Chez Mansour

Saurabh R

We went on fine Sunday evening with little to no people around. At first glance, the place had the middle-east charm. Started with my favorite Labneh and multi-wheat pitas/Zaatar which was absolutely amazing. Experimented with Grape leaves mezze which was little on sour side and mild. Then main course of perfectly seasoned grilled lamb chops, scallops kebabs and lamb kebabs. Out of all the tender lamp chops are must try. Roasted potatoes and basmati rice on the side plays well. Ended up with another favorite Baklava (unexpectedly had right sweetness) and tea.

Tamar Allen

The food is absolutely wonderful and the environment is so fun! Great service!

Jean H

We stopped here for lunch in the midst of last-minute Christmas shopping (a procrastinating tradition) and were blown away by the food, welcoming atmosphere and charming service. There were only two other diners in the restaurant but they seemed like regulars, always a good sign. The baba ganoush was delightful and not oily and the tabouleh sparkled with fresh taste. We liked that it was light on the bulgar. We shared chicken kebabs, which were juicy and grilled to perfection. Not sure what the marinade was, but it was delicious. I was a sometime visitor to Britt Marie’s but put off by how grimy it had become over the years. The new owners of this location have managed to make it sparkling clean and new, while also keeping elements of the old restaurant.

Jane N Lenherr

Superb quaint little restaurant, with awesome mouthwatering flavors of Lebanese food. The best thing we stumbled upon whilst out Christmas shopping.

Surabhi Tyagi

I came here Thanksgiving night for what I thought was going to be just one glass of wine but ended staying much longer chatting with other regulars/locals at the bar. It’s so hard to find bars like this and I had the most lovely evening which felt like I was in someone’s home. So happy I decided to stop by! Will be back with friends soon!

Wow a Wine- Bar with 1920’s ambience! A truly amazing discovery of the hidden jewel of boring Solano.. I got their special wine, not from the menu, and it was mind blowing. They have live music and entertainment on weekends! Local regulars are amazingly friendly folks, and don’t forget to ask what is chef special on Thursdays. We will be back !

+6

What an amazing night at Chez Mansour! We went to watch Terga Group, and everything was absolutely wonderful. The music was incredible, the ambiance was vibrant and welcoming, and the food was delicious. On top of that, the owner is extremely kind and made us feel right at home. You can really feel the passion and care behind this place. A perfect spot for a great evening with live music, good vibes, and amazing food. Highly recommend, we’ll definitely be back!

+2

Great place! Good food and friendly people. Frequent music and occasional Belly Dancing. A labor of love by Ali and Tanya Mansour.

Great service and ambiance and wines. Mansour and Tanya are the best. Food is very good as well but not as varied as it could be for a Lebanese restaurant. They have some great events, including live music. Highly recommend.

my vote for neighborhood bar of Albany. Mansour is the man and chez Mansour makes you feel like family

I Highly recommend this tiny Jewel Wine- Bar on Solano. Very delicious food, fast and good service and an amazing VIP collection of wines. I prefer Chez Mansour special pick each time I go in there. They have live music on weekends and I love ambulance and positive energy of this place.

Devon Qualls

Karaoke, every Tuesday night 7 PM till 10 PM very nice.

Daniel Rollingher

my vote for neighborhood bar of Albany. Mansour is the man and chez Mansour makes you feel like family

William Johnston

Great place! Good food and friendly people. Frequent music and occasional Belly Dancing. A labor of love by Ali and Tanya Mansour.

Marguerite Barrier

I Highly recommend this tiny Jewel Wine- Bar on Solano. Very delicious food, fast and good service and an amazing VIP collection of wines. I prefer Chez Mansour special pick each time I go in there. They have live music on weekends and I love ambulance and positive energy of this place.

Richard Makdisi

Great service and ambiance and wines. Mansour and Tanya are the best. Food is very good as well but not as varied as it could be for a Lebanese restaurant. They have some great events, including live music. Highly recommend.

