevertheless that the small selection of desserts was home-made. Two portions arrived with a pot of freshly-brewed green and mint tea). This was the highlight of the evening. The baklava was absolutely the very best we’d ever tasted – utterly unlike any of the ersatz baklavas served anywhere else. This was light and creamy, and not too sweet at all. And all prepared with absolutely the finest fresh ingredients. What was particularly good about Syriana is that the staff are very sincere and pleasant, without being obtrusive or overpowering. It was delightful to that the chef came to talk to us about his food, and to ask whether we had enjoyed the meal. He was only too happy to explain about the food culture of Syria. For all this, the bill came to under £30, including drinks. (Alcohol is available, but we did not feel the need on this occasion – the food was too exquisite to think of wine or beer!) We came away thrilled to have found a place where we would be happy to make a weekly visit, but disappointed and kicking ourselves that we had not tried it sooner. There is a lack of genuinely authentic restaurants in Birmingham, and Syriana deserves to be up there in the top five. We will certainly be revisiting very soon!

Mr Paul Dolan & Dr Karen O’Rourke

I just love this restaurant.....it reminds me of Syria & the food I used to eat back there... I want to say thank you to the owner of this great place....

Azzam

I have now been to Syriana a few times and have never failed to have a great time. The first time we went we weren't aware they didn’t serve alcohol, but this wasn’t a problem for us. They do allow (even encourage) you to take your own with you, and there is a small cover charge for this. The food is always superb, we always go for the Mezze (Mazza), which gives you a selection of dishes (the principle is the same as a Greek/Turkish/Mediterranean mezze but with Lebanese variations). This is excellent value for money and provides you with a large amount of food! The service is always excellent, and the staff are very friendly and helpful, I really cannot find any fault. We have always been on a Friday evening and it has always been quiet in the restaurant, which is a shame, it deserves to be full. Give it a go, you won’t be disappointed.

Anonymous

Amazing atmosphere now in Birmingham. I have been to the Middle East before and that night in Syriana was the closest thing to reality. Authentic taste of the Lebanese food, freshly baked pita bread (coming straight from the oven!). Nice music, the belly dancers weren't the only people dancing on the stage, everybody. spacious place, 2 floors, can accommodate up to 80 persons. Second floor is a family friendly area, and quiet. Tell you what, if I’m planning for any party soon, this is definitely the place.

Anonymous

Brill will go again and again!

Ram

Was here last night and the food and service were both excellent, the manger was particularly helpful with his recommendations and I look forward to my next visit.

Joe

Really enjoyed it. You could almost walk past it if you didn't know it was there, but once you know it is then I promise you'll never walk past without going in again. The food was all freshly prepared and the meats where the most tender I can ever remember eating! Really nice subtle flavours, good service and a great atmosphere. Really reasonable prices too - perfect if you're going out with a group of friends.

Anonymous

We’re writing to thank you all for your wonderful kindness and attention to detail on the occasion of Paul’s retirement party yesterday, 3rd June, 2011.
We know already the warmth of the welcome and the high standard of the food at Syriana, and so it was wonderful for us to introduce this to Paul’s  friends and former work colleagues.  There were many people from Birmingham City Council and Birmingham University who commented most favourably on the freshness of the food and its flavour.  We are sure that many people who were with us yesterday as guests will return to Syriana as regulars.
What made it for us, though, was the warm and efficient  welcome that we received, as we have come to know and appreciate so much the care and kindness of the cooks and waiting staff. Special thanks must go to Suhel who proposed the menu (which was, as we have come to expect, just right for the weather and the group enjoying their first taste of Syriana’s cuisine).
Thanks to all the staff whose we know -  Imran, Malik and Omar -  for being discreet and helpful all through the event.  Thanks also to the very pleasant Polish lady who served us too, and whose name we do not know.
Well done, Syriana.  We will certainly recommend you as the ideal venue for a small party.  What was appreciated particularly was the vegetarian emphasis, as this enabled us to entertain people with a wide range of food preferences and religious observances. We will be back soon, naturally!

Paul and Karen