Mona's is the most numerous of the several small chains of Middle Eastern restaurants. Its menu originally was in the Palestinian style, which meant among other things that the hummus was the best around. Since then the cooking has become more generic. It's always good, rarely brilliant.
Mona’s began in 1990 as an outgrowth of the Daily Pita Bread Bakery and Middle Eastern store on Banks Street. It originally had only outside tables, an arrangement that endeared it to a lot of customers. After a fire, the restaurant took over most of the grocery store space. Mona's then began expanding to some half-dozen locations, some of which closed or relocated over the years. As the empire spread, the consistency has declined, though the food has always been good enough and an outstanding bargain.
All of the restaurants have a rustic, hand-built quality in their furnishings. The locations on Magazine Street and in the Marigny are a shade crowded when busy, which is most of the time. The service staff is a little aloof and uncermonious, but they get the job done.
A meal of appetizers is a good way to go here. The restaurant encourages this with a combination platter of many appetizers. They also are happy to make combo platters of many of the entrees.
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