This establishment, while offering a full menu, identifies itself as a wine bar. This was made clear to our party as we were deciding what to order. It's best to consider this location as a wine bar that also serves shareable, tapas-style food. Our group of four sampled the following: Meaza Platter: A good starter. Due to an eggplant allergy, we requested the baba ghanoush be served separately. This request prompted another reminder that the focus is on wine, not food. While they wouldn't serve the baba ghanoush on a separate plate, they offered to substitute it with more of another item, like hummus. Chicken Shawarma: This was the most popular dish among our group. The chicken was flavorful, and the portion size was generous, suitable for one person or for sharing. Beef and Lamb Shawarma: A decent dish, but not as well-received as the chicken shawarma. The portion size was comparable to the chicken shawarma. Cucumber Salad: A refreshing addition to the meats and rice. Basmati Rice: Both shawarma plates included rice, but we ordered an extra portion. Pita Bread: We were told the pita bread was homemade and fresh. However, the bowl contained a mix of textures: half resembled Stacy's pita chips, while the other half was soft wheat pita. The combination wasn't ideal, particularly as the soft pita warmed the crispy pieces. Other Details: Restrooms are located in the back, past the hostess stand and near the kitchen. Street parking is available.

Bright spot on a rainy evening. Cordial, hospitable chef-owner, menu highlights were the flavorful beet salad and tender, juicy lamb. Easy street parking, spacious bathroom, restaurant seems disability friendly. Live jazz some evenings.

bossone mahal

This establishment, while offering a full menu, identifies itself as a wine bar. This was made clear to our party as we were deciding what to order. It's best to consider this location as a wine bar that also serves shareable, tapas-style food. Our group of four sampled the following: Meaza Platter: A good starter. Due to an eggplant allergy, we requested the baba ghanoush be served separately. This request prompted another reminder that the focus is on wine, not food. While they wouldn't serve the baba ghanoush on a separate plate, they offered to substitute it with more of another item, like hummus. Chicken Shawarma: This was the most popular dish among our group. The chicken was flavorful, and the portion size was generous, suitable for one person or for sharing. Beef and Lamb Shawarma: A decent dish, but not as well-received as the chicken shawarma. The portion size was comparable to the chicken shawarma. Cucumber Salad: A refreshing addition to the meats and rice. Basmati Rice: Both shawarma plates included rice, but we ordered an extra portion. Pita Bread: We were told the pita bread was homemade and fresh. However, the bowl contained a mix of textures: half resembled Stacy's pita chips, while the other half was soft wheat pita. The combination wasn't ideal, particularly as the soft pita warmed the crispy pieces. Other Details: Restrooms are located in the back, past the hostess stand and near the kitchen. Street parking is available.

Susan Larsen

Bright spot on a rainy evening. Cordial, hospitable chef-owner, menu highlights were the flavorful beet salad and tender, juicy lamb. Easy street parking, spacious bathroom, restaurant seems disability friendly. Live jazz some evenings.

Lovely place for an elegant hangout. Baklava was a little uninspired but the port was delicious and the ambience is really nice.

Jessica Stanton

Lovely place for an elegant hangout. Baklava was a little uninspired but the port was delicious and the ambience is really nice.

Over-marinated shawarma tasted way too sour. Place was empty on a Sunday. Local musicians were bland and boring. I think this place needs some changes in their kitchen to survive with places like Zaytoon, and Troy nearby. Great wine list though.

Amin Yousefi

Two times I went there, both times I ordered large lamb chops, the second time the owner Mansour served me and I realized the first time his wife charged me the large portion but she gave me the smal portion. Mansour was a good guy but I don't know why his wife cheated me, it was very disrespecful I never go there and I don't recommend them to anybody.

P. I.

Over-marinated shawarma tasted way too sour. Place was empty on a Sunday. Local musicians were bland and boring. I think this place needs some changes in their kitchen to survive with places like Zaytoon, and Troy nearby. Great wine list though.

