Departures.com
This West L.A. hole-in-the-wall  feels like downtown Beirut. Sunnin Lebanese Café, according to the menu, is "owned and operated by Famous Chef Much Loved Em-Toni". When she was the chef at L.A.'s premier Lebanese restaurant, Al Amir, the Lebanese community used to drive miles for her light and skillfully made kibbeh, those enticing lamb-and-bulgur croquettes. Though her own place is just a simple lunch counter, she's serving much the same menu. The best strategy here is to fill up on the wonderful mezze (appetizers); main courses, mostly kebobs, are not nearly as compelling. There's grass-green tabbouleh drenched in lemon, smoky baba ghanouj, creamy hummus decorated with paprika and gold-green olive oil, and tri-cornered pastries filled with spinach and tart ground sumac berries—and, of course, the kibbeh. - Departures.com, October 2000

Epinions.com

"Ok, so Sunnin is a dive. Yes indeed. It is a crowded, noisy, and occasionally smoky (from the grills) hole-in-the-wall on Westwood Blvd in Los Angeles. BUT...It is home to the finest home-style Lebanese food to be found in Los Angeles. I imagine you would be hard pressed to find better anywhere.
The atmosphere at Sunnin is such that you feel like you are sitting in their home kitchen at a family gathering. It is family owned and operated and it is family pride in each and every thing they cook. As far as I can tell, everything they cook (except the pita bread), they make themselves. This is the only restaurant at which I have eaten where each bowl of soup is made to order. The menu is extensive and I suggest coming with many friends so you can try it all. I have not had a bad meal there.  One can eat well for about $8, but plan on getting some soup or appetizers before and some Lebanese coffee and dessert after. (OH THE COFFEE!) Count on $15 per person."

LosAngelesCitySearch.com

Soul-satisfying Lebanese faves fuel this bustling local hangout.

The nondescript shoebox-size space sports zero-budget decor: aged posters of Lebanon, a row of stools planted under a tiled counter and a few scattered tables. Doesn't seem to matter to the hungry UCLA students and professionals bounding in. Service is knowledgeable and reassuring.

Former Al-Amir chef Em-Toni reigns over the small open kitchen, pumping out exceptional versions of traditional Lebanese dishes. Surrender to the addictive hummus, piped in a creamy ring and splashed with olive oil. A healthy hit of lemon sparks baba ghanouj, and fatayer arrives with supple house-made pastry holding a pungent mix of spinach, onions and pine nuts. The falafel sandwich packs well-seasoned spheres into a thin pita wrap, nestled next to lightly dressed vegetables, while the chicken and beef shawarma plates are offset by cool, crisp Lebanese salad. Forget the syrupy sweetness that afflicts most baklava, here, it tastes of golden-brown phyllo and freshly ground pistachios.

GAYOT.COM

Homesick expats from Lebanon, Iran and Egypt are regulars at this tiny Lebanese place. Try the foul (a staple of fava beans liberally seasoned with garlic and spices), the shanklish (a mixture of ground homemade cheese, onions and tomatoes), and skewers of chicken with a garlic spread we’ll pit against any garden-variety vampire. Once you taste the ashta, an irresistible homemade sweet made with bananas, honey and pistachios, you’ll be a regular, too, even if your home town is L.A.

WCITIES.COM

Simple and efficient, this white-tiled eatery serves as a fun space to enjoy excellent food on paper plates with plastic utensils. Homestyle Lebanese delicacies are served here. Fabulous hummus, babaganouj and salads with homemade Lebanese cheese are favorites and should not be missed. Alcohol is not served. Take out service is available and reservations are not accepted.

DiningGuide.Net

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