Al-Amir Lebanese Restaurant and Club: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Al-Amir in Addison is a Lebanese restaurant and nightclub where vegetarians can build a full dinner from the cold and hot appetizers. The kitchen grills lamb, beef, and chicken, but the meze list runs deep and plenty of it is meat-free. Come hungry and order for the table.

The Addison restaurant sits at 3885 Belt Line Road. A second Al-Amir operates in Arlington at 701 106th Street, with hours of 6pm to 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. This profile covers the brand, with Addison as the example.

Start cold. Hummus ($12), Baba Ghanouj ($12), Labneh ($10), and Yogurt Salad ($10) are all vegetarian. So are the Grape Leaves ($12), which come five to an order, stuffed with rice, tomatoes, onion, and parsley. If you can’t pick, the Cold Combo ($28) packs hummus, baba ghanouj, grape leaves, kabis (mixed pickles and olives), feta, labneh, and olive oil onto one plate. Salads run $12 each: Fattoush with pomegranate juice and pita, Tabouli with cracked wheat, or a Greek salad with feta and black olives.

The hot appetizers add more. Falafel ($12) arrives as five deep-fried chickpea patties. You can also order Spinach Pie ($13), Potato Pies ($13), Cheese Rolls stuffed with feta and mint ($13), Spicy Potato ($10), or fried Cauliflower with hot spices and tahini ($12). The kitchen grills Halloumi ($16) and tops it with honey. Pair three or four of these with the Cold Combo and you have dinner for two.

For a main course, the Vegetable Kabob ($20) grills mixed vegetables and serves them over basmati rice. The Makali Platter ($22) stacks eggplant, cauliflower, and mixed vegetables with tahini sauce and fries. A falafel sandwich ($12) comes with fries too. Two warnings: the Hot Combo ($36) mixes in beef kibbeh and meat pies, and Hummus with Meat ($20) adds beef, chicken, or sujuk. Order the plain hummus instead.

The Lentil Soup ($11) is red lentil with spices and onion, served with grilled pita. The menu doesn’t say what stock it uses, so ask your server if that matters to you.

Dessert is easy. Kunafah ($12) layers Lebanese pastry with pistachios and syrup, Baklava ($8) comes as two buttery nut-filled pastries, and the Cheese Kunafa with Ice Cream ($18) and Cheesecake ($9) round out the list. Hareeseh ($9) is buttered almond semolina, and Cashew Fingers ($8) are filo wrapped around cashews.

The kitchen situation is unclear. Al-Amir grills skewers of beef, lamb, chicken, and shrimp, and it doesn’t say whether vegetable dishes get their own surface or fryer. The menu doesn’t say whether the fries that come with the falafel and Makali Platter share oil with meat, so ask first. Vegans can build a meal from hummus, baba ghanouj, tabouli, fattoush, falafel, and grape leaves, but confirm each dish with your server.

Dinner here comes with entertainment. Reviewers on the restaurant’s site mention a belly dancer and a large dance floor, and the restaurant sells tickets to events. Expect music and a late crowd on weekends. A 20 percent gratuity goes on every check.

The Addison location keeps these hours: closed Monday and Tuesday, 5pm to 10pm on Wednesday, 5pm to 11pm on Thursday, and 5pm to 2am Friday through Sunday. You can book a table online, and the restaurant hosts holiday parties and private events. Call (972) 488-2647 with questions.

Reserve a table for four on a Friday. Order the Cold Combo, the falafel and spinach pies, the Vegetable Kabob, and a baklava to split.