Two times I went there, both times I ordered large lamb chops, the second time the owner Mansour served me and I realized the first time his wife charged me the large portion but she gave me the smal portion. Mansour was a good guy but I don't know why his wife cheated me, it was very disrespecful I never go there and I don't recommend them to anybody.

The other Mediterranean places on Solano have better food and this place is overpriced. They charged us $12 for extra pita without telling us and $4 for 6 olives on the mezza platter.

We went to Chez Mansour on Solano for dinner on a Tuesday night. The restaurant was nearly empty, just a few people at the bar. Our waitress assured us the food was fresh and delicious—not authentic, but good—and that the shawarma meat was on the grill, on the spit, and shaved per order. So we decided to give it a try. When it came to wine, we asked for a recommendation and explained what we liked. She mentioned they had a new wine list and suggested a Sauvignon Blanc from Lodi for $16 a glass, saying we were “getting a deal” because the new menu would soon list it at $18. We ordered that along with a glass of Santa Margherita, a simple, safe wine you can’t go wrong with—and it ended up being the best part of the meal. The food, however, was a disaster. The baba ganoush was slimy, bitter, and had no trace of eggplant. The pita chips were burned, and when we pointed it out, she insisted they were “homemade and darker by design.” Later, she brought what were clearly Stacy’s pita chips. The shawarma, despite being described as freshly shaved off the spit, was anything but—it was dry, chewy, overly spiced with cinnamon, and tasted as if it had been sitting around for hours. The bartender noticed our disappointment and kindly brought both wine bottles to our table, telling us to pour what we liked and that he’d only charge for two glasses. That gesture was appreciated. But our server still returned with a bill charging us for three glasses, made no effort to fix anything, and even asked my husband how he liked his meal while his plate sat completely untouched. This level of food and service might pass in Paris at 4 a.m. (if you know, you know), but it’s absolutely unacceptable at 8 p.m. in Berkeley—especially with so many great restaurants nearby. As a longtime Berkeley local who values supporting neighborhood businesses, I left feeling like this place only cares about grabbing money, not serving good food or hospitality. We spent $130 and still left hungry, ending up at Jupiter for pizza afterward. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone—not even my worst enemy.

Gabita N

We went to Chez Mansour on Solano for dinner on a Tuesday night. The restaurant was nearly empty, just a few people at the bar. Our waitress assured us the food was fresh and delicious—not authentic, but good—and that the shawarma meat was on the grill, on the spit, and shaved per order. So we decided to give it a try. When it came to wine, we asked for a recommendation and explained what we liked. She mentioned they had a new wine list and suggested a Sauvignon Blanc from Lodi for $16 a glass, saying we were “getting a deal” because the new menu would soon list it at $18. We ordered that along with a glass of Santa Margherita, a simple, safe wine you can’t go wrong with—and it ended up being the best part of the meal. The food, however, was a disaster. The baba ganoush was slimy, bitter, and had no trace of eggplant. The pita chips were burned, and when we pointed it out, she insisted they were “homemade and darker by design.” Later, she brought what were clearly Stacy’s pita chips. The shawarma, despite being described as freshly shaved off the spit, was anything but—it was dry, chewy, overly spiced with cinnamon, and tasted as if it had been sitting around for hours. The bartender noticed our disappointment and kindly brought both wine bottles to our table, telling us to pour what we liked and that he’d only charge for two glasses. That gesture was appreciated. But our server still returned with a bill charging us for three glasses, made no effort to fix anything, and even asked my husband how he liked his meal while his plate sat completely untouched. This level of food and service might pass in Paris at 4 a.m. (if you know, you know), but it’s absolutely unacceptable at 8 p.m. in Berkeley—especially with so many great restaurants nearby. As a longtime Berkeley local who values supporting neighborhood businesses, I left feeling like this place only cares about grabbing money, not serving good food or hospitality. We spent $130 and still left hungry, ending up at Jupiter for pizza afterward. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone—not even my worst enemy.

Quellcrist Falconer

The other Mediterranean places on Solano have better food and this place is overpriced. They charged us $12 for extra pita without telling us and $4 for 6 olives on the mezza platter.