"🧆Culinaria Restaurant – Mediterranean Magic in the Heart of Lawrence, KS We went to Culinaria for a double date and loved the lively, Mediterranean-inspired vibe. Our friends made reservations ahead of time (smart move — the restaurant was packed!). We only waited a few minutes for our table, surrounded by the buzz of laughter and clinking glasses. To start, we shared the mezze platter and spicy roasted carrots — both bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. For mains, we split the Chicken Shawarma Fries, Mushroom Shawarma, and Chicken Shawarma Plate — every bite full of spice, crunch, and perfectly balanced sauces. 🍐The cocktails were just as creative — my favorite was the Pressed Pear and Pear Fumé, refreshing with a hint of Pear, perfect for date night cheers. 💬 What to know: When it gets busy (and it often does), it can get really loud. You might have to lean in close to hear your friends — which is kind of charming, but can make conversation tricky. Our waitress mixed up one order. Pros 👍 • Delicious Mediterranean dishes with bold flavor • Beautiful indoor/outdoor setting & stylish bar • Creative cocktails and friendly staff Cons 👎 • Gets quite noisy during peak dinner hours • Easy mix-ups when it’s super busy 🎯 Pro Tip: Make a reservation’s, nice weather—ask for patio seating if you prefer a quieter vibe, and definitely order the Mesa Platter and Spicy Carrots to share— they’re worth every bite. Between the laughter, the flavors, and the vibe — Culinaria reminded us that great food tastes even better when shared with good friends. 🥂💛"

"Pleasant experience, attentive waitress, always such a great atmosphere. I had the ricotta pancakes, she had the breakfast tacos. The hummus and pickled veggies were so so good that I ordered one to go!"

"I love this place! Everything was perfect and so tasty. The mezze plate was amazing ,it reminded me of Izmir in Turkey. I’ll definitely come back here again with my Ouzo!"

"You have to look around corners to find this place. It’s really hidden, but it’s there. We didn’t have a reservation but they sat us anyway. It was my son’s birthday. Very small but apparently just right. Everything we ordered tasted wonderful. The presentation was on point. I was even scoping out the people’s orders next to us. Everything looked and tasted flavorful. I will definitely return. It’s kind of pricey, definitely a special occasion stop. Oh yeah, parking is tight."

"My love and I went here for our anniversary dinner. We chose to sit on the patio when we first made the reservation because we thought it might be a nice fall night. It was a bit chilly, but the server did not hesitate to make sure the heaters were on all around us. Despite the cool air, the patio ambiance was very nice. Our server was friendly, pleasant and made sure we had everything we needed without hovering. The drinks here are pricey but delightfully artisan. The old fashion my boyfriend got was incredibly smooth and flavorful. We started with the fried chicken hummus, which I thought would be weird, but it was delicious! My boyfriend got the Chicken Shawarma and I got the Shrimp Mujaddara. Both dishes were amazing. The shrimp dish had a slight spiciness to it, but I loved it. If you love Mediterranean food, this place is awesome. It's a small restaurant that keeps pretty busy so reservations highly, highly recommended, especially if you have more than 4 in your party."